New Grad June 2015

tknrosales · Jan 25, 2015

Hi there,

I am a new grad also and took nclex in December. F

rom my experience, the ones who applied for jobs before having their license and got hired, were people who already worked in the hospital setting. I started applying mid December after Nclex, and have already had one interview and have another one scheduled for early next month. I would say spend this time preparing for Nclex, perfecting your cover letter and resume, and save the applying for after you pass.

Apply for clincal nurse B, and clincal nurse 1, apply everywhere, even if you don't think it's the department you want to be in, we can't afford to be as picky as nurses a few years ago. I am also applying for any new grad programs that have an open window, but they are very competitive and don't stay open long. The one I have next month is for a new grad program.

If you haven't done your capstone yet, make sure to be nice to your preceptor, they may have connections to help you get hired, get their contact number and say in contact often after your rotation is over. I still text mine just to say hi. Gratitude goes along way.

SimoneB · Jan 26, 2015

I am also from California and just completed my job search. I would recommend applying to new grad programs before graduation. A new grad program will not have a problem with the fact that you don't have your license yet as that is the case for many applicants. Also, the application process for these programs is quite drawn out so you would have time to take your NCLEX if you got an offer. I would not bother applying to other jobs at this point as they are more likely to require you to be licensed and may be looking for you to start sooner than you can. Maybe this is obvious, but keep in mind that the CA BRN is a nightmare so apply as early as possible and realize it may take awhile to get your ATT.

The programs you mention are very very competitive; even if you are a great student you should definitely apply but I would branch out to some less prestigious places as well. Know that they will receive many hundreds of applications, so many that they will not read them all so it really pays off to apply as soon as the application period opens. A big part of the challenge is just getting an actual person to look at your application. Also all the people I know who were offered positions at the type of hospitals you mentioned are bilingual so if you have that it truly is an advantage. Also, really perfect your resume and cover letter and personalize to each hospital, you must do something to distinguish yourself in these documents.

If you are at all open to relocating, I would also apply to places in other states. I don't mean to be discouraging. Everyone tells you how tough the job market is here but you don't truly get it until you start your job search. I think I would have found a job much more quickly if I had had a more realistic approach.

I went to a good school and graduated with a 3.83 GPA and it took me 7 months to find a job. I started out applying to only high profile hospitals and did not get an interview until I widened my search. Thats just my two cents. Good luck! You will be ahead of the game if you start applying now.