Taking time off before I get my first job...

[morningland]

I know this has been discussed before but I wanted a fresh set of opinions...

I am about ready to graduate with my RN in a week or so and a job that I was really hoping for (and at first seemed guaranteed) now seems like it is unlikely to get as any other new grad job. At the moment, I feel like I am not ready to jump right into the workforce; I feel a little burned out and emotionally spread thin after school. I want to take a some time off... at least six months but maybe even a year (if I take that long, I will at least continue on to my BSN). I just don't feel it would be good to go into the field scrapping my emotional barrel so to speak; I want to take some time to recharge my batteries so I am fully ready to commit to a nursing career.

Is this irresponsible on my part? Is it going to make it impossable for me to get a job when I am ready to begin? Is this a wise choice? I am single, young and willing to relocate (in fact, I would love that) and I would even take a refresher course if I was out of school longer than six months?

Does anyone have experience or advice they can offer? Thanks

[morningland]

Why not apply for jobs and take the lag time as your "vacation" by not fretting over the process? You can do a lot of relaxing and working on you while you send out resumes and fill out online applications. It will probably take six months to a year or longer to get any bites and you could put the extra time to good use relaxing and enjoying yourself otherwise. If you take two weeks to go to Hawaii, you won't be able to jump on a notice to interview, but what are the chances that would come in while you are on the beach at Waikiki?

Well, here is my whole story...

I thought I had this job lined up out in Arizona but when I touched bases with them this week I found out that all I can do is apply and hope to get hired like any other job. I was just a little bummed about that because this nursing job is a real passion of mine but, in the end, I will find a job there at some point.

In the meantime, I live in michigan and have a great contingent PCT job that pays extreamly well and I only have to work two days a month to maintain my job. I have been applying in Michigan but I am really set on relocating and working elsewhere. So I am just going to stick around michigan, work to stay afloat and apply in my free time. If I needed to fly across the nation to do an interview, I would be able to do that and I could even take some "me time". In the end, I take NCLEX in june but I am basically going to completely settle down in eairly august and hit the job market very hard to look for a position.

So I don't know why I even posted here, lol... I got a good head on my shoulders and I know what I am going to do and I know that something will turn up. Again, sorry if I came off negative in my response... you guys were just being honest and I really do appreciate that

[morningland]

Why not apply for jobs and take the lag time as your "vacation" by not fretting over the process? You can do a lot of relaxing and working on you while you send out resumes and fill out online applications. It will probably take six months to a year or longer to get any bites and you could put the extra time to good use relaxing and enjoying yourself otherwise. If you take two weeks to go to Hawaii, you won't be able to jump on a notice to interview, but what are the chances that would come in while you are on the beach at Waikiki?

But in conclusion, you are right... this is actually exactly what I am going to do. Apply for jobs and not worry about it too much

[newbebop, ADN, BSN, MSN]

If some of what you seek is some soul searching, have you considered a mission trip? A friend has this planned for after she passes her boards. There are a few organizations who take new grads. The trips vary in length and could be very rewarding to both your mental health and your resume. ;-)

[morningland]

In the end, I took NCLEX and then drove up to Alaska for the summer. I took seven months off then got the first job I applied for in Arizona. I moved out and everything worked out fine. Taking that time off was the best thing I ever did. I love nursing but the job sucks most of the time and you just got to give yourself the space to tolerate this lifestyle

[MsSocalRN]

Congrats! I'm happy it worked out for you! Being you are single maybe look into travel nursing! That would be fun! You can go to Key West for 3 months then Alaska the next 3 months! I would if I were single and I didn't have a school aged son! So I have to live vicariously through single people like you! Lol! Have fun! Congrats again! Big change from Michigan to Arizona! Hope you are enjoying yourself!

[sourapril]

If you feel burned out from school, you should take some time off, 3 months at most in my opinion. If you want to take longer time off, why don't you start somewhere easy, like a flu or wellness clinic. It's easy to get the job and you pick your own time to work. That way you will have a little nursing experience under your belt before you apply to a full time job.