How To Get Your First Nursing Job!!

I graduated one year ago in a class of about 70 people. I live in a fairly saturated job market, and still speak to most of my classmates. A few of my classmates went out of state to places like Utah and ND to get jobs. A few went to small towns a couple of hours away. Quite a few ended up in home health or SNFs. 5 or 6 got jobs in facilities that they worked in as CNAs. More than half of us got hospital jobs without prior work experience in the city within 2 or 3 months, and this is how we did it!!!

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How To Get Your First Nursing Job!!

Please be aware that it is not you! Do not let your confidence take a hit, because there is nothing wrong with you!! The market is tough, and in some places it is almost impossible. You already graduated, you passed the NCLEX and it's too late to decide to be a CNA in order to have an "in" with the nurse managers. It may look hopeless, in reality it isn't-but it IS difficult! There really is no nursing shortage, and there are tons of seasoned, experienced nurses applying for the same job you are. You NEED to stand out! You need to let your own personal awesomeness shine, and you need to forget pretty much everything you were taught in school about how to apply for a job fly out the window. You were taught by nurses who got their first job eons ago-the rules have changed.

The Basics-Paperwork

In school, they taught you to put an objective on your resume. Don't! Obviously the objective is to get the job, it takes up valuable page real estate, leave it off! Do bullet points for skills, I used 2 columns to fit everything on one sheet of paper. When they tell you to make it stand out, they do not mean perfuming it, adding a photo, or squiggly flowery borders. Professionalism is everything! List clinicals if you don't have actual jobs to list, and keep it at one page. There are resources at most schools that will help you brush up your resume and there are online resources as well-free ones! Don't spend a ton of money, you don't have to!

A cover letter needs to be personalized to the facility/unit you are applying. It should not repeat what is in the resume! It should show that you researched the facility. Something like "Your core values of blah and blah and blah fit perfectly with my personal nursing philosophy" needs to be in there. I ended all of mine with something like this "I look forward to meeting with your to see how I will fit in with the (name of hospital) family.

Networking Is Important!

The old adage "it's not what you know, it's who you know" was never more true! Keep in touch with preceptors on units you may want to work. Let them know when you pass NCLEX and ask them if they would be willing to put in a word with the NM if a position opens. Then if you see that a position does open, call them again! Your last clinical should be your practicum (not sure what it is called in other parts of the country-but it's the same thing). Your preceptor on that unit is your best shot for a job if there is an opening. Be sure to get her contact information and if you get to meet the NM while you are there, let her know you would LOVE to work on that floor after you pass and ask her if you can get in touch. Where I am, quite a few nurses got hired because they showed their awesome in practicum and thought ahead enough to have contact information in their pocket before they finished! Do you have classmates that were hired in a place you want to work? Keep in touch, ask them to put in a word for you too. Some of your instructors may hold hospital jobs, keep in touch with them as well. Everyone you know is a potential job, so network! Before you graduate, join a local nurse association (while you can still get the student rate to join) and go to meetings, you will meet NMs and directors that may help you get a job. You can still join after grad, it just costs more!

Here's the part that any nursing school instructor will argue with, but in my opinion it is the most important part of the job search. Ready? Ignore the online applications! Look at the online job postings to see if a job is open that does not require a year experience (if they say REQUIRE, you don't have a chance, so forget it), and once you locate the jobs that don't have that as a requirement, note the unit but don't fill out the online application. You are wasting your time. Even if it says "new grads are welcome to apply", you are still wasting your time! If you don't believe me, go ahead and fill one out! Check your application status, within seconds it will say something like "not under consideration". The computer tossed your application in the trash and no human will ever see it. This is pretty much a universal truth-there are some exceptions, but finding them is going to take up bucketloads of time and hundreds of frustrating rejection letters! Instead, dress yourself professionally (see below) and pay the nurse manager a visit. Do not go during a shift change (likely they are probably operating on 12 hour 7-7 shifts, or 3 8 hour shifts a day so do the math and figure out when they most likely are not on shift change) and walk in. Politely ask to see the NM. In some parts of the country you are going to get the stink-eye and not get to see the NM, in other parts they will be happy you came in. If you are in a stink-eye state, ask politely if you can leave a resume for her. Invest in a package of 8x11 manilla envelopes and have her name neatly printed on the outside in order to leave it for her before you go. You can almost always call before you go and ask for the NMs name on a particular unit. This shows critical thinking-you did your homework and they like that

Well, some of the rules have changed. A few things haven't. The things that they probably taught you correctly:

Dress Professionally

Flat sensible shoes, a business suit (pants or skirt, it doesn't matter but if you choose a skirt, make sure it goes to your knees). If you don't know what "dress professionally" means, go into a bank. Look at the bank managers, emulate them (except no high heels). I bought 2 interview outfits, one for walking my resume in and one for an actual interview. I think it paid off. You do not want to walk in with a resume looking like you are on your way to hang out at the mall! You don't have to spend a lot of money, but you do have to prepare. NO SCRUBS!!

