For unemployed nurses, have you tried...

[Black Jade, BSN, RN]

For those of you who are unemployed and have trouble finding a job as a nurse have you tried applying to staffing agencies, headhunters or independent contractor companies? Are you willing to pay a headhunter to help you bypass HR in order for them to help you get an interview with the companies of your choice? Have you ever become so desperate to even think about participating in a clinical trial or donating blood in order to get compensation because that is the only income you can get at this moment? I have to say that I've thought about participating in a clinical trial to get compensation, but wasn't that desperate for money to follow through with my actions. I've tried staffing agencies, but unfortunately they require that you have at least one year of acute experience. I didn't try "headhunters". 1) I don't know how much they charge and 2) there's no guarantee you will get a job through them. What are your thoughts on this?

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Actually most facilities have in house recruiting staff -HR. There is no need to pay an outside source to find a nurse excepting the very executive levels in large facilities. Nobody has any need to locate new grads at all.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

I think a headhunter would be a waste of money. Keep at it, follow up, join a nursing organization that has regular meetings to network, keep in touch with your clinical professors, keep at it some more.

I liked Indeed.com for job hunting, and you have to look at the hospital websites themselves too. Also craigslist isn't that bad.

[oneLoneNurse]

One word: 'move' if you can.

[anon695]

Headhunters and recruiting firms don't charge the candidate, they charge the company they place you with. If a headhunter is asking you to pay them to find you a job, it's a scam. Run, don't walk!

[Black Jade, BSN, RN]

Actually I was speaking for those posts who have either quit their jobs, were laid off or simply took time from nursing for personal reasons and now have problems finding another job. I've read a thread under "Unemployed Nurses" and McWillis is an example of an experience nurse who has been unemployed for several months. In my case, I get assignments as Independent Contractor doing health screenings and working Per Diem at a different company, so money problems is not a factor at this moment. However, I wished I was able to find a FT job or at least a PT job, so I can also have time to go back and do my BSN.

[BrookeeLou_RN]

I have been seriously looking since Jan for work, after caring for parents.(I get job alerts every day and have since Oct 2010. In the last month I have been contacted by headhunters more than ever before in my 23 yr career. Some jobs I do not come close to qualifying, I did go on one interview but then no response, I have also been contacted by travel agencies galore with jobs in HH, my field..

As I am handling the estate, and legal issues with parents deaths so close together.. I have just simply said at this time I could not possibly travel. One recruiter emails me very 2 week to see if I might be ready yet. So there are jobs somewhere. I have also been contacted by out of state hosptials where their nurse recruiter has found my resume online and is asking me to call to interview. I do not want to relocate and am financially stable not to have to.

And amazing enough some of these positions come with relocation..something I have not seen offered much in past 3 yrs. I prefer indeed.com also. But am noticing many posted jobs are showing back up 2 mos after they were originally posted, and some I had applied for with no response good or bad..so I do not believe they are truly filling all posted jobs. And one hospital that posts many jobs actually has a hiring freeze????

[caliotter3]

A relative used a headhunter agency and ended up out the money he paid them, a large sum, and still unemployed. He said he was desperate, but still learned a lesson the hard way.

[jammin246RN]

Look in out of the way places for jobs. Everyone knows about "hospital and nursing home" jobs. But why not try vent hospitals, LTACs, Acute access hospitals, drug rehab, and plasma centers? Yes I have given plasma for cash, it sucks...litterally, I have thought about doing drug trials just because they pay up to $4,000 for 10 days.... my wife wouldn't let me though. Head hunters charge the hospital 1/3 of your yearly salary if the hospital keeps you... There is a nursing owned travel agency out of Arkansas which gets you 13 week contracts and doesn't charge the hospital if they want to keep you.... but you need at least a year of experience before you get on with an agency.... at least any reputable agency. Schools often employ new nurses. In the mean time work on your ACLS, PALS, and other certs... always looks good on a resume! Good Luck:twocents:

[RN-Jobseeker]

I graduated in December and past the NCLEX in February. I have looked in all of the out of the way places for a job and EVERYONE is being selective. It is very frustrating to pursue all of the suggested job locations only to find out those facilities require 1-2 years of experience or specialty certification and yes, I am speaking of LTAC, SNF facilities.

I landed an interview only because the DON was under the impression I had prior experience. After begging her to give me a chance, she agreed to try me out on a PRN basis. This still leaves me looking for a full time job!

All of the suggestions and leads I have researched have gotten me know where. I just really want to know what are new grads supposed to do when NO ONE really wants to hire you??!

[Catch22Personified]

None of them want new grads so I don't bother.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I did flu clinics with Mollen back in the fall. I was between jobs when I started. I met a lot of new grads whose only income was from flu clinics. They paid well, and the work was easy once you got the hang of it. I think they will start hiring again in August.