How competitive is the job market for new Grads?

[zram44]

I am looking to move to the DC area this December after graduation. I am interested in Critical Care. I am a second degree student, have a good GPA, and work in a small ICU as a student tech. One nurse recruiter I talked to was saying that it is difficult just to get a job in the area since there are so many nursing schools. How true is this? I have talked with four hospitals so far. Does anyone know how competitive Washington Hospital Center, Howard University Hospital, Holy Cross, Georgetown Hospitals are for new grads?

Thanks

[ukstudent]

It might be more competative to get into the ICU, although all the hospitals hire new grads. I have not heard about there being a problem with new grads finding jobs in this area.

[chachi69]

I went to WHC's Dream Day one year ago, which I thought was just a go-see and was hired on the spot! ukstudent is right, however, about the ICU. A number of people in my Fellowship group had wanted ICU but had to settle for something else. Those that were in the ICU Fellowship seemed to have some prior experience.

[chaxanmom]

Suburban Hospital in Bethesda hires new grads too. I'm doing my clinicals there as a distance student and they are great! Very willing to help me out even though I am on my own, etc. Suburban is my first choice after graduation.

[jmunrs2010]

I am graduating in May 2010 and am so excited to move to the DC area with my boyfriend soon after. I am looking to do to a Dream Day at WHC and go to the ICU for SURE and maybe the burn/trauma unit or the neurosurgery unit as my second choice. Any suggestions? I hear they often interview and hire students on the spot, which is really an exciting thought:yeah:! My question is for anyone who has attended Dream Day and gotten a job, what advice do you offer and how early in the year did you go, etc.? Anyone who got a ICU residency did you do anything special or have any other experience? Please anyone offer any help you can because I really would love:heartbeat to start in this residency and work at WHC:wink2:!

[chachi69]

That's how it was for me. I went to DD in June '07 and was hired on the spot for the PACU. It totally took me by surprise - I don't think I even had a copy of my resume with me. The education dept has totally changed since then though, but I'd still go there prepared to have an interview. Part of the interview is a sort of oral nursing exam,"what would you do if..."

Back in '07 you could go directly to ICU but they may have reconsidered that by now. If not you'll have no problem starting in burn ICU or neuro IMC (2E). They weren't that popular.

I left WHC in March btw.

[siren1]

Some nurses who are not new grads and have been working for a year or two don't know what the market is like now. Times have changed. There is no longer a nursing shortage, or at least, not a shortage that the hospital is acknowledging. If you are a new grad you need to begin applying for a job at the beginning of your last semester. Don't count on sending a resume to HR or though the web site and expecting to get a phone call. Too many people assume that is all they need to do, and they are not getting callbacks. Network, contact everyone you know, go into a unit in person, ask for the mgr., hand them a resume and ask for an interview. I just graduated in June of this year and of my class of 60 i would say not more than 15 people i know have jobs, and we are now heading into september and the new orientation for grads has passed at most hospitals!!!! Not to be negative, but a lot of nurses who have not been looking for a job in the last two years do not realize just how bad this job market for new grads is right now. I have spoken to some people who were downright shocked to hear that nurses can't find jobs. I think there are still some people who don't realize how bad it is. So please, take my word for it! Start applying ASAP and as far as dream day goes, sign up now and take the first one you can, miss class if you have to, but do whatever you have to do to get into a dream day ASAP. Remember to that ICU may not be available. No new grads were hired in icu this summer, the units accepted only experienced RN's through the bridge program, but don't worry about that. There are many great units to work on at WHC, and you will see it all. This spring, most of the dream days were full by March and the hospital completed hiring soon after. There were not even enough slots for everyone to even attend a dream day let alone get hired. There will be a very small hiring taking place in October of this year. I have one friend who has applied and guess what! Dream day is already full. She scheduled the next one which is late september but i'm afraid by that time the hiring will be over. So I am encouraging her to go into the hospital in person, meet managers, and ask for an interview.