Can't find a job

[ssjonathan]

I graduated LVN school in December, and passed my NCLEX this summer and recently received my License. I have applied to several places in person and online through monster.com. I call back to follow up on my application and no luck. My schools job placement department does nothing but call me and ask if I got a job yet.

Recently a friend from School who is working, called me up and told me that he was going to quit his job because he got another job somewhere else. He said he would recommend me and told me to apply. I went that day and I applied and they were expecting me, so I felt excited that this finally will be it and I will get hired. I call back a few days later and I get a rude vibe from the lady, I call again today and she says she already hired somebody else.

I'm really frustrated and don't understand why I'm having so much trouble. When I started I was told all kinds of things about high pay and being in high demand and all kinds of things, I don't understand how there is a nursing shortage when I apply to many places and get not one call back.

sorry for the rant, and I realize that I'm not perfect and I'm probably doing something wrong but still it shouldn't be this hard especially with the whole "nursing shortage".

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Congratulations on earning your license!

I'm 100 percent assured you're in southern California. If this is the case, be advised that there's absolutely no shortage of LVNs in that region. In fact, it is the opposite: there are more LVNs than there are jobs available due to the numerous private vocational nursing programs that churn out new nurses every 3 to 4 months. In southern California, the so-called "nursing shortage" applies to RNs only.

If you're really desperate to find a job, I would apply to every single nursing home, home health agency, clinic, hospital, and skilled nursing facility within a 50 mile radius from your home. This may or may not not be feasible due to $4.00 per gallon gasoline, but it is worth the attempt.

In addition, inexperienced new grads might have better luck applying for jobs in person. It is easy to ignore an online application or resume, but really difficult to pay no attention to the job applicant who arrived to the facility in person.

Good luck to you!