Finding a job in or near SF?

moiserean, BSN · Oct 14, 2017

I'm currently a nursing student in the South Bay Area (San Jose State). The issue with the job market here is that there's no shortage of licensed BSN degree RN's who have multiple years of experience already working in SNF or hospitals.Thus, when applying to a new job opening, you will be competiting against these people who will need less training and acclimation compared to a new grad. In addition, there are multiple nursing school in the Bay Area that have clinical rotations through the local hospitals, especially in SF, (SFSU comes to mind) so those nursing students have a leg up. Hospitals like to hire nursing students (SN) that have clinicals through their hospitals as they already have experience on how the units and whole operation flows, as you might know.

I recommend that you either try applying for New Grad programs in the Bay Area (UCSF has one), and if that doesn't work out, get some experience in TN. Experience will be beneficial regardless.

(The Bay Area pays the highest nursing wages in the entire US. Every RN here knows this, and probably RN's in the other 49 states too. $70 and hour, + mandatory staff ratios too.)

bgxyrnf, MSN, RN · Oct 14, 2017

Hey, people of allnurses. I'll be graduating in May 2018, and I'm in a bit of a pickle right now. Currently, I am attending school in my home state (TN), and I really want to get a job in San Francisco - only because my significant other lives there, and I will be moving there after graduation (hopefully ... )
However, I've done my research and know it's darn near impossible to get a job in that area, sometimes even for experienced nurses. Are there any areas close to SF (or at least accessible via public transit) where I'm more likely to be hired as a new grad?

Nope, not really. All of the urban/suburban areas in the NorCal region are highly impacted with new grads.

Your best bet is to look outside of the immediate area to the rural communities where they have more trouble finding nurses and then apply once you have a couple years of experience.

I also don't know what to do about taking the NCLEX. I don't want to sit for a CA license if I'm not going to get a job there, but on the other hand, processing times for licensure endorsement are awful (or so I've heard).

You don't "sit for a CA license," you sit for the NCLEX which is the same everywhere. You then apply for licenses in whichever states you want to work. The licensing process is essentially one of background checks and ensuring that your education meets the state's requirements. You many not "want to sit for a CA license if (you're) not going to get a job there" but you're pretty much assured that you won't get a job without already having a license - the competition is simply too fierce.

Additionally, is there anything I can do to make myself more likely to be hired? I'm the vice president of my school's SNA, I'm an Honors student (3.8 GPA), working on a thesis (I was told by a professor I would be the first nursing student at my school to do so, too), I tutor on the weekends, participate in student research symposiums, had a brief nursing internship, and I am finishing up my minor in philosophy (with an ethics focus) ... but is there anything else that I could list on my resume that might actually stand out to a potential employer? Is anything of what I listed even relevant?

It's all relevant in that it shows you to be a bright, energetic, and engaged person. There's not much that you can do beyond that besides network.

Sorry for the long post (and for being a whiny baby), I'm just kind of stressed and confused as to what I need to be doing. Worst case scenario I stay here for longer to gain experience, but my significant other won't move, so... that's really far from ideal.

The first 2.5 years of my nursing career were "really far from ideal;" as have been other phases and stages of my life. However, this is a career that we're talking about... you may need to make short-term sacrifices for long-term benefit.

ilovebirds · Oct 19, 2017

Thank you both for your input.

I'll try applying to a wide range of locations in California to increase the likelihood of working there as to get my foot in the door (but I will go ahead and apply for new grad programs at locations like UCSF and Stanford).

If things don't go as planned, then so be it - I understand that I may not get exactly what I want, if I am able to "get" anything at all. Patience is a virtue. :)