May 2009 OLD grad, called 17 hospitals today...

[GuatericanNurse]

I have officially come to terms that I am a MAY 2009 OLD GRAD

I have applied to over 100 jobs since March of 2009.

I have been a licensed RN for 6 months.

I have been a CNA for 1.5 yrs at a major teaching hospital.

I am BLS/AED Certified.

I am bilingual.

I am a part of my professional organization (ANA).

I have leadership experience as Vice Pres of the NSNA of my school.

I have volunteer nurse experience.

and i still have no job...

I have recently started freaking out because now I realize that the MAY 2010 new grads are going to come and when demand is greater than supply, CRAZINESS ENSUES and people go nuts fighting for an interview, let alone to speak to the nurse recruiter...

So today, I woke up with a mission: Call every hospital within a tolerable driving distance from me, and ASK IF THEY WILL HIRE NEW GRADS.

I accomplished my mission, but instead of helping, it seemed to hinder me instead. I am now even MORE discouraged than I was when I started. Here is how it all turned out....

Mass Eye and Ear- Not hiring new grads

Mass General- Not hiring new grads

Beverly Hospital- Not hiring new grads

Lowell Hospital- Not hiring new grads

St.Elizabeths- straight to voicemail (I have called this location at least 15 times in the past two months, trying to speak to the nurse recruiter and NOTHING! I have emailed her, left multiple voicemails, and i even tried using a fake name seeing if that will get them to transfer my call to her. I wish some people would have the courtesy to call back, or even email us back...)

Tufts- Straight to voicemail

Mount Auburn- Straight to voicemail

Lawrence General Hospital- No new grads until January 2011

Milton Hospital- Voicemail message, no option to speak to a real human being

Newton-Wellesley- Straight to voicemail

Quincy Medical Center- Receptionist said they probably wont be hiring new grads, Nurse Recruiter wasnt available

Umass Memorial- Straight to voicemail

Brigham and Womens- (this one really irritated me:nono:) - I understand that BWH is one of the most prestigous hospitals in the country, but they need to step their game up and update their website. I stumbled onto a website that said "Nurse Intern Program" with a phone number and fax number. It says "Call for more information about the nurse intern program. So I did... turns out, it is a NON WORKING NUMBER!! Go ahead, give it call for yourself...617-525-3100. Just when I thought I had a lead...

Fenway Community Health Center- No one picked up the phone

Childrens Hospital- Not hiring new grads

So there you have it folks. I am throwing in the towel and hopes that the hospital I work at will hire me one day...

Best of luck to all of us out there...

[RNlvn]

I don't wanna sound mean but you are a nurse so just apply to RN positions. I don't see the point of applying to intern position.

[thenuttybrunette]

I am surprised to hear its so difficult to find a job up north. Two high school acquantances just graduated with BSN's and they had two job offers before they even took the NCLEX

[slowrunner]

I don't wanna sound mean but you are a nurse so just apply to RN positions. I don't see the point of applying to intern position.

with the economy, even applying to RN positions won't land you a job. an internship is definitely better than nothing.

[goodstudentnowRN]

I will shoot mine to you too Andrew. Thanks!

[linRdsNay]

Have you tried contacting the hiring manager directly to set up an interview? My advice would be that human resources is probably hurting you instead of helping you. I am a midwest market specialist, but the same mechanics apply.....

while I understand what you're saying....it can be incredibly difficult to get a hold of hiring managers. Looking at it from their perspective, they don't want 1000+ new grads coming to them, each with their "i'm a shining star" story, basically begging for a job. Thats why they leave most of the weeding out process to HR. Nurse managers don't have the kind of time to meet with applicants.

That said, I still try and contact nurse managers, but found that most don't want to meet with you or claim they don't have the time...

[Dublin37]

hi honey, i know, i'm right there with you. read my helps on the other thread labled "job helps for us new grads" here for a little encouragement. hang in there, we are not alone!

[Danielle27]

I graduated from a good nursing program in Boston in May 2009 and had all the same problems. BUT, I must say you are looking in all the wrong places. I worked at 3 major teaching hospitals in Boston during school and none of them could hire me because of hiring freezes, etc. There are almost 0 opportunities for new grads in MA, but the major hospitals (BWH, BMC, Tufts, Childrens, etc) have so much competition for jobs because of all the nursing programs in the area and their reputation as big name teaching hospitals. I had much more luck once I realized that I had to start widening my search and looking out of state. I start a full time job in 2 weeks- but I'm relocating to upstate NY. I was able to get interviews in NY, VT, and DC. I actually had 3 interviews in VT. I have found that smaller hospitals in less urban areas have less competition for jobs (still competitive but you are more likely to at least get an interview).

