Moving for GN Positions

In Texas, new grad residencies or internships tend to happen twice yearly, with a rare opportunity in between here and there. These are timed for the graduations that happen in May and December. Here, new grads are hired before they graduate from school with the offer contingent on passing NCLEX prior to starting. This means that some of the positions that will open up in July are already filled or in the process of, so you should be applying now if you want to toss your hat into the ring.

Both Dallas and Houston have very competitive environments for these residencies/internships, as they are the only way for a new grad to get a position in acute care. Hospitals here do not hire new grads directly to train on the floor. There are more than six universities and colleges in the Dallas area alone pumping out new grads two to three times a year and there are not enough new grad positions for everyone that wants one, so you will be facing a challenge there, particularly since you live out of the area and presumably have no connections here. The fact that you do not live in the area will definitely put you at a disadvantage for securing an interview, as there are plenty of new grads to choose from already living here.

If you are willing to look outside of the main city and suburb areas you will find a more new grad friendly environment. The rural areas (small towns) and areas along the Texas/Mexico border are far easier to get a job in, where you could work a year or two and then move on to the city you really want to live in. As far as recommending hospitals, the major employers in DFW include THR, Baylor and HCA (known here as "Medical City") hospitals. THR and Baylor are "not for profit" and some of them are on a hiring freeze due to economics. HCA is "for profit" and tend to have the lowest pay. There is also Parkland in downtown Dallas and UTSW - both are teaching hospitals and Parkland is the county hospital for Dallas County. I do not know as much about the Houston entities.

Because you are a new grad with no experience, you should blanket all of them with applications in hopes of getting an invitation to interview. They will want to know your plans for getting here for interviews, so hopefully you have saved for travel. It won't be covered by the company for the same reason that getting one at all will be difficult - they don't have to with so many new grads climbing over one another in hopes of one of these jobs.

Definitely apply and keep your fingers crossed, but apply in your own area too and consider being outside of the city for a few years if being in Texas is a big goal of yours. The odds are kind of against you for getting a job the cities as a new grad and you may need to delay your plans a year or two in order to get the experience that will make you attractive to this area. The most important advice I can give you is to NOT MOVE until you have a firm job offer IN WRITING with your wages and a start date clearly delineated.

Good luck and congratulations on finishing school.