Help!!!!...getting a job in a hospital in NYC is so hard!!!!...any ideas???

estrellaCR, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2013

Unfortunately if you dont have hospital/acute care experience, they dont hire. They hire new grads with no RN experience (and I do not mean for residency programs, I mean regular Staff RN jobs) but look down on us people who's first job as an RN was not a hospital. My coworker and I work in a clinic and also do case management. I was able to get 3 hosp interviews but each said the same, "oh you work in a clinic ? or you are case manager? that's it?". A friend who started out in an LTC/Nursing home and another who started in hospital as a Psych RN are having the same problem...not having acute care experience. We still use nursing skills like assessment, evaluating, treatment etc however recruiters/managers seem to shun us and prefer new grad with no RN experience at all. Seems like we will be stuck with no acute care skills.

I hope it goes well for you. I have a little bit of hope left but Im almost over it now.

passionnurse · Jan 28, 2013

I hoping that it will get better. I'm so burnt out, I have anxiety, lack of sleep, and feeling like im losing my passion...it's actually very depressing

estrellaCR, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2013

Keep applying, it's all by luck. Some people's luck hits faster than for others. But you never know when it will work out.

labradorloverrn344 · Jan 30, 2013

Are you able to move? You may be able to get a job in upstate NY. Otherwise keep networking, sending out your resume and pounding the pavement

estrellaCR, BSN, RN · Jan 30, 2013

In NYC and surrounding areas "pounding the pavement" is not effective. Visiting Recruitment offices yields only the Receptionist stating that the Recruiter is not available and that they can take your resume and "pass it to the recruiter". This has resulted in no calls. I heard others walking onto a floor and going straight to the Nurse Manager. This does not work as the Nurse Manager will not meet with anyone unless they have an appointment as she (or he) is very busy. I can see how it makes sense, if a NM would meet with any new grad walking onto the floor, imagine the chaos ...the floors would be flooded with new grads just showing up at any time to meet the NMs.

Networking only works if you have a way high up connection. I had an RN with many years of experience from the floor of the hospital I volunteered on advocating for me to HR. That lead to nothing not even call for interview. I had another who was a Phys Asst at a hospital for 4 years she also try to connect me to HR. But of course nothing.

The 3 interviews I have got were all from applying online and waiting. Calling the recruiter to check on your application if it was received etc does not help as they do not pick up the phone and of course do not return messages. It's basically an apply and wait process to get hired. I am not hired in a hospital so far but I did get call for offers for interviews for both hospital and outpatient jobs and it was all by applying online and never bothering the recruiter. The hospital interviews did not turn into a job but hopefully one in the future will.