How many new grads DID find a job right away?

babysaverRN · Apr 17, 2009

hi SoCaliGirl...i will be graduating in july and i have, very very very very fortunately, landed a new grad position at a great teaching facility in LA. i know this is a tough time for nursing because of the economy and everything, but recruiters everywhere are reassuring everyone that this will eventually pass and the nursing shortage will return. if you're just starting nursing school i'm sure the economy will be in a better place than it is now by the time you graduate, and you'll be able to easily find a job. this is a HUGE deal at my school because so many students are freaking out (i mean it is annoying to start nursing school thinking you're guaranteed a job anywhere...then suddenly you can't land a job anywhere!!) but the faculty at our school have held numerous meetings with students and recruiters and are positive that this crunch will soon pass. so anyhow, if nursing is what you're passionate about, stick with it. trust me it is well worth it!!!

student200977 · Apr 17, 2009

From my experience, and still on the job hunt...there are very few new grad openings at the moment. Primarily due to the economy. The hospitals I am currently inquiring with are hiring very few nurses. One hospital had more than 200 applicants interested in the ICU, their only hiring 1 person. But I hear the Cedars hires a good number of new grads, so it also depends on the facility. But as LAhapnurse mentioned, don't give up or feel discouraged, the economy will soon have a turn around.

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Apr 17, 2009

Well here's my time line ( I got fairly lucky).

Jan 24: Graduated (paperwork handed into BRN day before)

Feb 6: Passed NCLEX

Entire month of February/Early March: Job hunting/interviews

Mar 4: Offered Position in Tele- (declined due to facility's horrible reputation)

(had possible 2 other jobs pending)

Mar 6: received ICU offer-accepted,

Mar 9: received offer for Urgent Care-declined

April 13: Began Orientation to ICU (this facility only has start dates once a month, and their hiring process is very extensive

I was VERY lucky, I had a total of 3 job offers, and ended up with the best one possible out of the 3. However, I also graduated summa cum laude & had three years experience as an LVN.

If you want to become a nurse, be a nurse. The economy could be greatly improved by the time you graduate. Furthermore if nursing is your destiny, when you do find work you will be sooo happy. People tend to be more successful in fields that interest them anyway.

50caliber · Apr 18, 2009

Best advice i can give you is to work at the hospital when you are in school in any capacity. Try working as clerk or something in the unit that you might be interested. The only people out of my class who were able to find jobs right after school were employees of that hospital when they were in nursing school.

That was my biggest mistake.

RNLola035 · Apr 18, 2009

Also just know that nursing is just as any other job. There are tons of other people with other degrees, like business and such that are taking a while to find a job. It takes a little time to find jobs, depending on the economy, how you do on interviews, who you know, and things like that that can alter how long it takes you to get a job. When I graduated in December 2007, I got so many interviews, I think over 12 and because I was still gradually working on my interview skills I got only 3 offers from those. I know that those circumstances are different now and there are more and more applications you will be having to send out now a days, but again, I know the economy will change again and by the time you get out of nursing school, who knows how it will be.

jesa · Apr 19, 2009

I am in Northern Cali but I think things are similar up here. I was lucky, I graduated in December and got a job at the hospital I precepted at in the department I love but I was in a program where local hospitals paid our tuition in exchange for a 2 or 3 year commitment. out of the 29 in my class who went through this program several of the hospitals canceled the contract and chose to forgive the money they invested because they didn't have jobs. so it's pretty brutal up here. those who don't have a job have been hunting and it is really really sad.

that being said, my husband is in the process of applying to nursing school. if you can get a year experience you can get a job anywhere.

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Apr 19, 2009

So far, as far as I know only three out of a class of 30. Not including me:cry:

50caliber · Apr 19, 2009

3 out of our entire class that I'm aware of has jobs in a hospital. Those who aren't leaving the area are taking up jobs in clinics and nursing homes.

star77, MSN, RN · Apr 19, 2009

I'm an EMT x 9 years, an experienced "medical" consumer, and have not yet graduated from the UCSF MEPN program- being in the program worked for and against me.

I interviewed at UCLA.

My clincals were high enough acuity (Lucille Packard, UCSF, etc) that I was able to hold my own in an interview.

That being said, I was hired for both a PICU and an ED position. I "graduate" from my RN year in June. I consider myself extremely lucky.

I turned down the PICU for the ED, which has been my passion for years. I am a very gregarious person who has been told that I interview well. I have multiple honors from my BA as well as Sigma Theta Tau and bilingual English/Spanish on my resume. I am not afraid to go for what I want or ask for what I need. I was told that there were no ED interviews and upon pursuing it further, I got the interview I wanted. That interview was tough, adn I had to prove myself and my passion.

It has not been easy, but I pursued what I felt was right, and I got the exact job that I want/has driven me to do what I do.

It's not easy. If you think stuff will come to you, you are wrong. You have to be willing to make it happen. I've been a river guide for 10+ years, and this saying "make it happen" is endemic to the Class V people I work with. Want a box moved? Make it happen. Want a job? Make it happen.

That's my take. Good luck to all out there. I have had my resume ready to go since October.

Hope that helps.

-Star

Maikafer-RN · Apr 28, 2009

I graduated in December 2008 and began working in February. I only was able to get 1 interview and it was at my #7 hospital that I really didn't want to work for. All the other hospitals I was interested in kept telling me to check online for openings and that openings should be posted soon. Well I checked every single day from the end of September until the end of January and never saw openings for new grads at my #1 hospital, yet somehow they hired a bunch of people. I even spoke with the manage of their ICU after a fellow classmate got hired after she did her preceptorship in their ICU. My classmate told me that she said they were going to hire a few other new grads and told me to call her. I called her the next day and she told me they weren't hiring new grads. It was just a weird thing. I graduated close to the top of my class, had ACLS by the time I graduated and was a member of a few organizations yet I couldn't get an interview!

Finally this other hospital called me and I tried for ICU there but didn't get it so they offered me the ER. For some reason ER always intimidated me - I guess because you never know what the person has that you're treating. But I accepted that position because its 4 miles from my house and I figured it would be good experience and it was through the Versant program.

Well I've only been working for 2 months and I love it. I can't see myself doing anything but ER ever again!

Most of my classmates signed a contract with a local hospital so they were pretty lucky to find a job. Out of the ones that didn't I'd say maybe 5 found jobs and maybe 10 haven't.

GOOD LUCK!