how do I find a job ???

sweetlilme910 · Aug 27, 2011

it's good that you are trying to/concerned about finding a job now and not waiting. are you planning on taking your nclex soon after graduation? i would recommend so. i couldn't find a job right away after nursing school and i have 2 bachelor degrees! i graduated in december and applied all over the state for a few months. i think getting your foot in the door working as a CNA before/during nursing school, getting a good preceptorship, or getting in with someone at the hospital (via family, friends, research) are ways to get your foot in the door. you can do that if you are lucky! if not, you may have to do what i did and that was take a job in LTC. i got my job in may which was about 5 months after graduating nursing school, took the nclex in february. i worked LTC for about a year and i must say that it was a great first job. i learned med basics, assessment basics, prioritization skills, pain management, wound care/prevention, and saw a WIDE range of patients. so if you can't find a job in the hospital you might try there. and i wasn't on the actual LTC side, i was on the rehab side, my facility had a "transitional care unit" for patients who still needed wound care, IV ABT, or some sort of rehab after being discharged from the hosptial. some rehab facilities even take trach patients so i mean it's not like you are losing your skills! you are actually learning great skills, handling 20 patients or so. and we still had our experience with IVs and PICCs and all that. i am now working on a med/surg unit but i had that one year RN exerience at the LTC setting which i think helped. i don't recommend going med/surg as a new grad actually unless you have a great long intense new grad program because it's very overwhelming! even for me! well i wish you the best of luck and keep applying and being persistant. you may also want to think about volunteering as a nurse to beef up your resume to make you stand out from the other applications and/or join some nursing clubs or organizations or get advanced certifications such as ACLS! GOOD LUCK!

ICU-RN<3 · Aug 27, 2011

Since you still have 4 months before you graduate, you should apply to nurse residency programs, that are tailored to new grads. These types of programs start the application process many months in advance.

RitaNP · Aug 28, 2011

Thank you for all d comments...ICU-RN u mentioned applying for nursing residency program....should i just apply online and wait 2 hear back from them or what steps can i take to increase my chances of getting an interview....

ICU-RN<3 · Aug 28, 2011

I think you should start by applying online, but before you apply, you should get the necessary documents, such as letters of recommendation and current transcript.

amymina · Aug 30, 2011

First thing I did for the last semester was contact the nurse recruiters at the major hospitals in the area and see about when I should be applying for a position. They all told me to start about the middle of the semester, and one even had open interviews for current nurses or soon to be graduates about that time. I would also have someone look over your resume and cover letter. Even though career services is a great thing, I would also trying having someone close to you who knows you and is good at this stuff look it over and help you edit it. Make sure if you are in any clinicals where the nurse manager expresses an interest in you and your abilities, maybe see if there are any positions opening up. Even doing all of this, it may be awhile before you find a job. Took me five months from March until last week where I was offered a position. A relative who is a nurse manager in a different state told me that for every position that is open, they have about 100 applicants right now. So be aware of this when going into it, and try not to get discouraged at every turn. Getting into a facilty as an aide is a great idea, however as you are so close to graduating, they may be hesistant to hire you do to the fact that you will be leaving in a few months, and some hospitals require that you stay in your hired position for 6 months to a year before you can transfer, which is something else to be aware of. Good luck!!