Losing hope

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I graduated in May. I should be fairly happy with where I am, but I'm not. I graduated cum laude from a very good university, passed boards and now I'm an official RN (yay!). I've been applying for jobs since March. I check the area hospital websites every day. I apply for ANYTHING. I went in to the HR offices recently and gave them a copy of my resume, too, hoping I would at least be a person and not just an electronic application. Nothing.

I have a job working at a clinic that does hormone therapy, weight loss, and some other things. I should be grateful that I at least have a job, but I can't help it. It's not a bad job (although my boss is a bit of a jerk), but it's not where I want to be.

I still check my websites every day. I apply for anything, whether I have the experience or not. The job listings are dwindling, and there weren't any to begin with. I haven't gotten so much as an interview from anywhere I've put in my resume. At first, a lot of my classmates didn't have jobs so it was kind of normal, but now it seems like most of them have gotten something. I can't even get anyone to notice me enough to call me for an interview. I know this part shouldn't bother me this much, but I REALLY hate running into people and the questions about jobs, and the stories they have about starting work, buying scrubs, etc.

I don't know. I'm afraid if I continue to work at my semi-clinic, I'll lose all my clinical skills. Then I won't ever be able to find a job that I want to do. It seems my only options at this point are to continue where I am and hope that something changes soon before the next batch of new grads who have fresh skills, or possibly relocate. Of course, then I would have to move, which involves a whole mess of other problems.

I don't know what I'm looking for here. Advice? Encouragement? Somebody to tell me I'm not a complete loser? Maybe just a little bit of help. Please and thank you :)

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You are not a complete loser ! The job market is horrible for a lot of people, and in some situations, nurses who had been at home with families had to go back to work, or pick up more hours if their spouse/partner/SO lost hours/jobs.

Are you able to relocate (even if for just a few years) ?? There are places in the country that are hiring (check nursing magazines). Do online searches for nursing jobs.

Otherwise, I don't know what to tell you- are you in a large city, rural area, or area saturated with schools/nurses? I know that where I lived in TX, they were always looking for nurses.

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Do you have any suggestions of where is looking for nurses? Or what magazines I should check for these places?

I'm in an area quite saturated with nursing schools. Texas sounds nice, but I don't speak Spanish, and I've heard it's kind of expected. But I am taking a Nursing Spanish class online because I was hoping it would help me get a job.

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AJN (American Journal of Nursing), RN, and Nursing 2011 (changes yearly- lol)

You don't need to speak Spanish- I did, but rarely used it, and there were enough other people around who were fluent that it wasn't a problem. Keep taking the online class, though- it shows intent to do well, and whatever it takes.

I LOVED Texas- and only moved back here because of my mom's dementia...she was still able to travel with my dad, and during their 3 months' away during the winter, she got sick, had to fly back here emergently, and died 2 days later. I should have moved back to TX then- but ended up with my own health issues.

I really liked Austin and the Hill Country. They were screaming for RNs down there- I was the only RN on a 27 bed med-surg/ortho floor- with 3 LVNs on 11-7....(worked 7-7, and had another LVN from 7-11).

If you can relocate, it's a definite option- check out hospitals online by just putting in the city, and 'hospitals' after it, and you'll get hits :) Many have sign on bonuses, and some have relocation help.

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I'm in the same situation you're in as well. I'm in an area that's pretty saturated with new grads and all but I keep pushing forward with searching, applying, calling around and networking. It can at times feel so depressing but I know when it's my time for it to happen it will.

Just stay positive, I know its hard but it will happen! :)

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

It is rough here in Texas too. Not only are the major metroplex areas saturated with new grads due to having so many schools, but there has been a massive influx of new grads from other states. The only places still dying for new grads to work for them are on the Texas/Mexico border. In the DFW, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and other major cities the average for each new grad application to actual job opening has been 300+:1. The market here has changed just like the rest of the country.

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Check some of the smaller towns-- the cost of living is much better (though TX was better than where I am now even in Austin); they're more affordable, less hectic, and still close enough to larger cities to not have far to go to do things :)

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Specializes in Postpartum, L&D, Mother-Baby.

I was a new grad last year and moved from California to Texas because I could not find a job anywhere else. Yes, lots of the patients here are Spanish speaking, but you don't have to know Spanish to get a job. It's not a requirement here, and honestly, I think it should be against the law for places to make that a requirement for a job....but that is another topic. Anyway, when I find it difficult to communicate with my patients and their families, the Spanish speaking staff is always available to translate. Remain open minded and willing to travel and you should find a hospital that will take and train you. Don't lose hope!!!!

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Specializes in med surg.

I feel your pain. I am exactly in a similar situation like you. I graduated Dec 2011 cum laude. Did self study and review and took my NCLEX last April and thankfully passed it. I have been looking for a job since February. Nothing. I have sent out and dropped off so many resumes and never got any reply. At first I i didnt stress myself about it. But after I passed my NCLEX I started to worry. By June, I finally asked my wife to help me. Shes been an RN for quite some time now. She asked her friends and colleagues and finally I got a call from a LTC facility. Tried working there for a few days but didnt like the work ethic and the people so I quitted. Then I got another call. This time from a hospital. I was so happy. Started working there early this month. I love it there. The people are awesome, very friendly and helpful and I am learning a lot. Sadly, last Friday, we received word that the facility is closing. No one knows exactly when. But they all say very very soon. It seems that the facility has been having financial trouble for a while. I am totally devastated. And upset. I know I will be out a job soon. Now I dont know where to find another job since my wife cant think of any of her other friends in any other facility. And the sad thing about todays labor market is that people only seem to get a job if they know somebody in the inside. Sigh

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"And the sad thing about todays labor market is that people only seem to get a job if they know somebody in the inside."

First of all, congratulations to all of you who are now where we pre-nursing students are struggling to be.

You are right about having connections. I work at a public hospital in L.A. where I tried to get a new grad in. I was told by HR that they are not hiring new grads at this time.

However, my department has recently hired three new grads because supposedly they couldn't find any other RNs with operating room (OR) experience. One of these new hires is a friend of the daughter of the Director of Surgical Nursing. Lucky her . . .

If you lack nursing experience, you can either work as a CNA, LVN or volunteer. This is a brutal scenario given your education, I know, but it's the best advice that I can give you other than relocating.

Unfortunately, sometimes you just "have to go to hell before you get to heaven."

Consider yourselves extremely lucky. Imagine being a life-long student in your mid-forties and having been subjected to this economy all of your adult life. If you only knew my story, you'd cry. Believe me.

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I understand how you feel it can be very discouraging to put all that effort into your education and still not be where you had hoped by this time in your career. As was stated earlier the market seems to be very bad everywhere. I am in somewhat of the same position and have decided to continue to pursue other avenues of work while still trying to do nursing jobs as they come along (homehealth). But you know what? I have asked myself over and over, is it really just nursing thats in this slump ?..if I were a engineer or a pharmacist or any other professional ...would I be in the same place?? still looking for employment? I think YES because its just the way this economy is right now, it is so bad...there isn't enough jobs for those of us looking...dont loose your hope I know people say that all the time but what other choice is there? giving up isn't a good option.

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Specializes in family practice.

Have you tried working for the indian health services. At least to get your feet wet

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