Hey yall. I want to start a support thread for us unemployed New Grads in California. I've recently lost a lot of my hope and optimism for finding a New Grad position. I graduated in May with my BSN and I've applied for about over 100 positions at this point and I've gotten one interview. The rejection and lack of options has taken a toll on me. I literally made an Excel spreadsheet of almost every New Grad program with information/dates/links in the state PLUS almost every hospital in the state with links to their job listings that I check multiple times a week with notes from their HR dept about if they hire New Grads. Part of what makes it worst is when "outsiders", I know they mean well, mention oh why don't you apply at this hospital or be a traveler or there's a shortage you'll get a job soon, etc. You just want to scream I realized the best way to get through this is with the support of those in your shoes. Although we are in competition with each other we can help each other through the tears, hissy fits, and psychotic laughter.
I'm not saying we all need to meet in groups in our own areas (it's nice it comes about). But I want this to be a place for us to vent and support each other. If you're like me and you're so depressed that your mom gave you one of your Christmas presents early (It was a Tweety Bird robe) to try and cheer you up then please come and I have a virtual box of Kleenex and a pat on the back for you.
One thing I learned in nursing school is that icebreakers can really do good sometimes so you're welcome to use the following to introduce yourself.
Hello my name is kenderella89 and I'm an unemployed New Grad.
License type: BSN
Time out of school: 8 months
# of positions applied to date: a little over 100
Dream RN position: NICU however I would love to start in Med Surg as well
Hospital experience: No but I have over 300 volunteer hours and I worked for the California Dept. of Public Health for 3 years
Where do you live: The Sacramento area although I just moved from the bay area
What are you doing now: Volunteering at a daycare trying to get a hospital volunteer position as well
Favorite color: Purple
How you cope with unemployment: I bake. A LOT. My friends' and family's waistlines hate me.
Hospital experience: Just clinicals and being a labor patient
Where do you live: Northern L.A. Metro area
What are you doing now: Applying to anything and everything, I'm a professional job hunter at this point
Favorite color: Pink
How you cope with unemployment: I go to work with my husband because being alone all day the house was giving me depression. I fill out apps on the company computer, adjust my resume as needed, and eat with everybody at lunch. Sometimes he lets me help out so I'm not just sitting here at the pc.
Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.
Liddy Adams, unemployed new grad Nurse
License type: BSN
Time out of school: 7 months
# of positions applied to date: between 70-80
Dream RN position: L&D, midwife
Hospital experience: Just clinicals and being a labor patient
Where do you live: Northern L.A. Metro area
What are you doing now: Applying to anything and everything, I'm a professional job hunter at this point
Favorite color: Pink
How you cope with unemployment: I go to work with my husband because being alone all day the house was giving me depression. I fill out apps on the company computer, adjust my resume as needed, and eat with everybody at lunch. Sometimes he lets me help out so I'm not just sitting here at the pc.
Hello Liddy! Welcome to the group. It's awesome your husband lets you help out. Being a professional job hunter can take it's toll sometimes. My Aunt lets me help at her daycare center.
I can't wait until they find a cure and the disease becomes extinct for future generations. We should start some type of charity.
I was on the Petitions part of the Whitehouse site (I get bored when I job hunt and sometimes scroll through that site to see what kind of petitions are on there, and boy are there some crazy, weird ones.) Well lo and behold, what do I see? A petition about new grads. It's time we stood up and made our voice heard. So I did my civic duty and signed. :)
Now if I can find a job, any job, that will pay the bills. Legal jobs of course. I will be so thrilled.
Maybe a celebrity should start a charity for us new grads. Who knows any celebrities around here?
Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.
I was on the Petitions part of the Whitehouse site (I get bored when I job hunt and sometimes scroll through that site to see what kind of petitions are on there, and boy are there some crazy, weird ones.) Well lo and behold, what do I see? A petition about new grads. It's time we stood up and made our voice heard. So I did my civic duty and signed. :)
Now if I can find a job, any job, that will pay the bills. Legal jobs of course. I will be so thrilled.
Maybe a celebrity should start a charity for us new grads. Who knows any celebrities around here?
I signed it! The girl who made it posted on Facebook so I signed and shared with my Facebook friends! I don't know any celebrities, but maybe if we make a really awesome YouTube video about it lol
I signed it! The girl who made it posted on Facebook so I signed and shared with my Facebook friends! I don't know any celebrities, but maybe if we make a really awesome YouTube video about it lol
I also scroll through DailyFail and they had this article about Moms making a Youtube video about being Housewives. It was hilarious. If they can do it, we can too. Lol. It'd be awesome if new grads made a video and it went viral!
Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.
I also scroll through DailyFail and they had this article about Moms making a Youtube video about being Housewives. It was hilarious. If they can do it, we can too. Lol. It'd be awesome if new grads made a video and it went viral!
Man. Moving out of state seems pretty appealing now. I haven't put in apps anywhere else but it sounds like I might have better luck elsewhere. The one manager I interviewed with told me that a lot of hospitals are cutting back on hiring this year because many are waiting to see how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (better known as ObamaCare) will affect their budgets. I hate to be a debbie downer, but it just seems like things are not looking up.
For the record, I was not hired because they decided to go with someone who had experience in the field.
The rejection and lack of options has taken a toll on me. I literally made an Excel spreadsheet of almost every New Grad program with information/dates/links in the state PLUS almost every hospital in the state with links to their job listings that I check multiple times a week with notes from their HR dept about if they hire New Grads. Part of what makes it worst is when "outsiders", I know they mean well, mention oh why don't you apply at this hospital or be a traveler or there's a shortage you'll get a job soon, etc. You just want to scream 
I realized the best way to get through this is with the support of those in your shoes. Although we are in competition with each other we can help each other through the tears, hissy fits, and psychotic laughter.
coughdrop.2.go, BSN, RN
1 Article; 709 Posts
Ha! Yes that's exactly how I feel. We're unwanted because we have noexperienceitis.