Any good news from new grads in NYC?

olivia28 · Mar 2, 2009

Hi Chaya-

I currently work for an accelerated BSN program. Last May, a lot of the graduates did have a difficult time finding work in Manhattan. Those looking in the outer boroughs and suburbs had faster luck than those looking for the Manhattan hospitals. The most receptive Manhattan hospital was the St. Luke's Roosevelt system. Not sure if anyone applied to Jersey. About half of the students went back to their hometowns (many from California) and got jobs with few problems. Not sure how much weight is put on where you graduate from as this is one of the top programs in the country. There are still some who have not landed jobs because they want Manhattan only.

Honestly, there is no way to tell where our economy or hospitals will be once you complete your program. I don't think it is a waste going into nursing if this is your calling. Remember to stay active in student nursing associations and make contacts wherever you can. No matter what career you go into, who you know is always important.

Good Luck!

Olivia RN

jlan79 · Mar 2, 2009

Can I ask what your stats were getting into that program? I applied to regular BSN programs as a transfer student (I have a degree but no science prereqs), but thinking also about doing pre-reqs on my own and doing accelerated route (but there aren't that many of those programs around).

In terms of lack of jobs, I'm assuming it's the economy. By the time you graduate, things may be back on track, at least for some professions. It's a good time to go back to school.

guiltysins · Mar 2, 2009

I don't really know about that but I know that a lot of the student nurses that graduated my school Long Island University in May 08, didn't really have too many problems getting RN and Nurse Extern jobs at the hospitals where their clinical rotations were at. Most of the hospitals that they got into were New York Methodist, Mammonides, Lutheran, Brooklyn Hospital and St. Luke's Roosevelt.

There will always be jobs for nurses, I think the main problem is that now adays everyone wants to work at New York Presbyterian and maybe set their standards a little too high. Most teaching hospitals love to take new grads over the big specialty hospitals.

JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 2, 2009

Thanks for all the replies! I'd be happy to work in a Brooklyn hospital. I think an RN/BSN is a worthwhile degree to have because it opens up a lot of different doors. I suppose for now all I can do is go through the program and see how things look when I get out.

Is there anything I should be doing while I"m in school to make myself more hireable? Just keeping up with classes will be hard enough--I don't think I'll have much time left over for job hunting or externing.

jlan79, I started working on pre-reqs about 2.5 years ago. I knew I wanted a BSN but had no degree. I also had small kids and didn't want to make it hard on my family. So I took things slow. I took science courses at Brooklyn College and Medgar Evers, and completed my degree online at Empire State College. I also took a lot of CLEPs. I applied with a 4.0, or very close to it (a couple A-'s dragging down my average...), and also volunteered at a hospital since September, doing patient care.

olivia28 · Mar 2, 2009

As others have said, most people land jobs through their clinical experiences, so making contacts is important. It has worked for me in this dire economy.

guiltysins · Mar 2, 2009

Also something else is many graduates go looking for jobs in the fields that they are specifically interested in and don't realize that sometimes you can't start where you want, playing back on the thing about having your hopes too high which I mentioned earlier. I think if everyone realized that there's a good chance that you won't be in pediatrics or a related area on your first job, they would change the way they look and apply for jobs. I know I'd love to work in OB/GYN/L&D but I'd be grateful to be hired anywhere and even though I may not enjoy it, I'd still do my job because that's what I am trained to do.

jonRNMD · Mar 2, 2009

There will always be jobs for nurses, I think the main problem is that now adays everyone wants to work at New York Presbyterian and maybe set their standards a little too high. Most teaching hospitals love to take new grads over the big specialty hospitals.

that could be the situation a few months ago, but it is a different scenario now in the entire 5 boroughs......2 hospitals in Queens just closed with hundreds of experienced RN's out of job. I have 3 friends with at least 1 year experience who have applied 3 months ago in more than 15 hospitals in the 5 boros but could only get part time jobs....

im not trying to discourage you but the job market for new grads are going to be grim in the next few years :banghead:

truejewel82 · Mar 3, 2009

Yes I agree with the above statement, we are looking into some really difficult times where, retired nurses are coming back to work and people are holding on to their jobs, and hospitals all over are on a hiring freeze....:smackingf

queenoasis · Jun 1, 2009

It's dried up in NYC alright. I graduated from NYU's 15-month program last December and most of us don't have jobs either. A good number can't even get any interviews! I'm trying to work my connections right now and hopefully, something will pan out. :cry:

singas0ng · Jun 4, 2009

Hi.. Just to infuse a little bit of hope but I finally was hired at New York Presbyterian after a six month long job search. During this job market, I think it's important to get very creative. I never though about how much work was required in job searching. Handing in a resume online never worked but nonetheless I consistently searched the hospitals every day and got rejected all the time. I had no interviews.

I would advise hitting up job fairs. I have gotten two call backs for an interview through a job fair. The one tip I can give is that everything happens a lot less quicker than you would want to. I didn't get a call for an interview from the nursing job fair until over a month later! And talk to any nurses that you may know to help you with the search. Connections are key right now and polish up your resume and personalize your cover letter and get good recommendation/reference letters. Don't give them a reason not to hire you because of little things.

leeviaRN · Jun 6, 2009

yes i too, jan grad and have been calling everywhere, visited numerous hospitals tired of doing the "did you check our website? jobs are there"..meanwhile there is new set of more new grads..what r we suppose to do?? :bluecry1: