new grad in Chicago area

ShellyRSRN · Nov 20, 2009

I am a new grad from Chicago and I can tell you that the market is awful. I have called several hospitals and the only ones that specifically told me they will not hire new grads at this time are mt. sinai and northwestern. But I have put in 50 + apps at Chicago hospitals and I haven't heard from any of them. I started applying to hospitals further away from the city and st. marys in kankakee is the only one that called me for an interview. I may be wise to further expand your search

NICU_babyRN, BSN, RN · Nov 28, 2009

I posted this under the Children's Memorial Thread also.

I keep hearing about people who apply for jobs and "never hear" from a hospital. You HAVE to follow up on your application. Always always keep track of the date you submitted your application. A week after you submit, if you have not heard back from the HR department, you should call them to follow up! It's a matter of asking if your application has been received.

Never call first thing on a Monday morning or on a Friday afternoon. Mondays are chaotic in the AM with thousands of e-mails received over the weekend. Friday PM you are asking to to talk to someone who's SO ready to go home!

Best time to call? Probably Monday afternoon, Tuesday morning.

When you call, you want to make sure you write down the names of the people you talk to. When you call again, REMEMBER those names. "Hi, I spoke with ____ about my application...."

Be pro-active in the process. If you are given the e-mail address of an HR person, OR even over the phone, say that you would like to meet at a 'MUTUALLY AGREEABLE' time to discuss ALL employment opportunities available at the facility. Yes, you may want a peds job but with the current economy, if you want to work in a certain hospital, then you should get your foot in the door and then transfer units after a while.

Bottom line, be pro-active in the process.

You cannot expect a hospital to call you. YOU call them! you are one of hundreds of applicants so STAND OUT!!!

If you submitted 50 apps, then you have about 50 phone calls to make!

There are hospitals in the Chicago area hiring new grads.

Good luck :)

ShellyRSRN · Nov 30, 2009

You are right, saying "never heard from" is partially incorrect. Perhaps the more appropriate comment is " didn't get the response I wanted". Some hospital websites allow you to view the status of your application and have informed me that way that they will not hire me. Several hospitals I called refused to take my name to confirm the status of my application, due to a high applicant volume. So far, only 2 hospitals I called actually connected me to the nurse recruiter for the positions applied for and then told me that I most likely wouldn't get hired. Saying "I haven't heard from them" is an easier and less depressing way to express how grim the market is.

msjellybean I would still recommend you expand your search outside of Chicago because now not only are you competing with your fellow new grads but the new grads from May 2009 who are still looking to get into the hospital setting. Best of luck with the end of your semester and the job hunt!

prinsessa · Nov 30, 2009

What about the hospitals who send you an email that says "Please do not contact us!". I have received many of these. I have tried calling nurse recruiters and none call me back or answer their phone.

shygoofyone · Dec 1, 2009

Princessa- I was in the same boat in May. My hope had always been to graduate from Parkland and move up to Chicago. The job market is horrible everywhere. Although, I have friends that graduated with me that JUST got hired on at Carle in Champaign, so they ARE hiring...it's just taking awhile. I wish you the best of luck, but you could try Monticello, Gibson City, Hoopeston and some of the other smaller hospitals around C-U.

so alive LPN · Dec 1, 2009

Have You Tried RIC (Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago)? They usually hire a LOT of new grads. Best of luck!

prinsessa · Dec 1, 2009

I have tried RIC....no luck there either