Am I not getting a job because I'm 49 yrs old?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Nurse Beth,

Did I make a bad career move or is it Covid? I am an older "new" RN, I am a healthy, very active 49. I have a previous degree and worked in the oil and gas industry before it went bust in 2016. After not being able to find a job, I decided to go to nursing school because I had some work history as a PCT and enjoyed healthcare as a whole. I passed the NCLEX and have been applying for jobs, but no one is calling me back. I see all these jobs but most want experience I don't have ....because I'm new. Is it because I'm "older" or are things just weird because of Covid and low hospital census numbers etc? I'm starting to get to the point where I don't even want to apply to anything anymore. 

Dear Older New RN,

CONGRATS on passing the NCLEX ? Keep applying!  It's not you, you are not too old, and it's not personal.

Landing a job as a new grad is competitive in the best of times, and it just got a lot worse with COVID.

I really hope you will read my book (below) because I sincerely believe it will help you land a job if you do.

To get a call back, your resume and cover letter must be pristine, garner interest in just a few seconds, and specifically target the organization to which you are applying. No mass applications. No cliches, no word-stuffing. 

Examples are better than descriptions and "References on request" is outdated. Lose the objective statement.  You have to know how to make it past applicant tracking software (ATS) and reach the person on the other side.

Here's some articles to help you:

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth