New grad relocating to Houston ... is it THAT bad out there?

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Specializes in CVICU.

]Hi everyone,

So, I have been reading the countless threads on the new grad situation down in Houston, and being a new grad and basically planning to uprooting my life from Masssachusetts to Houston in a little less than 3 months I am truly starting to freak.

I have applied to 96 jobs within the past 10 days, have counted 35 rejections so far (some within 12 hours of applying!), and have not received neither call nor email. Is this really how it is??? I have applied to every internship available and any job requiring a year or less of experience. I have two bachelors degrees (one in Biology, the other being my BSN), and I was in an accelerated Nurse Practitioner program so have half of my masters under my belt. I have over 7 years clinical experience, and am currently working in a hospital as a CNA. I have great letters of recommendation, 3.4 GPA.... WHAT else could I possibly do?!?!

I am in a really tough position; I have to be out of my current apartment by June 1st, and if anyone knows anything about Mass they know the job situation is abou 10x worse than Houston (which is hard to believe). Even my current hospital has told me to my face that I have zero chance at a job.

That being said, does anyone have ANY advice?! I was going to call HR depts incessantly, but it seems as though that's not doing anyone good either. I will only be in Houston April 7-10 too, and I'm beginning to wonder if not being a resident is hurting me. I have my temporary Texas license already though, and my permanent Massachusetts license.

HELP PLEASE ... I just want to see if my constant anxiety and worry is warranted, or if I need to relax a bit. Thanks a ton :uhoh3:

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My advise dont stop in Houston unless you are an experienced nurse or already have a guaranteed job. Go to San Antonio or El Paso. Google hospital webistes at those cities and apply they are hiring currently but Houston, Dallas and Austin areas jobs for unexperienced nurse are scarce and almost non existent.I think it doesnt matter where your from or what degrees you got but if your a new grad its tough all over! Clinical experience doesnt really help unless it is registered nurse experience. I am a little confused about your post you said you were in a Nurse practitioner program? My response is why not finish it since currently jobs are hard to find now. Maybe in 2 years things will change. Also any jobs available now wont be available soon because every nursing school in the state is cranking out graduates here in April to May and flooding the already saturated new grad market here and in every other state. I forecast lots of unemployed new graduate RN's for years to come until schools get a clue and slow down the graduation rates and finally hopefully align graduate perecentage with jobs available percentage and realistically stop going by this false nurse shortage propaganda the government and nurse lobbyists groups keep advertising.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

My advice is to stay away from the major cities and go for the small towns and mid-sized cities (San Angelo, Abilene, Midland, Odessa, Lubbock, Tyler, Longview, Wichita Falls, Waco, Eagle Pass, etc.). The job situation in the major metro areas is atrocious because so many nurses from out of state have been moving to Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio over the past couple of years. In addition, the bigger cities have too many nursing programs that churn too many new nurses into the local job markets when there are not enough jobs for them.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

I agree with the PP's. If you are targeting cities, be sure to focus on the suburban & "exurban" (farther out) facilities including rehab & other non-acutes.

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I'm afraid I can't answer the nursing question but I can help you research the neighborhoods in the area when you find a new position. Good luck with your search!

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You absolutely scare me! I just came from Houston this past weekend and met a NP that gave me a lot of hope! I am also looking to relocate hopefully if I can find a job in Houston. I will be graduating this May and looking to get out of Boston! I wish you luck!

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Specializes in CVICU.

]Zirine, Sorry to scare you ... but be prepared. I have received so many rejections this week it's not even funny. Don't move without a job because you could be waiting for a LONG time.

As for everyone else, thanks for your responses ... I cannot look outside of Houston unless were talking like a half hour-45 minutes; my boyfriend has an apartment in downtown Houston and I'm moving 2,000 miles to be with him and not live 4 hours away from him. We've done distance for 3 years and decided it's time ... who knew I would have this much difficulty. =(

Since my last post, I have received rejections from ALL 5 of Memorial Hermann's internships and about 4 other rejections. My ONLY hope was that Cypress-Fairbanks called to tell me I could only pick one internship specialty (I had applied to all 5) ... and she said that I'd need to be there in person for an interview, to which I said no problem and she said "okay, I will put you on the list" ..... What the HECK does that mean?! I'd like to get my hopes up for that since it's nice to know someone is looking at me, but list for what???

All these rejections and no real contact with any of these hospitals is not only frustrating but VERY scary and depressing. :confused:

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MissPamela, she means wait & see, hope & pray, all of which is a denial, hey! I talk to the same lady too, she might be reading like 1000 applications right now!

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Specializes in CVICU.

Was her name Monica?

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Uh huh

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Specializes in CVICU.

Wonderful. Did she ask you the same thing? and when did you hear from her?

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Talked to her about 4 days ago

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