New Grad Job Search Anxiety

[YankeeRose11, ADN, RN]

This is a long post, but I want to be as specific as possible.

I'm graduating with honors from an ADN program in May. Out of all my clinicals, my preceptorship in the emergency department is the place where I felt most "at home." (I realize emergency department positions are extremely difficult to get as a new grad, especially ADNs). I have (so far) been rejected without interviewing for two new graduate emergency department internship programs, which is maddening/disheartening. (How do they know I wouldn't have been a good fit when they never even talked to me)?

Anyway, our instructors told us to begin applying for jobs in February. I started job hunting the last week in January because I've heard it's very difficult to find one without tech/CNA experience. I've lost count of how many applications I've sent out since then. In addition to EDs, I've applied to transitional care, stepdown, and trauma units.

When I apply to jobs, I also attach unit/hospital specific cover letters, even if it's not required.

So far, I've had the following results from this search:

-Email rejections without an interview for an ED position

-Calling two HR departments a month after I applied and had never been contacted about an interview. Both had filled all their ED new grad slots (one was a new grad intern program).

-Attended 3 job fairs for two different hospital systems. Only openings available were OB and cardiac.

-Rejection letter in the mail after interviewing for a new grad job.

-Interview for new grad job and no rejection letter or offer (it's been almost a month).

I've had instructors and career counselors at my school tell me I have an excellent resume and cover letter. My department chair wrote a glowing recommendation letter; my previous clinical instructors have also provided positive references. In lecture, I'm a B student. What am I doing wrong?

I'm meeting my advisor later this week to discuss this. Any/all advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

It could be that the job market where you are is saturated, and HR is filtering out applicants based on degrees (BSN preferred/required).

It could be that facilities are choosing not to take a chance on someone who hasn't yet passed NCLEX and holds a valid nursing license. Some of the facilities in my area won't even allow completion of applications without an RN license number.

It could be that you need to expand your job search beyond the ER- in many areas where new grads far outnumber new grad positions, those who are picky about where they will work end up waiting months or more to land a first job.

It could be that you even need to expand your search beyond acute care.

It could be that your cover letters could use some work.

It could be that your interview skills could use some work.

[YankeeRose11, ADN, RN]

Rose_Queen:

All excellent points I'll bring up to my advisor. Interview skills have always been my weakest area. Due to my lack of experience outside of clinicals, I struggle to come up with answers to those "Tell me about a time when xyz happened with a patient" questions. I'll also ask her to read my cover letter again.

ER is my dream job and I'm worried I won't achieve that goal if I stray from acute care jobs. For personal reasons, LTC is not someplace I want to work.

Most of the jobs I've recently applied for are at the largest hospital system in my area, which offers 6-month training programs for new grads; every floor/specialty you can imagine has multiple openings. I've applied to med/surg, telemetry, trauma, specialty ICU stepdowns, anyplace where I'll see a broad range of patients. Do you think I should widen my search further?

[llg, PhD, RN]

Yes, definitely widen your search -- and make sure your cover letter conveys that you would be interested in being considered for any job open available. That's how you get an interview.

Depending upon your geographic area, it may be impossible for a new grad ADN to get a job in a highly technical, high-acute specialty. Those positions may be earmarked "BSN required" even if they are not advertised as such. In other words, they will consider a new grad ADN, but only if a suitable BSN in not available. But the same facility might have other positions that they would consider you for -- and taking one of those positions would get your foot in the door.

Where are your classmates finding jobs? That's a piece of information that might help you a lot. Are they getting the new grad internships in ICU-type units? If not, that's a strong sign that hospitals in your area don't hire new grad ADNs for that type of position. But if they ARE getting such jobs, that says there is something about you application materials that is turning employers off.

[YankeeRose11, ADN, RN]

I rework my cover letter each time to make it specific for the unit I'm applying for. My classmates' job offers are a mixed bag: general med/surg, long-term care of ventilator-dependent patients, new grad ER, new grad trauma floor, new grad neurology ICU. I don't feel comfortable with trach care or managing 5+ IV pumps, so I'm not applying to ICU positions. I'm sticking to acute care and ICU stepdown where patients are off ventilators.

[contramanda]

I really think it's a lot of luck. ER jobs are hard to get. I am also graduating with my ADN. I interviewed for ER positions at a couple of hospitals and they all said they had literally hundreds of people apply and they were only hiring a max of 3 new grads. I was lucky enough to be offered one and they told me one of the big reasons was because I was a tech during school and had experience within that hospital system as an actual employee and not just as a student.

You said your interview skills/answers need work. Those situational questions are huge, because they'll tell the interviewer how you response to a crisis, what you do when you are overwhelmed, how you handle tough situations, etc. Sit down and think about a clinical day and list every thing that was a challenge or out of the ordinary and how you responded. I started keeping a list like this in my second or third semester and it helped immensely when preparing for interviews.

Keep applying and best of luck!

[YankeeRose11, ADN, RN]

I wish I had known to keep a list like that Next interview, I'll ask if I can use examples from areas of my life other than clinicals. I assisted with a medical emergency in a public place last summer and I used to be a volunteer firefighter, so I definitely have experience with crisis situations.