New Grad positions anyone/anywhere???

Nurses General Nursing

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My classmates and I are having a hard time finding any new grad positions in Northern California and the whole state in general. I passed the boards on July 13, 2009 and have been applying for jobs since April. I have received over 50 rejection emails/letters and am feeling very discouraged. This is my second time coming out of school in a bad economy. I have my BA in Community Studies, ADN in Nursing, and did internships in the ICU and PACU. How do I get these recruiters to call me over the 500 other applicants in the pond? Any advice or lead would be greatly appreciated. I have applied everywhere, even the prison system to no avail. I am willing to move anywhere to work as an RN (out of state). Nursing is my dream and I don't want to be a waitress in the meantime. Thanks for your help!

Melissa

I am fortunate enough to have a job in the SC area (but I applied four years ago, when there was still a "shortage"). I recently met a couple of new grads who have been successful in obtaining a local position in LTC and rehab. Whilst many may prefer hospital work, creativity may be the answer for the short term; e.g., LTC, MD's office, immunization clinic - at least this experience is relevant.

I have worked with several RNs who started out in LTC (by choice) and transferred over to a more acute setting when jobs became available. I too have also worked in LTC and can vouch that this is very rewarding and satisfying work.

Don't give up!

I forgot to mention... there is an ETOH recovery facility in SV that is always advertising for staff.

Specializes in Internship in ICU and PACU.

Thanks Lotte. There were a lot of recruiters that scared us to not apply to work in LTC. That hospitals won't hire you if you go that route. I know this is not true though anymore because they understand with the cutting of new grad programs that we need to get work somewhere in the meantime. I am still applying for those positions anyways.

I to have become extremly depressed. I am worse off now then before I went to school. I have just applied for food stamps and I cannot believe that I am a nurse on food stamps. I became a nurse to better mine and my childerns lives and now we are on the verge of being homeless. I can't even find a job doing anything.

I to have become extremly depressed. I am worse off now then before I went to school. I have just applied for food stamps and I cannot believe that I am a nurse on food stamps. I became a nurse to better mine and my childerns lives and now we are on the verge of being homeless. I can't even find a job doing anything.

That is honestly sad,it crossed my mind to apply for the food stamps anyway I may try the clinics,doctor's office or LTC

Me too, I am so frustrated!!! When we can find a nursing job? I am depressed!!!! The RN license is useless now!!!!!!

Why don't you guys consider moving? In West Texas, new grads don't have any trouble finding jobs! Come visit us! You don't have to stay a lifetime. Just come get experience and then go back to Cali as an experienced nurse.

Specializes in School RN, Ambulatory, Public Health.
For CA jobs, check this thread, too. I posted a job today. https://allnurses.com/california-nurses/californias-2009-new-389301-page34.html

Thanks, lperkrn...I applied to both those jobs on yesterday (Los Banos & Manteca). Indeed.com is really helpful, too.

Add another new grad to that!! Where are you???

Specializes in LTC/Skilled Care/Rehab.

I am another new grad that can't find a job. People keep asking if I am a RN now. I guess I am even though I don't feel like one. And Facebook doesn't help because people keep talking about their jobs. Walking in or close to a hospital makes me really sad. And I hate to see anyone wearing scrubs. I was really depressed for the last couple weeks but I have been trying to pull myself out of it. It wouldn't be so bad if people wouldn't use the words "nursing" and "shortage" in the same sentence.

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I hear ya, prinsessa! I just moved across the country with my boyfriend b/c he's going to med school. Everytime we meet new people they ask me what I do and I kind of feel weird saying "I'm a nurse" because then I have to deal with the follow up question, "Oh, where are you working?" Then, because I have to explain that "I haven't actually been able to find a job yet," the conversation eventually ends up with the most *ing annoying comment of all: "But isn't there a nursing shortage?"

Every day after applying to everywhere I can think of that would hire an RN, I go take a walk around the park just to clear my head/relax. I force myself to go outside because it's way harder for me to break down into tears when I'm out in public.

Make sure the job hunt doesn't consume your daily life. Get outside, read a chapter of a good book, dance around your bedroom to the Spice Girls, bake cookies (something with chocolate to make you feel better ;) )

Hang in there! Something will work out eventually!

Very interesting thread!

I graduated in June, passed NCLEX in August, started hunting for jobs last week. So far no good. I regret I haven't applied earlier. Some of my classmates have already started working in hospital in early August.

The funny thing is that I went to an evening program, one third of my classmates have full-time, regular jobs all along the nursing school. Me being one of them. I struggled with full-time work and full-time school. When I finished school with honor, I told myself how wonderful I'm! I really need to relax for a while after so many years of school including pre-reqs.

Then I studied a couple of months for NCLEX, passed it. Now I'm back to where I was before. In a unclear state I feel nursing school is like a dream, now dream is over and I'm back to my original state. I still have this full-time, secure, boring, regular professional job that makes OK money but leads to nowhere in the future. I come to work everyday, as if I've never went to nursing school, nor do I have that nursing license. I almost forget I'm an RN now. When anybody ask what I do, I always say I'm a XXX (my current job).

Then I have a classmates who is a school-teacher, she already signed the contract for the next school-year as far as I know. Another one who works at post-office and still works there. Not funny, for us second-careerers, like we all wasted all these years.

Anyway, at the bottom of my heart I guess I'm not done yet. I'm going to start applying for some LTC now. By the end of the year, if I cannot find anything, I 'll move to another state if I have to.

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