Is ANYWHERE hiring new grads?

ShantheRN, BSN, RN · Jun 12, 2011

What area are you in? If it's the 3 Cs - Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincy - then it's a rough market. I'm in Cincy and a few people from my class have jobs, mainly from internal transfers. I know that University and the Mercy system will hire new grads, but it's very competitive. I've been applying steadily since I passed boards in March. I'm eying some smaller towns (you know, in those wide open spots between Ohio's 4 or 5 major cities lol) but I haven't applied anywhere other than Atrium in Middletown.

I'm hoping the numbers game will work out for me. I've lost track of how many rejection emails I've gotten....and that's not even counting the places that don't even bother rejecting you! I'm giving it till this fall before I start looking out of town. It truly sucks here.

aprilfresh · Jun 13, 2011

I'm between Columbus and Dayton so I've applied to every hospital in both and in between lol! I have been licensed for about 3 weeks so I know I shouldn't be panicking yet but I have probably applied for at least 100 jobs at this point. So frustrating.

Concrete Girl,RN · Jul 22, 2011

I live in the Akron/Canton area...same situation here. Also to add to the difficulty many hospitals are refusing to hire ADN's. Never thought I would have trouble finding a job as a RN...at least people are getting interviews..I've gotten nothing but rejection!

MelissaJ · Jul 22, 2011

I live in the Akron/Canton area...same situation here. Also to add to the difficulty many hospitals are refusing to hire ADN's. Never thought I would have trouble finding a job as a RN...at least people are getting interviews..I've gotten nothing but rejection!

This is sad to hear. I am starting an ADN program in the fall. I imagine at the end it will be more of a struggle to find a job. Have any of your classmatesfound employment?

What school did you attend for your ADN?

Concrete Girl,RN · Jul 22, 2011

I graduated from Stark State and the only people that have gotten jobs are those that already worked in the hospital setting. Some of those people also cannot find jobs due to the fact that places like Akron General are not hiring ADN's. My advice would be to get into a hospital (make sure they hire ADN's)..as an aide and that way you at least have a chance when you graduate! Good luck! :nurse:

churchsgirl · Jul 27, 2011

Aprilfresh, I am curious if you have been offered a job yet? I am moving to Dayton in December and will have my BSN...

aprilfresh · Jul 28, 2011

Hi guys! I actually have accepted a position at a smaller local hospital on a med-surg unit, started last week. Definitely not my dream job but hey it's good enough for me! I am also in the process of being interviewed for a NICU in Columbus which IS my dream job! Fingers crossed! The market is very saturated with nurses in all of Ohio's major cities so I would start applying in October, churchsgirl. For example the hospital I got hired at has 240 beds and is receiving 800 applications a week, the pediatric facility I worked at as a student nurse is receiving over 2000. It's ridiculous, but it is possible! A lot of things seem to open up in September-November it seems like and not many graduate during that time. Good luck, I'll pray for you!

churchsgirl · Jul 28, 2011

Congrats on getting a job! I do plan on applying to internships/residencies and any new grad positions in September. Thanks for the advice and prayers!

FarrellGirl,RN · Aug 5, 2011

I had the same problem for over a year. I graduated September of 2009 and got my first job in November of 2010. I do NOT have my dream job. But after putting in over a thousand applications from Med/Surg to school nurse, I had to have a job. I bit the bullet. I payed over $40K for my education, I'm a mom, no one else pays my bills, and I had to make a living.

You know what sector of nursing is easiest to break into? Long term care. It's not glamorous. I haven't had to do a code in the 9 months I've been working there. In fact, most of my patients (which are called "residents" in my sector), are DNR and if they're full code and start to decline, 9 times out of 10, they change their code status to DNR.

But I've only been there 9 months and I have 2 weeks of PAYED vacation built up already. I go to work, make my money, and leave. I'm on a secure unit for residents with dementia. I feel more like a daycare worker than a nurse. However, my employer offered my $5 more an hour to start than the hospitals were offering, I got my choice of where I wanted to work. I'm paying off my loans. And my job is so low stress, I can easily go back to school.

Just an option for you. It can be a career too. Nurses work their way up to becoming DON's (consultants) and making twice as much as a new grad. I make more than the average RN in my area, and I'm a unit manager already and as I mentioned, I have only been a working nurse for 9 months.

Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

churchsgirl · Aug 5, 2011

FarrellGirl, RN, thanks for the information! Of course, like most other new grads I want to work in a hospital, BUT I know that I will more than likely NOT land my dream job right after graduation. Heck I will just be glad to find something, because like you said there are those AWESOME student loans that need to be paid back! LTC is not out of the question for me :)

foreverLaur · Sep 26, 2011

Have you had any luck?? Most my friends that graduated from reputable programs got into new grad internships/residencies (OSU, Otterbein, Capital, Akron, Kent, CSCC). I personally don't have any nursing friends in Columbus that didn't find a hospital RN job within 6 months.