How long does it take to get a job in chicago:(

MrChicagoRN, RN · Jul 28, 2011

What type of positions are you looking for? Where have you applied? Chicago is a very large geographic area

Advocate & Rush both have good tuition reimbursement, but so do many others

Join Linkedin, Monster.com and post your resume there. I've gotten lots pf hits from recruiters.

MrChicagoRN, RN · Aug 4, 2011

Check Rush's website. There's an education position you may be interested in.

swimrn1 · Sep 10, 2011

It took me 4 months to find a job. I graduated in December, and positions for new grads didn't really open up until May/June.

The Resurrection system hires a lot of new grads compared to a lot of the other hospitals in the area, so I would suggest applying there.

Tina Li · Sep 14, 2011

The Resurrection system hires a lot of new grads compared to a lot of the other hospitals in the area, so I would suggest applying there.

Could you explain clearly what does resurrection system mean? I will graduate in Dec., and I am looking for jobs online now because I want to save time. Is that okay to apply jobs while I am in school? Or I should apply after I graduate and get my license. When is the best time to apply?

Thank you.

swimrn1 · Sep 14, 2011

Resurrection is a healthcare system that has several hospitals and other care facilities. Here's a link to the website:

http://reshealth.org/

It doesn't really hurt to go ahead and fill out applications now, before you graduate. That's how most of my classmates found jobs (in Peoria, IL). As for other graduates and I that that moved to Chicago after graduation, we didn't get any responses to our applications until we had our licenses.

rjosborn · Sep 14, 2011

I've been talking with nurses from several different hospitals in the Chicago area, and it seems like the average time is around 6-12 months.

Many of the recent grads I work with needed to get a job in hospice or a nursing home while they were waiting for a job in the hospital setting. So, you might want to keep all of your options open.

shygoofyone · Sep 19, 2011

I started applying to hospitals in the NW burbs last month and have only gotten one call, and that was from a hospital I have since heard really bad things about. I've tried to call the HR departments and am having a really hard time even getting to a person. So frustrating! Good luck!

For anyone reading this that may KNOW someone :)....

I have 2 years experience in a critical access hospital, seeing anyone who was not pregnant-ortho/tele/GI/cardiac/peds/you name it. I moved to Addison in April and would really like to start working up here and giving up the 2 hour commute I have to my hometown (thank God, Mom still lives there!).

bossyrn · Sep 19, 2011

I am also looking for a job here in the Chicago area. I have five years of critical care experience. The only response I have gotten so far is from Advocate and they told me less than 24 hours after I applied that I would not be considered for a job. I just relocated here and did not think it would be this difficult.

swimrn1 · Sep 19, 2011

PS: I know that you want a hospital job, but if you apply to nursing homes as well, you are much more likely to get a job there. Might not be ideal, but at least you would be getting some kind of experience (and income) while you continue looking for a hospital job.

I wish you the best of luck!

fitRNpic · Sep 20, 2011

I graduated from nursing school in 2007 (BSN). I have applied to every hospital in the Chicago area, including the suburbs, and still have not received an offer from any of them. I've had interviews with RUSH, Northwestern, Mt Sinai, Advocate Lutheran, Advocate Good Shepherd, Advocate Condell, Alexian Bros, etc. with no luck. I have put in hundreds of applications per month in IL and WI. I have emailed my information to recruiters and managers. I have tried contacting HR. I have gone to many nursing job fairs. I have revamped my resume too many times to count. I follow up the interviews I have had with thank you letters and phone calls or emails. But yet, after all I have done, I still do not have a hospital job. I have some experience in Med/Surg/Tele, but am not interested in a career in this area. I have little NICU experience, which I want as a lifelong career, but it's not enough experience to get hired. I have been doing Pediatric Home Health for the last 2.5 years (no benefits, no guaranteed hours). I drive/commute 1-2hours to cases in the suburbs and don't get any reimbursement for any expenses. I am on linked-in and Monster jobs. Most of these places that I apply to, I received an email within 24 hours stating that I am not being considered for the jobs that I applied to. I am pretty sure that my application/resume does not get looked at by an actual person most of the time, especially when I receive these emails.

I am sorry I can not offer any advice, I am dealing with these same issues and I have been a nurse for 4 years. When I ask managers what I could have done differently in the interview, I am told that they just went with someone that had more area specific experience than what I have.

shygoofyone · Sep 21, 2011

I say we start staging sit-ins