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Discussion

Frustrated :(

Hey everyone, I'm a fairly recent grad of an ADN program (finished in summer 2014) & finally became a RN on 12/01! I come from a family of nurses (my mom and sister both work as nurses) and am going to start a BSN program that's 3 semesters starting Jan. You think everything would be perfect at this point but I am so beyond frustrated at my lack of a job. I know it sounds selfish but I'm sort of mad that I have connections (people that graduated before me in my program) that work in hospitals, a doctor in another hospital, plus my mom and sister who work in the two biggest hospitals in NYC (Mt Sinai & Sloan) and I can't find a job...I can't even get hired for regular jobs like receptionist. I just don't get it, I'm doing everything right...I go to HR & nurse recruitement in person + apply online, I'm enrolled in a BSN program (some of my friends at the hospitals don't even have their BSN!) & nothing is turning up. I just want *any* job at this point although I basically now feel I wasted my time in nursing school and passing the boards. Where is this demand for nurses cause it sure isn't in NYC :(

PS: Happy holidays everyone! Just wanted to add that so I'm not too much of a downer ;) :p

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    • Featured Replies

    There is no demand for nurses, except for in small pockets across the country. You should consider relocating.

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    Demands for nurses are in rural communities and places like North Dakota. Consider relocating.

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    NYC has a glut of nurses at the moment due to all the hospital closings. I've seen openings for new grads upstate, like at St. Peters in Albany. You'll make a lot less money, but the experience will be invaluable! :)

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    Also consider joining and being active with your local nursing organizations- like New York Nurses Association, also your schools Student Nurses Association. Then attend conferences at the student rate. Often they have student geared workshops on hiring topics and there are recruiters from hospitals that are in need.

    Edited for grammar

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    • Expert
    Where is this demand for nurses cause it sure isn't in NYC
    The nursing employment marketplace started to become overly saturated with too many nurses soon after the economic meltdown of '08. The most glutted nursing job markets tend to be in the Northeast (NYC, Philly, Boston) and the West Coast (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland).

    Now that you know you are in a city that is deluged with too many nurses, you have several options from which to pick:

    1. Spread your job search out NJ and CT. Be willing to obtain nursing licensure in those states. Be willing to commute.

    2. Continue to network. 70 percent of all job openings are never advertised, so continue to form friendships with those who work in the healthcare sector so they can put in a good word for you. Your employment applications will magically move to the top of the stack when you have a friend on the inside of the particular organization who vouches for you.

    3. Be willing to accept employment outside the hospital. Walk into every nursing home, SNF, assisted living, hospice, home health company, private duty company, and public health center in the city. Apply in person during business hours (Mon thru Fri from 9am to 5pm) while dressed professionally. This may result in an on-the-spot interview.

    4. Finally, relocate out of state if at all possible. You are in one of the toughest nursing employment markets in the entire US. I guarantee you would already have a job if you were in certain other states. I remain amazed at the number of people who are long-term unemployed, claim that they want to work, feel entitled to a job in a specific city, and refuse to budge to improve their circumstances.

    Good luck to you.

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    Are you applying outside the hospital?

    I got 2 job offers outside the hospital environment.

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    • Author
    Are you applying outside the hospital?

    I got 2 job offers outside the hospital environment.

    Yes I am, I have gotten interviews for clinics (ex. fertility clinic) but have not been hired yet.

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    The Commuter gave some very good advice, and I think you may want to consider becoming licensed in neighboring states. I happen to be in one of the small corners of the world where there actually is a demand for nurses presently. I have encountered many RNs from Georgia and Alabama whom have obtained licensure in Tennessee. These nurses commute to work here, a region with several large hospital systems and relatively few nursing programs from which to hire graduate nurses.

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    I agree that you need to look outside of the city if you dont feel like relocating. If you are open to relocating then look at smaller hopsitals in more urban or rural areas.

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    You have been a nurse for less than a month. You need to have some patience. Keep reworking your resume. Google ways to improve it and use keywords that are picked up by the bots. Here's a great website with advice for resumes: http://nursing.jhu.edu/life-at-hopkins/center/documents/resume_guide.pdf It can take months after applying to get called for an interview. How long have you been applying? The fact that it took several months for you to get licensed may make managers question how many attempts it took for you to pass the NCLEX. Be able to speak to that time gap.

    The fact that you don't yet have your BSN will honestly set you back some, especially for hospital jobs. Some places will take you because you are enrolled in a program, but with how many nurses are on the market right now, the odds are not in your favor.

    Consider applying anywhere you'd be open to living for a few years, and look at getting licensed in more than one state.

    I am a BSN-prepared nurse who got licensed in June of this year. I have about 15 years of experience and excellent connections, and not a single connection has been able to get me a job (and they've tried!). I have a few random PRN jobs, but nothing consistent enough to really help me build my savings or work full time. I live in a saturated market as well (near San Francisco), so it sucks, but that's how it is. I have applied to about 2000 jobs.

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    • Author
    The fact that it took several months for you to get licensed may make managers question how many attempts it took for you to pass the NCLEX. Be able to speak to that time gap.

    I appreciate the advice all except for that bit - some of the best nurses have took this test multiple times, I don't think most managers really care how many times it took me to pass the NCLEX - what matters now is that I passed and I'm licensed to practice.

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    • Expert
    I appreciate the advice all except for that bit - some of the best nurses have took this test multiple times, I don't think most managers really care how many times it took me to pass the NCLEX - what matters now is that I passed and I'm licensed to practice.
    Five or six years ago a nurse could get away with lag time between graduation and passing NCLEX. The employment market was more lenient back then, so a person who required more than one attempt to pass NCLEX could still easily secure employment.

    However, in this day and age a summer graduate who barely passed NCLEX in December might raise some eyebrows, depending on how competitive your local employment market is. So it is naive at best to say that what matters is you've passed and are licensed.

    Recruiters, hiring managers and HR folks in NYC can be ultra picky right now, and significant lag time between graduation and NCLEX passage is seen by some as a red flag, even if you've passed and have a license.

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