New Grad Needing Urgent Job Hunting Help

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Hi guys, I'm a newly graduated nurse who just received my license about 2.5 weeks ago!!! I'm super excited to get started working in my first nursing job. So I've been working at a hospital near me as a unit secretary on Labor & Delivery for the past 2.5 years, so of course I would love to begin my career there as a nurse as well. 2 weeks ago I saw they posted an opening for their new grad internship program in the NICU, and excitedly applied because I definitely feel like I would love that position and be a great fit! I let my current nurse manager know of this. I was scheduled for a phone interview with HR 2 days later, and they left it off with me that they would contact me in a few days to schedule an interview with the nurse manager.

Well, now it's been almost 2 weeks and no response... I sent an e-mail to the recruiter I spoke with on the phone to follow up on my application and affirm my interest in the position but she never responded. I'm hesitant to e-mail her again now since she never answered, and I was never provided with a phone number to reach her. I am so eager to begin my nursing career, and I know that 2 weeks isn't unusual for a hospital to take to get back to you but it is still discouraging, especially because she stated she'd get back to me in a few days and never responded to my email.

So I was planning on reaching out to my nurse manager (L&D) and inquiring if they had any opportunities for new graduates on that floor or if she knew of other openings in mother/baby. My question is that does it not look good if I reach out to her to ask about other opportunities, despite her being aware that I applied for this NICU position? The waiting game is just killing me and I feel like I shouldn't just be sitting around waiting for their call when in all honesty it may never come. Should I reach out to my manager to see if any opportunities are available in my current department? Thanks guys.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

You should be reaching out anywhere and everywhere, including outside of your current employer. You can talk to your manager, but be aware that informing her as you did, you may now have nowhere to hang your hat, as you have established you would prefer to be in NICU. This may make your current manager not willing to put time and resources into you, as he/she may feel you will be looking to change to NICU.

Expand your search. New grad positions are few and far between, especially in NICU and L&D or Mother/Baby. Either of those may work out, but the longer you wait to start a serious job search, the more likely you are to find yourself without a job at all.

Congratulations on passing NCLEX and well wishes in finding your first job!

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
On 11/13/2019 at 8:18 AM, Nurse SMS said:

You should be reaching out anywhere and everywhere, including outside of your current employer

I agree with this. The key is to get in somewhere and gain nursing experience. I knew someone who wanted to get into med surg as a new grad but had no luck and so she started of at a SNF. One year later with experience, she was able to get hired in med surg and kept her SNF job on the side.

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Specializes in Intermediate Care Unit.

What did you do as a unit secretary?

What's your typical shift like?

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I understand your passion is in L&D, but for the first year or two I would just be focused on getting experience anywhere you can. In other words, start blasting out applications to as many places as possible and don't limit yourself to this one job. Personally I would also follow up with the email and continue to express interest.

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Thanks everyone for the advice! It was worth the wait I ended up getting the job last week ?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Congratulations!

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