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Specializes in Rehab, acute/critical care.

Hi everyone,

I recently passed the NCLEX in late January 2012. I am starting to apply for jobs but would like any advice others have to offer. My interests is progressive care units and critical care (ER, ICU). I do not have any medical background whatsoever besides my clinical experiences and I feel that might affect my chance of being hired. I am only 22 years old and the only job I've had has been working at a hardware store. I have applied to a lot of places online but many of them want experienced nurses.

When I was in clinical, I was the kind of student who was very organized, patients loved me, got along great with all the staff members, and very willing to learn. I have tried to hand deliever my resume to a hiring manager before and I was rejected (staff members told me they only allow online application, no meeting in person), so my confidence to attempt other places is down, plus I live close to an hour away from these places.

If anyone has any advice to share, I am welcome to it. Thank you.

- Lauren

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apply apply apply. that's really the only advice you need.

if you're looking for a hospital job. that will be very tough. not impossible though. for those, i would just suggest an awesome resume and cover letter. google.com all the hospitals within whatever your maximum driving distance is. then applyyyyy. dont be afraid to apply for jobs you're not qualified for (i'm not talking 3-5 years experience. i mean "1 year med surg required/preferred"). then just hope for the best!

if you want to try working from the ground up, search nursing home, LTC facilities, private practices..etc. you'll take a big pay cut, but at least you'll get some experience. also beats being at home jobless.

i passed my boards in january too and have only landed 1 hospital interview. got a couple private practices and nursing homes. i'm in the same boat as you. and it's not a fun boat. haha

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Specializes in Rehab, acute/critical care.
apply apply apply. that's really the only advice you need.

if you're looking for a hospital job. that will be very tough. not impossible though. for those, i would just suggest an awesome resume and cover letter. google.com all the hospitals within whatever your maximum driving distance is. then applyyyyy. dont be afraid to apply for jobs you're not qualified for (i'm not talking 3-5 years experience. i mean "1 year med surg required/preferred"). then just hope for the best!

if you want to try working from the ground up, search nursing home, LTC facilities, private practices..etc. you'll take a big pay cut, but at least you'll get some experience. also beats being at home jobless.

i passed my boards in january too and have only landed 1 hospital interview. got a couple private practices and nursing homes. i'm in the same boat as you. and it's not a fun boat. haha

I understand what you mean! I've applied to a LOT of places and it hasn't been a long time since then but I guess my confidence is down since every job (or source of money earning) I've had has been due to the fact that I knew the person hiring. I don't have any relatives or friends who could hire me or in the medical field. I am used to having to study 24/7 but now that nursing school is done and the NCLEX is passed, I seriously don't know what to do with my time! I can't tolerate sitting around at home. I am going to try to volunteer at my local hospital so that I can make use of my time, learn more, and hopefully meet some people who can help me.

I did apply to one job and sent an email to a an address that was posted for questions and I wrote explaining that I am a new RN but have not been able to gain experience yet (would like suggestions, etc). It's been a couple of weeks and I got no reply back, but I got a phone call with them telling me about a graduate postion newly posted! :-D I'm crossing my fingers that will work out and I definately sent an email back thanking them for the phone call. If they never told me about the new application I probably would've never found it!

Good luck with your job search, I'm sure something will work out eventually for both of us!

- Lauren

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I'm in the same boat. I've been working in a post-acute care center for 8 months and though I am very happy to have a job, it is not acute care and I just don't know where to turn to get into a hospital. It seems no one cares about post-acute experience. How the heck are we supposed to get acute care experience if no one will hire people without it?!?! Anyway, good luck to all of us!! I am just trying to stay positively motivated :) Supposedly after we get the first year or so acute experience we are set for life, jobs coming out our ears! God bless the under-experienced!!

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