New Grad LVN

Nurses Career Support

Published

Hey everyone,

I'm just looking for some advice. Where does a new grad, like myself get started?

I just got my license a couple weeks ago and it seems like i have applied everywhere in search for a job... with no luck... not a single e-mail or phone call. This is getting so depressing, i don't know what to do anymore.

It is hard for me to network to try and get a job because well frankly i don't know many people in the nursing/medical field besides my classmates. One of my classmates already got a job at a facility with just having his license for a couple weeks!

What am I doing wrong??! 

Should i just forget trying to get a job and start looking into getting my bachelor's?

TIA! ♡

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

It took me 5 apps/wk for just under 2 months to obtain my 1st and 2nd new grad job. You can look at my profile for my location and licensure.

I had my resume done by a career counselor at my school. I had a professional cover letter, also. As well as some related CNA experience in the field I wanted to work in.

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Hi Vintagemother, thank you for your insight. I feel like i have run out of apps to apply for in my area

I went to a trade school, and unfortunatly the one i went to is not helpful when it comes to its 'career services', is there anywhere else i could go to get help with my resume/cover letter?? I'm in SoCal btw, LA county to be more precise.

Another thing holding me back as well, in my opinion, is that i don't have any prior work experience besides my clinical experience to put on my resume.

I feel like the school i attended just left me out here on my own. I'm so stressed out and overwhelmed, and not being able to land a job is just making things worse, i feel...

Also i know people say 'network,network,network' but in my case i know no one in the nursing field besides my classmates and i am 1 of 3 that have taken their NCLEX and Passed, so all my other classmates haven't even taken their NCLEX...

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

You can obtain a list of Skilled nursing facilities and drive by to apply to each one in person. I think you can get the list from the state agency that licenses them. That's how I looked for CNA jobs. But more recently, for Lvn jobs, I used Craigslist.

As far as experience....I'm not sure how much harder it would be to have had no experience. I only had 1-2 yrs part time but I pumped it up to look like great experience. Each of my clinic sites and clinical skills was also listed on my resume. By network, I mean keep in contact with classmates to let them know that you're looking. Ask them to let you know if they hear of openings.

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LA County is tough for a new grad. I landed my job pretty soon after taking my nclex just because I spoke Spanish. I applied to about 300+ places in 2 weeks. I wrote down every single place I applied to, how I applied (online,in person, email, Craigslist, etc) then had a colum for extra notes including if I had an interview and the dates etc. and categorized them by city. Wow now that I read it this sounds crazy but it worked! I had a lot of free time on my hands I don't have any childrens. Good luck. Try indeed.com and Craigslist but be careful Craigslist has some iffy ones here and there

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Wow thats such a good idea! I wish i had done that cuz now idk where ive applied and where i havent... i shall make that paper today. I also speak spanish so i hope that will help, i just havent heard anything back from any of the places that ive applied to, which is making me stress a little. ):

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