New Grad / Difficult time

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I graduated May 2013 and received my license July 2013 it is not the end of August and I still have NO job yet? I already hold a Business Admin Degree and previously found accounting job with no problem. I live in Atlanta but went to school in Alabama so I did receive offers from the Alabama hospitals but the 3 hour a day drive would be a bit much.

I had the perception that with this targeted degree there should be no problem....I was wrong. I have people to call me back but when we discuss about no previous experience (it reflects this on my resume as well) , I hear well maybe you can go and take some classes and get certified while I am willing to go to classes this cost money....I'm not clear on this challenge to obtain employment. My classmates mostly already LPN or CNA have obtained positions. One of them with no previous experience transferred her license to Alabama for the job and at the end of the day they said they were going to go with someone else...So I dont understand. Also my degree is ADN does that matter???? I am frustrated definitely praying about it. My professional demeanor is exact so Im lost...I can pay my dues of given the chance

Yes I did research all the way down to the cost to hire me in comparison to an experienced RN. But I still could not foresee this challenge.

The 3 hours- issue I failed to discuss my need to be within 30-45.min as I have exhausted the majority of babysitting favors during school.

Networking I am doing now actively..The next job fair at Piedmont says that you have to have experience...Should I still go?

Thanks for the reply though any advice is much appreciated!!!

I think you should go my friend started at Piedmont last week, and she said a lot of new grads were hired.

Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

You haven't been looking for a month and just got licensed a few weeks ago. Calm. Down. There are people who have been looking for over a year and still haven't found any jobs.

That being said, you should have done your research because you would have found out that there is no nursing shortage and jobs are hard to find for new grads.

Join local nursing organizations and participate in them. (Networking)

Do go online and get started on your BSN, and be sure to mention that you are in the process of getting your BSN when you apply anywhere. Even if they prefer/require a BSN, if they like you, they may overlook your current lack of one when they know it's in your future.

Have you looked into Home Health or your local public health agency meanwhile?

Go to every nursing job fair you can, even if you don't have the experience they're looking for. (network, again)

Good luck!

Thank you sunnysleeper I really appreciate that!!!

@Theprincessbride.. You're right the it has not been long in my search..

Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

Consider leaving your state. There are places that do have a shortage (right now anyway) and the longer you wait to take these jobs in other states the more they fill up. Plus your skills might get rusty. I made a big mistake by waiting too long to move and did an unpaid residency and nursing refresher and still no hospital job. I was getting other jobs, nursing home, clinics. Finally, I decided to move (3 years after graduation to get a hospital job). Now I have about a year. One thing though, in desirable states (the warm and cozy ones) even after a year you might still not be competitive enough to get a job because the people that started before you are taking those other jobs. My point is to jump in now and get the job you want even if you have to move.

Just like I g

I'm definitely starting to consider I have to get some things in order of course... I spoke with my friend I did pre-req's with we got accepted to different nursing programs but finished the same time she was hired @ Piedmont but tells that 1/2 of her graduating class is not working.....I have been browsing on her and have seen some of the same..reviews after graduation. So right now I'm going to continue to hang tuff.

The "Hey you shoulda researched this before you started" hmmm really offers no help. But I'm thankful for eveyone that has a possible solution to the problem....

Specializes in "Wound care - geriatric care.

The job get for RN NG these days is a tortuous and arduous one. No one knows why some get jobs other don't. Try everything, contact everyone, move, dare the unthinkable wake up and smell the coffee or rather the alcohol and gauze. If you persevere victory will be yours at the end.

Specializes in Emergency.

My story isn't only based on luck but on some hard work. I graduated December 2012 and got licenced March 2013 (went on a long vacation). I have zero nursing experience before school and no other previous degrees except for sales. I have an ASN not a BSN.I knew no one in the hospital settings really with no real hook ups, and Im in So. Cal where its freaking tough as nails and highly competitive to get a job (isnt it everywhere though). BUT..... I got hired for my first job in a trauma 2 center after 5 weeks of getting licenced, and just got offered my second oppertunity job at another trauma 1 center which I will starting at shortly. What did I do? I networked my way in to find the right people. If there was an event as the hospital for diabetes or htn or whatever.... I showed up and tried to meet the DM educator or a nurse there or anyone with pull. I did this everyday. I even had the balls to call the CNO (somehow I got passed the secretary) and got them to give me advice over the phone on how to get a job in their hospital in this tough market ( i did it for a referrel and to name drop with CNO's name when I got an interview). I know its not easy and its a hell of a frustrating. But, I worked my butt off "making" connections. I got turned down many times and received the whole " we need experience" etc., but I still perservered and networked my way in to find the right people. Looking for a job was my new job. I hope you find one soon....dont do the paper submissions only. It rarely works. You have to meet people in person. Find out the hospitals you want to work at that are currently hiring and go to their events and mingle your way in if you didnt have any connections like me and build upon that.

I graduated in May 2012 with a BSN and am a year past passing boards and I still can't even get a job in a nursing home. This is a 2nd career for me as we'll and I think there may be some age discrimination going on here

All of my 35 yr or less cohorts have all found jobs and the 3 of us 'mature ' folks who have 20 plus years in our prior fields are still unemployed as nurses. I think they get your age by asking you on applications what year you graduated high school.

Very frustrating for sure.

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Clinical time does not count as experience. When an employer says they want someone with "experience," they mean experience working as a nurse. Everybody does clinical time. You don't want to look ridiculous, or even worse, deceptive, by stating you have experience when you really do not.

I graduated in May 2012 with a BSN and am a year past passing boards and I still can't even get a job in a nursing home. This is a 2nd career for me as we'll and I think there may be some age discrimination going on here

All of my 35 yr or less cohorts have all found jobs and the 3 of us 'mature ' folks who have 20 plus years in our prior fields are still unemployed as nurses. I think they get your age by asking you on applications what year you graduated high school.

Very frustrating for sure.

The nursing job market is undeniably difficult but I think that there may be something to the age thing. In my case, it is obvious that I'm one of those "mature" applicants by the dates on my college degrees and by the fact that I have several (associates, two baccalaureates, including a BSN and a masters). Despite networking on multiple levels (I'm an active volunteer EMT and am in and out of hospitals and nursing homes all the time) and sending out dozens of applications to all types of health care facilities, I've gotten exactly two job interviews. When I follow-up on the applications, the usual explanation is that I don't have the needed experience. I'm not so sure that age isn't a factor however.

While I don't regret becoming an RN, it's beginning to look more and more likely that I will never actually get the needed experience to actually make nursing my second career.

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