Hello everyone. I've been reading allnurses.com for a while but this is my first post because I feel like I'm going to lose my mind.
I'm a December 08 nursing school graduate and just took the NCLEX exam today (Feb 17th) . I've been applying for jobs in California since October 07. Mainly I've applied to southern California and considered northern California too.
From October to now, I've applied to about 15 hospitals (UCLA, Cedars-Sinai, USC, Good Samaritan, several Kaiser hospitals, several hospitals in CHW network [California Hospital Medical Center, St. Mary's LB, Glendale Memorial Hospital, St Mary's Medical Center], Saddleback, and White Memorial). In northern California, I have applied to Good Samaritan in San Jose and Stanford University Medical Center.
I interviewed at UCLA in Nov and after 4 weeks of waiting, heard back from the manager that I was not selected for a position. Then in late Jan, I interviewed at Stanford and am still waiting if an offer is going to be made or not.
Hours of work has been put in refining my resume and cover letter. I even asked previous preceptors and instructors for letters of recommendations to put in my portfolio. I dress in a suit and spend a few days practicing interview questions.
Granted I know that since I'm out of state, it makes things harder but when I read the posts here, I see that it is doable for many new graduates.
I know I should be relaxing and feel relieved to have the NCLEX done but this is very unsettling and it's getting harder to sit in front of the computer for hours night after night researching hospitals and completing the online applications.
I am sorry to hear that you having a terrible time landing a job. I live in Michigan and Detroit Hospitals are hiring like crazy, they also have new grad programs the pay is good and the cost of living is not as high, plus they have tons of Overtime. If moving is not an issue i would seriously consider moving yes the economy is hurting but there are pockets of opportunity and healthcare is booming in the Detroit area even for LPNs
I will try o explain why its difficult for new grads and even experienced nurses to land a Job in north cal. The pay is good and employers know there is a mismatch of supply and demand therefore they have the ability to pick and chose, they have become so creative such that they now have the ability to hire nurse, while avoiding the orientation costs. This puts the new grads at a great disadvantage. Some hospitals wanna take you on as an agency nurse first, while you are employed as a agency nurse they are also assessing you skill level and how well you blend then if they like you, they will take you on and since you have already worked in the system as an agency nurse they can bring you up to speed in a matter of 1-2 weeks whereas it takes much longer to orient a new grad and in these tough times they wanna make sure you will stick around. So I would advise you to find a hospital that is willing to take you on as a new grad, stick to your area of interest for at least 2 years, work on the necessary certifications they you will be a more competitive candidate in areas saturated with nurses and offer high pay. Like I pointed out in one of my posts, You might wanna consider Detroit Michigan, they have plenty of good new grad programs, the cost of living is much lower, and the pay is good. Yes, the Auto industry is struggling but health care is booming the other downfall might be the snow but remember you have to be willing to give in order to get. The cost of housing in Detroit and the surrounding areas is reasonable whether you chose to rent or buy. Airfares from Detroit to California are very affordable.
I graduate in May and I am having a hard time finding a job as well. I currently live in North Carolina, and I am looking for a med-surg position.This is terrible, I never thought it would be like this.I have applied at 4 hospitals and only one has called for an interview.My husband and I are originally from Ca and all of our family is there.We are thinking of moving back,but it sounds like there are issues over there as well. I feel very stressed.
Hello all. Thanks to those who posted much support and advice to this thread. After applying to 150+ jobs in the past 5 months, I finally got a position! I'm very much excited and wish those who are looking only the best.
I am also a December 2008 graduate but I live in Idaho and want to work in the Idaho Falls area. There are no jobs here either. I am so glad to hear you found a position. That gives me hope!
Just to let you know the seasoned nurses are having trouble locating employment here also. If you are wise DO NOT come to California for or lets say another 5 years. The economy is awful especially in California where Thin, Blonde, and in your twenties actually mean something other than a joke.
I am thin, in my 20s but not blonde either. Hey, why no love for us, hehe. There are many young, physically fit females who cannot find jobs in California. I agree with the previous poster.
After attending job fairs, I am also discovering it does not seem to matter if you have a BSN, MSN, graduated with honors, or went to UPenn, UCSF for nursing education. The managers don't care where you went to school or how good your grades were, they just want someone with years of floor experience. This is hurting me.
'Connections' seem to be key in getting a foot-in-the-door for interview and selection. I say this because I did not attend a nursing program in California.
For those of you with jobs, hang onto them even if you hate it. I wish I had kept my old job.
vivicaq
202 Posts
I am sorry to hear that you having a terrible time landing a job. I live in Michigan and Detroit Hospitals are hiring like crazy, they also have new grad programs the pay is good and the cost of living is not as high, plus they have tons of Overtime. If moving is not an issue i would seriously consider moving yes the economy is hurting but there are pockets of opportunity and healthcare is booming in the Detroit area even for LPNs