LPN that can't find job and can't keep looking. Any advice?

[Pandora6212]

I have had my license for 3 months and have been looking for jobs since and even before. I have applied to 100+ but I live in CT, a very small state, and there aren't a lot of LPN postings on a daily basis. I have gone to interviews, job fairs, walk ins, called back places I applied, but to no avail. I even had a family friend set me up with the DON at a LTC facility and that still didn't even pan out for me. I have been super flexible with my schedule and even said I could work weekends and still..nada. However, I know this isn't very long in terms of how long it usually takes someone to land a job.

To get to the point, I am unable to remain unemployed any longer. I have so many student loans to pay as well as car bills and so forth. I have to get a full time job and I really need health insurance too. So, I want to start looking outside of my current search area. Since I am not having much luck with a hands on LPN job I have started applying to a few LPN desk jobs but even these are very hard to find and insurance companies in CT only use RNs so that's out of the question.

My question to you is, are there any jobs that I can take to stay relevant in the medical field? I know I will probably lose my chance of ever getting a hands on care job if I give up now but I don't have the option to wait any longer as I am in a financial hole. I have no choice but to expand my job search. I want to stay in the medical field, but I just feel so bummed and discouraged having to work as something like a medical receptionist. Not that there is anything wrong at all with that, please don't get me wrong, it's just that I really enjoyed hands on nursing and will be sad to see myself doing something else.

Any suggestions on where to apply? Or any jobs that may be kind of out there for LPNs but still requires some nursing knowledge? Thanks in advance... :)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

there aren't a lot of LPN postings on a daily basis.

This is the issue. . .the majority of all jobs are never advertised. Up to two-thirds of all job openings are never posted or announced. Therefore, you will need to pound the pavement to have a chance at the majority of these unannounced jobs.

My advice is to walk into every LTC facility, home health company and private duty agency within a 50 mile radius of your home during business hours and apply in person while dressed nicely during business hours. This technique often results in an on-the-spot interview with the person who does the hiring.

And if you have not obtained NY/NJ nursing licenses, you may wish to expand your horizons by obtaining them since you are in a massive tri-state area. Good luck to you.

[Pandora6212]

Thank you for your advice. I have done a ton of walk ins but most of the time the second they hear I am a new grad I can see the disappointment and reluctance in their voices and I haven't gotten a call back yet from any. New Jersey is at least a 2.5+ hour drive for me and that is only the Northern most part so I don't think that would be possible for me. At this time I cannot relocate seeing as how I live with my parents and haven't the finances to do so. I'm sort of in a catch 22. I thank you for the advice and I will keep trying but may just need to start looking elsewhere at the same time. =\

[inthepipeline, LPN]

I'm an LPN student in MA and some the of jobs I was told to look at are places like Beaumont and Kindred, not to mention any LTC or SNF or assisted living. Don't look for these on job sites, but look up the companies themselves. Also, look into your Department of Developmental Services. In MA they take you without any experience. Also look into corrections, while they state 1 year they often hire new grads. Big hospital systems use LPNs in their their clinics/offices. Group homes for detox/ developmental disabilities often hire LPNs too. If you can't find anything but need work try taking a position at a place for people with developmental disabilities (direct care worker, assitant teacher, paraprofessional), or a resident aide at assisted living facilities or CNA. Just getting into these systems you can ask around to the staff where they work, often CNAs have another job to make ends meet. A lot of African immigrants I've met at my current job all talk about the best places to get a job and none of them are unemployed as a result, they leverage their community. Or try to volunteer at an LTC just to visit residents or do activities and use that time to talk up the nurses, etc. Also, email your school or facebook your classmates to see where they have grads going or are getting jobs. Furthermore call and specifically ask to speak to the nurse manager/HR at the places where you did your clinicals. These may not work, but they are better than nothing.

[caliotter3]

Look on craigslist, to include positions that say "caregiver" and do not specify LPN. A caregiver job may lead to an LPN opportunity and will bring in some income.