Got tats? Cover them! Completely cover them! Nuff said! Got more than one piercing in your ears? Take them out! One set of sensible studs (nothing dangly) is fine. A zillion piercings all up your ear or a cool industrial need to be removed! Who cares if your holes close, you are applying for a job to make a living that will pay well enough to have them reopened hundreds of times over! In some cases clear ones will be OK-but not if they show! Any other piercings on your face or tongue? Remove them. You are not going to get hired if you are metalman

This is not a fashion contest, it is a professional interview. Your hair needs to be pulled back all neat and clean in a pony tail or a bun if it's long. It may look great as a flowing mane, but a nurse manager is going to picture it flopping into a wound, pull it back!

Do NOT smell! Perfumes and body spray are fine on date night, but some people find it offensive, so just don't! Smell like soap-not perfumed soap either. When I got my interview, since I knew a few of the nurses on the floor, I baked cookies for them when I went in-it was a good idea, although probably would look weird on a unit where you don't know anyone. BUT-a nurse I didn't already know told me later that she heard they "hired the girl that smelled like cookies", apparently that is one smell that is OK!

The Actual Interview.

Many places do a panel interview. It is intimidating, but they do not do it to intimidate, so don't freak out. VERY important to bring in enough copies of your resume, references, and cover letter for everyone. Typically there are 4 to 6 on the panel, bring 10. Also bring that portfolio that nursing school made you put together, but don't be surprised if no one looks at it. Not bringing it makes you look unprepared though, so bring it!

Bring a small pad of paper and pen. Some places will give you a tour of the floor. Some places do that for everyone, in other places it is only done if they are interested in you. Either way you may want to take some notes.

NEVER ask about pay or benefits. It may be on your mind through the entire interview, but nurses don't like that question. HR will fill you in if you get a job offer, and the truth is, if you are a new grad no matter what it is, you will be happy to get it, so just don't ask!

Leave your phone in the car, or turn if off (all the way off-vibrate makes noise too!) I personally know 3 nurses who lost their chance at a job because the phone rang. They didn't answer it, but they may as well have!

Interview Questions To Expect

Some nursing schools prepare you very well for interviews. Others-not so much! There are some pretty standard questions you can prepare for, but no matter how prepared you are, they could blindside you. Don't get flustered! Answer as honestly as possible. Expect some variation on these questions:

What is your greatest strength? It is so hard to "ring your own bell". don't sound conceited, but you do need a good answer. Are you a quick learner? A team player? Something like that is safe and they like it.

What is your greatest weakness? (this one is tricky-I always said that I still had to work on my time management skills-it seems pretty benign, and it was well received. For new nurses, it is ALWAYS true!

Tell us about the worst thing you have had to deal with on the job and how you handled it (try to pick something from a clinical that was horrible but turned out well). I talked about an abused baby I had seen during peds clinical. I freaked myself out, because talking about it made me cry-in front of the whole panel-but I got the job!

Tell us how you would handle a conflict with a co worker (be careful! Saying anything that would make it seem like you are a "its not my fault" type of person is going to hurt your chances).

You are going to get some sort of HIPAA or legal related question. A common one in my part of the country is something like this "A 60 old man was diagnosed unexpectedly with terminal cancer. His wife and daughter have asked that you do not tell him. What should you do?" Correct answer in all those types of questions is that you would chart the request, make the provider aware and let the provider handle it. You are the nurse, it is not your job to tell anyone a diagnosis or prognosis, so you are off the hook!

They are going to throw questions at you that will test your critical thinking skills. These are so varied, I can't begin to come up with an example. Try asking some of your classmates who have recently interviewed what these questions are like, or do a bit of research on Google to get an idea.

Do you have any questions for us? Ahh...talk about a trick question! You have TONS of questions for them, but most of them apply to you personally (like how much does it pay, do I get health insurance, how much vacation time do I get, what is the sick pay policy, will I get any weekends or holidays off)...DON'T ask those! If it applies in any way to how this job will fit your life-style DO NOT ask! Ask something about the unit itself, but be careful not to ask a question that they already gave you the answer to! If they told you about acuity, the types of patients, and most of the logistics of the unit, then you are kinda screwed on this one. A good safe question that will usually get you a smile (but no answer) is "when do I start?" it shows your interest, your sense of humor, and that you paid attention and got your questions answered already! It is also OK to ask when you might expect to hear back from them. However this is kinda a trick too. I have heard nurses say that they were told they would hear back within a week and they didn't hear so thought they didn't get hired, then 2 weeks later they get the call. In my case, I was told it would be 2 weeks, and got the call with the offer the next day. So it is OK to ask, but it leads to stress and discomfort and it's a question I will probably never ask again!

So, You Got The Job!

Now what? Well, you are a new grad, Your negotiating power is zero. Unless you did your homework really well and know what they pay, they are going to offer you less money than you expected. Live with it! We are all in the same boat, and with a couple of years experience under your belt, you will increase your earning potential! HR can give you information on benefits and all those things you bit your tongue and didn't ask about at the interview. It's OK to ask them! Its also OK to get as much info as possible about the orientation period, CE, etc.

