Lucky New Grad With a New Job!!

spore2008 · Oct 12, 2011

Thanks for sharing your good fortune.

Honestly, there has been too much doom and gloom on allnurses about jobs.

I am about to begin an accelerated program in January. I am aware that the economy in general is tough right now for most professions.

From what I have read, job prospect opportunities vary from region to region.

Also, "having connections" helps getting a first job.

Did your BSN program help you with finding a job?

Congratulations. I hope you enjoy your work.

playmaker2008 · Oct 12, 2011

I also did the accelerated program....The BSN of course does make a difference and I am sure it did on my side based on what the hiring manager said...She said "BSN is a tough degree and you must have worked hard to get it", she also said "you did a very good thing to go straght to BSN rather than LVN-RN-BSN" so am assuming she was very impressed by my determination...Good luck on your program though I have to warn you that the market for new grads with no experience is getting worse day after day,.....

spore2008 · Oct 12, 2011

I know job searching will be tough. But landing jobs in many professions is tough right now. Should we tell all high school seniors not to go to college because there will be no jobs for them when they graduate?

I also come from a background in science. In my previous life, I was a postdoctoral researcher for 2 years and decided life at the bench was not "doing it for me." I applied to 4 nursing programs and was accepted at three. Two were Masters Entry programs. I decided to go with the ABSN at a very well known school in PA (not on the coast). I am hoping my "other experience" will help when looking for a job. I am not sure what kind of nursing I would like to do or if I would like to teach or do research.

Do you have any suggestions on how to network while in an ABSN program? What advice can you give that you wish someone had given to you?

Would you still go through the program again?

I think you are very proactive and that has served you well. Showing up on an prospective employer's doorstep is gutsy. And effective.

playmaker2008 · Oct 12, 2011

First, Never tell High School Seniors not to go to college..instead, just tell them to work hard and get the best grades and go to best universities, tell them to perform well in college too and be among the best...

Second, what is ABSN? my advice to you is that get the best grades you can and graduate with honors...this will separate you from other students who believe that you can be a nurse with C just like A students...its true but with this field of nursing getting saturated, they will rather hire nurses with As than nurses with Cs....If I had a choice to go back to the program with this bad economy getting worse, I would not!!! Not discouraging you but once you have gone thru that program you understand the feelings..My advice to you like I said is to graduate with a very good GPA, 3.75 and above is excellent...

When I was searching for a job, I would apply online in the morning, by afternoon I get a rejection email/....so i decided to walk in and luckily the first place i walked into gave me the job...The hiring manager told me that she hired me coz of my eyes, believe it or not!! when i asked her whats the deal with my eyes she said they look sharp.....so going face to face makes a huge difference..

Best of luck and study hard!!

spore2008 · Oct 12, 2011

Hey, thank you for the reply.

I am entering an accelerated BSN (ABSN) program in January.

For what its worth, I thought about graduate school for genetic counseling, social work and teaching. I am too old for medical school. I was never interested in business or law. The last option that may suit me is public health. Or getting another PhD.

The thing is, I don't believe any of these other choices would land me a job more easily. In fact I know they won't.

I am very fortunate I am married to an extremely understanding man who will finance this move for us. Career move and geographic move.

Will I have to furnish ALL of my transcripts when I apply for jobs or just the transcript from the nursing school?

Does it matter which nursing school I attend? Names matter in college...but only to get your first job and land connections.

Did your school provide any help and resources to you and your classmates when looking for a job?

Is your area of the country a particularly difficult one for new graduates?

Thanks

darriz1 · Oct 13, 2011

What great news to share with all of us. Goes to show you that hard work and perseverance def pays off! Congratulations on your new job. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors as a RN.

darriz1

playmaker2008 · Oct 13, 2011

@Spore2008...Its a good thing that you have a supportive husband which will make a big difference. The only transcripts that will matter are you last 60 hours towards your nursing degree. Most hospitals have a residence or internship program. To be selected, you must have a good GPA since immediately after graduating you haven't taken your NCLEX and therefore they have to train you and prepare you for NCLEX the best they can. So having a good GPA can give them some confidence that you will pass NCLEX since there is a positive correlation between high GPA and passing NCLEX...

The only help the school provided was very good recommendation letters which helped me get a job much faster. The HR told me that if i dint have those recommendations then it would have taken a longer to hire me since they had to wait for the recommendations to come. The last job i had was 2 years and that was no where to be found.

The name of the school is irrelevant, I have a friend from UT Austin who graduated in may this year and still no job. Though I spoke to my hiring manager and it looks like he is going to get a job.

The area of the country is down economically just like most parts of the country....

Good luck and I wish you all the best..You can do it!

playmaker2008 · Oct 13, 2011

@ darriz1..Thank you for your kind wishes!

sugarmagnoliaRN · Oct 25, 2011

The DON that hired me told me a week after i had started working that she liked my eyes and thats why she hired me. I asked her whats the deal with my eyes, she replied "you have sharp looking eyes". So appearing in person can make a huge difference.

Reminds me of 30 Rock... "You've got those black... shark's eyes." :lol2:

Congrats on your new job!! I'll (hopefully) be looking for work in DFW May 2013 so your advice is appreciated!

kvsoccer1813 · Nov 1, 2011

Spore2008-

I just happened to see this thread and I wanted to jump in! I completed my ABSN in may from a school in AZ (previous biology degree) and I am now in california looking for my first job :) There are definitely a few things I wish I would have known before I started this whole thing so I wanted to share them with you so hopefully you and other new grads can benefit!

1. Even though it doesn't ALWAYS work, networking can REALLY help. Start networking while you are in school. Treat clinicals as job interviews. Get contact info for nurse managers and unit directors so that when you graduate you know who to call/email. Ask preceptors for letters of recommendation, and meet as many people as you can while you are in school. It could be the difference between you landing a job right away or waiting for months and months like others.

2. I know a lot of people will tell you to get an externship but this is not really plausible time-wise for ABSN'ers. SO VOLUNTEER! This is the perfect way to make connections and get some experience for your resume. Most places only require a few hours a week or every few weeks which is totally doable. Volunteering has led me to meeting unit directors, nurses, and even the CNO of the hospital so it is a great thing to be doing for a lot of different reasons.

3. Get certifications before you graduate. The big ones out here are ACLS, IV certification, and EKG courses. If you find you want to go into peds, get PALS. Every recruiter I have spoken to has recommended these so its something I would invest in.

4. Have your resume and letters of recommendation ready to go about 3 months before you graduate, that way you aren't scrambling at the end.

5. Make a list of hospitals in your area so you can keep track of start dates for new grad programs, who you know there, how to contact them, things they require, etc. Organization helps you stay on top of it so you don't miss any apps (it also gives you a sense of control even though you might not have any lol)

Honestly I would never ever tell anyone not to get this degree even if it creates more job competition because I haven't regretted this for a second. I know if I do everything I possibly can, the right job will happen at the right time. Its all about attitude :)

spore2008 · Nov 1, 2011

Thanks kvsoccer,

The ABSN program I will be attending is 18-19 credits per term for three terms (Spring, Summer, Fall, all told about a year). Pretty intense.

I have been volunteering, first in a nursing home, then in a psych hospital but these are in a different city from the city where the school I will be attending is located.

Networking is where the action is at. Getting a job is often about who you know.

I will have to change my resume...I had a full career as a bench scientist...degree...publications. Will any of this matter? Does it depend which area of nursing I hope to gain entry into?

Have you been able to land any interviews.

Thanks for the suggestions.