Cant get a job almost 1 year later

[arose26]

Heyy well its been a brutal year of searching for a new grad entry level nursing job. I must have sent hundreds of resumes gone on a handful of interviews and applied to hundreds of online positions. It is absolutely disgraceful how there are not enough people willing to train new grads. How in the world do these hospitals expect to have a team of nurses in the future if they are not looking to hire and train some now. All the nurses are older and have been working for many years and cannot retire because they need the money or are being laid off left to right and hospitals cant afford to train a new grad with no experience. How do i get experience if no one will give me a chance, take a risk and train me!! I live in south florida and its really sad how there are no Nursing Jobs. Sad to say its really been a hard year on me and not that i am giving up but i do need a job and have resorted to do some retail part time work to keep my head busy and my spirits up. At the same time, of course i am still searching, with the hopes of one day having a nursing job. This is more of a rant for me to get out my frustrations that i'm sure others feel the same. Are there other people that are waiting almost year out of graduation and still cant find work? I feel like most people struggle for a couple months then find their first job I just cant find anything ! Every facility and agency I spoke with is not hiring, not willing to train a RN without nursing experience 1-2 yrs or will throw you an interview just to throw you out of their office when they see you dont have any experience. Is this the world we live in where people dont give you a chance and believe in people?

[STRAWBERRI]

Hey stay positive,I felt the same way.I burned a tank of gas n 2 days job hunting.I had 2 interviews n both stated they dont like to hire new grads.I'm looking like why the hell did you call me for n interview its on the application that I'm a new grad.Well 2 weeks later they called me for a job,I cried on the phone because she stated she dont like to hire new grads I figured I didn't get the job she gave me everything I didn't want but hell I had to take it no one else called n the bills piling up

[arose26]

thanks i guess it just takes certain people longer to get that first job.

[mind_body_soul RN]

Look in very rural areas. They hire new grads because it is hard to find people that want to live there. I live in rural NM and got a job easily, also got offers in west Texas. This isn't the prettiest or most exciting place to live in, but in a few years i will have the experience I need to find a job somewhere better. Does your school that you graduated from have a career counselor? Most do, and graduates are eligible for their services. Have them look over your resume and cover letter to make sure they shine and you are really selling yourself. You may not be able to find a job in FL or in a big city. Try nursing homes as well, get your foot in the door there to get a year of nursing experience then apply at hospitals later if that is what you want to do. I got an RN job that said "1 year acute care RN experience required" and I only had 8 months nursing home LPN experience. Jobs for new grads are out there. Good luck.

[arose26]

Well I went to nursing school in ny and relocated down to florida for personal reasons. Although I spoke with a local school and they encouraged me to apply to their family np msn program regardless of my situation. Financial I can afford to make this investment now. If accepted the school said they have resources to help me find a job.

[sourapril]

Take the school offer. You can still apply jobs in the mean time.

[arose26]

Thanks ive had a lot of ppl try to discourage me from going straight into a masters but how can it hurt? Im still always gping to be looking for rn ecperience befor I ever work as a np. I applied and should hear back soon if I got in

[Barbara H.]

Anybody ever wondered why hospitals don't have a problem to spend big bucks on travel nurses while they are budget conscious in regards hiring and training new grads. Just go on indeed and plug in AZ, every other offer is for a travel position.

[Birry]

I am at the 8 month mark and my degree and license haven't gotten me anywhere but in a bit of debt. "No one can take your education away from you," they said at graduation. Well, that may be true, but they sure can make it worthless by not allowing us to put it to use.

[maria1959]

Maybe you should try out of your state job . .

[macgirl]

So I'm of 2 minds one to be helpful and one to be devils advocate.

The first one...

Apply at all Nursing Jobs, Nursing homes, Docotors offices and state jobs. Don't be picky that 1 year anywhere teaches you a lot. The state is ALWAYS looking for people willing to work in psych hospitals and jails, and it pays well. You can even find jobs through craigslist. Lastly maybe you do need to move.

Devils advocate...

Has everyone else you went to school with gotten a job? Have you been called for interviews?...

If the answer is YES then maybe it's you. Do shower and use deodrant? Dress for business, ie. no boobs/bra straps showing skirt to the knees. No tight anything? No tats showing, no fake nails? Do you smoke?

I bring this up because I went to school with a guy how couldn't find a job. Seriously he showed up smelling like a dirty hamster cage, unbrushed teeth and so not dressed well. I have seen people dressed like hoochie mammas, apply for jobs or come to interview, yes may were applying for CNA but some for nursing jobs. Other have reaked of smoke, and yes I get job interviews are nerve wracking, and if you smoke you smoke more. (and washing clothing and keeping in no smoke area, brushing your teeth really help if your a smoker)

Perhaps you don't interview well. Tape the next one a listen to it with some you can trust, or perhaps a clinical instructor. Have your resume looked over by people at your school. Or post it (no real name) on reddit r/resumes.

I also remember reading on here about a student nurse who smoked, she was working peds the letter/pst was from the patients mother who wanted to know if she should say something to her or her instructor. That student was good but the smell was very worring. I will see if I can find it.

Lastly...

Why travel nurses? they can hit floor with little training. After you get a year you be suprised about how much more you know. Early on there is a lot of fear, calling the doctor, talking orders/refusing orders, disagreeing with an order and being able to say no and why. Just everything... that year or 2 makes a real difference.

[Barbara H.]

Macgirl, you are missing my point. I have worked as a travel nurse before myself, so I understand. However, something is wrong with the "system" when new grads get left behind only because it might be too expensive or inconvenient to train them while the hospital has no problem spending 100/hr between paying the travel agency and the nurse. This in my opinion is "disgraceful" at the best. A nation has to look out for their young people, they are the future and this is clearly not happening...