Graduating in January...HELP!!!

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · May 24, 2011

I graduate from nursing school in January. My teachers keep telling me I need to apply for jobs AT LEAST 6 months in advance. Who out there did/is doing this? Does it really take 6 months to get hired? Any information will be greatly appreciated. :)

In my area, the hospitals don't want you to apply until you have your actual license. In fact, for one hospital system it can hurt you, you apply for the jobs on their website and you are sent the canned denial email, but then if you get you lic. 2 weeks later it doesn't matter, the website won't allow you to reapply to the job again if you got denied. So here you don't you pass boards and have a lic. number. One of the health systems I guess used to have you apply prior, but they were investing all this money into people and training and then they didn't pass the boards. So now they say to wait too. They did "pre" hire the contracted students, but they were under contracts and my semester was the last semester for contracts. Just not enough jobs available to be worth it to them I guess.

Anyway, they did warn us that it can take up to 6 months to find work here locally and not a good chance in it being a hospital job. But it's up to you how far your motivation and determination spreads. There are things you can do to up your chances and put yourself out there and get noticed.

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · May 25, 2011

I agree with the Mi vida Loca. When I graduated from LPN school I didn't apply until I had a nursing license.

I don't plan on applying for RN jobs until I have a license also. Best not to put the cart before the horse nowadays.