I am sorry if this has been posted before, I am sure it has, but there are so many threads to look through!
I just graduated with my ADN in December, and last week found out I passed the NCLEX. I was so sure that I would be able to find a job right away that I nonchalantly called the nursing recruiter at the hospital closest to me (who had told me before that as soon as I got my license I would get a job there), and he told me there were no positions currently open for new grads. So I tried another hospital, and another, and another. Nothing. I have applied to nearly all open positions in nearly all hospitals in the Denver metro area and have not had any luck. I have also talked to all the nursing recruiters in all the hospitals. They all say the same thing (IF I even get a response): "We don't hire new grads" or "Our new grad program is full". I know we are in a recession and all, but come on...
So I put my resume up on Monster.com and was contacted by a staffing agency who said they do hire new grads, and that I would most likely start out at the VA doing med-surg. I will most likely take the position because a job's a job right? But it is not what I want to do at all, and I know me, I know I will hate it.
My question is: Should I take this offer from the staffing agency? Does anyone have any remarks about Maxim Healthcare? If I take this, and can hold out for 6 months to a year, will that count as experience enough to get a position in what I really want to do (OB nursing)? Also, my dream is to do travel nursing. If I take a med-surg job will I be able to get a travel job in OB or will I have to stick to med-surg? And one more: Are other big cities hiring new grads more than here? Should I move?
I had no idea it would be this hard, and I know it has only been a week, but I already told my current boss to take me off the schedule starting next month, so I really need to find something else, soon. I appreciate any feedback and/or similar stories!!
No one wants to get all the way through nursing school either and pass boards and be unable to find work. The entire process is exhausting. Between prereq's, working and actual school it took me 7 years to fulfill my dream. And now to not be finding work, it's very devastating. I'm on the border of losing my house, and I know I'm not the only one in this situation.
BTW, I've been applying at not only hospitals, but also, nursing homes, home health, clinics. EVERYTHING.
ME TOO! It's crazy hard out there right now!! There's no easy solution until the market starts to bounce back. People are putting off surgeries and not going out and messing themselves up (hence, needing hospital care)!
Here's to hoping for something good to happen in the near future! *wine (at least, this is what i've been doing to pass the time)
I agree that if you take a job in an area that does not interest you, you may burn out. When I graduated I knew I wanted to do L and D but chose the available route of agency and med/surg which i hate I was burnt in less than a year but am now going back to do something that interests me..and I will wait for it
I am totally there with you AniRN except I am in California. Floors are only hiring new grad in their "new grad programs" but many of those programs have been cut or they have minimal spots and hundreds to thousands of applicants. The only real silver lining I can find is that this has really made me re evaluate who I am and why I went into nursing and what I want to do with my nursing career.
" would most likely start out at the VA doing med-surg"
I think thats a great opportunity, esp seeing some of the other stories about not being able to find a job for 6 mo- 1 year I know you know that you will not like it, but its better than nothing and you can keep your skills fresh. And in the mean time you can look for your dream job. I would take it in a
I am concerned about the Accelerated BSN programs because usually there is no summer to do a summer internship. They are so rapid that students cannot work as assistants and get to know a facility and become known there. You people need to go where the jobs are, sorry. ONE SUGGESTION, BECAUSE I WAS IN THE SAME BOAT OVER 30 YEARS AGO, I studied in Eugene, Oregon which had a glut of nurses and a glut of primadonna nurses too. I went to Portland for less than 6 months worked there and then started fishing around back in my own community and a head nurse was willing to hire me with a tad of experience. I later learned that she had her dates wrong and thought I had worked for 1.5 years instead of .5 years. Well by then it was too late, I was in the door and bringing home a paycheck before she realized her error. OH, btw, DEFINITELY GO AROUND THE RECRUITERS. GET YOURSELF CLOSE TO THE FLOORS. THE RECRUITERS WILL HATE YOU BUT HEY, IT`S YOUR LIFE NOT THEIRS.
my suggestion to you being the new grad that I am, you might want to bypass the recruiters when you see an opening in the hospital, go to that floor and talk with the manager. Just say Hi, I'm so and so and I know I am a new grad but I am willing and ready to work. This happened to me and the original position I wanted was given to a nurse with exp but she had another position open and she gave me that position. She said that she liked how I walked in and told her that I was willing to work. She said that it showed that I had initiative and that is what she wanted from her nurses. I got the job.
Just wanted to say MAD THANK YOU YOU!!!! I did that today, and I'm set up for an interview TOMORROW!! I know it's no guarentee that i'll get the job, but it's my foot in the door and that's more than I've gotten 99% of the rest of the time!! No joke, going around the recruiters is the way to go!!
