My job search experience as a new grad in Houston

190 Posts

Specializes in ICU.

I've seen a lot of threads and I just didn't feel like responding to each and everyone of them.

First of all I'm a new BSN grad May 2010 with a job in the medical center . It's a pretty rough place right now for new grads as so many programs are churning out RNs that it's impossible to hire them all. Here are some things I did to get my job and some tips.

1.) Apply early I graduated in May but I was looking for a job around February. (You have to set yourself apart from all the other graduating nurses!)

2.) I physically walked into hospitals in my suit with my Resume+Cover Letter+Letter of Recommendations. I looked at each floor that I wanted to work and walked into each unit and asked to talked to the Nurse Manager. (I literally think I got 3 interviews from this, though while doing this I really felt so discouraged as I got a lot of "just apply at HR" speeches but SOME actually were interested)

3.) A lot of the hospitals I've applied for were starting to cut people off based on GPA so the higher your's is the better.

4.) The market varies each hiring period. I know that during the summer of 2010 MD Anderson was hiring 100 people, HCHD hired about 30, St Joseph's was looking for 30, Methodist was hiring mostly OR, and Memorial Herman (I think closed down a branch so only transferred their staff to the main branch?? Thats a rumor i heard).

5.) Most if not all the hospitals in the Medical Center are leaning towards hiring BSN only I know Methodist for sure and I know HCHD for sure. Sometimes it's just easier to apply away from the super competitive medical center.

6.) Just know though there are those stories about people getting their dream jobs the either did rotations at the hospitals there, knew someone on the inside, or already worked in that hospital. You just have to know that your dream job isn't always going to be there so sometimes you're just going to have to work in that MED SURG floor you always hated, haha.

Hmm, that just looks like a block of text but I hope it helps!