Are nursing grads still having a hard time finding jobs?

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I was considering earning a degree in nursing and even took some pre-reqs and did well in them. I wanted to become a pediatric nurse and eventually become a CPNP, but last year when the economy tanked nursing grads were having a really hard time finding jobs. Also I know a lot of schools are graduating nurses, so I hear there is an excess of nurses out there. So I decided not to do nursing and I'am having second thoughts and thinking that maybe I want to apply for nursing school. Are you all still having a hard time finding jobs? Has the school you went to or the type of degree (ADN or BSN) you have affected your job search? Do any of you think there are too many nurses out there and not enough jobs to go around?

Specializes in soon to be Peds Onco : ).

Throughout my college career everyone told me don't worry about your GPA. Your a nursing major your going to have a job thankfully however I didn't listen I busted my hump to get a 3.5 because below that wasn't good enough to me. I graduated a little more than month ago I can't even believe that and just passed by board two days ago. Besides having a BSN and a pretty good GPA I can tell you one trick that helped me land four interviews; and two jobs. It was nice being able to decide between two jobs in this economy and to be able to not settle for the regular adult med surg floor. I will be beginning my career on a Pediatric Oncology Floor in a hospital ranked top 30 in the country for pediatric medicine.

Electronic apps make it TOO EASY for everyone to apply for jobs. This may be the reason hospitals report recieving up to 800 applications a day for RN positions alone! So imagine the nurse recruiters -- do you think they have time to read 800 applications. According to the many nurse recruiters I have talked to they do not! Therefore the applications they do look at are those who have followed up with them. Why does this seem to set people apart from the crowd because I'd like you to try to find contact information for different nurse recruiters on different hospital websites... it is not readily available at all. You have to spend many hours searching the website or have lucked out enough to have spoken with them at a fair and recieved their business card. Each application I submitted I followed up with by email if they didn't answer me in a timely fashion I was relentless until they finally emailed me back annoyed or not I had gotten them to take a look at what I had to offer the nursing world. The job I ultimately landed went a little something like this. I totally disregarded the experience requirements and applied for a Pediatric Nurse position... I emailed one nurse recruiter with resume attached who led me to another who told me that I obviously couldn't possibly be offered the job as a nurse right now because it was Jan and I wasn't graduating until May but she told me email me back in April and we can set up an interview. I emailed her back the last week of March telling her I could be in the area such and such days in April... and landed my interview. I did a mock interview bought a skirt suit (studies show that woman are more likely to be hired by both men and women when in a skirt or a dress) and practiced everyday in the mirror. The first question I received from the Nur Rec who interviewed me was how I had landed the interview without having graduated... and thats when i knew it was my emails that has done it. I followed the same protocol for every position thereafter. I applied to four jobs; got the offer to interview for four jobs. Interviewed for three jobs. Got offers for two. And canceled the fourth interview after I had recieved my dream job. Its possible but you have to set yourself apart from the crowd!

Just passed my boards... Peds Onco RN coming soon!

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There are jobs out there. You must be aggressive about it though. I graduated in May 2010, took my NCLEX in early June, landed a job end of June, and start in early July. I did not just fill out a ton of apps and wait for a call.... I was rejected for all of them... I called and let them know that I wanted this. Like any job, if you just try watchful waiting, that is exactly what you will continue to do... wait.

I say GO FOR IT!

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I'm in NC

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Always nice to know..

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Throughout my college career everyone told me don't worry about your GPA. Your a nursing major your going to have a job thankfully however I didn't listen I busted my hump to get a 3.5 because below that wasn't good enough to me. I graduated a little more than month ago I can't even believe that and just passed by board two days ago. Besides having a BSN and a pretty good GPA I can tell you one trick that helped me land four interviews; and two jobs. It was nice being able to decide between two jobs in this economy and to be able to not settle for the regular adult med surg floor. I will be beginning my career on a Pediatric Oncology Floor in a hospital ranked top 30 in the country for pediatric medicine.

