How to find a job?

mgp6 · Jul 27, 2012

Good luck! Don't give up cause job hunting takes several months. The thing is you started late looking for jobs. A lot of new grad program applications opened before May and they would interview and accept applicants who only have their interim permits. Some hospitals still post new grad programs now but most will post again around october-december.

martinml · Jul 27, 2012

I passed boards in feb. and have applied to over 350 jobs and have only had 4 interviews. It's becoming frustrating but not giving up.

brendacg · Jul 27, 2012

I graduated in May, got licensed at the beginning of the month, and then got a job at a SNF. I would like to say that I got the job because of my 3 years of CNA experience, GPA, blah blah blah... but the reality is that the DON there is the sister of someone I used to work with. So, my advice is to ask anyone and everyone if they know someone who works at a hospital/facility and network your bum off! Good luck!

billyboblewis · Jul 27, 2012

There is a job for you and it just takes desire to find it. Try to network with anyone you know who is a nurse or works in a hospital. I have overcome severe obstacles and always found jobs. I have a suspension in my record and this has never stopped me from finding work. Just keep looking and let everyone you know in on it.

billyboblewis · Jul 27, 2012

Excellent article. I believe that anyone reading it and doing what it says will defintely find a job.

AlmosttoRN · Jul 30, 2012

I don't know if anyone will want it, but here is my advice:

1. Obviously too late for some, but start getting ready for the job hunt while still in school. Make sure your grades are practically perfect. Get a unit secretary (least desirable) or CNA (most desirable) job in acute care hospitals. Make friends there stat. Be the happiest person to show up at 0700 or 1900, even if you're not. Offer to help anyone and everyone.

2. Research new grad opportunities, make note of their requirements and deadlines, and don't tie yourself down to a particular area (even if you own a house - you're not tied down. rent it out and move to where the jobs are. don't sit in your house for 6-12 months searching for a job when there was an opening somewhere else). Get your clinical letters of reference way before these deadlines, and give the instructor a thank you card. Really, some people don't!

3. Don't bother with ACLS, PALS, memberships, blah blah blah. Money wasters. You can get your future employer to pay for these, as well as pay you for attending. Obviously have BCLS on your resume.

4. Don't list your school clinicals under "clinical experience" on your CV. Hospitals want to know you have paid CNA clinical experience, preferably at a place where you can do a lot beyond just hygiene and VS. Don't have real clinical experience balancing 5 patients? Go out and get it! Accelerated program is no excuse. I'm in an accelerated program and I work.

5. There are people in my program who are just assuming they will get a job, in the PACU no less, after graduation. These tend to be the same people who think they're above doing CNA work, or don't need to. That is obviously absurd! Be realistic and don't apply to jobs that imply experience is required. Of note, I've read in these threads that new grads should get a CNA job. Please don't bother applying as most hospitals I have ever heard of have policies against hiring an RN to do an aide's work. That's a waste of your valuable time and sanity.

This advice is coming to you from a student nurse/CNA who will be graduating in 3 weeks. High GPA, honor society. Have had many call backs from great teaching hospitals including the Cleveland Clinic, 1 job shadow, 3 phone interviews, 3 in-person interviews, and now at the reference checking step. Sent thank you notes to the nurse managers. At no time was I ever asked about memberships in organizations or ACLS. Good luck to everyone looking. I know it's a rough job market. All the more reason to make yourself the best CV that recruiter has ever seen from a new grad candidate.

gally13 · Aug 1, 2012

Now a days it seems like it is a combination of 3 things
1. Level of degree
2. Experiences
3. Who you know and not what you know
I, myself is looking for nursing jobs

I completely agree!! I graduated in May, and got my license in Late June. I work at a local hospital, but not on the floor, and I have been working with the education department there since before I graduated. I ended up taking a position at a nursing home because I had a friend who works there. I am staying on PRN at the hospital, in the hopes that something will open up, but I can't wait forever....need to pay off my loans! But the only reason I got a job in the first place is because my friend was there to constantly remind her about my resume...

