New Nurse Fears: A little fish in a big pond

Nurses Job Hunt

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Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and new to the profession.

I graduated in June and passed the NCLEX at my first possible opportunity. (July 2)

I am currently unemployed.

Now the clincher-

I have submitted my application to hundreds of positions in numerous settings. I feel like a barrel full of contradictions. I'm terrified to begin working, but desperate to get a job. I feel like I have a lot to add to the profession, yet I realize I have meager skills at this point. I am confident I may be able to succeed, and am simultaneously shaking my head at my incompetence.

In short I feel like a small fish in a vast sea of opportunities and specialties. I am incredibly shy and have a difficult time being aggressive. Maybe nursing is not for me?

I graduated with a 4.0 G.P.A from a Bachelor's program, completed an externship in an ICU, and was a nursing tutor throughout school. Yet I feel like perhaps I just don't have what it takes.

Is there anyone out there like me? Stuck in a rut, who doesn't know where to turn, can't find a job and conflicted about what to do?

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Ortho/Tele/Onc.

I literally could not agree more with every sentence you wrote! I graduate in June 2012, had a baby in January, and started looking seriously about 3 months ago. I am desperate desperate desperate for a job, yet I feel so incompetent and unqualified. I am scared I won't find a job, and I'm even more scared that I will find one! I had a GPA of 3.95 in nursing school, did well in clinical, and patients always told me I will be a great nurse. Yet I feel so unprepared! My skills are rusty, I graduated over a year ago, and all I've done since then are some wellness clinics. There are so few jobs now for new grads, so the competition is really tough, which makes it even more intimidating.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency.

Build your resume. The economy has hit everyone, even the hospitals. The nursing school in our town had a 20% hire rate. People were getting so frustrated, they went to radiology school and became rad techs. Things are starting to pick up. We've just started a new grad program and are taking a small handful of applicants from the local college. Its competitive out there. The more certifications you can get under your belt, the better. It shows motivation, initiative, goal mindedness just to name a few. Where do you see yourself in 5 yrs....10 yrs from now? (That's an interview question). I only know the ones for the ER, however, they all look good on a resume. ACLS, PALS, ENPC, TNCC, ATCN, NRP, S.T.A.B.L.E, are the ones we like to see in the ED. I hope this helps.

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what location are you.. from what i been told for a first time job its best to apply for locations in smaller towns and then a year after working there apply where you really wanna be. I was told this is the key to getting your first job because everyone hates to travel to a small town so far from where they live.. also people dont like to be in small towns cause people these days want the night life of the big city...

I been told this about 5 times from different nurses that have graduated in the past few years.. i myself are just finishing up the pre-req to go into the nurse program and hope to do well in it. As this is a career changer for me since i was in the military nearly 11 years before i was canned from the random troop downsizing..

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Thanks AZN11RN and storxusmc for your suggestions.

I have been toying with the idea of adding certifications to my resume for a while. (if not for professional reasons at least to keep my skills up to date)

However often certifications are expensive and at this point with a tight budget and loan payments looming I'm not sure I can afford to do so unless I know it will guarantee me a job. (which is unlikely as there are no guarantees is life) Is it really worth it to get certifications that I may or may not need?

Also I do live in a small town which unfortunately has hospitals that are not hiring or closing for economic reasons. Any positions open are for per diem experienced nurses.

Thanks for the advice, please keep it coming.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Ortho/Tele/Onc.

I am certified in ACLS, I keep thinking about getting PALS, NRP or other certifications but they all take time and money I don't have, without even a guarantee of it getting me a job. Moving to a small is not a possibility right now, since we moved here for my husband's PhD program. A lot of my classmates did that though... moved to Texas for a year to get some experience. We live in NorCal. But he has two more years of his program and the deal is if I don't have a job by then we move somewhere where I can find a job!

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I feel the same way. Please hang in there.

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