Don't get me wrong, I truly do appreciate that so many people are trying to help me with my job search. I'm annoyed though, because I get about two emails a day from people that basically say 'Hey Bobbkat, I was in the ER with so and so yesterday, and I asked the nurse there about jobs, and she said that they just hired some new nurses, so you should go online and apply.' Or, 'Hey Bobbkat, I just looked online at local hospitals website and they have 63 positions open! You should apply!'
As I said I understand that people are trying to help....but do they think I'm an idiot incapable of finding job postings on my own? Do they think that I just had NO IDEA that local hospital was there? Or that it has a website?
When I tell them 'Yes.....I know they have 63 job postings. I have submitted 17 applications to local hospital over the past 6 months, and they won't give me the time of day.' they look really confused. No matter how many times I tell people that I have submitted close to 100 applications to various organizations, they start stammering to me every time about the 'nursing shortage'. I wish people would just GET IT! I am not an idiot, I just can't get a job!
I don't want to be mean towards the people who are having trouble, but I'm still not convinced there are masses of people coming out of nursing school not able to find jobs. In some places in California and Michigan, where the economy is exceptionally bad, I can sort of believe it.
I am sure there are always people who have a hard time after they graduate finding jobs. It was the same way in teaching school for me. I got stuck in the ghetto and hated it. Only about 4 of us out of 16 in our student teaching cohort found jobs within 6 months, but most eventually did, but it was harder for some than others. Why? Maybe dumb luck. Maybe the economy. Maybe others did a better job sticking out than others.
Good luck.
I don't want to be mean,but if alabama is the state you are in,you will have a rude awakening when you start being a nurse in al. You will be worked to death with low pay. What's going on in al is not the same as is ny. My personal belief and I might get fried for saying this, is that its relatively easy to lose your license in states with the worst shortage such as al,nc,(but not tx)
I have so much sympathy for everyone still in this situation. I was unemployed for two full years after graduation, until I could move. I tried absolutely everything in my area. Everyone else was trying, too, and the longer I was out of school the harder it got because there were always fresher new grads coming along, and people from the next graduating class got those six jobs that were open. The people in nursing school were always convinced that it wouldn't happen to them until they actually got out in the job market.
I might have the worst story--my then mother-in-law did one of those "My friend is a nurse and she said there are lots of positions at her hospital [which, of course, I had applied to many many times without results] and she got me the name and phone number of the HEAD RECRUITER!". As if all I needed was that vague connection to get a job. As if there are secret jobs--as if the recruiter was going to say "Oh, you're the daughter-in-law of someone whose friend is a nurse in this hospital? Let me see what I can come up with for you."
Because it wasn't worth arguing with my mother-in-law about (I did say "Did you tell your friend I was a new graduate?" and she said "No, but she said they need nurses", I did give the recruiter a call, left a message, didn't hear back (surprise surprise). I applied for all the latest positions there that didn't specify "no new grads" and got auto-rejections from the computer. I told my mother-in-law "thanks for trying to help, I applied for those jobs and called the recruiter, but didn't hear back".
Next thing I know, I get a call from the recruiter. It is apparent that my mother-in-law called him demanding to know why he hadn't given me a job! And when I say "demand", I'm sure she was... well, she could be pretty demanding.
The conversation went like this: "Um, I just got a call from I guess your mom, and she said you left a message with me and wanted to know why I didn't call back, and... we do have a few nursing positions open, but you need to apply for them online, so I guess... I could give you the job numbers of those positions so you can apply for them. We aren't really hiring any new grads right now, though."
I bet you anything that now that I'm divorced (and good riddance to my mother-in-law), whenever I come up in conversation with her friends/family she throws in something snide about how I couldn't even find a job as a NURSE [so obviously I wasn't good enough for her baby].
Anyway, the silver lining to my situation is that after two years of unemployment, I still found a great hospital that wanted to hire me. I did have to move across the country and I know as well as anyone that that isn't possible for many people. But please don't think your chances are over after six months or a year or two years or maybe even longer. Keep that license renewed. Better times will come.
I don't want to be mean,but if alabama is the state you are in,you will have a rude awakening when you start being a nurse in al. You will be worked to death with low pay. What's going on in al is not the same as is ny. My personal belief and I might get fried for saying this, is that its relatively easy to lose your license in states with the worst shortage such as al,nc,(but not tx)
Sorry my name is misleading. I'm not in Alabama, anymore (I'm in Virginia now). But I had to put up with that for a year just a to get a job and later get one of those jobs that require experience, then I might head back there. I hear what you are saying, though. No one likes to be overworked and underpaid, and I would not want to lose my license. That would suck.
Every time I tell someone I can't find a job as a new nurse, the first thing I get is a look of confusion followed by them asking about the "nursing shortage" that they've heard over and over again.
Next thing they ask is, "did you apply to Large Hospital X?" which is usually a the most visible/well know hospital in the city, and is kind of a slap to the face, since there is no way I could have NOT applied there.
Next up is something along the way of "My brother-in-law works at a hospital. He's what they call a transporter. He can probably get you a job...totally."
Any way, I apologize if it sounds like I have a bad attitude. I just need to get this off my chest, and it seems like I'm in similar company.
Yup.. I can totally relate to everyone here. The last time I talked about not being able to get a job as a nurse, the people listening just looked at me and mentioned about the nurse shortage... I had to repeat myself like 4, 5 times just to get my point across to everyone since they just couldn't believe it.
I know I need to stay positive and motivated.. but it can get frustrating. Especially after someone tells me about so-and-so who got hired from a hospital and that i should go call the hospital. I don't know if I'm always too late or what, but whenever i call, they'll say the same thing.. they're not hiring new grads right now.
Hahaha, oh jeez! This thread made me laugh 'cause I was just thinking the SAME thing!
I've been out of school since May '09 and my only RN job I've been able to get was for three days giving flu shots with Mollen. My mom, dad, and grandma have been emailing me recently with 'helping' me find a job. My grandma's goes like this, "Our secretary's daughter's sister-in-law knows a nurse who knows the person who hires nurses at such-n-such a hospital. I guess you have to apply online or something to be considered. Have you tried this?" AGH! No Grandma, I haven't tried applying online for the cities/state's largest hospital, Thank you soooo much for letting me know! I guess THAT'S what I've been doing wrong all along!
My mom recent has been flooding my inbox with links to job listings at various large obvvious hospitals, most are PRN positions that contain the 'experience required' clause. She's like, "I really think you should apply for this one! You had great experience like this in NS and I'm sure they'd love to have you!" I want to say, "Mom, this hospital does not hire new grads as PRN status - yes, I've asked HR - and no, I don't have any experience - clinicals DON'T count!"
I try to keep my cover letters upbeat and positive, but I'm considering resorting to begging/being as deseparate as possible..maybe some NM will feel bad and through me a bone. Hah! I could only be so lucky...
smartnurse1982
1,775 Posts
I don't want to be mean,but if alabama is the state you are in,you will have a rude awakening when you start being a nurse in al. You will be worked to death with low pay. What's going on in al is not the same as is ny. My personal belief and I might get fried for saying this, is that its relatively easy to lose your license in states with the worst shortage such as al,nc,(but not tx)