48 and a new grad...need advice

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2015

Age might be a factor...also, Houston has become a somewhat competitive employment market for new grad nurses in recent years. You need paid work experience at this point, so I would not bother volunteering.

Keep applying to hospitals, and extend your search into places like Conroe and Huntsville. In addition, consider non-hospital settings like pediatric private duty, home health, hospice, nursing homes, group homes, jails, prisons, and psychiatric facilities.

Good luck to you.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Dec 30, 2015

I'm going to give you some advice here and I hope you think about this. Something went wrong in the interview. Something.

How do you come across? How is your appearance? Forty-Eight is certainly not too old to start, but only if you are ready and able. So my question is, do you come across as somebody who is 48? They can't ask your age in a job interview but they can go off of appearance and attitude. Do you come across as somebody who can physically attack your new job? Can you take direction from people who are younger than you?

I just turned 40 a week ago. I interviewed for some positions that will lead into a RN position when I pass NCLEX. I was asked how would I work with people younger than me, and how I have resolved difficult situations. I spent many years in management and they wanted to know coming back into the workforce could I start at the ground again. Many of the questions I found were how I would interact with other team members and how I could make myself a great part of the team.

Older people pled can be great assets to the workforce as we have a maturity and life experience to give us wisdom. But it can also be a downfall if you seem older than you really are and can't competently handle the physical demands of the job. At that point you gotta act like you have that twenty year old body to handle the job.

Work on your interview skills. You say they went well, but they didn't or you would have a job. You need to stand out from the other candidates so you will be remembered at the end of the day. You need and infectious, enthusiastic, positive attitude when you go in for an interview. If you go in, have s firm handshake. It shows confidence. Answer the questions in a way that you can be remembered. Give examples of good things you have done in the past and smile and be confident when you tell your stories.

I have a very exuberant personality and I get that everyone is not like that, but I am also very positive. I like to be a positive person in life and it shows.

I just went through some interviews and back when I was in retail management, I did all the hiring and training for my state. I worked closely with my corporate HR people on how to conduct interviews. I take what I learned all those years ago and still use it today. And it seems to have worked, as any job I have personally interviewed for I have received an offer.

Good luck for the summer residencies. Work with a friend or family member on how to interview. It will be a great help.

llg, PhD, RN · Dec 30, 2015

I strongly agree with Heathermaizey: if the interviews had "gone well," you would have been offered at least one of the jobs.

Some 48-year-olds come across as "tired and slow" and cautious about trying new things and/or slow to change their ways. Others come across as wise and experienced with life, strong, capable, etc. How do you really come across? Do you need to lose a few pounds and become more physically fit? Do you look physically fit enough to have the stamina for the physical labor of the job and the ability to work rotating shifts without calling in sick a lot or being sluggish and whiney in the middle of the night? Will the stress on your body caused by rotating shifts make you quit the job after only a few months? Do you need a new hairstyle of make-up that will brighten up your face and make your eyes sparkle? Do you seem excited and energized by the possibility of the new job -- or do you seem hesitant and a little anxious about learning everything?

These are some of the things the hiring managers are assessing in the interview that many people in your situation don't think seriously enough about. They are practical, legitimate concerns for a hiring manager looking to invest thousands of dollars in a new grad orientation. You need to outshine the competition who is younger and perhaps "sparklier" than you. Show them that you are more likely to succeed in the job and stay working on their unit in spite of any difficulties that might arise -- and the job will be yours.

chiromed0 · Dec 30, 2015

Well, I'm 46 and I work circles around most of the RN's in my hospital. They are always asking why do I always seem in a hurry...well, it was b/c my 44 yo preceptor three years ago taught me to walk fast and get my work done and she went home on time, every time. So that's all I know how to do. Age is a factor, not the final answer. Your abilities, energy level, and confidence matter.

For me, I got a few interviews in the big metro area but had to relocate to my wife's hometown hospital to get my foot in the door. As much as I haaaaattttttteeeee my wife's hometown it has been a good learning experience allowing me to get my MSN-NP done as well as learn how to be a nurse. So my advice, look elswhere...look where people "don't" want to work-they will be glad to have you. Get your feet wet and then leave. I'd say getting hospital experiece is a must but it's not necessary to know what you are doing. Most of this stuff only exists in hospitals and not the "real world".

