What am I doing wrong?

Nursing Students Male Students

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I am a male nursing student about to graduate in a few weeks.

I have a 3.3 GPA, strong letters of recommendation from every instructor, a well demonstrated strong work ethic, get along very well with everyone, etc but I cannot find a job.

Not even a nibble.

No one Ive spoken to seems interested whatsoever in hiring me.

When I did my preceptorship, I was told by over a dozen nurses to apply for that department. They told me I was the person they would want to work with, etc.

I took a resume to the department manager and she seemed completely disinterested in me.

She told me they had no openings, although I already knew they were about to have several due to imminent transfers.

That encounter with her was from my viewpoint so negative, that when I got back from lunch I found myself checking the wastebaskets for my resume.

I have asked for advice from several people and the general consensus is it isn't what you know, or how you work, but who you know.

From talking to the other students in my class, in every case where one of them has a job offer, or is going to interviews, they knew someone (by their own admission) who go the ball rolling for them.

I knew financially it would be hard to get through nursing school, but I did it.

I just don't want to be sitting here waiting on a call in three months. I want to be working.

Any constructive advice would be greatly appreciated.

Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.
During my clinical I always was the first student there. I usually beat the clinical instructor there also. This is not my first Rodeo and I knew I was being evaluated from day 1. I excelled at clinical. I have spoken to several nurse managers this week and was told by one to call her when I pass the NCLEX. Hopefully there is a job in that.

From my brief time on the job market, my understanding was that most HR depts won't even look at your resume unless you've at least tested, let alone passed the NCLEX.

Jobs are hard to get right now. As far I've learned so far in life it's always been about who you know especailly when it comes to getting a job.

I am not an RN yet but I have been volunteering in the same ICU for 3 years now, once a week. I have been offered multiple jobs throughout the hospital. I will take a job as a CNA when I have 1 year of school left(working once a week) and then have no doubt I will be hired as an RN when I graduate.

Everything I have heard from all the nurses I work with is once you get "in" (in the hospital, any job) you will be good to go once you graduate. But the hospitals all hire from within and you are going to be hard pressed if you don't already work there.

So my advice would be to get in as anything, CNA is prob your best bet, after 6 months or so I bet your gold.

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