When I was in the hunt for a new grad RN position, I used AllNurses to help guide me in my job hunt endeavors and I want to take the time to help others who are looking for their first RN job.
I went to nursing school out of state to where I live currently. Knowing that I may have a harder time finding a job as a new grad, because of my out of state schooling, I thought to myself how I could make myself different and stand out compared to the rest of the applicants who would be applying for the same positions I eventually would be applying to. This school of thought really helped me snag my first job in a saturated market. Here is what I did:
background: I have a previous bachelors degree and completed an accelerated nursing program with above a 3.50 GPA. I also passed NCLEX the first time.
Me: prior to nursing school, I obtained CNA certification and worked in home health for a year and a half. During nursing school I volunteered at a clinic as a student nurse for ~10 months.
What you can do: CNA certification is easy to obtain and can be completed over a Summer break easily. So if you can do this, it is a bonus! You also don't have to work in a hospital to be a CNA.
I sought volunteering opportunities now matter how busy my schedule was with my program. I consistently volunteered at the clinic and built rapport with the staff and other volunteers. In the end, I advanced my nursing skills r/t assessing, documenting, giving report to MD, edu. Pt etc. I also walked out of there having an instant reference too. The main thing I realized when talking to recruiters is that having additional experience in a healthcare setting shows that you are comfortable being around patients.
Me: Prior to graduation I went to the state board of nursing website and figured out what was needed exactly to be eligible to sit for the NCLEX. I also compiled a list of hospitals in the city I would be moving to with HR phone numbers. I called every single hospital in the area and asked to speak with the new grad recruiter. Sometimes I got lucky and caught one on the phone. I asked them many questions and wrote down anything and everything they said. I also started applying to nursing jobs, even without my licensure it got my resume and name in front of HR recruiters. Apply apply apply
I also used used career services at my university to help me format my resume and cover letter. This was helpful because I was able to creatively format my resume that really made it stand out.
What you can do: make sure your ducks are in a row with your eligibility to sit for the NCLEX. Stay on the ball with I because each state has a different process and length of time for paperwork to be processed. Call HR in hospitals to start getting your name out there. If your university or college has a career services dept. they most likely have a resume or cover letter workshop that you can participate in that will really make your strengths stand out. Apply even if you're not qualified, I had a lot of phone interviews because HR recruiters found my resume in their databases.
Me: post graduation I scheduled my NCLEX as soon as possible. A lot of the hospitals in the big city where I live have new grad programs that require licensure by a certain date. I didn't want to put the test off because I wanted my licensure to add to my resume to be more competitive.
What you can do: take your NCLEX as soon as possible. Don't forget to keep applying throughout this stage too! Apply apply apply!! Call HR too!!
Me: interviewing for positions, I wore a suit and bought a portfolio w where I had multiple copies of my resume, cover letter, and references. I engaged them and took notes while they were interviewing me. I did my research on the hospitals and wove t that into my answers. I asked them questions, on average about 5 questions that I really cared to know. I was genuine, myself, and showed that I truly enjoy the nursing profession. I ended all of my interviews on a positive note.
I literally did all of this and I had 5 job offers. One of the hospitals I had offers from was a MAGNET status hospital. So, be diligent, market yourself, get experience, have a good GPA, work hard, and apply apply apply. This really made the difference. I kept applying for months before I was offered a multiple positions.
I hope this helps you and that you will be offered multiple positions as well!! Good luck!