So, general advice look to rural areas, smaller towns/facilities, LTAC, VA, etc. It's doable...I did it.

nutella, MSN, RN · Dec 31, 2015

Age discrimination is real. It is true that orientation/residency is demanding and it is a learning process in which you will have to listen to nurses and charge nurses much younger than you.

At that stage of your career (beginner) they expect a person to have some humility but at the same time be confident that you will be able to handle orientation. Not an easy balance. And a lot of manager think that they will be able to "transform" a younger person easier than a person who has a set personality.

Perhaps new graduate residencies are not the way to go for you. It may be better to apply for jobs in smaller facilities without a residency program but the traditional orientation.

jena5111, ASN, RN · Dec 31, 2015

I strongly agree with Heathermaizey: if the interviews had "gone well," you would have been offered at least one of the jobs.
Some 48-year-olds come across as "tired and slow" and cautious about trying new things and/or slow to change their ways. Others come across as wise and experienced with life, strong, capable, etc. How do you really come across? Do you need to lose a few pounds and become more physically fit? Do you look physically fit enough to have the stamina for the physical labor of the job and the ability to work rotating shifts without calling in sick a lot or being sluggish and whiney in the middle of the night? Will the stress on your body caused by rotating shifts make you quit the job after only a few months? Do you need a new hairstyle of make-up that will brighten up your face and make your eyes sparkle? Do you seem excited and energized by the possibility of the new job -- or do you seem hesitant and a little anxious about learning everything?
These are some of the things the hiring managers are assessing in the interview that many people in your situation don't think seriously enough about. They are practical, legitimate concerns for a hiring manager looking to invest thousands of dollars in a new grad orientation. You need to outshine the competition who is younger and perhaps "sparklier" than you. Show them that you are more likely to succeed in the job and stay working on their unit in spite of any difficulties that might arise -- and the job will be yours.

I am a 36-year-old December 2015 ADN grad who scored a coveted hospital job in a highly competitive market immediately upon graduation.

Reasons why: I have a good, stable, recent work history--non-nursing, though. I am fit and have the physical stamina for the job. I project a POSITIVE, ENTHUSIASTIC manner at interviews.

Not to criticize you, but to offer another perspective. A strong, positive persona goes a long way. My employer did NOT have to hire me. So many new grads compete for positions here. Show your stamina, maturity, and worth. But I bet you'll be a better sell than a new grad lacking any work experience.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 31, 2015

I am a 36-year-old December 2015 ADN grad who scored a coveted hospital job in a highly competitive market immediately upon graduation.

You're not middle-aged...yet.

As far as age is concerned, a notable difference exists between the mid-30s age range and the late 40s. There's a reason why applicants over the age of 40 are in a protected federal class under E.O.E.: they're statistically more likely to be passed over than the thirty-somethings.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 1, 2016

Moved to First Year After Nursing Licensure.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jan 4, 2016

Unlike many professions, such as IT where it's much more prevalent and obvious .... there has always been the idea that age is no barrier for older nursing grads. But the reality is very different, especially since there are an excess of new grads being produced in most metro areas.

Staff nursing is a highly physical job and if OP comes across as 'older', with less energy to bring to the job it would be a huge disadvantage. One of the PP's did a very nice summary of ways in which the OP could help downplay this issue. But, honestly - if I was OP, I'd be looking for a job in a much less stressful environment than acute care.

EGTBSN · Jan 19, 2016

My thanks to everyone, and my apologies for not commenting sooner. I've been studying for the boards.

I'm looking in areas outside of acute care, I may have an offer this week (fingers crossed) as a telemetry/med-surg nurse in a hospital for prisoners. It will require a commute, but I commuted for school so I'm used to the drive. While it's not my "dream job", it's a foot in the door. I spent a few hours with a classmates mentor, who has worked in this facility for over a year. She loves her job and enjoys working with this population. We shall see.

In the interim, I am working out again (yay!) and have some practice interviews lined up with my adviser and a friend of a friend who works in the HR department of a local hospital. They aren't hiring right now, but I'll take the feedback!