Keep trying but I definitely think you will have more success once you start looking at hospitals in less urban areas.

Good luck!

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

i'm gonna throw this out there....but ever thought about joining a military branch? I know its not what 90% of graduates want to hear, but I'll be honest it seems to open doors.

good luck

To come in as a nursing officer in any of the branches can take upwards of a year from the time you start the app until the time you leave for officer training. And the services are starting to fill up as well.

Just putting that out there because the military isn't as easy to get into now as it was even a year ago due to the economy tanking.

[SparkleRN]

I am also a new grad who has applied to 100+ jobs, bachelor's degree, ACLS, graduated with honors, internship, blah blah. Can't find a job anywhere. I've applied in Texas, Wyoming, Florida, Illinois, Connecticut, Oregon...I could go on and on. Living in California and things are bad. I'm starting to apply for LVN and Medical Assistant positions, don't know what else to do.

Today, 12,000 nurses across California are set to walk out on strike. According to the LA Times, this will cost California hospitals $10-15 million dollars to cover the loss of these nurses. You can look on Craigslist right now and see ads for RN's to fill in for the day at $700 per shift (experience only!) I find it so odd that hospitals are willing to take the hit for these nurses, but won't pay the money to hire and train new grads. I also find it odd that these nurses feel that they can walk out and leave their patients when new grads are practically banging down the doors to get in and have a chance to learn something.

I think it's time that us new grads went on strike and had our voices heard. If I have to hear one more person say "Oh, you're a nurse! You'll always have a job! Or, "Just go to xyz hospital, they're always hiring" I'm going flip! Anyone want to start writing some letters or gathering some signatures? Something has got to change.

Direct from the LA Times article "UC health officials are paying to fly in nurses from as far away as the East Coast, house and train them and cover other expenses at an estimated cost of $10 million to $15 million..." Outraged yet?

[SparkleRN]

Don't even get me started on "The Nursing Shortage" Do you know that people are still trying to pass this bill to make it easier for foreign nurses to come in and fill these jobs?

Nursing Shortage Creates Debate Between Importing Foreign Nurses or Improving US Conditions

Monday, June 22, 2009, 12:58 PM EDT

According to a Business Week report, there are more than 100,000 open nursing positions in the United States with more nurses likely needed should the Obama Administration successfully reform health care this summer, which would insure millions of uninsured Americans. Many health care facilities want to import foreign nurses, but President Obama and the nurses' unions want to improve conditions for American nurses instead.

In May, Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) (H.R.2536) introduced a bill that would issue 20,000 more visas to nurses from foreign countries to help alleviate the current shortage. It's a bill that has the backing of many health care facilities who claim they face several obstacles when trying to lure nurses to their open positions. Most notably, the shortage of actual nurses in the field.

[CAL05699]

I am also a new grad who has applied to 100+ jobs, bachelor's degree, ACLS, graduated with honors, internship, blah blah. Can't find a job anywhere. I've applied in Texas, Wyoming, Florida, Illinois, Connecticut, Oregon...I could go on and on. Living in California and things are bad. I'm starting to apply for LVN and Medical Assistant positions, don't know what else to do.

Today, 12,000 nurses across California are set to walk out on strike. According to the LA Times, this will cost California hospitals $10-15 million dollars to cover the loss of these nurses. You can look on Craigslist right now and see ads for RN's to fill in for the day at $700 per shift (experience only!) I find it so odd that hospitals are willing to take the hit for these nurses, but won't pay the money to hire and train new grads. I also find it odd that these nurses feel that they can walk out and leave their patients when new grads are practically banging down the doors to get in and have a chance to learn something.

I think it's time that us new grads went on strike and had our voices heard. If I have to hear one more person say "Oh, you're a nurse! You'll always have a job! Or, "Just go to xyz hospital, they're always hiring" I'm going flip! Anyone want to start writing some letters or gathering some signatures? Something has got to change.

Direct from the LA Times article "UC health officials are paying to fly in nurses from as far away as the East Coast, house and train them and cover other expenses at an estimated cost of $10 million to $15 million..." Outraged yet?

There are several hospitals in Oregon and California hiring new grads this summer. You may have missed the July internships for some of them, but I know that Rogue Valley in Medford is still hiring.

[tang10567]

I am so with you - contact me and maybe we could start something. I am so sick of people "experienced nurses" telling me "you're just being picky!" Believe me, I'm not - I recently went to a job fair and the sad thing is the new grad program is ONLY available to those graduating for less than 12 months!! So what happens to those that already graduated 1 year ago. It wasn't our fault the economy went bad when we got our licenses!!