Electronic apps make it TOO EASY for everyone to apply for jobs. This may be the reason hospitals report recieving up to 800 applications a day for RN positions alone! So imagine the nurse recruiters -- do you think they have time to read 800 applications. According to the many nurse recruiters I have talked to they do not! Therefore the applications they do look at are those who have followed up with them. Why does this seem to set people apart from the crowd because I'd like you to try to find contact information for different nurse recruiters on different hospital websites... it is not readily available at all. You have to spend many hours searching the website or have lucked out enough to have spoken with them at a fair and recieved their business card. Each application I submitted I followed up with by email if they didn't answer me in a timely fashion I was relentless until they finally emailed me back annoyed or not I had gotten them to take a look at what I had to offer the nursing world. The job I ultimately landed went a little something like this. I totally disregarded the experience requirements and applied for a Pediatric Nurse position... I emailed one nurse recruiter with resume attached who led me to another who told me that I obviously couldn't possibly be offered the job as a nurse right now because it was Jan and I wasn't graduating until May but she told me email me back in April and we can set up an interview. I emailed her back the last week of March telling her I could be in the area such and such days in April... and landed my interview. I did a mock interview bought a skirt suit (studies show that woman are more likely to be hired by both men and women when in a skirt or a dress) and practiced everyday in the mirror. The first question I received from the Nur Rec who interviewed me was how I had landed the interview without having graduated... and thats when i knew it was my emails that has done it. I followed the same protocol for every position thereafter. I applied to four jobs; got the offer to interview for four jobs. Interviewed for three jobs. Got offers for two. And canceled the fourth interview after I had recieved my dream job. Its possible but you have to set yourself apart from the crowd!

Just passed my boards... Peds Onco RN coming soon!

Thanks for sharing your story thats great! Awww you get to work with children thats awesome! Im happy for you. How are you liking your job??

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There are jobs out there. You must be aggressive about it though. I graduated in May 2010, took my NCLEX in early June, landed a job end of June, and start in early July. I did not just fill out a ton of apps and wait for a call.... I was rejected for all of them... I called and let them know that I wanted this. Like any job, if you just try watchful waiting, that is exactly what you will continue to do... wait.

I say GO FOR IT!

Thanks! Im going to finish up the last few pre-reqs I need and apply to a BSN program for Spring 2012. I just talked to a nursing director for the school I want to go to and she told me that nursing grads from that school arent having too much trouble finding jobs and that it helps if you have a BSN.

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Its hard now but it will get better. Take a lower position in you have to such as a CNA to get to the know the manager. A lot will hire from their own crew if possible.

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Specializes in soon to be Peds Onco : ).

Don't be in awe... I just graduated from a BSN program in May... and same with me just about my whole class has jobs! like 96%.... and were working all over... NYC (NYU Critical Care, Oncology, Med Surg, Presby OB, Montefiore Peds Onco) Jersey (in a whole plethora of places), CT (Stamford, Yale, etc), Washington DC (Georgetown (Speciality Surgery, Peds Transplant Unit Children's NICU), CA UCLA (SICU) Philadelphia (Hosp of Univ of PA on OB/LD CHOP PICU)... the list goes on... none of us settled were working in some of the best hospitals across the country in some of the most exciting places to live across the country and were all on specialty units!

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So, I graduated in Dec '08 and my class was worried as well about the economy, but honestly it depends a lot on where you are looking/area to work in. There are lot's of jobs out there, tons once you get your foot in the door.. but a lot of hospitals are not taking on new grads because of the cost of precepting, economy, change in healthcare etc... But all the students from my class and the may of '09 class have gotten jobs. I ended up going out of state, and several others did as well, but I work in one of the top hospitals in the nation - ICU and we are still hiring new grads as of this month. The economy is always going to flip flop, by the time you finish nursing school it could be a totally different arena, so if it is really your calling then I would go ahead and go to school.. the money is stable, you'll always have a job (once you get one), and there is so many different avenues you can take with it, just do it.

Good Luck!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, ICU.

I feel that while it is difficult to find a job right now, it is important to remember that you must be open to working a position that you may not necessarily love. But once you gain that year or so's worth of experience, many doors will be open to you. I'd definitely encourage you to pursue nursing school! :)

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Specializes in CCRN, House Sup, CCT, Unit Director, ICU.

Here's the thing. As a senior in nursing school, you should be doing a lot of schmoozing with people at your clinicals. Treat every clinical day like interview day. Most of my friends went to work at their old clinical sites in Atlanta. Those who did not make any friends in clinical had a more difficult time finding jobs. I, on the other hand, moved across the country to the ever competitive Orange County/LA County new grad job market. There, I went to job fairs, open houses, and took classes. I took ACLS, PALS, IV Certification, Wound Care Certification, EKG Certification. Still, I didn't get noticed. But I made friends in those classes. Those friends gave me the names of their friends in hospitals where I wanted to work. Finally, I started calling hospitals and asking to speak with their nurse recruiters, and I got a job in ICU!

It can be done!

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Can you let us know where you are if your ICU is hiring? I'm a BSN '09 still looking - I've tried calling and talking to recruiters - only two returned my calls and they just tell me to "hang in there" but at least I have 2 contacts :) Any info you have would be appreciated!

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