Applying for jobs

please reply... thank you!

Check out new grad residencies and their deadlines--many want you to start applying before you graduate. If you start applying too late you will miss the cut-off. It may take time to get together all the documentation and reference forms you need, so start on that before you graduate. It's also easier to get professors or clinical instructors to fill out reference forms while you're still in school and interacting with them than after you graduate, when you may have to make a special trip to school to pick them up.

Get at least 3 letters of recommendation from clinical instructors with different specialties. Make a resume now and give it to an instructor or peer and have them review it. RN residency programs that have deadlines months in advance of the start date sometimes will let you apply without your license. Shorter deadlines will almost always require a license.

Make a list of all the hospitals in your area and write down the contact info for HR/Recruiter, making note of upcoming deadlines. Try your absolute best to get a job as a CNA, LVN etc now before you get your license. It is much tougher to get these jobs once you are an RN (impossible in some states by law).

Try looking for jobs directly on the company website. I found some positions posted for LTC companies that weren't listed on any job banks. I think you can even find LTC ratings for your area and see which ones are worth applying too and which ones to stay away from. Just start looking soon.

Thank you all for your suggestions and ideas. I will definitely start applying for jobs as soon as possible and take into consideration all of your input. I really appreciate all of your words of wisdom.