new grad moving to Houston, flexibility with testing with new grad orientation

[sunshine9]

Thinking of moving to Houston in the future,

I was hoping to hear from people that were new grads that moved to Houston (or Texas) right after their graduation before taking the NCLEX. Did they have an easy or hard time securing a job before they moved if they had not taken the NCLEX yet. I really want to land a job before I test and move, but I was not sure how most employers were about hiring people that had not tested yet from another state and if they were flexible about giving time off during the orientation so that the person could go back and test and allow time to transfer over the license from their current state to Texas and if it was fairly easy to land a job (have previous background as a CNA and have worked in a hospital before).

[suzanne4, RN]

It is always better to test before you move, too much stress with moving to somewhere new as well as a new job, etc. Why not just take the test for Texas in the first place, before you move, then you will have your license and be all set. Much less stress for you.

It is always, always easier to find a job once you have passed the NCLEX exam.

[sunshine9]

I'm just a little worried because then that means that I will test probably sometime in June and probably not be able to find a new grad orientation again until Janurary. Most places seem to only have new grad orientations in June and Janurary, with the exception of a few places.

I was also told by a few people out here to test in the state that you completed school, its a little bit easier just to switch your license over. I worked with one girl who had a really difficult time trying to test in a different state.

There is one place that I know that does orientation in September, but I get a little bit nervous waiting till then to try and get a position.