Its definitely tough out there for new grads, and we all have that dream job we areholding out for, but now is not the.time to be choosy...now is the time to learn all we can so that we may have the dream job later!

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2012

Man-nurse2b suggested finding a job as a tech, phlebotomist, ect. which is a good idea. However, I know the hospitals around here (I live in the Chicago area) will not hire a new grad for such a position because they know that you will leave as soon as you find a job. We just have to keep trying. Good luck!

I actually agree with that statement, it's a risk for the graduate nurse because they will in essence be underemployed, and it's a risk to the employer cause they know you won't stick around. However, I've seen several positions for techs, clerks , PCT's that all say cerification or "graduate nurse" in the requirements, I do not understand the reasoning behind such postings. Maybe it's the employer's way of "test driving" the graduate nurse for an upcoming RN position, so that way they won't have the expenses of a "new grad in training". Maybe an HR person can answer this for us.

ok here's a current job posting I found today for a Patient Care Tech, here in Florida.

Education/Training: High school graduate or equivalent required. Requires State Certified Nursing Assistant and minimum one year recent hands-on patient care experience in a healthcare facility or work environment, other than Home Health care; 2^nd semester RN student (completed C.N.A. skills competency) or Graduate Nurse. Successful completion of Phlebotomy course strongly preferred. BLS required.

KG916 · Aug 8, 2012

LOL!! 3weeks.. I am sorry I really do not mean to laugh but if you read some of the posts alot of us have been looking for 3-6-9-12 months post graduation - it is not easy at all.

I graduated last december but I was fortunate that I was still able to keep my job as LVN while looking for a RN job and just last week was offered a RN job- not my dream job but it's a RN position.

Good Luck to you!!

SENSUALBLISSINFL, BSN, RN · Aug 16, 2012

Sorry its taking a while for many new grads, its scary cause I haven't even started nursing school yet. If you are not working at all, I'd try nursing support positions that have the graduate nurse requirement, such as PCA/PCT, phelebotomist, or tech positions, just anything get some sort of patient contact on your resume and to prevent that huge gap in your resume that I read about from many new nurse grads, being out of work for 1 plus years. While we all while we all want to graduate and get that ideal position, I think its critical to get any of these positions as soon as possible while waiting for that big break.
I'd also take another look at your resume and make it functional, stating how past experience would help in your new career. e.g you may have zero hospital experience but 5 years at a call center helping keep customers calm. Also look up key words aka "tags" that are posted in nursing jobs and ensure that the majority of these tags are somewhere within your resume, so your resume can get a "hit" when employers are searching through the applicant list. Many people forget that job hunting is now done electronically and if you are missing keywords in your resume the computer will just dumb your resume during the initial screening process, in other words, noone would even see it. I believe It works pretty much like google search...websites have what are called meta tags or tags, and these tags make a difference of being at the top of google search list or being on page 1,000,000 that no normal internet user ever reads.

What tags do you suggest?

I am in the process of putting my resume together. Having worked on my last job for almost 25 years, it has been awhile since I last made one.

Any help is appreciated.

SENSUALBLISSINFL, BSN, RN · Aug 16, 2012

I actually agree with that statement, it's a risk for the graduate nurse because they will in essence be underemployed, and it's a risk to the employer cause they know you won't stick around. However, I've seen several positions for techs, clerks , PCT's that all say cerification or "graduate nurse" in the requirements, I do not understand the reasoning behind such postings. Maybe it's the employer's way of "test driving" the graduate nurse for an upcoming RN position, so that way they won't have the expenses of a "new grad in training". Maybe an HR person can answer this for us.
ok here's a current job posting I found today for a Patient Care Tech, here in Florida.
Education/Training: High school graduate or equivalent required. Requires State Certified Nursing Assistant and minimum one year recent hands-on patient care experience in a healthcare facility or work environment, other than Home Health care; 2^nd semester RN student (completed C.N.A. skills competency) or Graduate Nurse. Successful completion of Phlebotomy course strongly preferred. BLS required.

Can a newly licensed RN apply? I live in Florida.

I got my ACLS because as I have seen on job postings, they prefer one that has it and since being new RN that is a count against me already, this may give a push.