How hard is it for a new grad to find a hospital job???

luckylucyrn · Jul 26, 2008

I graduated from Nursing School in December, but had a job lined up by October, so I graduated knowing where I would go. I was a nurse intern on the unit before I applied. 9 people applied for 2 spots, so it wasn't a given that I would get the job. I did just go through the process of getting a NEW job, and it wasn't as quick a process as I had thought it would be. I applied in May and got the job offer in July.

crunchymomx3 · Jul 26, 2008

I graduated in May but had my job set before graduation. I started applying in January and had 3 offers lined up. But I do know more than a few people from my class who still don't have jobs. They applied late, had lower GPAs, etc. Nursing shortage or not, hospitals won't just take any new grad for orientation. If you have experience as an RN it's much easier to get a job. At least around here anyway.

janis9799 · Jul 26, 2008

I graduated in May. I did a shadow day at a hospital in December and was offered a job on their Med/Surge/ Oncology unit. I didn't want to do that, but wanted ICU. They offered me since there were no positions in ICU at the time and I could move there later. I liked another hospital that I did most of my clinicals in but they didn't start the interviewing process until April. I was hired on the spot for ICU. So it was pretty easy. Most of my classmates knew where they were going by graduation, many knew in December.

missninaRN · Jul 26, 2008

Most of the people in my class had jobs lined up before we graduated. A few chose to delay their job search due to relocation, pregnancy, or because they wanted to take a break.

I accepted a job offer in January and we graduated at the end of April.

HappyPediRN · Jul 26, 2008

I'm an RN and cannot find a job anywhere in Massachusetts. I started searching for new grad positions seven months ago and still haven't had any luck. I've done everything I can from an academic standpoint -3.6+ GPA, nursing scholarship, Dean's List, Honors Society/Nursing Honors Society, I won awards for excellent care at work, I worked full time in three nursing assistant/tech positions......and still have only gotten one call back ever, and that turned out to be a dead end. It's very discouraging here in MA.

blinks14 · Jul 26, 2008

I finished school in June but had a job lined up since February for a Surgical Telemetry/Step-Down Unit. I applied shortly after Christmas on the advice of some of my good friends who were nurses. I almost waited but they said that if I did I might not get a job that I wanted so I'm glad I listened to them.

NurseKatie08, MSN · Jul 26, 2008

I'm an RN and cannot find a job anywhere in Massachusetts. I started searching for new grad positions seven months ago and still haven't had any luck. I've done everything I can from an academic standpoint -3.6+ GPA, nursing scholarship, Dean's List, Honors Society/Nursing Honors Society, I won awards for excellent care at work, I worked full time in three nursing assistant/tech positions......and still have only gotten one call back ever, and that turned out to be a dead end. It's very discouraging here in MA.

MA is very discouraging! Very few people in my graduating class had jobs lined up prior to graduation--& those that did are RNs in states other than MA. My one call back was for the hospital that I was a tech at, they still can't give me a definite yes or no, and I interviewed at the beginning of May. I've been looking for jobs since late January/early February.

From an academic standpoint, we sound quite alike as well--I was an honors student, completed an independent research study in addition to the final paper required in my nursing class, was the treasurer of two student groups/clubs, and worked part time in my dorm & per diem as a tech all during school. It just doesn't seem fair, sometimes. Everyone that sees my resume tells me how awesome it is, so it just makes you wonder why you aren't flooded with job offers. :banghead:

PAKrisRN · Jul 26, 2008

I guess it all depends on the area where you live. I went to college In Central PA (its more of a rural area) and my classmates found it tougher to find jobs, but Im from the Southern Jersey/Philadelphia area and jobs are pretty easy to find. For the people from MA, are you near the boston area?

beachbum3 · Jul 26, 2008

Was supposed to be moving out of state, so applied for and got a job in March that was scheduled to start in June. At the last minute (in June) SO's transfer was canceled and so then I needed to find a job here. Found one with in a week. Was offered the position on the spot at the interview.

NurseKatie08, MSN · Jul 26, 2008

I guess it all depends on the area where you live. I went to college In Central PA (its more of a rural area) and my classmates found it tougher to find jobs, but Im from the Southern Jersey/Philadelphia area and jobs are pretty easy to find. For the people from MA, are you near the boston area?

Yes, I actually live IN Boston (born & raised here and moved back with mum after graduation)...unfortunately, part of the trouble is so many people from outside the city want to work here as opposed to in their community hospitals...I NEED to work here, as relocation is not an option (dad just died, so I'm not ready to leave newly widowed mum in a house all by herself) & lacking a car makes it hard to travel too far outside the city. Although the job hunt in Boston is tough, I'm sticking it out, because there's not much else for me to do.

Kiringat · Jul 26, 2008

I made the mistake of waiting until after graduation to find a nursing job. :banghead: There is now a new-grad glut in my area and I'm having a hard time just getting interviews. It also isn't helping that I really don't have the connections here in CO that I had back home. I feel really dimb waiting, but at least I'm getting a little bit of a break.