cant get job as rn new grad should I keep volunteering?

Nurses Job Hunt

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Hey so its been a brutal 7 months and still haven't gotten a job as a new graduate. Its truly a struggle to convince people you are the perfect candidate and will work really hard when all they look at is your resume. I hate that managers try to define you by what is on your resume like just because you don't have a lot of experience doesn't mean you wont turn out to be a phenomenal worker. In my case I started volunteering at one hospital did get an interview out of it but nurse manager was very biased and not willing to train a new rn only wanted people with experience. I did get very turned off by the hospital and felt like I wasn't doing enough to help out as a volunteer. I'm thinking of looking into another hospital and try volunteering there and see if I can at least get an interview or pass out some resumes while I keep on Job Search and of course helping out more. Is volunteering really a good thing to keep doing in my situation. still waiting and I know it cant hurt but I was told if volunteering at one hospital doesn't work out move on to another... that's what I plan on doing until I can get some real nursing experience. anyone else in the same boat-had to wait several months up to a year before they got their first job?

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Specializes in public health.

The company I work for does flu and wellness clinics. The flu season is almost over but wellness is all year round. It's pretty easy for me the get the job. They just had me sign a bunch of paper, checked my background and license, made sure I was legit. It doesn't pay as well as hospital jobs, but it pays the bill and I can say on my resume that it I have some nursing-related experience. Good luck!

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Volunteering will at least fill in the gap of unemployment.

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Hey I got my license in Feb and still havent landed a hospital job. I started to volunteer and in the mean time took a position as a case manager just for some sort of income. The situation sux... Do you live in the ny/nj area?

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What does a case manager do?

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No I live in south florida its way too competitive down here and wayy too many applicants. I got an open invitation to apply to a msn program by the program director. Really contemplating going bak to school getting more education while still job searching

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No I live in south florida its way too competitive down here and wayy too many applicants. I got an open invitation to apply to a msn program by the program director. Really contemplating going bak to school getting more education while still job searching

Generic MSN would be a huge waste of time and money, just keep plugging away

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Extra education is never ever a waste of time.

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Specializes in ER.

We had a girl who we just hired in the ER and she graduated last May. I wouldn't put all of your eggs in one basket and instead continue to apply around. Ask classmates who do have jobs if they will be a reference on the application or any clinical instructors.

Brush up on some skills too.

Also, consider applying to other places other than a hospital. The prisons, Red Cross Blood Services (usually I see a few LPNs instead of RNs), etc.

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Extra education is never ever a waste of time.

It's called cost/benefit analysis which at this point for the OP is indeed a huge waste of both.

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It's called cost/benefit analysis which at this point for the OP is indeed a huge waste of both.

I guess we are from very different areas. There are university research hospitals in my city that staff entirely with MSN nurses. Doors always open with more education in my opinion.

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