Are there Jobs for New Grads?

chocolateskye · May 14, 2009

I know there must be other NW Indiana nurses on this site that could offer job seeking advice? Well just in case there are others that are reading and have the same question. I called Methodist Hospital today and spoke with a Mr. Snodgrass with human resources and was told that they have hired all of the new grads that they could and he wasnt sure when they would have more openings and the best advice he could give to me was to check back with him often. He works with the south lake methodist location as well, Hope this will help someone. I will post whatever I find out or dont find out.

Innurse78 · May 14, 2009

Our class started job hunting in February. Out of 22 transitional students, 21 all have new jobs and the local hospitals ( Clarian, Methodist, St. Francis, Bloomington) started their interviews way back in March/09

If you are waiting until now to apply, you may find fewer job openings because the early birds got the worm.

It will likely cycle again in a few months.........as some of those nurses won't cut it, decide that is not the job for them, budget cuts are not as great etc etc.

Good luck.

chocolateskye · May 14, 2009

Thanks but to be honest with you, I started back in December of 08. My graduation date was in Jan. of 09. I got my license in Feb. 09 and relocated to accept a position only for them to tell me that they could no longer employ me once I got there. But I knew the job market wasnt that good in Arizona where I lived. I am from the indiana/chicago area. I put my resume online in just about every state you could think of except for alaska. Maybe because I wasnt coming from the area they hired all local new grads first or my resume/application got over looked?

Innurse78 · May 15, 2009

One girl from our traditional class is from Chicago and she also found employment at a large hospital there.

I, personally, hate those on line apps.

Perhaps if you phoned them, bugged them, spoke with HR on a weekly basis? That's how I got mine. I actually applied seven times at the local hospital and kept getting a rejection letter on line. I then went into HR personally, put on my sweet-as-honey-outfit and spoke directly with the head of HR. It worked! She called me just after I got back home and asked me if I would like to interview the following week and I was offered the position on the spot.

Perhaps those online apps never even got to them?? I sometimes wonder about networking and submitting apps on line.......just how many actually get to the actual employer especially if its a website that just hosts nursing jobs with a link.

I don't think you want to relocate to Alaska :)

I just checked Mercy Hospital in Chicago and there are 10 RN jobs that are posted on their website and 6 at Northwestern.

I would phone them directly or better yet, go in and see them with a portfolio in hand.......and see what happens. Letters of reference always help as well if you can get your previous clinical instructors to write one up for you!

chocolateskye · May 15, 2009

Thanks I will apply at the hospitals that you mentioned online and via telephone until I arrive there. That is the best that I can do. Working odd jobs to make ends meet is killing me. I was unsure as to if I should spend my last savings on a license for the state of Indiana or Illinois? But I made the decision to go for Indiana since that is where I will reside. I will keep you posted on my progress and thanks again to all of you for your help and suggestions.

Innurse78 · May 15, 2009

Thanks I will apply at the hospitals that you mentioned online and via telephone until I arrive there. That is the best that I can do. Working odd jobs to make ends meet is killing me. I was unsure as to if I should spend my last savings on a license for the state of Indiana or Illinois? But I made the decision to go for Indiana since that is where I will reside. I will keep you posted on my progress and thanks again to all of you for your help and suggestions.

If you apply at those hospitals, you will need an ILL license. :)

chocolateskye · May 15, 2009

I intend to, I printed off the packet today and figured I'd do the finger printing part first and then send the packet off with the rest of the fees? Does the endorsement process take a long time?

Innurse78 · May 16, 2009

Not sure about ILL. Perhaps someone could answer that on the ILL state nursing board :)

chocolateskye · May 17, 2009

Thanks again for all of your suggestions. I think I am going to start looking into ltc/snf in the area as well.

chocolateskye · May 19, 2009

Well I have just been issued my Indiana license, so lets see how much easier it will be to get a job? (Yeah right) But Im not going to give up. Im just going to start making rounds at the local hospitals once I get there in Indiana. Maybe things will start to look up then? :banghead:

chocolateskye · Jun 11, 2009

so far I have interviewed at St. Margarets and Mehtodist hospitals, so Im keeping my fingers crossed that one of them has an opening for me?