Moving to NYC, need advice!

Dakeirus · Mar 25, 2012

I would strongly suggest that you reconsider moving here in NYC until you have work experience. NY currently has a huge influx of hundreds of new grads coming out of nursing schools (there are many here) every 6 months fighting for the same limited new grad residency positions in the biggest hospitals. Most hospitals are looking for nurses with at least 1-2 years of experience. I know many people from my school who graduated last year May 2011 and even January 2011 that are still seeking positions. Some of them ended up moving out of state just to find jobs and get experience. The people who got hired at their current place of employment are the ones who did externships (within the same facility). Last year, Mt. Sinai received 3000 new grad applications and 7 new grads were offered positions--one of them being my classmates who did an externship there.

Living in Manhattan is expensive. Renting a studio apartment in the city can set you off by $1500/month.

RRB2223 · Mar 31, 2012

Any ideas as far as networking goes? Are there any events that would be good to attend in order to get my foot in the door? What about Volunteering? Would that get me some exposure and get my name in the system up there? I certainly wouldn't expect anything substantial to come of it, but I figure making an appearance in a hospital, even in a limited capacity, is better than nothing. Im looking for any way possible to get up there so any ideas anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

Dakeirus · Mar 31, 2012

Networking-wise, there are job fairs with the same recruiters, all looking for experienced nurses. As far as volunteering, you can certainly do that. But I've heard of people having a hard time getting even volunteering spots, because places already have many and people trying to do the same thing and fighting for the same volunteer spots. The only other ways it would make your life easier with regards to hospital positions is if you know someone there; you already work there; or you did an externship there. Other than that, many of my friends have resorted to clinics and dr's offices. If you can dog it out for a year somewhere else, you'd certainly have a much higher chance of getting hired on any hospital. Otherwise, you'd be waiting a long time just searching.

jomajoma · Apr 1, 2012

I agree with Dakeirus. NYC has SO many new grads out there, and not enough spots to put them in. I myself, graduated with a BSN from Pace, and I already have my masters and another bachelors in biochemistry. I have not got any luck in landing a job. I recently found out my husband's job is transferring to Dallas, and I applied and already got an interview with one of the biggest hospitals in Texas (Parkland) for their ER residency program, all of this within 1 month!

Their are job fairs to go to, so you can network there, but I would seriously reconsider moving without at least a year of exp.

PS..You could look into Stamford Hospital in Connecticut, I did my psych rotations there, and I believe they were looking for nurses, but that was in 2009. The commute from CT to NYC is not that bad also

NYCRN16 · Apr 3, 2012

Being that you are looking to work psych, it may not be as difficult to find a position, but the competition here is still fierce. The other thing that you have to keep in mind is that it is VERY expensive to live in Manhattan. The nurses I know who live there are spending at least 2 1/2 weeks pay (about $2500) for rent. Any apartment for $1500 in Manhattan is going to be far from the subway or in a bad neighborhood. You can probably get an apartment in the outer boros but that may give you a long commute.

There is no harm in getting your NY license first, and then send out applications and see what happens.

Laurenslovely · Apr 4, 2012

Go for your dream, I am in a BSN program in NYC and I want to move to Miami AS SOON AS I AM DONE, so we're in the same position. It is very difficult, to even find an externship. Rent is INSANELY high. For what I get here (3 br and two roomates), my friend is in Miami living in complete luxury. A lot of people in my program works crappy jobs in the hospital to get their foot in the door. A new grad told me she worked at NYP for 2 1/2 yrs as a nurse companion and when she got her BSN, they never hired her. Then again, I see a lot of new grads at my clinical who seem to have no prior experience.

But if there is A WILL THERE IS A WAY. LIFE is super TOUGH HERE, but don't let discouraging advice get in the way of YOUR DREAM!

NYCRN16 · Apr 4, 2012

I don't think anyone here is saying that you shouldn't move here, but its important to have a serious plan before showing up in NYC. I don't know of anywhere besides nursing homes that are hiring new grads. Most if not all of the continum hospitals are on a hiring freeze and the hospitals that are hiring are NOT hiring new grads. There are plenty of new grads from NYU, Columbia ect that can't even find jobs. Encouraging someone to move to one of the most expensive cities in the world without employment isn't good advice. If there is one place you don't want to wind up on the street its here.

Take it or leave it, but this is the honest truth from someone who has lived in Manhattan and has friends who are in Manhattan now in addition to growing up just outside of the city my entire life.

If you want to move here, the first thing you need to do is apply for and obtain your NY license. I'm not sure how long it takes by endorsement but I have had travel nurses say that it can take months. Even if you are Florence Nightingale herself, without a license in hand, NOBODY will offer a job to you. They are not going to wait months for you to start because you haven't obtained a license yet. Get that taken care of and you are off to a good start.

