Graduates- when/ how did you apply for a job?

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2004

Start with the nurse recruiter in Human Resources at least 6 weeks before graduation. Get them to tell you the starting salary, any sign-on bonuses, will they help pay for an NCLEX review course, do you sign a contract, what units are hiring, what are their patient-nurse ratios, do they have special orientation for novice nurses, what is the % of nurses on those units needing help that have been there > 2-3 years---stuff like that. I would call ahead and ask for an interview. Eyeball contact is important for you as well as the recruiter. Dress appropriately and smile. Make notes. Compare one place over the other. They may not be able to hold a position for you for several weeks, but you could ask about the chances of that happening. Good luck.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 1, 2004

It all depends on what you are looking for. If you have a strong preference for a particular hospital and/or a particular unit, I would contact the Nurse Recruiter 3 to 4 months before you want to start work. Sometimes units that are very desirable and popular "fill up" as new grads take all the available spots. This is usually less of a problem for December grads because there are fewer new grads entering the job market together, but if you have a very strong preference, I wouldn't take any chances.

If you are don't have a strong preference, or if you know that you will be applying for positions on units that are always hiring, then such a long lead time isn't important.

llg

NurseforPreggies · Jun 1, 2004

Do you have to do a preceptorship before graduation? If so that is a great way to get your foot in the door at a particular place. I did 50 hours of my 250 hour preceptorship in L&D at a local hospital. One week before graduation I applied for a position on that floor. The unit manager remembered me, asked me one question "why I wanted to work at that hospital" and hired me on the spot. I'm not saying this will always be the case, but out of my class of 45 people approximately 30 or so got offered jobs because of their preceptorship experiences.

happystudent, RN · Jun 1, 2004

Hello,

I went to a jobfair w/ my friend. Pushed some resumes' hobb-nobb with the recruiters, scored some free stuff and brouchures. I got calls from 3 of the hospitals at the fair.

Scheduled some interviews. Decided to stay at the hospital where i work now.

:)

To be honest, focus on graduating, jobs will be there. The only thing I would suggest is that if you plan to jump into a specialty, apply EARLY! Those slots fill up the fastest and are hard to get!

Good Luck to you!

pokey sn · Jun 1, 2004

I agree with what everyone else said. Since I knew that I definitely wanted ICU, i applied like 3-4 months before graduation just so I would have time to shadow and speak to the recruiters without feeling so rushed to make a decision. If you want to do med surg take your time. Like llg said, 6 weeks before graduation should be fine. Good luck!!!

Pokey GN

skanded · Jun 2, 2004

thanks for the info. i appreciate it. i guess i should have given a little more info on my particular situation, but i didn't think about it until now.

i live in a relatively small town. we have 1 hospital (about 10 min from my house). there are 2 others nearby, 1 about 40-45 min and the other about an hour. i really want to work at the local hospital b/c it is so close. i have a small child to consider and i hate to commute. i am also doing tuition reimbursement with the local hospital. they are paying for 2 years of my school and i agree to work for them for 2 years full time. basically, they have to offer me a job, if they don't, i don't have to pay the tuition money back. however, i only want to work in a few select areas. i know i just want to work in (1st choice) pp, (2nd) nursery, or on (3rd) neuro. i am not crazy about all the med-surg on neuro but the staff is nice and i love the nurse manager up there. ideally, i would like to work weekend nights, as well.

i am afraid i have kinda backed myself into a corner with the tuition reimbursement thing. but b/c i had most of my basics out of the way, i haven't received alot of money from the hospital. i will probably just pay it back if i can't get into a position i want.

any other/ nw advice with this additional info? thank you so much!

Love-A-Nurse · Jun 2, 2004

i already knew the two hospitals i wanted to work at and i put in my application and had an interview at both and was offered a job at both hospitals. it was weeks before i graduated when i applied. i will start june 21. oh my, it's soon approaching!

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Jun 8, 2004

i graduated in may, i interviewed first week of january and got my job in mid-january. but the place i got into was very competitive.... only one GN opening and approximately 25 people had applied for it. so do it early if you want a certain area, such as Peds or OB.

It all depends on what you are looking for. If you have a strong preference for a particular hospital and/or a particular unit, I would contact the Nurse Recruiter 3 to 4 months before you want to start work. Sometimes units that are very desirable and popular "fill up" as new grads take all the available spots. This is usually less of a problem for December grads because there are fewer new grads entering the job market together, but if you have a very strong preference, I wouldn't take any chances.
If you are don't have a strong preference, or if you know that you will be applying for positions on units that are always hiring, then such a long lead time isn't important.
llg

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Jun 8, 2004

a lot of hospitals are buying out contracts... so you can still shop around for your job.

thanks for the info. i appreciate it. i guess i should have given a little more info on my particular situation, but i didn't think about it until now.
i live in a relatively small town. we have 1 hospital (about 10 min from my house). there are 2 others nearby, 1 about 40-45 min and the other about an hour. i really want to work at the local hospital b/c it is so close. i have a small child to consider and i hate to commute. i am also doing tuition reimbursement with the local hospital. they are paying for 2 years of my school and i agree to work for them for 2 years full time. basically, they have to offer me a job, if they don't, i don't have to pay the tuition money back. however, i only want to work in a few select areas. i know i just want to work in (1st choice) pp, (2nd) nursery, or on (3rd) neuro. i am not crazy about all the med-surg on neuro but the staff is nice and i love the nurse manager up there. ideally, i would like to work weekend nights, as well.
i am afraid i have kinda backed myself into a corner with the tuition reimbursement thing. but b/c i had most of my basics out of the way, i haven't received alot of money from the hospital. i will probably just pay it back if i can't get into a position i want.
any other/ nw advice with this additional info? thank you so much!

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jun 8, 2004

I already had a job with the facility, but i applied when there was a job posting. I graduated this month, but i started keeping an eye out for jobs back in January.