I started applying for jobs even before I took the NCLEX. New grads everywhere are having a hard time getting a position because of the current economy. You may have to apply to places further away from you location.
Just wanted to say MAD THANK YOU YOU!!!! I did that today, and I'm set up for an interview TOMORROW!! I know it's no guarentee that i'll get the job, but it's my foot in the door and that's more than I've gotten 99% of the rest of the time!! No joke, going around the recruiters is the way to go!!
SO MANY THANK YOU'S!!!!!
Hey an interview is an interview, and you might get it! Do your best and I wish you tons of luck! All the luck of the seven seas!
First, working agency really takes experience, preferably several years. Yes, agencies will take you with less, but that is not safe for you, for your license, or for your patients.
Second, travel groups also really take experience, preferably several years. Yes, they will take less, but again, it is not safe for you, your license or for your patients And with the current economy, there are fewer good travel positions, and the facilities are taking the more experienced. A travle position has significant cost to it and they generally do not "train".
And, all experience is not equal. To work in ICU/ER/L&D/etc., you really need several years in that speciality to travel in it....6 monthes is not adequate for better facilities. And while there are those will take you with less, it is not safe and that tells you alot about the facility that does it.
Nursing school and passing the NCLEX is not enough to walk on the floor and work full out - you need to have a certain amount of "residency" - not required, though it should be. If you work someplace only for 6 monthes for "just a job", this also tags you as someone who may not stick around or will jump ship at the least opportunity. It is very expensive to bring a brand new nurse on and train them - it is stressful on the preceptors/staff - and to have one come in, orient, and to go through the pressure to precept and orient (generally a minimum of 12 weeks with atleast 6 monthes probation, where they cannot float), just to have them jump ship, will tick off the staff and leave a bad impression. While that may not seem like a problem now, it frequently will come back to bite you later.
And remember, while the new grad programs may be full now, there will be another cycle coming up. Having too many new grads in orientation can be a nightmare for both them and the staff. Thus many places intelligently limit how many new nurses that are being oriented at one time. You may just need to wait until the next cycle. You are also seeking a popular speciality which means that there will be competition so you may have to wait.
I am sorry if this has been posted before, I am sure it has, but there are so many threads to look through!
I just graduated with my ADN in December, and last week found out I passed the NCLEX. I was so sure that I would be able to find a job right away that I nonchalantly called the nursing recruiter at the hospital closest to me (who had told me before that as soon as I got my license I would get a job there), and he told me there were no positions currently open for new grads. So I tried another hospital, and another, and another. Nothing. I have applied to nearly all open positions in nearly all hospitals in the Denver metro area and have not had any luck. I have also talked to all the nursing recruiters in all the hospitals. They all say the same thing (IF I even get a response): "We don't hire new grads" or "Our new grad program is full". I know we are in a recession and all, but come on...
So I put my resume up on Monster.com and was contacted by a staffing agency who said they do hire new grads, and that I would most likely start out at the VA doing med-surg. I will most likely take the position because a job's a job right? But it is not what I want to do at all, and I know me, I know I will hate it.
My question is: Should I take this offer from the staffing agency? Does anyone have any remarks about Maxim Healthcare? If I take this, and can hold out for 6 months to a year, will that count as experience enough to get a position in what I really want to do (OB nursing)? Also, my dream is to do travel nursing. If I take a med-surg job will I be able to get a travel job in OB or will I have to stick to med-surg? And one more: Are other big cities hiring new grads more than here? Should I move?
I had no idea it would be this hard, and I know it has only been a week, but I already told my current boss to take me off the schedule starting next month, so I really need to find something else, soon. I appreciate any feedback and/or similar stories!!
It's the same here in the Chicagoland area. I came out of school with expectations of working in certain places on certain units. But I quickly learned that I was not going to have nearly as much control of my career as I'd had imagined. I am now applying to places I had no intention of working and for positions I have no interest in specializing in. My main concern now is finding something that is not too far from home and avoiding nursing homes if at all possible.
The good news is we've chosen a great profession that will always be in demand and once we do get our foot in the door the world will be our oyster! I'm sure if we're patient the market will improve and we'll all end up where we're meant to be.
I was burnt in less than a year but am now going back to do something that interests me..and I will wait for it
louiemed5
42 Posts
ME TOO! It's crazy hard out there right now!! There's no easy solution until the market starts to bounce back. People are putting off surgeries and not going out and messing themselves up (hence, needing hospital care)!
Here's to hoping for something good to happen in the near future! *wine (at least, this is what i've been doing to pass the time)