Frustrated :(

Nurses Job Hunt

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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

Not to be rude, but based off what experience?

They have nothing to know about you but based off of what you have on paper which is graduation date, type of degree, and license. What separates you from the rest?

I guess nothing at all.

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Specializes in Cath/EP lab, CCU, Cardiac stepdown.

Adding on to what other people have said. Since you are a new grad, You have no experience to show which is why managers will look at your graduation date and nclex pass date. They have almost absolutely nothing else to base their decision on before an interview and getting that interview can be very dependent on your resume which should have those dates. If all things are equal except when you passed your nclex they will pick the earlier passing one.

You're absolutely correct that it doesn't determine who will be a good nurse or not but as you are a new nurse, neither will other things on your resume reflect that. So they look at the only thing that equalizes everybody.

Also It is similar to applying to a new grad position. You're only eligible if it's within 1 year of your graduation date usually because they know that you at least have some recent clinical experience from school. Where as the longer it's been, The longer you've been absent from a clinical setting. So they will consider the dates because it does contain some pertinent information.

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Specializes in LTC.

December is one of the worst months to be job seeking due to many hiring managers being off on vacation and taking time off for the holidays.

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I'm going to be graduating from an ADN program myself in the hudson valley this spring, and I have to say I disagree with the advice given in this thread about working at LTC/SN Facilities. I work at a hospital that is seeking magnate status, so unfortunately they won't be able to hire me as an RN. I've been given advice from several people in management where I work as well as several new grads who have recently gotten jobs where I work, and the advice has been to hold out for a job in acute care and NOT to take any jobs in LTC as it'll actually make your resume look more unattractive then a new grad without LTC/SNF experience on their resume due to the stigma that it carries. . . This is something I plan to get more information about, and if experience at a clinic or at a urgent care facility is seen the same way. . . .

Things are pretty rough all over NY. People focus on NYC, but things aren't much better in the hudson valley either. A lot of places are going BSN only and I have several friends who have graduated from BSN programs in the area who STILL couldn't get any acute care jobs in the area. It's pretty tough where I work for new grads from ADN programs too, because a lot of us are currently PCA's and they'll be laying us off as soon as we obtain our licences due to liability issues. It usually takes up to 3 months to find a job after becoming licensed around here, so that puts us in a really bad position. . .. Employers around here won't consider you for a position until you have your licence. . . We where notified about this new policy recently too, and I'm not sure why they're doing this as this is the first year they're going to enforce this polity. In the past new grads where allowed to stay on until they found jobs elsewhere. . .

It seems that a lot of experienced nurses from NYC are moving upstate into the hudson valley. Albany seems to be the place to go if your a new grad, but the pay is REALLY low. I'm talking about $19/hr here, and most of those positions are flex scheduling. . . Not sure how they expect us to pay for rent and also pay back our student loans on those wages. At least in my case I'll be able to defer my loans for another year while I pursue my BSN.

Has anyone else heard of LTC/SNF experience being a turnoff for potential employers? I wouldn't be against working at those types of places while I pursue my BSN, but my goal IS to eventually work in Acute Care, and I don't want to take a job that will turn potential employers off to me in the future. . .

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Has anyone else heard of LTC/SNF experience being a turnoff for potential employers? I wouldn't be against working at those types of places while I pursue my BSN, but my goal IS to eventually work in Acute Care, and I don't want to take a job that will turn potential employers off to me in the future. . .

I have heard mixed info on this, but I have heard more good than bad about new grads working in non-acute care settings while trying to get into acute care. Some new grad programs won't accept new nurses with any experience at all, so we do risk disqualifying from some programs, but others prefer that you have some experience doing something with your license, so really, it's a crap shoot. I've had several interviews, and managers have really liked my prior experience (I don't mention my SNF experience, because it was only a couple of months before I quit). It looks better to have experience in a SNF, home health, or whatever than it does to have experience at The Olive Garden.

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you need to FIND something that sets you apart from the rest! Something you have done, somewhere down the line, makes you a stronger candidate.

If you take the attitude that you are no better than anyone else, why would anyone want you? Not to be harsh, but in this job market you have got to stand out on paper. There has to be something that makes HR take a second look at your resume/cover letter to want to pass it along to a hiring mgr.

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Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.
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.

NJ has a god awful market too. Relocate, but don't relocate here thinking you'll get a job. I graduated in May and half of my class is still unemployed....and that's the norm all over the state.

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