Graduated 12/10, still no job, giving up...

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In South Florida. Nursing homes, home health, doctor's offices say I need experience since I will be unsupervised so that leaves hospitals. I've applied to over 200 med/surg and telemetry night shifts at the 5 major hospital corporations down here. Actually had 4 interviews. I have a rough first impression being a muscular 6'5 280lb white, heterosexual guy. I have to compare it to a Haitian girl trying to be a fireman down here. The nurses that interviewed me were cold, no personality, and rarely asked more than 3 questions. Calling back for advice, 2 said I was great but went with another candidate, the other 2 never respond.

It's all hospital scholarships, networking from currently working in a hospital, or friends/family in the business down here. HR never returns emails or voicemails and they always say they'll contact if they want an interview. It's discouraging considering I was a top student and the first to get my license. Classmates with hospital scholarships are walking into ICU, ER, and Critical Care jobs within a week of graduation, unlicensed.

After 8 months of this I'm giving up and joining the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. I hear it's close and in some ways tougher than being an RN. I refuse to get a tech job taking vitals for a year while my classmates make $60k and are already halfway to getting their BSN.

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Well, can't say that I blame you. If you got the BSN, you could enter the service as an officer and a nurse. Speak to a healthcare recruiter.

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What does being heterosexual have to do with anything?

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Specializes in LDRP.

if you are willing to join the navy, then are you willing to relocate? ive heard its very hard to find a nursing job in FL compared to some other states... but if you do join the navy or any other branch you are able to be an officer with a BSN.

Also, I dont know if you have any interest in psychiatric nursing, but there are 2 state hospitals in my area that actually prefer (they dont outright say it but..) a strong male nurse.

good luck whatever you do, i graduate next year and im not looking forward to tackling the job market :/

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What about other cities, or are you locked into Ft. Lauderdale area?

*LOL, I now see someone already asked this - but I don't know how to delete my post.

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Well, I'm in the same boat and its driving me crazy, relocating is out of the question because I have young children.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

If you're willing to relocate, I know that Minot ND is looking for RNs - even new grads. I was offered a job in an ER after a phone interview.

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Some of my friends graduated at the same time as you and still don't have experience. I'm not sure the name of the hospital but 2 of them recently got calls from a hospital in Tallahassee... might be worth a shot to try there if you're close or willing to relocate.

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What does being heterosexual have to do with anything?

You gotta know from living life that it all has to do with everything depending on who interviews you. In my area race has a lot to do with it at certain hosipitals, so does where you got your education - some prefer foreign educated nurses, age, gender, sexual preference, etc.

None of this is supposed to be part of the interview process but you can betcha it certainly is, it's just not voiced because that kind of a thing is a "no-no". I had an interview the other day where the interviewer began to casually speak of sexual preference in a very round about way, and then locked eyes with me in order to gauge what I thought about the information he was sending my way. I thought OMG, he wants to see if I have a problem with his way of life... WOW. Without getting into specifics, I made some sort of positive nonsense answer. But it was obviously something he was worried about, and he needed to see what I would think of him. He probably had issues in his career with it, and didn't want anybody around that he suspected would be a problem for him.

It happens.

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Specializes in LTC,med-surg,detox,cardiology,wound/ost.

Sounds like you have an ADN/ASN, new grad, looking for entry level position, no prior experience in healthcare. So yeah, it's gonna be tough. My advice is to re-evaluate your resume because it might be lackluster. You might want to have someone coach you on your interview skills. And you might be in the wrong job market.

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Specializes in Global Health Informatics, MNCH.

Have you tried doing a mock interview with someone who can give you objective feedback?

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hey, I graduated in May 2010 and still no job. Had one, but they retracted their offer a week before I was to start. Bummer, yes. All the males in my class and a recent one from the most current class all have jobs. Maybe CA prefers the males to the females, idk. Keep trying, that is all I can say. I feel your pain! If the Navy works out, cool.

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