Almost one year has passed since I graduated...

Published

I was in my senior year of school, parents all proud I'm going to be graduating, few family members saying: "Oh when you get out of school, give me a call I'll get you a job where I work at", mildly excited because I was going to be the first in my family to graduate college in the US. I pass the boards in July on the first try, parents are happy and told me to call my aunt and a few others about that I passed. I already applied to a few places while I was in school but didn't get selected but I wasn't discouraged. However, I call my aunt who is a Director at one of the units at a major medical center in and she tells me because a nearby hospital closed she couldn't give me a job. This is when it started to get bad.

I called the people I knew, and they all said that their workplace now they are only hiring people with experience. My mom always told me to be optimistic and paid for me to get an IV therapy course and a few classes to get some CEU's to maintain license. By the time loan repayment starts, I'm panicking because I still don't have a job but my mom yet again is willing to pay the monthly payments because she feels I'll get a job soon.

Now, its January still no job and all my applications aren't even worthy enough to get a call back. I'm about to apply for a loan deferment because I can't get a job anywhere because the magic word experience required is thrown around so often, it started to make me go nuts.

Did the new grads last year have it this bad? All I ever hear from my friends are: "Oh you'll be A-OK! Nursing is recession-proof!" "It'll be easy to find a job!" "Male nurses are in demand!". I don't know what to do anymore, I can't even land a job at retail temporarily because they either got high schoolers or people with EXPERIENCE. I was further embarrassed by the fact the military would not accept me because I had "suicidal thoughts" in high school (I use the term loosely). And what makes me even more worried is, by the time I get a job in nursing I'll have forgotten all my clinical skills and get fired.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.

(((hug)))

sorry, it's hard right now, and I feel for you. I see some of my closest friends going through the same. Keep your chin up!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

did the new grads last year have it this bad?

yes... in fact, we are probably going on about 2-3 years of a bad job market for new grads.... i know of a few nurses who graduated in '08 that have yet to work as a nurse.

all i ever hear from my friends are: "oh you'll be a-ok! nursing is recession-proof!" "it'll be easy to find a job!"...

those are people outside of our profession. people on the inside would have warned you if they had a clue. in any case, your area sounds like it may be dead to new grads. if so, you may need to move. there are some threads, where georgia, texas, and north carolina are listed as places that hire new nurses at this time. other areas hire new grads in spurts and very few of them when they do (pa, md, ma, va, fl).... still others hire next to none and are usually dead to new grads (az, nj, ca, ny, hawaii)....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, new to school nursing.

:hug: I know exactly how you feel and am in the same situation. Graduated in May and passed the boards at the end of June and I am working as a secretary. I don't have any words of advice but want you to know you know that you are not alone. Keep looking/applying and calling that's what I am doing and about all you can do.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I was in my senior year of school, parents all proud I'm going to be graduating, few family members saying: "Oh when you get out of school, give me a call I'll get you a job where I work at", mildly excited because I was going to be the first in my family to graduate college in the US. I pass the boards in July on the first try, parents are happy and told me to call my aunt and a few others about that I passed. I already applied to a few places while I was in school but didn't get selected but I wasn't discouraged. However, I call my aunt who is a Director at one of the units at a major medical center in and she tells me because a nearby hospital closed she couldn't give me a job. This is when it started to get bad.

I called the people I knew, and they all said that their workplace now they are only hiring people with experience. My mom always told me to be optimistic and paid for me to get an IV therapy course and a few classes to get some CEU's to maintain license. By the time loan repayment starts, I'm panicking because I still don't have a job but my mom yet again is willing to pay the monthly payments because she feels I'll get a job soon.

Now, its January still no job and all my applications aren't even worthy enough to get a call back. I'm about to apply for a loan deferment because I can't get a job anywhere because the magic word experience required is thrown around so often, it started to make me go nuts.

Did the new grads last year have it this bad? All I ever hear from my friends are: "Oh you'll be A-OK! Nursing is recession-proof!" "It'll be easy to find a job!" "Male nurses are in demand!". I don't know what to do anymore, I can't even land a job at retail temporarily because they either got high schoolers or people with EXPERIENCE. I was further embarrassed by the fact the military would not accept me because I had "suicidal thoughts" in high school (I use the term loosely). And what makes me even more worried is, by the time I get a job in nursing I'll have forgotten all my clinical skills and get fired.

did you try applying for an internship?
Up Vote Up Vote ×
did you try applying for an internship?

I would if I could find any in my area this is just absurd. I can't even land a job as a CNA.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I graduated in June and I have not found a job yet either. It is frustrating. I do not know what I will do if I don't find one by this summer....I am in IL by the way and I graduated with an RN license.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in being a Credible Source.

Since you've got family members in the biz, including one who's a manager, you need to continue working that network.

It's a little odd to me that your aunt can't help. I'd go back to her and ask for a brutally honest assessment of my "package" and get her help in editing my résumé. I'd also ask for her assessment of the "stale new grad" issue and how it might be overcome.

For sure, if you're in California, start looking elsewhere. Things are brutal here, and getting worse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in (future hope) Genetic Nursing.

I'm in the same boat. It about a year since I graduated and as one person posted earlier there are certain states that are really dead for hiring right now. I happen to be in NJ and will totally vouch for that. Look because of economic situations right now opportunities are limited for new grads in a lot of country. There are nurses that would have liked to retired but can't because either their nest egg was destroyed or their significant other lost there job with benefit (perhaps lose of pension with it). So they are taking the place where you could have been. Also their are some nurses out there that hate nursing but because they know they would have a hard time find work in another field right now and can't afford to not have a job they can't leave either. Another person would may occupies a spot that might have been your in another time. Also let face it even though the economy is looking up it going to take time for businesses in general (including the business of healthcare) to get back into the swing of things. And even though there is a graying of America and we will need more healthcare workers. More and more hospital/medical centers/etc. are strictly for profit. So these hospitals are going to run on getting the most our of there employees (productivity) for the least off money spent. Basically overall there will probably be less work available than otherwise would be with what some would call "less efficient models." Granted I've seen on other threads the rate of burnout of nurses because of the strain. Of course a nurse quiting can cost a lot of money in terms of training and hiring and such. So maybe push productivity is not always in the best interest of the hospital/medical center.

The last thing and the most obvious thing is that hiring/training/retaining a nurse is very expensive and can be costly to them when a new grad finds out within the first couple of months of working at job that nursing is not for them and quits. So I can understand to a certain extent why hospital/etc. are hesitant to hire with money in short supply.

So there it it. This from my perspective is what is going on. And honestly I really don't have may words of wisdom to give. I can only say that you and I have to keep plugging away working to get our first RN job. I hope it more sooner than later but we will see.

Good Luck to you and I wish you the best.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Since you've got family members in the biz, including one who's a manager, you need to continue working that network.

It's a little odd to me that your aunt can't help. I'd go back to her and ask for a brutally honest assessment of my "package" and get her help in editing my résumé. I'd also ask for her assessment of the "stale new grad" issue and how it might be overcome.

For sure, if you're in California, start looking elsewhere. Things are brutal here, and getting worse.

I'm in the NJ/NY/PA area, its just as bad. However I think California does have it worse. Hospitals closing near me did not help on my aunt's end.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion