How fast did you land a job?

[johndough]

I have a question. After graduating, how long until you got your very first nursing job?

I know you have to take the NCLEX and stuff, but from the date of graduation, how long did it take you?

[DiscGolfNurse, BSN]

I think it depends on the state and what kind/level of nursing you are looking for. If you are specific about what kind of job you want I think it may take longer. If you are open to most positions then I think it will be easier. I had multiple interviews but didn't accept my position until 4 months after graduation and 2 months after passing my NCLEX.

[johsonmichelle]

Well I just finished school and I have no job offers. I just started applying for jobs earlier in the month plus I work at a hospital. I'm applying within my hospital and outside the hospital. Although there jobs out here, its hard to get them when you don't have your license already,my nlcex test date is a little over a month from now. So don't panic if you don't have job immediately after, shoot there are people who graduated last year and still don't have jobs.

[cynmrn]

In interviewed for my first job (12 week New Grad Internship, then transition to chosen floor) the day after I took NCLEX. I was offered the following week (end of June) and started my first job on August 5. It was a whirlwind!

[gelli.25]

Graduated in May 2012, passed NCLEX in July 2012, got an offer in August 2012 to start in September 2012.

[AspiringNurseMW]

I live in Northeast PA and I graduate this year but I'm pretty sure that pretty much 75-80% of people had a job before they graduated, across all units and specialties.

They start hiring in January and February

[AspiringNurseMW]

How were you able to get a job as a nurse when you haven't even done the NCLEX or graduation?

Wait, was it an RN job?

Usually you get hired as a graduate nurse, then position changes to registered nurse when you pass the NCLEX.

[Alaskan_RN]

Graduated June 19th, passed NCLEX August 5th, started working August 9th. I was hired before graduation at the hospital I did my preceptorship in.

[NewMurse1014]

kinda surprsing people are landing jobs right out of school on units in the hopsital. i think it depends on the location, because west coast will not be that way.

This. It really depends on where you live and how saturated the local job market is. In CA especially the Bay Area, it's normal for new grads to take months to a year to find a job, some even have to move out of state to gain experience first. Most, if not all, hospitals won't even consider the applicants if they don't have their RN licenses ready, so getting an Interim Permit is pretty much a waste of money. I graduated the end of May 2015, took the NCLEX in June, took them 3-4 weeks to notify me passing it around July (this was when I started seriously applying for jobs). Without previous experiences, I was pretty much limited to new grad programs. Luckily, I interviewed one in September and got the offer a week later, of which the program started in November. Some of my classmates I know are still looking for jobs till today, a year after our graduation. So it really depends, but it's always better to start looking early.

[Zelda, RN]

I graduated last year. I had a job offer end of March, took NCLEX mid-June (after my wedding and honeymoon), and started end of June. I left that job in January (6.5 months in) when I got my dream job. :)

[erickz623]

I graduated on May 7th of this year, and I was hired sometime in April by a large hospital system. I start July 5th.

[nurseinthezoo]

I did a summer externship in an ER in my senior year. Upon graduation my status changed to GN in the same ER and RN when boards were passed. Seamless transition.

[HeySis, BSN, RN]

I graduated April 29th this year. I interviewed the week of graduation and the week after, all for hospital jobs. I was offered three positions and accepted the one I wanted. I took my NCLEX yesterday and passed. I was told I could only work as GN in the residency program, so basically I had until the end of August to pass. I actually have to pick up my contract tomorrow and I start June 3rd.

Quite a few people in my cohort had secured positions way before graduation... but they all already worked at the hospital/LTC that made the offer. Some were CNA's and some were LPN's, and at least one had her hospital paying for her schooling so she could work for them as an RN.

It does depend on the area. There was a time that a new grad wouldn't have been able to get into the local hospitals, but more and more the hospitals in my area are offering residency programs, which makes it possible.