When to apply for a job

heartNICU · Jan 16, 2012

I'm bumping this because I will also be graduating with my BSN in May. :yelclap: I was wondering the same thing and am interested to know when others will be applying. I will definitely start applying in February, but I think I may start putting out a few applications between now and the end of the month, just to get the ball rolling.

MikeJones · Jan 16, 2012

its never too early in my opinion. The worst that can happen is HR will tell you to apply a little later, in which case you continue to bother them until they begin taking applications, and then you'll be at the top of the application stack, which helps a lot more than people who apply last minute.

Indy B · Jan 16, 2012

I'm a recent grad (June 2011), and my experience has been that employers don't really look at you until you've passed the NCLEX unless they have a designated new grad program (which are usually very competitive). I'm working in Texas but know a bit about northern/central Florida hiring, but not Georgia. You can PM me if you'd like.

QEOLAdvocate · Jan 16, 2012

Hey MCGnurse:

Going by your allnurses name I'm guessing you attend MCG for nursing school or are in the area, I would start looking up hospitals that you are familiar with (hospitals you have done clinicals at, where you want to get a job, where you know people, where you are going to be doing your senior practicum/leadership rotation etc...) and..

1) Go to their website NOW! and see if there is any mention of a new grad nursing program/residency

-- Because if there is the application process will probably have either already started or will be starting soon!!

2) Call HR and ask them directly!

3) Get recommendation letters from your professors/preceptor from your senior practicum ( at least two recommendation letters should be your goal, say you want to go into Peds... try getting a recommendation from a Peds professor and ask them if they can print you multiple copies so you can use since you will be applying to multiple hospitals)

4) The earlier you start the better, because you don't want to be one of the last people to find out about a new grad position or be too late to apply for one... so even if a hospital is not accepting applications until March or April, at least you can bookmark them and remember to apply to them when the application is posted.

I lived in GA, went to Georgia Baptist at Mercer and got my BSN there in May 2011 and had a job offer from a pretty well known Atlanta area hospital on their L&D floor so that's why I am saying what I am saying.

Best of luck to you and feel free to PM if you have any other questions!

-- PedsOncHopeful

SCSTxRN · Jan 16, 2012

I think I applied in early March - my school uses HESI, and I had just found out that I had passed. I was hired in mid April as a Nurse Aide, then when I got my GN permit (after graduating, before passing boards in TX), I started my nurse orientation. I did two weeks of orientation after passing boards in June. It was a small hospital, though - but no nurse internship.

link51411 · Jan 16, 2012

i worked as a tech during school at the hospital i wanted to work at when i grad. It worked out well, got to know all the managers since i floated and basically could work on any unit that i wanted to when i received my license. may be to late for that plan in your case. But for anyone else working hard for a not much money as a tech may be worth it in the long run.

MCGNurse · Jan 16, 2012

Wow!

Thank you all for the great responses!

I'm just one of those people that like to have a plan! lol But God's gotta plan too so I guess I'll do my best in preparing and roll with it.

miriamlpn · Jan 23, 2012

I know I am an LPN responding to this but when I was in nursing school, I applied to the hospital prior to graduation. I worked as patient care until I got my license.

MattNurse, MSN, RN · Feb 7, 2012

When you have a license to practice nursing you should start applying. Otherwise I think you are wasting your time. Unless there is some special new grad program. My unit hires mostly new grads but only after they passed the NCLEX.

littletwinstar · Feb 19, 2012

I have a few questions:

1) how do you find out about new grad programs? would calling the hospital directly be the best thing to do?

2) would working (no pay) for a free health care clinic for a year count as that "1 year experiance required" by most job postings/recruters?

3) dhellwege, when you say you worked as a tech, how did you get that job and what exactly did you need for it (any certificate/degree)?

thank you

allnurses Guide · Feb 19, 2012

In DFW the internships open up three to four months prior to graduation. I was hired by the end of October for a December graduation date and started on January 30th. In other parts of the country they want you to have passed NCLEX. It just depends on where you live and each individual hospital.