Best of luck to everyone! Jobs are there, it's just a matter of convincing someone that you are the right person to hire!!

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scaredsilly

About scaredsilly, BSN, RN

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Specializes in Emergency Psych, ICU.

Perfect! Thanks

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Nice write up

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I don't post much. I'm not sure why, but I don't quite like this article/post. No offense to the original poster, but I find it lacking in reality and lacking in practical advice that goes beyond the limits of obviousness. It may be because this topic is a very sensitive one and is very near and dear to my heart. I graduated from an impacted program in the Bay Area, CA and thrown into one of the most saturated job markets for RN in the country. Not discrediting the rough odds in other parts of the country, but it is no secret that Nor Cal, with its higher than average salaries and density in nursing programs, is particularly rough.

I don't really have much else to add, because frankly you gave quite good advice. Most of what you had to offer has been hashed over more times than I can count; and even though some of these obvious concepts can escape even the most motivated new grad, it should be no secret that you should dress like a normal human being and not chew gum during an interview.

What I would like to add to your article are two main things.

#1.) If you don't get calls back, and you don't get hired for an interview. That is okay. There is a perpetual stigma associated with poor employment outlook and underpreparedness. I, and many people I graduated with who also struggled with securing employment, hit all those shiny boxes the best we could and still were passed over time and time again. I remember keeping and losing track with an excel spreadsheet of all the hospitals I applied to with an evergrowing sense of demoralization and failure at the reality that I had all the boxes checked off and did my due diligence with all that I could afford (and more) and still was rejected by the job market. I saw others getting jobs before me, who I felt were less qualified (either academically or professionally). Conversely, I saw our star peer with pertinent work history and a resume that would put mine to shame struggle with job securement longer than I had to. What I learned from that horrible ordeal is that the majority of the failure attributed to poor employment following graduation had more to do with economic turbulence and the volatile nature that is human capital in medical services than it does our own personal merit or stature.

This is not to say that we shouldn't do more, because face it, complaining about the current state of job securement does nothing more than waste time and does not help even the most impoverished of situations, but it should be understood that even though you check all these boxes, and even though you do all your due diligence, if you are not being called back or not being offered a employment. It is okay, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. I think circumstances and luck have more to do with job securement than making sure you jump through every single hoop. For example, the two people you gave an example about who had their phones ring during an interview and THAT being the reason for their disqualification is fear mongering at its finest. My advice is to go out there, give it your best shot, have a redundancy plan to make sure you can remain relavent in your search for employment and be prepared to weather the storm. The storm may hit you harder than it does your neighbor even though you did more to protect and prepare for it. Period.

#2.) I disagree with you not being able to negotiate wages or speak about financial/benefit matters during employment searches. If brought up tactfully, it can be seen as a sign of responsible life planning. There is nothing wrong with upholding a self percieved worth. We are professionals, and I think this "take whatever you can get!" attitude is exactly what deprofessionalizes and weakens our profession. Employers should know that whether they are speaking with a seasoned nurse or a new graduate, they have different strengths and weaknesses that should be respected even through wage/benefit negotiation. I'm not saying to ask for the top end of the salary spectrum if you obviously do not have the experience to back it up, however do not get into the business of bending over backwards for anything even in the face of desparation--this is exactly what corporate greed feeds upon.

Getting off my soap box now. I wish all the new graduates the best of luck in their searches. Its a jungle out there, but keep your heads up!

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Specializes in Cath/EP lab, CCU, Cardiac stepdown.

Or just go to North Dakota, because they're one of the few states that I know of that are actually short on nurses.

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Or just go to North Dakota, because they're one of the few states that I know of that are actually short on nurses.

That works for those who can, but if you have a spouse with a job they can't leave, or elderly parents who need help it is not always possible.

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Please, those of you who can move, do it! Lots of us don't have that luxury. You can always come back.

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Please, those of you who can move, do it! Lots of us don't have that luxury. You can always come back.

We all worked hard for our license, we all want to work. No one should move just to reduce the competition for jobs!! if someone wants to move to make their job search easier, they should!!! But this post sounds like it is a plea to reduce competition-that is NOT ok!

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Good advice but a little simplistic for adults. I also live in an area where nursing is very impacted and people are jumping through hoops and doing everything they can to secure that first job. I once went to a job nursing job fair where several hundred (not a typo) professionally dressed new grads with portfolios and interview ready supplies were not even given a chance to talk to managers and recruiters. We were given some "about us" information about the hospital and sent away. Networking is hard, but I think this is the best way to find a job. I would even suggest working as a CNA to build connections. Yes, it is beneath your education but you have to do all you can and some of my friends have been hired this way.

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Thanks for the great advice!

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I just don't know how some people can be in a full time program (BSN) and work as a cna simultaneously while not having fixed clinical hours that could possibly extend to nights and weekends... How does one manage to do that? I mean I'm not in a program yet but am in the midst of applying and waiting to hear back, just trying to plan ahead ... And maybe induce anxiety unnecessarily haha

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I like it. Nice article.

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