Do you want to be jobless after nursing school? I didn't think so...

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We all hear the horror stories of fresh nursing grads who can't find jobs after school. Well, I don't want to be one of those people and I thought I'd share the steps I have taken as of now and for the future to hopefully prevent that from occuring:

I got my CNA license last October but haven't found a job because I wanted to focus more on acing my prerequisites. After having finished all my classes this past Fall 2013 semester, I got a job at my local community college as a student assistant, at the very school I applied for nursing school.

After my first semester of nursing school, I plan on applying to a hospital as a Patient Care Technician (I am qualified for this because I previously got my CNA license), and I will be even MORE qualified because I will have completed the "Nursing Fundamentals" course. The experience from this class combined with the clinicals will be very good.

While at the hospital, I will network with the nurses and staff (hopefully unit managers, too), and let them know how serious I am about my motivation, career goals, and ambition.

After getting my RN license, I will immediately apply to my local university's RN-BSN bridge program....... The catch is that I will still do PCT work undercover (to make sure I get some money).

Once I get my BSN, I should have absolutely no problem finding a nursing job, right?

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Many facilities will not let you work as a PCA/Tech once you get your RN.

This is basically what I did, I worked as a tech in the ER while finishing school. My boss knew this and told me while he could not promise me a job, I basically had one once I finished. I graduated in July and told him I would be taking the NCLEX soon. He said fine, but not to officially tell him if I passed since I could not work as a tech once I got my RN (our hospital's HR said it would be a liability to them and me to do so, I don't agree, but not my choice). There was a pending opening that he was planning on moving me into that he was just waiting on approval for from HR.

I take and pass the NCLEX and went to him about the position, he said it had not been approved, but he had 2 nurses that were leaving in the next 3-4 weeks so I could have one of those (but never officially let him know I passed). Well, a month goes by and he finds out he will not be allowed to fill those 2 positions due to low census in the ER.

At that point I now had no job prospects and technically could not keep my tech job. I had not applied anywhere else.

I luckily was on really good terms with our facilities DON (she was my former boss) and applied for a few internal RN positions, but they were all for experienced nurses, not new grads. I very luckily got my current RN position this way.

So yes you have a good plan, networking is very important, but check with where you plan on working if they will let you continue work as a PCA/tech once you are an RN.

Can't say you will have "no problem" getting a job once you get your BSN, but your chances are better (depending on where you live and where you apply of course).

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Wrong.

The market's tough in general. There are some areas that are better than others, but don't be fooled into thinking that just because you have your BSN, you'll be able to find a job. You'll still be a new nurse without pertinent nursing experience. That seems to be the kicker.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

You won't get hire as a PCT as an RN.You will still be anew grad with no nursing experience. Just like all the others looking for jobs.

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Ok, thank you for the responses. Allow me to change what I said at the end of my original post. What I meant to say was "how further ahead would I be with my plans than those that don't have related nursing experience?"

I just don't want to be stuck in the "experience conundrum" and do as much as I can with what I have in front of me to succeed.

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The reason I had the crazy thought of trying to work as a PCT with an RN is because I don't want there to be blank space on my "work experience" section on my resume between the time I graduate and the time I find a job. Now that I look back, I just realized how foolish and ignorant that sounded, my apologies. However, I do plan to volunteer for Red Cross and my local hospital as much as I can.

Will any of you be able to tell me if working as a RN at a nursing home or any other setting other than a hospital look bad to employers that are looking for applicants with hospital experience? How unfortunate would it be for an individual to have actual nursing experience, but not in a hospital setting... What are your thoughts?

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
Ok, thank you for the responses. Allow me to change what I said at the end of my original post. What I meant to say was "how further ahead would I be with my plans than those that don't have related nursing experience?"

I just don't want to be stuck in the "experience conundrum" and do as much as I can with what I have in front of me to succeed.

You will be stuck in the experience conundrum.You will be a new grad with no nursing experience.

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Loriangel 14, everybody starts somewhere. You are blessed to have had the career that you have, and it is in my best interest to see others in this field succeed as well. To be honest, your response lacks depth -- of course I know I will be in a conundrum. Surely there must be ways --- in addition to what I have previously mentioned --- to not completely avoid, but rather make the process more bearable and hopeful for the future of not only myself, but for others as well.

"You will be stuck in the experience conundrum.You will be a new grad with no nursing experience." I appreciate the reality of this statement, but it does nothing to productively address the issue at hand.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

"Once I get my BSN I should have absolutely no problem finding a job right?"

This is what I was addressing.Working as a PCT will not make you any different than thousands looking for work.

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Ok, thank you for clarifying. But if you had read the part where I said I didn't mean to word it that way, then you wouldn't be saying that.

I admit it --- I am no different than anyone else, I am average as you can possibly be, I have nothing to offer, I am just a number.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

It is really tough. Especially when you are just a piece of paper to them.Everyone must look the same to them and it's hard to make yourself stand out from anyone else.

I don't think that working in LTC would really look bad to anyone. It is genuine nursing experience and you learn some great skills in LTC like time management and assessment.

Good luck.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

It's true that there is no guarantee of a job right out of nursing school but regardless of that I really like your post because it's a great example of what I try to tell people who get discouraged by our countering some of the pie-in-the-sky scenarios some schools are still presenting.

Your coming up with a plan shows that you are thinking creatively and taking a proactive approach right out of the gate. That is the important thing. If you are able to adapt and accept differing opinions graciously, using the information as it applies to you, I'd say your chances will be higher. You've got feedback that at least one person has been successful using a similar strategy as well.

Remember, none of us knows you and so any opinion given here will be made with large variables. There is my 2 cents worth...best wishes!

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