Look in to your crystal ball: predictions for when the market recovers!

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 5, 2009

I don't claim to be able to predict the future with 100% accuracy, but ...

Even before the recession, my hospital preferred to hire new grads who had relevant experience through extern programs, senior year "capstone" or "preceptorship" experiences, or working as a CNA in our hospital. Those applicants have always gotten the first look for new grad openings. That has intensified throughout this recession, when we have had to be very selective in our hiring as we can't afford to "take a chance" on people with little experience who are more likely to not work out.

I think that trend will continue. Hospitals have learned through (expensive) experience about the risks of hiring new grads who are ill-prepared to join the workforce. Hospitals will continue to prefer to hire nurses who seem to have a realistic sense of the modern workplace and are prepared to cope with the stresses involved -- and those with some experience in the workplace will seem a safer choice.

That's not to say that new grads without that kind of experience will not be able to get ANY jobs EVER. It just means that they will probably not be on the top of list for many jobs. Everyone looking for a job of any kind needs to learn to see themselves from the employer's perspective. They need to ask, "What do I bring to the employer that other people don't bring?" "What value do I add?" "Why should the employer hire ME instead of those other appliants?" etc.

I believe new grads (and all new hires, actually) will need to give the employer a reason to believe that they will be worth the investment of orientation ... that they will be successful in the workplace ... that they will stay in that job long enough to be worth the investment made by the employer in orientation ... etc. Because employers do not have the money to take unnecessary risks with their hiring. They are (and will be) looking for a fairly safe return on their investment.

elkpark · Oct 5, 2009

Every economist I've heard speak since the economy began to tank has made the point that employment is what's known as a "lagging indicator" -- that is, it will be quite a while after the economy overall begins to recover before employment picks up again.

However, we had begun hearing about hospitals' growing reluctance to hire new graduates even before the economy tanked -- I don't think that's purely due to current economic conditions, and I don't think it's going to disappear entirely when the economy bounces back. As usual, llg offers great insight and suggestions.

elleNY · Oct 6, 2009

Thanks to both of you for some great insight! Although these questions may seem redundant, for those of us currently outside the health care realm, this board and nurses like you provide us with a realistic take on the profession's future and what us "young bucks" can do to adequately prepare ourselves. I am taking my prereqs and planning on going on to an Absn for graduation in 1.5 years (with a slight possibility I could score a 3 week to month long externship), but sometimes I think I may be better off doing 2 years and two full summers of externships...oh the variables are maddening! It's rather difficult to decide. But I digress..

I start my job (volunteer) as a domestic violence/rape advocate and counselor at St. Luke's-Roosevelt ED this week so I look forward to my first hospital experience! Thanks again. Any other comments are appreciated and welcomed!

Elle

MiaNJ · Oct 7, 2009

I don't claim to be able to predict the future with 100% accuracy, but ...
Even before the recession, my hospital preferred to hire new grads who had relevant experience through extern programs, senior year "capstone" or "preceptorship" experiences, or working as a CNA in our hospital. Those applicants have always gotten the first look for new grad openings. That has intensified throughout this recession, when we have had to be very selective in our hiring as we can't afford to "take a chance" on people with little experience who are more likely to not work out.
I think that trend will continue. Hospitals have learned through (expensive) experience about the risks of hiring new grads who are ill-prepared to join the workforce. Hospitals will continue to prefer to hire nurses who seem to have a realistic sense of the modern workplace and are prepared to cope with the stresses involved -- and those with some experience in the workplace will seem a safer choice.
I believe new grads (and all new hires, actually) will need to give the employer a reason to believe that they will be worth the investment of orientation ... that they will be successful in the workplace ... that they will stay in that job long enough to be worth the investment made by the employer in orientation ... etc. Because employers do not have the money to take unnecessary risks with their hiring. They are (and will be) looking for a fairly safe return on their investment.

That's really disheartening for me. What will happen to all the 'new' grads who have been looking for a months, a year or more?

I didn't get a chance to do an externship, and now it's too late for me to enter those programs.

I also have been told by some recruiters that my experience in a nursing home is not considered good enough for some nurse managers to consider me, since it's not acute care.

I've applied to nearly every hospital in the city, some more than once, and walked into a few floors, etc. so I don't think anything else will work. I also had help with my resume from a pro.

I am thinking that maybe I just need to do a refresher and see it that will give me a chance to get hired.