How do you get your first nursing job?

[stnurse2016]

Hello, I am just gathering some information about job placement before starting an ABSN program this fall.

Since new nurses obviously don't have much experience as a nurse, what qualities or things do employers look for in a new grad nurse?

What are some things that could set me apart when I am ready to search for jobs?

I just want to be prepared for job searching when I am nearing the end of my program.

Additionally, my dream is to be an L&D nurse, or NICU, or peds nurse, are all of these considered "specialties" or are they areas you can work in as a new nurse? How can I get my foot in the door there and/or head in that direction?

Thank you!

[EDnurseNY]

I went through an accelerated program in NY. I had a Capstone/preceptorship placement on an ICU-level unit. I was asked if I'd want a job on the unit and I would have accepted it had I not already accepted my "dream job."

I'm not entirely sure how I got the dream job, as in what factors played a role. I had experience on the same type of unit in a tech role, but I don't know if that's what did it since nursing is a completely different ball game. I also didn't work during school. My GPA wasn't on my resume, and they never asked for it. I think another contributing thing was that it's the teaching hospital connected to the university I went to. The school's kind of like the farm team for the hospital. I was also so nervous at the interview that I completely screwed it up until the end when I had a chance to shine and talk about geeky things (I try to keep up on research/advances in the field). I also happened to catch a glance at the recommendation/evaluation forms from my instructors as the nurse recruiter flipped through my file to check paperwork, and everything was marked really high. Also, the recruiter looked over my resume and approved it before it was sent to the department.

I don't mean any of that to sound pompous, by the way. I'm saying GPA isn't always a factor, and there are a ton of things to consider. I do know that in general, Peds is very competitive since it's so popular, and a lot of L&D units don't hire new grads. That said, everywhere is different. A lot of my classmates got jobs in ICUs. A good way to try to get a job where you want is to try and get your Capstone there. I don't know how common it is, but at my alma mater you get to request a Capstone site and you may be placed there. If so, work your butt off and be professional! Same goes with all clinical sites. People talk to each other, managers talk to each other. Working hard (or not) on one unit can make or break your attempt at getting a job, even on another unit.

[NotYourMamasRN]

I worked as a nurses aid in the local hospital during nursing school. When I graduated I had two job offers in an area that was very hard to get a job offer as a new graduate. I highly recommend this if possible, to all students. I worked PRN and floated through the entire hospital, so I was able to network and show my work ethic to managers.

[littlemissbookworm]

Some qualities that they look for in a new grad is an eagerness to learn, that you'll seek out opportunities on the unit, and you won't be scared to ask for help if you need it. They know that as a new grad you won't have the experience, someone that's been working for awhile has, but they want to make sure that you will seek help if you need it. This is an example from my work place: If you have to do a wound vac dressing change and you haven't done one before, asking an educator to help you, or another nurse or looking it up in the resource binder if no one can at that moment.

[middleagednurse]

This isn't the answer you are looking for but I thought I would share a "blast from the past". In my last semester of nursing school all the hospitals in town threw lunches and brunches, and all soon to be graduating ns students were invited. Not only did we get a free meal, but the speakers BEGGED us to work for them. If you applied, you were hired. You might not get your first choice of unit, but you got a job. Also, you did not need to have passed NCLEX. You worked as a graduate nurse, then when you passed NCLEX you became an RN.

[HeySis, BSN, RN]

I went right into a speciality after my ASN, PACU... in fact I'm still doing my residency program. I was hired before I graduated, under the terms of having passed NCLEX before residency was over. I passed before the residency even started.

I hadn't worked at the hospital or done any clinical or capstone there.... I did mine in a larger facility in the ICU and asked my preceptor if I could use her as a reference. I did have lots of years of LPN experience, some facilities will consider that and some won't.

The others in my residency program that were hired into speciality areas either did their capstone there or already worked at the facility on another unit and had good internal references.

Keep your dream job in mind, but keep your mind open. You may have to start somewhere else, but that's ok and will make you a more rounded person that can understand the stressors of other units.

Also once you start doing clinicals, you may find yourself loving something else. While I love children... I like them healthy... I really dislike doing painful procedures on infants that can't understand that I'm helping them even though it hurts. I have a friend that said she's almost embarrassed to tell people she loves working with the geriatrics, because everyone talks about critical care as being the best. I don't think you should be embarrassed no matter what type of nursing you do, it's good that we all have different interest.

More then anything, have good references, leave your bridges at former employment intact (my employer insisted on calling past employers), get the most out of your clinical experiences and practice interviewing. And then practice interviewing again. I once asked a prospective employee (interviewing and hiring was part of a former job) to tell me about her leadership skills, and she could not think of one thing. I gave her hints, like asking if she'd ever been the president or leader of a school club, youth group or anything (and I knew she had because she was a year older then my daughter) and she still couldn't think of anything. She did not get the job. If she came that unprepared to an interview how would she prepare herself to work in a new job?

[Embers_Fallen]

I got my first interview through a friend who is a paramedic and friendly with he HR director at a nursing home. As a new nurse, I just didn't feel comfortable managing and medicating 36 patients, so I stalled my start date as much as I could. My second interview, and the job offer I accepted, I got on my own through sheer luck and determination. Looking forward to starting on the oncology med/surg unit in October!

[Amoni]

I'm in my last 81 days of my BSN program (yes, I am actually counting the days, hours and seconds)! My previous two clinical rotations were pediatrics and maternity. There were a bunch of brand new nurses (

Good luck!