Job hunt before passing Nclex

Sour Lemon · Oct 25, 2018

I'm currently waiting for my ATT to take my Nclex-RN next month. Is it a good idea to post my resume online and start the job hunt or should I wait till after I pass?

You can start looking anytime. You'll probably get more interest after you have a license in hand, though.

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 25, 2018

A lot depends on where you live and the hiring practices of the potential employers in your area. Where I live, it is quite common for the top new grads to have jobs lined up before they take the NCLEX. But I know that is not the case everywhere.

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Oct 26, 2018

I graduated in a state that doesn't have "graduate nurse" status. New grads can't legally work as nurses until they pass the NCLEX. Any local job offers were contingent on passing the NCLEX.

belle980, ADN, BSN, LPN, RN · Oct 26, 2018

Ok I guess I just need to be patient. I just know finding your first RN job can take a while so I was hoping to get a head start.

AdobeRN · Oct 26, 2018

what are the hospital policies in your area? I had a job a month before I graduated from nursing school - started to work as a "graduate nurse" the week after I graduated, took the NCLEX about 4 weeks after that.

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · Oct 26, 2018

I graduated in a state that doesn't have "graduate nurse" status. New grads can't legally work as nurses until they pass the NCLEX. Any local job offers were contingent on passing the NCLEX.

I'm curious- do any states still have that? (When I took the boards back in the day- in July- I didn't get results until October. GN status sure made a lot of sense then...)

Swellz · Oct 26, 2018

You can still apply, especially to nurse residency programs or anything that specifically states it's open to new grads. They'll understand if you apply early that you won't have your license yet. That being said, no one responded to my applications before I passed my boards.