Job search frustration...please help me break through!

[cthompson3216]

i am graduating from nursing school this coming may (2012) from belmont university in nashville, tn and i would love to start my new career in a new big city. i am strongly considering working in chicago, il or nyc but the problem is i don't know anyone in the hospitals in those cities so it has proven hard for me to get interviews or even call backs for that matter. i would love some help on how to gain references or increase my chances of getting a job in either city! i am a really strong, well rounded student (a member of sigma theta tau, had an 8 week externship at the magnet designated Vanderbilt University hospital, etc). i have worked so hard in nursing school to try to build a string resume' and i am starting to feel like it was all a waste. please someone tell me this can be done! any advice/ help is greatly appreciated!

thanks,

courtney

[channtheman]

You're not going to like hearing this, but big cities are probably not going to even look at you if you don't have connections. Focus more on getting a year of experience anywhere you can get it.

[Rags2Riches RN]

Congrats on your impending graduation. Here's some general advice that maybe you'll find helpful.

1. Research the hospitals in NY/Chicago and see if they have new grad RN programs. You can find this information on hospital websites or if you have time call up the HR department and ask for more information. The time to do it is now especially since it's been my experience that a lot of new grad programs have a lot of paperwork and want recommendation letters but on their letterhead. Don't wait until after you've graduated to try and hunt down clinical faculty to ask them to fill out a bunch of paperwork--just my advice.

2. Stay positive. It's rough out there and you may not get callbacks right away BUT remember that something will along. My job search was about 4 months.

3. If you plan on getting licensed in TN first, apply for endorsement as soon as possible (at the very least get a temporary permit if appropriate) in the other states. Sometimes endorsing your license can take a while.

4. You mentioned that you were not getting callbacks. In my experience I did the whole apply for jobs before you graduate and did not receive a single call back. It wasn't until I received my license that I got callback, so don't get discouraged.