New Grad w/ License - Job market - Page 2

I will send you a message with the link (and to anyone else who asks). I won't put it in the thread because they don't pay me to headhunt for them

First - 3 weeks is a short wait to hear back from a healthcare HR drone in the Chicago area.

Second - don't be afraid to look slightly farther afield. Have you tried any of the other hospitals or systems in the near-burbs? I notice that Vanguard and Adventist aren't on your list

The company is called RSA Medical. I worked there for about 2 years before I started a new grad program in Rockford.

NMH is hiring new grads. They get a lot of applications, so they are extremely selective. They hire BSN nurses only and prefer if you have some experience.

Write a strong cover letter explaining what you have been doing after graduation. Find a position administering vaccines for an independent vaccine company. Flu season is over, but they still need nurses to give travel vaccines. You can search Craig's List for small odds and ends positions. Just be careful that the job is legit. Another option is volunteering for free clinics. All of these would give you at least some experience to put on your resume, and it shows that you are proactive.

You might try farther outside Chicago. Have you considered downstate?

hey snusnu, can u forward the company's name to me as well? Thank you

I'm a new grad from Joliet area and let me tell you, it's no better here! I have many many friends who are still looking. There are quite a few hospitals in our area that ARE hiring new grads but in very small #s, to the point that they didn't even have enough positions for their techs who graduated. I know you're looking for advice about places in your specific area but just giving you a heads up that it's pretty bad everywhere it seems. Only advice I can give you is to broaden your search - how far are you willing to travel... And look for nursing job fairs! A few friends scored pretty decent jobs that way. NH's are really noone's first choice but sometimes you have to suck it up to get the experience that hospitals want.
Good Luck with everything!! Us new grads got to stick together lol

Oh, also, definitely write a strong cover letter & resume and really SELL yourself! That really truly does make a difference. I have a friend who is a nursing recruiter and that came straight from her (she's not around here unfortunately lol)