New grad market improving?

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I'd like to know what people's perceptions are on the new grad job market. Is it really improving? If so, what geographic areas are improving the most? Are there any places where it's just "good"? I haven't seen as many postings where people are complaining about the market as poor as it was, say, a year or so ago, so it made me wonder if more people are finding full-time work in hospitals.

Yeah, I almost feel like this degree is kind of useless these days bc you can't even get your foot in the door. Without a new grad program I am not going to get very good training, which I feel I need to be successful...but there are hardly any new grad spots at all.

Don't limit yourself to residencies and "new grad" programs. Places might have decent orientations without advertizing them or giving them a special name. The hospital I'm at doesn't have a new grad program, but orientation time for new grads is lengthened to account for the fact that new grads are, well, new to nursing, AND my unit managers assured me (and this was backed up by staff nurses who know how things work) that my allotted time can be extended if I don't feel ready. I was in a panic right before I started, and honestly you learn so much more in orientation than you do as a nursing student.

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I'm about to be a graduate nurse as of May 13, 2011, and I really am trying to avoid the headache and struggle of not having a job before then. I'll graduate with my ADN to go along with my BA & MA degrees (in other disciplines). I'm not having the best of luck so far on getting any feedback, yet alone, landing ANY interviews (and I've applied to only about 75+ positions...literally!). Does anyone have ANY information on GN positions in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, or anywhere in Texas for that matter? I would really appreciate all the help and assistance that I can get....:coollook:

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Thanks hiddencatRN...that's a good point!

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

DFW/North Texas is completely saturated with new grads. There ARE internships available, but each slot gets about 300+ applicants. It sounds like all the Texas cities are in the same condition. Most of the internships have already posted and been filled and all the hospitals I have talked to in the local area state they are not hiring outside of internships at this time. Its rough out there.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I did hear that Scott and White in Temple, Texas is still taking applications for their internships.

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Temple is very far from Arlington.

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

Well last I heard was from December 2010 but it was 50% of Colorado new grads from May 2010 were unemployed (source was a nursing professor who got the stats from emails between CO nursing schools)... so even if that improved it would still be awful!

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
Temple is very far from Arlington.

Yep. The OP asked if there was anywhere in Texas still hiring, so I thought I would toss that out there. I live in a north Dallas suburb and there are students here applying in Temple. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to get that first job.

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I looked on line Saturday and found that Hill regional hospital in Hillsboro and Lake Granbury hospital will actually considered new grads for Med/Surg positions so applied at both places. Also, Lake Pointe Medical Center in Rowlett has an opening for RN internships that start in July.

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I was talking to a nurse manager the other day. She said that if you do not have a job by the time you graduate, find a free clinic to volunteer at. No, there is no money BUT if you are stuck "unemployed" for months, then that time is spent getting experience. You can then market yourself as an experienced RN instead of a new grad. I pray that I do not have to test that theory. But it is certainly going to look better on a resume as opposed to: graduated nursing school, passed the NCLEX, then worked graveyard at 7-11 for 9 months....PLUS that time spent at the free clinic may help you make a connection and squeak into the "who you know" group that gets all the jobs.

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Specializes in Telemetry.

This is good advice. But not everyone can unfortunately do this. What if you actually have to work to support yourself and pay your bills. When I have to pay rent on the first of the month my landlord is not going to be happy if I tell him that I am a new grad RN and since I can't find employment I need to volunteer. I do need to work so the graveyard shift at 7/11 may not be good on my resume but it will sure help to pay my bills and survive.

Don't mean to attack you or anything like that but it's the truth that volunteer is not an option for some people.

I was talking to a nurse manager the other day. She said that if you do not have a job by the time you graduate, find a free clinic to volunteer at. No, there is no money BUT if you are stuck "unemployed" for months, then that time is spent getting experience. You can then market yourself as an experienced RN instead of a new grad. I pray that I do not have to test that theory. But it is certainly going to look better on a resume as opposed to: graduated nursing school, passed the NCLEX, then worked graveyard at 7-11 for 9 months....PLUS that time spent at the free clinic may help you make a connection and squeak into the "who you know" group that gets all the jobs.
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Not taken as an attack at all...You should def work where you can, but squeeze in the volunteering. Even if it is only a couple hours here and there it is still experience. I am so in debt from school that I am gonna work at a farm stand on Saturdays (including the day after graduation)! That is what prompted the discussion with the nurse manager. We gotta do what we gotta do to pay the bills!

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