Job during nursing school=job after graduation?

Sour Lemon · Nov 4, 2017

Just curious, what is everyone's experience with working as a tech at a hosital, etc. during school and getting hired on full time upon graduation and passing the NCLEX? I have heard from some that it was almost an automatic "in" and helped greatly in getting a job and others who have said they didn't work at all during nursing school and they still got a job pretty quickly afterwards. Thanks everyone!

I never worked as a tech and got a job very easily (in Texas). On the flip side, I know good, well-liked techs who were not hired on as nurses after finishing school (in California). Maybe they thought it would help them, but the market was just too competitive and there were just too few spots open.

Crush · Nov 4, 2017

Work wherever you feel most comfortable. If you like where you are working as a tech then stay there but if you are just going through the motions and don't really plan to stay, then look elsewhere. Gotta do what is best for you and your goals or situation. There will always be benefits vs burdens to either side. Go where or do what will make sense for you in the long run. But, like Sour Lemon said, kinda depends on what part of the country you are in too. Good luck.

dogmombyday, RN · Nov 7, 2017

While it can sometimes be an "in", make sure it's a unit you'll want to stay on. I worked a year in behavioral health because I was told during my interview for the position that it would be a great stepping stone and that the hospital loves to hire from within. What I didn't realize was that that meant staying on the floor I worked on during school. (I'm sure not all hospitals operate that way, my manager was notorious for refusing to let people transfer out) Rather than staying on a unit I disliked at a hospital I did like, I left for a position elsewhere.

verene, MSN · Nov 8, 2017

While I did work as a CNA before nursing school I did not work at all during school, and moved to a different city for school than where I had professional contacts from my CNA work. I still managed two jobs offers before I even passed the NCLEX.

I think if you want the experience working as a tech is great. However I do not think it is necessary, and it doesn't always translate into a job afterwards (Two friends worked as techs and neither got hired into their floors, one due to budget issues and the other due to there already being too many recent new grads working on that unit; both ended up with RN jobs at completely different hospitals).