I should have become a teacher!!!!

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Sep 1, 2011

Yeah- then you get 9 months of brats with interfering parents who have not taught their kids manners- and think you should pass them because they showed up 50% of the time; you get delinquents you have to put up with- and interfere with the education of the few who actually want to learn. You watch kids slip through the cracks who don't qualify for special ed, but can't keep up - through no fault of their own. You get to pay for ALL of the supplies for your classroom (unless you like bare walls, kids with no supplies, and kids with no socks or undies.... seriously- parents both in education, and close friend all had to deal with this). Your district keeps cutting things, like athletics, which for some kids is the only door to college.... The buses are war zones, and kids sit in class spaced out due to fear of having to ride home with the bullies that they woke up to that morning .... You watch kids with no lunches (who just barely don't qualify for subsidized meals) fade out in the afternoon. It goes on and on....

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2011

I sould have become a teacher!!!!!!!

Due to budgetary constraints, it is hard to find teaching jobs in this day in age. State and local governments across the country are cutting back, and education is often the first thing on the chopping block. I live in a very large metropolitan area where several hundred teachers were either laid off or enticed into early retirements last year.

During this economic slump, all industries are being slaughtered at the present time. Nursing is certainly not the recession-proof career that many make it out to be.

bsnanat2 · Sep 1, 2011

I really hate to hear that you are having a hard time finding work. Is moving a possibility? Some areas of the country are still hiring new grads but others, like yours, are saturated (for now). While maybe not your ideal for a first nursing job, have you considered things like home health, school nursing or dialysis?

I sympathize and hope things get better.

MrChicagoRN, RN · Sep 1, 2011

As discouraging as it is, keep in mind that there is unemployment in every field. In fact, RN unemployment is about 1/4th of the national rate.

45 days of searching isn't really a long time to be looking. You need to not only apply, but attempt to followup on your applications. There are jobs out there, but its networking, being open to different areas, and being in the right place at the right time.

Good Luck.

eslvn · Sep 1, 2011

You also need to remember that there are a lot of unemployed experienced nurses looking for jobs right now. They are the first choice, you will learn when you find a job that experience is a big deal. Have you applied at any SNF's or anything other than a hospital?

MassED, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2011

have you looked into every single job path in nursing? Prison, assisted living, nursing home, rehabs? MANY ALF/nursing homes need help all of the time. Many areas have revolving doors and alf/nh don't require too much technical work and you could try to apply to many in your area. If you get one with some hours, then try to add on more and use that one for a reference. You have to start somewhere.

Good luck! Don't eliminate any job that you come across for nursing, consider all!

33762FL · Sep 1, 2011

If you think it's hard to find a job as an RN you surely don't want to be looking for a job as a teacher. Teaching got WAY over-saturated in the last decade and there are very few jobs for new teachers (and even experienced teachers) now.

You've only been looking for an RN job for a month & a half, and summer is a notoriously bad time to look for a job (managers go on vacation).

Guest717236 · Sep 1, 2011

.Applied for over 30 jobs online and no luck!!

Your post tells it all, the new age requirement of applying online is a cop out for HR.

You are just one resume in zillions....

Get your resume in hand, dress professionally and appropriately, and start

walking in to apply to outpatient settings or inpatient settings other than the hospital.

Let them see and hear your interest in getting hired and what you can offer them.

If they reject you, be polite and go to the next place on your list.

Often, nurse managers know of other positions in another healthcare center and

will refer you there if they have no position.

Life is not instant messaging, it takes patience and persistence and soon the right

position for you will surface.

Till then, keep a positive attitude and keep going.............

mslove · Sep 1, 2011

Teaching jobs are even harder to find...that was my first career choice. I live in western NY state and there is NOTHING for teachers. 75% of my college friends (we went to the #1 teacher's college in the state) have had to move south to get teaching jobs. And they make about 1/2 as much salary wise down there too.

My one friend was actually my little brother's 1st grade teacher this year... they let her go at the end of the school year telling her she *may* be hired back but probably not. And well, she wasn't. So now she has to substitute teach there this year, for $10/hour and no benefits. Luckily she kept her high school grocery store job making subs...which she is having to do part time. My ex bf is from Long Island and he had to go teach English in Korea because it was 3 years and he still hadn't found a teaching job!

Also, here in NY you need a Master's degree to teach. Do you know how much student loan debt these people have?? How can you pay that back when you're unemployed or only making $10/hr subbing? The city school district fires 90% of its teachers (literally, it was just in the newspaper) EVERY school year and then only rehire back about half of those people. Horrible horrible; I can't imagine constantly losing my job like that. And those are just the one's "lucky" enough to find work. So no thank you, the education field has it MUCH worse right now, in this area at least.

I'm really sorry you can't find a nursing job. Here, the local nursing schools just feed their new grad's straight to the area hospitals. Everyone i know in my program ahead of me who's graduated had a job lined up before graduation. I think a lot of it really is just where you live...I've heard the NYC and NJ area is hard. Are you going in to apply? I know it may feel awkward but you have to stand out somehow. GO in and ask; it's also harder to reject someone when they're standing in front of you and it's more likely you'll be hired when there's a face and voice to the resume.

Have you looked for jobs outside of hospitals? More importantly, are you willing to move? I think if you ARE then you will find a job quickly. Like I said, up here there are still plenty of nursing jobs and new grads are hired easily.

nurse_pearl · Sep 2, 2011

I understand how you feel. I've been searching for a time as well as a new grad. I was not having much luck finding what I wanted. I did find two part-time gigs, giving flu shots and a home care position, in the meantime. It's not what I want to do forever, but at least I'll be making money and working as a NURSE finally! Best of luck to you!!!

nola1202 · Sep 2, 2011

I am so discouraged....Applied for over 30 jobs online and no luck! It is impossible for a NEW GRAD RN to find a job in New Jersey..or maybe its just me. I've been looking for a month and 15 days now. These people don't understand that in order to have experience I need to start somehow. I've only had one job my whole life and only for a year and I know that it counts against me even though I'm in my very early 20's. I'm fed up with all the cliches: "keep trying, you can't lose hope, keep looking, you'll find something soon, good luck, just hang in there, keep networking, make sure you have good references...."
Then you must be thinking: what do you want us to do? well I guess nothing..I just needed to let it out. at this point I don't even know what to think or expect. I sould have become a teacher!!!!!!!

took me 6 months and I have lots of experience. Also my sister is a new grad teacher and she can't find a job either, it's been over six months. Don't give up,someday soon you'll be posting on here that you have and interview, and then got the job! :)