In nursing school when can you start applying for jobs?

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I just started my last semester and I'm so excited that graduation is near! I keep browsing jobs thinking that's what I'll want. I do it to keep me going I suppose. I've been reading forums where people said they graduated and still no job. I remember when my friend graduated last year she didn't get a job until the month of graduation. While others had offers much sooner. They have recruiters coming from hospitals to talk to us. On those days I plan to dress business professional in hopes I stand out from my other classmates. I'm doing my preceptorship in the hospital I hope to work in but not exactly the floor I want. I still plan to hopefully wow them enough to give other nurse managers good word. I'm not going to apply until they say we can but I feel it'll become a dog eat dog world at that point.... that really terrifies me..

This would be an excellent question for the HR department or the nurse manager to show your level of interest.

You can start applying now, just bare in mind that some hospitals may not look at your application until your closer to graduation or until you have passed the nclex . I was in your position a couple of months ago, If I were you, I mainly focus on graduating from school and passing the boards. Are you graduating from a BSN or ADN program?

You can start applying now, just bare in mind that some hospitals may not look at your application until your closer to graduation or until you have passed the nclex . I was in your position a couple of months ago, If I were you, I mainly focus on graduating from school and passing the boards. Are you graduating from a BSN or ADN program?

I'm in a BSN class. Our instructors keep informing us that hospitals love hiring students from our program but graduating without a job scares me.... I currently work at a hospital as an assistant but I was just informed they only do new grad hires in June and we graduate in December. For me that is way too long to wait... I just have this timeline and I'm getting way too hung up on following it these days... I know a lot of the hospitals around will hire if you haven't done the NCLEX yet but some won't let you begin orientation until you have passed. That scares me because that seems really rushed. Some hospitals just won't allow you to work with patients until you've passed.

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Apply for jobs as long as you meet the minimum requirements. If a posting/application states that a license is required (and there are some facilities that use software where if you don't input a license number you can't complete the application), don't lie and say you have one. That will ensure that you won't be considered for the job and could even land you on the do not hire list because you lied on an application.

Apply for jobs as long as you meet the minimum requirements. If a posting/application states that a license is required (and there are some facilities that use software where if you don't input a license number you can't complete the application), don't lie and say you have one. That will ensure that you won't be considered for the job and could even land you on the do not hire list because you lied on an application.

Thank you. I never thought to think of it that way!! Ill keep that in mind when looking for positions!

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