Experienced LVN having trouble finding 1st RN job

Hello all,

I graduated from LVN school 5 years ago. I went back to school and am about to graduate from a well-respected ADN program.

I am feeling very disheartened. I am getting turned down flat and fast from every residency and RN 1 job that I apply to (I am not applying to BSN only programs, to be clear.)

I am not picky as to location or specialty. I have been working in skilled nursing since I graduated LVN and I do not want to continue work in another SNF as an RN, but other than that I am flexible and open. I will work weekends, holidays, day shift, night shift, anything. I have been applying in rural areas as well as the coveted city positions.

Most of my class already has been offered a job or is at least proceeding within the residency applications to interviews. I don't understand why I am being rejected so quickly.

I applied to two residencies this weekend in a small rural Texas city and got a rejection the very next day. I am at the point of bewilderment.

I've had several people review my resume, check my Google results/social media to make sure there's nothing controversial whatsoever, I have good references from all my past employers and clinical instructors, I have good grades, I do volunteer work as well as work as an LVN, I belong to the Student Nursing Association as well as a couple of other organizations, I completed a capstone in a coveted specialty area and my preceptor said he'd recommend me any day. I have already been accepted into a BSN program and I have done every class required except for the actual nursing classes, so I am very willing to sign any agreement to get it, because I expect to be done within 9 months of graduating.

I say all this not because I am trying to brag, I am just confused!

How is it that classmates who have worse grades than me, no work experience, and even a couple who have had minor brushes with the law, are being offered residency interviews when I am not even getting to that point on the application?

I would understand if they were choosing between us and it was a personality/appearance thing or not interviewing well or something. But I am not even making it to that step.

What else can I do?