Is it too early to apply to jobs?

[Jen2010]

Hi everyone!

I'm very excited about graduating in just a few short weeks. My professor has been asking all of us if we've started looking for jobs yet and I just wasn't sure if it was too early? All of the jobs I've seen say that you must have your bachelor's and current license to apply.. Should I be applying for these positions anyway? I'm hoping to take my boards the end of June/beginning of July. Some people are telling me to wait until I pass my boards to apply, however, others are saying "Why wait?! Apply now!" I'm just curious what the best advice would be. Thanks!! :)

[llg, PhD, RN]

You are asking the wrong people. You need to be asking the hospitals in your area. Each hospital is different. Some won't take your application seriously until after you have passed boards. Others prefer to line up their new grad hires in March or April so that they are already to start in June or July as soon as they pass boards. In other places, it is still common to start the job a few weeks before taking boards.

You need to find out what the situation is and preferences are for the specific employers in your area that interest you.

Good luck to you.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

I don't know where you live, but I already had an offer in hand by this time of the year. There were places doing interviews in late February/early March. I'd say you may have started applying too late if you live anywhere near me.

[scaredsilly, BSN, RN]

In my experience, applications without a license are rejected without a human ever seeing them. However if there is a clinical site that you worked at that is hiring, going in to see the NM may make an exception. HR isn't going to give you the time of day without a license, but a NM ho knows you may.

The exception to that of course is a residency program, they will consider you pending success at NCLEX.