Job offers before graduatiing?

SouthpawRN · Sep 1, 2017

If you can get a nurse apprentice position, (usually open to 2nd-AS/4th-BS year students) those will often lead to a job with that hospital and hopefully the department you want to work in.

bunnehfeet, BSN · Sep 1, 2017

This mirrors my experience too. In my traditional BSN program the last (5th) semester is Summer, only 8 weeks so it isn't surprising we start looking for jobs in our fourth semester. Programs for new grad nurse residency programs typically begin Spring and Fall here. Applications for Fall programs opened in March and I applied to every program, and interviewed with all the programs that called me (because even if you don't plan to get a job at that facility, interview experience is invaluable).

I interviewed in March, April and May at different facilities, accepted a job in early June, graduated at the end of July. Began as a nurse extern the first week of August (my choice), am taking NCLEX first week (tomorrow) of September. My nurse residency program begins first week of October.

I know people who didn't look early and did get jobs, and I also know people who have been looking to get into programs as long as I have and haven't found a position yet. YMMV, but if you need to ensure you're getting in somewhere I would definitely start early. Many of the people I graduated with got jobs where they did practicum or were techs during school. There weren't any positions open for Fall where I did practicum. The same hospital system did offer me a job at a different facility but it was at a hospital 1.5 hours away which for me was a deal breaker. Good luck in your search!

verene, MSN · Sep 1, 2017

There are a few in my cohort who were offered jobs before graduation. One in particular was offered a job by the manager of his senior practicum unit. The manager was highly impressed by his performance on the unit as a student and had open positions. She told him if he had interest in continuing with the unit she would love to hire him. I think he did still have an interview with her but it was very informal.

The others applied in advance of graduation and went through the formal application and interview process. Their start states were all for after graduation and were contingent on passing the NCLEX.

Nature_walker, ASN, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2017

I accepted a job offer before I graduated. I applied, interviewed, and was extended a provisional hire letter. It was contingent on my passing school and the NCLEX to actually start working. I was not on the floor before that, once I passed NCLEX, I attended orientation, had a preceptor, and am still on the unit and loving a over a year later.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Sep 2, 2017

Hello all! I've been very curious as to how some nursing students have already accepted a job offer before graduation?
Ive read that they started applying during their last semester because they can for a graduate nurse position.
Do they have to go through an interview just like everyone else or are they just offered a position because of maybe work ethic or what could be every possible reason????

Literally everyone I graduated with had accepted job offers before we graduated. All offers were contingent on passing NCLEX and obtaining licensure. I was offered and accepted my job in March, graduated in May, took and passed NCLEX in June and started in September (by choice).

I interviewed with the Nurse Manager, the Director of the department and HR. This was the floor that I had done both my pediatric clinical and my preceptorship on and though I had applied before my last semester started, it was right before spring break when my preceptor asked me if I wanted a job on that floor and then said something to the director the next morning. She then reached out to HR to schedule the interview.

Career Columnist / Author · Sep 5, 2017

My hospital makes job offers to students all the time. The students go through the regular processes of applying, interviewing, etc. The only difference is that the job offers are "conditional on passing NCLEX."

Mine, too. The Job Search starts as a student.

allnurses Guide · Sep 5, 2017

You should find out how the hiring of new grads works in your area of the country. Where I live, the ONLY way to get a job as a new grad is through a new grad residency program. The local hospitals do not hire new grads directly to the floor. Those residency programs for the most part run twice yearly - spring and fall. If you wait until after graduation to apply for them, you have already missed the boat on getting hired into acute care. Therefore everyone was applying during their final semester of nursing school. I had my offer eight weeks before graduation took place, after going through a rigorous interview process that included a phone interview, a one-on-one interview and a panel interview. The offer was contingent on my timely passage of NCLEX.

Where you live it could be totally different, so start finding out now when you need to apply. In some parts of the country they don't even want to talk to you until you have passed NCLEX.

BaileyBSNRN · Sep 10, 2017

I was hired into a new grad ED residency program before I graduated and I was not interviewed. It was in the ED I did my senior capstone in and on my last day the ED director brought me into her office with the nursing manager, told me about the residency program, and told me they wanted to hire me. I was asked to formally apply and was told the job was contingent on passing the nclex. The residency program is 5 months long and has been going good so far.