Help! New graduated registered nurse having difficulty finding a job!

[Butterfly70]

I am a new graduate registered nurse in ADN program and have a difficult time finding a job in the hospitals. I have some experience as a student nurse in clinical rotations in some hospitals but I don’t have any work experience as a registered nurse. Most of the job applications for the hospitals have requirements such as at least one year clinical experience. Can I use my clinical rotation experience ( student nurse experiences) or the skills that learned during my nursing program for this requirement? Should I apply for “registered nurse” positions or just apply for “New graduate nurse residency program”?  I don’t know what I am doing wrong but almost all of my applications so far have been denied or rejected. I appreciate any advice or suggestion. 

[londonflo]

23 hours ago, Butterfly70 said:

I believe most of them were working in the hospitals in different positions ( not nursing) and/or doing student- nurse preceptorship program prior to employment

Most places have a policy for 'hiring within".  That way employees can move up to more positions with a higher salary that reflects more responsibility. If a CNA who graduated and has an RN license, was passed over for a staff nurse's job by a candidate outside the institution, hospitals would have a hard time recruiting CNAs who intend to go to nursing school.

But this can backfire on a CNA-nursing student who has poor attendance and a bad attitude. The hospital knows what they would be getting and are not interested in hiring them.

Please keep trying. It IS very hard to get your first nursing job.

 

[bluescrubs, ADN, ASN, RN]

I got my license in February and I had to move 3 hours away from home because I just couldn't find anything close to me, plus I got licensed when Covid hit so the odds were not in my favor. My first job out of nursing school was in a psych prison. I would have never guessed I would work in corrections but I actually like working with the inmates. If I can't get an OR position I might just stay in corrections. 

[igtgrnokbye]

What do you want your speciality to be?

[BokChoi18, LPN]

On 12/9/2020 at 5:45 PM, Rose_Queen said:

Your clinical experience does not count as nursing experience. It may be time to look outside the hospital. Many are looking for experienced nurses because they will be up and running much faster, and in staffing shortages that's what they need.

I agree LTC is literally always hiring and are so desperate sometime they live new grads. Just look up the ratings and find a reputable and clean one just to get your feet wet. It’s actually enjoyable. Hard work and not as luxurious as a hospital but you’ll definitely get skills.

[HiddencatBSN, BSN]

I submitted hundreds of applications to get my first job. It takes time and if you’re in an area that has limited capacity to absorb new grads or many nursing programs, it might be harder to get a job in a hospital to start out. 

[Butterfly70, ADN, RN]

18 hours ago, HiddencatBSN said:

I submitted hundreds of applications to get my first job. It takes time and if you’re in an area that has limited capacity to absorb new grads or many nursing programs, it might be harder to get a job in a hospital to start out. 

I live in DFW, TX and there are so many hospitals in DFW( Dallas, Forth Worth area). That makes me upset, being close to these many hospitals and not being able to work in any of them. 

[Butterfly70, ADN, RN]

On 12/12/2020 at 9:47 AM, igtgrnokbye said:

What do you want your speciality to be?

Honestly, I don,t Know. I think I Prefer to start with MED-SURG in the hospitals. I used to think of that before but now in this situation I think I have to accept any opening position.

[igtgrnokbye]

That seems odd to me that you’re having a hard time in such a large area. How many hospitals have you applied to?  Open for night shift ? Followed up with HR?

[rn&run]

14 hours ago, Butterfly70 said:

I live in DFW, TX and there are so many hospitals in DFW( Dallas, Forth Worth area). That makes me upset, being close to these many hospitals and not being able to work in any of them. 

I started my nursing career in Denver, and really relate to this statement! So many hospitals and I felt like I would only ever see them from the outside. After about 200 applications to acute care, decided to go for a SNF. Was hired within the week. 13 months later I got hired into the hospital, no problem. I was a good student, but I moved after graduating to live in the area I wanted, so didn’t have any clinical connections. I got to the final round of interviews for a hospital’s new grad program, but the position went to nurse who had been a student on the floor. I was a 3 season athlete all through nursing school, so never worked as a CNA. The SNF was a good place to practice assessment, wound care, and time management. I also got to start on days. In the hospital, I had to start on nights. I hate nights...

[Butterfly70, ADN, RN]

On 12/14/2020 at 12:45 AM, igtgrnokbye said:

That seems odd to me that you’re having a hard time in such a large area. How many hospitals have you applied to?  Open for night shift ? Followed up with HR?

So far, I have been applying to the hospitals closer to Dallas since it's closer to my house compare to Forth Worth and Arlington. I think there are at least ten or even more  large hospitals around Dallas such as Baylor, Parkland, Methodist, South Western, presbyterian, ... . They post a lot of RN positions almost every day. I filled out a lot of applications for their positions but I got denied for all of them except one which I had interview and they denied me also after the interview. I am starting to feel something is wrong. I don't konw is it because of the Covid situation, discrimination because my name is foreign and I was born out of US even though I am a citizen, my age, my accent, or look...? I can't figure it out. I am starting to lose my confidence and hope.

[igtgrnokbye]

You’ll get a job. Just have to figure out what’s going on. Are you considering SNF or LTC?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

@Butterfly70, the credentials listed after your name here state ADN, RN. Have you enrolled in an RN to BSN program? That could be another one of your roadblocks- many are looking to hire BSN nurses due to the 80% of bedside RNs holding a BSN goal.

If you are not getting interviews, you may benefit from having a professional review your resume. You may also benefit from practicing interviews with someone you trust to give you honest feedback.

But ideally, it's time to start looking outside of the hospital setting. A nursing job will get you nursing experience while no nursing job is going to make you less attractive the farther out you go.