After-graduation is too late to apply for jobs?

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I'm graduating in May and will take the board around at the end of June or at the beginning of July. My friends at school have already got a job or applied for jobs. At first, I was going to begin job searching after I get my license. Now, many people around me already know where they're going to work after graduation and this makes me worried and nervous. Would it be too late if I wait until I get my license? I thought there would be no problem for jobs once I graduate the nursing school. Shall I start looking for jobs now? Some say if I want med/surg floor, then, I would be hired anytime. What do you think?

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Hemodialysis.

I am a student and by no means an expert. However, as I understand it, many facilities have only so many "new grad" positions on the count that they have to pair you up with someone for at least 6 weeks. So, in some facilities and in some areas the GN positions are plentiful and some may only have one spot for a new grad. If you have a desire for a "hard to get area" such as L&D or in a Unit, then I'd suggest you contact recruiters NOW. But, if you want a Med-Surg position, then you will probably be safe to wait since a lot of people subscribe to the "do one year in Med/Surg first" thing which causes a BIG turnover rate in Med/Surg due to new grads leaving after a year. Of course, some stay and make a career out of it! I wish you lots of luck. Have fun studing for the NCLEX!!!

Sincerely,

Jay

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I just graduated last May and had a job lined up when I graduated. A lot of facilities will work with you and understand you are studying for boards. They will probably make you a PCT while you prepare for boards. That way you get to learn the floor and some of the people you will be working with. After you pass the NCLEX they will put you with a preceptor and your nursing career begins. It's best to go ahead and at least start looking and interviewing now that way you'll have the chance to work where you want to not where you have to!

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I'm graduating in May and will take the board around at the end of June or at the beginning of July. My friends at school have already got a job or applied for jobs. At first, I was going to begin job searching after I get my license. Now, many people around me already know where they're going to work after graduation and this makes me worried and nervous. Would it be too late if I wait until I get my license? I thought there would be no problem for jobs once I graduate the nursing school. Shall I start looking for jobs now? Some say if I want med/surg floor, then, I would be hired anytime. What do you think?

Why would it be too late? There will always be nursing jobs, since there is a shortage. Maybe not the type of job that you really want, but I don't think it's ever too late to look for a job in nursing.

I haven't found a job yet since I haven't taken the NCLEX. Some people are lucky to find a job that doesn't require the license, but some places won't even talk to you without the license, as I've found.

It depends where you live, but in my area there are nursing jobs in the paper everyday. Not so easy for new grads though. But just because you don't get one now, doesn't mean it will be too late later. There will be always be 'new grads' every semester and I'm sure there will be jobs for them too, even if they don't get one before they graduate.

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I didn't apply for a job until after graduation. Many of nursing friends already had jobs lined up and it made me a little nervous. I was in a different siuation because I went to school in NC (friends stayed in NC), but I moved to GA so it was more difficult to apply when I was still in NC.

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I'm graduating in May and will take the board around at the end of June or at the beginning of July. My friends at school have already got a job or applied for jobs. At first, I was going to begin job searching after I get my license. Now, many people around me already know where they're going to work after graduation and this makes me worried and nervous. Would it be too late if I wait until I get my license? I thought there would be no problem for jobs once I graduate the nursing school. Shall I start looking for jobs now? Some say if I want med/surg floor, then, I would be hired anytime. What do you think?

I'm a student too, but I know someone who got her dream job at a hospital, and when she failed the NCLEX, they didn't have a position for her in the meantime...they had to let her go. When she passed the NCLEX, they didn't have any positions.

I personally, when I finish, I am not applying for jobs until I have passed the state boards, that way when you start a new job, you can concentrate on the job.

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I'm a student too, but I know someone who got her dream job at a hospital, and when she failed the NCLEX, they didn't have a position for her in the meantime...they had to let her go. When she passed the NCLEX, they didn't have any positions.

I personally, when I finish, I am not applying for jobs until I have passed the state boards, that way when you start a new job, you can concentrate on the job.

Yes, me too. I'm personally too nervous about failing, and if I had a job where they were waiting for me to complete the NCLEX, and had to let me go, I would be very embarrassed.

I think there will always be nursing jobs, and even if some people take longer than others to find one, most people can eventually find a job.

I have heard of several people who failed NCLEX the first time, and I still think I'm not fully prepared since my program went so fast. While I am studying alot, I can't say that I completely confident that I won't fail the first time.

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Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
I'm a student too, but I know someone who got her dream job at a hospital, and when she failed the NCLEX, they didn't have a position for her in the meantime...they had to let her go. When she passed the NCLEX, they didn't have any positions.

I personally, when I finish, I am not applying for jobs until I have passed the state boards, that way when you start a new job, you can concentrate on the job.

That's what I did. I waited til I passed boards. But now I have no idea where to apply to work. Strange time of year. No one's taking new grads. w/ no experience and it doesn't seem to matter that I have an RN-BSN.

Nursing Shortage? Prove it! (i'm very depressed about this. )

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Specializes in ICU.
That's what I did. I waited til I passed boards. But now I have no idea where to apply to work. Strange time of year. No one's taking new grads. w/ no experience and it doesn't seem to matter that I have an RN-BSN.

Nursing Shortage? Prove it! (i'm very depressed about this. )

Which area are you interested in working? I see your profile mentions Women's Health. WH is tough to get into even with experience. However, L&D or M/B at a place like Northside is always hiring... even new grads.

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Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
Which area are you interested in working? I see your profile mentions Women's Health. WH is tough to get into even with experience. However, L&D or M/B at a place like Northside is always hiring... even new grads.

Hi YF

I've found L&D nurses to be pretty cut throat. Hard to get into. Think they're above PP/M&B. I'd much rather work M/B post partum. Trust me, I'm looking. I would have to move again to get to Northside b/c teh commute would kill me. Living in Duluth GA may only be about 17-ish miles, but the route would take me eaily an hour and a half each way with crazy stressful traffic. So I'm looking northward. And even tho I'm hoping to someday get into Women's Healthcare, I'm still open to many others. Don't want to pigeonhold myself. Certainly not this early in teh game. And someday the opportunity to do traveling nursing sounds really fun. So looking for experience at this point.

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