The rental market in NYC is unlike anywhere else in the country. A LOT of the listings on craigslist are scams, and anything really good you need to snatch up right away. Typically, the affordable places in safe areas are gone within a day or two of being on the market. If you are not here to look then someone else will take it. You will probably need to take a trip here and look for apartments once you land a job. Secondly, if you don't have at least $10k saved up for your move, don't even think about coming here. You will have to put down first, last and 1 month security to get an apartment rented and some landlords want 3 months rent plus security OR you may need a broker who will charge you 15% yearly rent (or one month rent) to find you a place. If you find an apartment for $1450 lets say:

$1450 x 3= $4350 assuming you don't pay a brokers fee (which most people do) and if you have to pay the fee $1450 x 4= $5800 OR $1450 x 15%= 290+4350= $4640

EVERYTHING here is very expensive and the remaining money will get you furniture. fees to set up cable, con ed, monthly metrocard, etc. Besides, with the way tenant rights go in NY, landlords are very picky about who they rent to. If you dont have a confirmed job AND enough in savings to show that you can cover the rent, they are not going to offer you a lease. If your credit score isn't good, you have any evictions or bankruptcies that are recent than forget about it altogether until you clean that up.

One of the things you have going for you is that you have psych experience. Not many people want to work psych, so I'm sure that you will have an easier time finding work than someone who wants ER, med/surg or ICU. The hospitals in Manhattan that I can think of off the top of my head that have psych are Columbia and Bellevue, NYU, possibly Cornell but I'm not sure. There is a VA hospital in Brooklyn somewhere, I'm sure they also have psych. Bellevue is a city hospital and pay much less than the others, so you may not be able to afford to live in Manhattan. The benefit of it is, after 20 years you can retire.

Follow your dream and come to NYC when you are ready and are fully prepared. This isn't sex and the city or friends, and those who come here ill prepared get chewed up and spit out. Start saving as much $ as you can and get moving on that license!

mayongname · Sep 9, 2012

You are absolutely right! I live and work here in New York and im telling you that you really have to be prepared financially to be able to live and survive in the concrete jungle. For anyone whose planning to move in New York go for it! As a song goes "if you make it here, you can make it anywhere"

Cait720 · Sep 11, 2012

The above posters are completely correct. I am a new grad with my BSN. I graduated in May summa cum laude, had experience working as an aide in the city where I attended college, did the clubs and all that during school, and I know nurses in several hospitals in and around the city including my mother who all tried to find me a job within their hospitals and I still haven't found a job. There's very few openings for new graduates and I'd say 98% of them get filled internally by people who worked at the hospital before graduating. And in my experience, there are not many open interviews held and when you go to HR offices, they tell you to apply online. Then the software they use screens out applicants who don't meet their experience preferences. It's incredibly frustrating. Your application often just never makes it past the HR people and into the hands of a nurse manager who might be willing to take a chance on a new grad. I'm very lucky I'm living with my mom for free, otherwise I'd be bankrupt by now.

DoGoodThenGo · Sep 15, 2012

One thing to keep in mind is that many if most most NYC and surrounding area hospitals are seeing inpatient stay reductions while increases in ambulatory services.

Read something the other day about NYU/Langone that over the past year or so their average inpatient stay has gone from six to four days. Meanwhile their ambulatory services have increased by about 40% (IIRC), guess where they are putting new money?

Like NYU many NYC hospitals are scrambling to add out-patient/ambulatory services (York Avenue looks like one constant building site between MSK and NYP constantly tearing down old buildings and putting up new). What this means for nurses is that with fewer and shorter inpatient stays the number of beds and subsequently professional nurses for that service will decline. OTOH there will be a greater need for staffing in outpatient/ambulatory care. However since the latter is rarely requires the same 24/7 staffing as the former landing a hospital gig may become more difficult in future.

For many reasons everyone wants to work in hospital, and those whom are already there seem to be staying put longer all of which translates into what may be a very tight hiring market for years to come.

babydeern · Aug 22, 2013

Hi NYCRN16,

I found your post very helpful! $10,000 is the number I had in my had for savings prior to moving up there. You seem like you know the NYC job market and overall living experience very well...would you be able to answer a few questions for me? Like the person that originally started this thread, it is my dream to move to NYC. I'm originally from LI, have family in the city and have always wanted to move back (we moved to FL when I was 6). NY is in my blood!

I have 2 years experience on a surgical oncology unit (mastectomies, lots of head and neck patients so have exp with larys and trachs, whipples, colorectal surgeries, etc) and started a job in pediatric hem/onc in January. I knew I wanted chemo experience prior to moving, and have been getting a lot of that at my current job. I know I want to stay in oncology, just figuring out if I def wanna say in peds. Of course my ultimate dream is to work at MSKCC! Don't even know where to start regarding getting in there, though.

Anyway, I would like to move to NYC around Feb of next year (if I have enough money) but I'm deciding if I should get up there via travel nursing or try to find a permanent job. I'm a little wary of the travel nursing thing, and I know that NYC is where I want to be permanently. What is your opinion on this? Also, about housing...I have bad credit as a result of bad decisions I made back in college, but I have a perfect rental history. What are the chances a landlord will accept me? Feel free to email me [email protected] or reply here. I would really appreciate any advice/insight! Thank you so much.