Fustrated New Grad

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I just want to vent because I am extremely frustrated. I graduated in sept 2010 got my License in feb 2011 missed most of new grad programs at that time therefore decided to apply to the summer session. I was lucky enough to land one interview with cedars but no offer. I have kept trying to apply to many job postings and about 90% of them required at least 1 year experience. I am to the point of going crazy. Can someone, anyone tell me what do I need to do to get a job. I applied in person, went to small hospitals no luck. I went to long beach memorial and was told immediately that they did not hired new grads. As Im writing this at this moment I get a knot in my throat because if I had been a careless student with no extracurricular activities or no volunteer jobs maybe I would think I deserve this but that is not the case. I graduated with honors, I did all the things I thought I was supposed to do but here I am jobless losing hope because I can't seem to find a job not even wiping butts... I never thought finding a job as a new grad would be this difficult... I keep thinking maybe is my resume or my cover letter but i had those revised by my former school staff... At the end I think I did waited to long to take my NCLEX and that just put me behind. I put my family first and this is what i get (was taking care of my newborn right after graduating I guess wrong move too).... well that is all just thought of venting here.... GOOD LUCK TO ALL THOSE NEW NURSES WHO ARE LOOKING FOR JOBS NOW...

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Please don't get down on yourself! YOU DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG! I don't know what part of the country you live in, but from what I've been reading this is a nation wide dilemma. It is purely a matter of economics. I know new grads who have been out of school for a year and are still unemployed. We all thought we were untouchable by getting into a career with such current and future shortages, but unfortunately that's not the case. I passed my boards and jumped right into a RN-BSN program, hoping continuing my education will keep me sane and moving foreword. I feel your frustration and have a similar story. I just hope things turn around quickly, because it's quite depressing isn't it? Good luck to you! One more thing...does anyone else think there should be more media thrown on this issue? I'm amazed at how many people who hear I'm a new grad tell me how lucky I am to have an easy job search. People are just not aware! Also, a friend of mine spoke to a nurse of 35years who said that although it is true that nursing employment struggles are cyclical, she's amazed at how lately her hospital would rather spend the resources on hiring foreign nurses than on new grads. Hmmm?? And If I hear one more justification for the lack of New Grad residencies based on statistics showing new grads as poor investments, I'll scream!!! I've read the journal articles claiming 75% of us leave residences/first jobs within the first year, but I'm going to predict that with the market the way it is, most of us might get a job and be scared to ever leave it..(ok, that's an exaggeration, but you get the point)!! Anyway, just another frustrated new grad!:crying2: I just keep telling myself that someday we will all be working are butts off, missing our free time. I'm going to try to enjoy it while I can! Good luck everyone! :)

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usRNs,

It is definitely NOT you!!!! I graduated in May 2010 and live in San Francisco. Like you, I had family obligations and put off taking NCLEX/Job search until Jan 2011. I passed NCLEX, have sent out hundreds of resumes, and no job. Dozens of rejections, only 2 interviews. It took me awhile to figure out that the SF market is hopeless and that I needed to start searching in SoCal. At least I got call backs from LA hospitals but still NO job. I though having a BSN would make it easier. It hasn't. I worked in the dot.com industry and went through the dot.com bust. Thought this nursing rut would be similar but this is WAY worse. It is an outright depression in this sector. I'm really upset that my school didn't emphasize that we really needed to apply to New Grad programs beginning in April of our last semester. hardly a word. I had to find out for myself how horrible it is out there. You have to believe that this will ease up. We are all in all of their systems and one day they are going to be calling us! You just gotta believe it!

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thank you both for your responses. I wish employers could see that we endure nursing school and graduated because we want to do this for a lifetime.

I am not sure what they are looking for or why they think it is not a good investment to hire new grads. if they took the time to train us well, and made us feel wanted that statistic of us leaving our first job within the first years would turn out false.... How do they expect new nurses to stay with jobs that see us as not wanted... if the article that i read is close to reality they will realize too late that they needed to prepare all of us now, and not waited till they had no choice but to hire all new grads and be stuck with untrained personnel.

Well I hope this is enough venting for now :0)....

On a lighter note I just realized I missed spelled "FRUSTRATED".... It seems like writing unhappy causes many typos.... Smh...

Well new-grads let's keep on looking and pray for our dream jobs to let us find them soon....

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Hi everyone,

I feel the exact same frustration as you do. I graduated in May 2011 (I went to school in CT) and have been applying to jobs since Feb 2011. Not even ONE SINGLE INTERVIEW!!! I am so frustrated, mad, etc etc it is ridiculous! I have applied to so many jobs, tried doing follow-up calls and I can't even get past the secretary! I can't believe I have been trying for 6 months now and haven't even gotten an interview. I took the NCLEX in July and passed it, so at least now I have a license number, which I am hoping will help. I have started re-applying everywhere now that I have my license. So far, no luck. But I just keep trying. It's incredibly frustrating and at times I feel like it's just me, but then I know that this is a nationwide issue.

Many of my friends are also having difficulty like me. I do agree that there is not a lot of public knowledge about this issue as was mentioned by someone else. Everyone I talk to who hears I am a nurse says "Oh that's great! You'll have plenty of job opportunities!" Yeah, not so much.

Also, somone also already mentioned this but the whole "experience needed" thing is driving me nuts, how do I get experience if no one will hire me?!

Well, I wish everyone luck. I am running out of ways to pay my bills and I lose my health insurance next month! I really need some good luck right now!

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Wow! I try to kid myself that this is just a West coast phenomenon. try to convince myself that if i only had more mobility, I'd get that job in another part of the country. apparently not true! at least you are not an old old grad like me. graduated may 2010...

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Yes it seems like it's happening in most states in the US. What I don't get is why would hospitals be willing to spend funds in out of the country nurses instead of training the many new-grads that are already here (aren't they spending more money on relocation training; what about language, I know many out of the country individuals speak really good english but many dont... Just some food for thought)... And why are our nursing schools not informing us about how difficult it is out here to find a job as a new-grad...for now this thread has been created & hopefully this will give an eye opener to some employers and many nursing students/new grads... I sometimes want to go back to my old school and warn the student body that hey have to brace themselves when it comes to start looking for a job... To request the school to prepare them better to look and lock jobs... Because so far I have found a very small number of jobs for new grads (including versant programs) definitely not enough jobs to match all the new nurses... Although it's been super stressful and to the point of going bananas I HOPE WE ALL HEAR GOOD NEWS SOON. Cuz as many of u im really runnin out of funds :( sigh!

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i agree the schools should prepare you for this job market. at least you can start getting it together your last semester and get apps in on time.

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Most new grads are having the very same issues that you are. I graduated in May with a BSN and I know that many of my classmates are finding jobs, ALTHOUGH.... most of them are due to connections. Myself included. Whether it be they previously worked for the hospital/nursing home etc or they knew someone at the facility or unit they applied on. My suggestion is get out there and network. As much as it stinks to say say that it's all politics, a lot of it is. Do what you can to get your foot in the door. Next step, try volunteering at free clinics, flu clinics, red cross, etc. Do what you can to get any experience you can that you can add to your resume AND where you can meet people that may be able to help you.

Lastly, keep your head up and don't give up. You worked way too hard for this.

GOOD LUCK!

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thanks wildflower,

which state do you live in?

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Yes, tnx a bunch wildfl0wer; I would try & follow your advice. I really wanted to do this on my own but I guess it has come to that point... Tnx a bunch :)

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well i graduate in may 2010 and got my license in july of 2010...and still no job here in california...talk about depressing

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