I have been searching all over the place....Canada wide, recruiter magazines, websites, personal contacts, etc....You name it, I am trying it. Quite clearly, the market is poor right across Canada. No surprise. I'm wo9ndering if anyone has any advice? I am willing to relocate, and I'm considering all of my options.
It seems as though it's almost easier to get hired in the US these days, which is sad. Because the majority of the postings I am seeing is NP, Clinical Nurse Specialist, 2-5 years experience, etc.....Doesn't ANYONE care to invest in new grads? After December (I'm taking a course in Crisis Prevention), if I don't have a job here, I think I will either move to the US, or go overseas to teach English. Because the loans have to be paid.
Does anyone have any ideas or advice? Thanks! Much appreciated. (And volunteering is out....I thought about that too, but if I know that I may be relocating, I can't commit to 6 months to a year somewhere. I also need to get paid :))
Go on the internet and google it. I know it is hard for American grads as well right now for sure. Especially if you look on Indeed.com, you will see all kinds of postings for new grad various places throughout the States. If you think the US is bad for grads, I can tell you that right now Canada has even fewer postings for new grads.
Also, traditionally, US recruiters regard Canadian education highly, because we all require the 4 year Bachelors degree now. I know that some people in the US have the ASN, which is not the same, so that can present an issue when applying for some of the jobs.
In any case, I wish you well. It is tough out there. I know that. And I'm trying to be positive about this situation and utilize whatever resources present itself. Hopefully, things will start to turn around for everyone by the end of the year.
And yes, you are correct. The few places that are posting for new grads are most certainly receiving a ton of applications. For sure. But should that mean that all the new grads give up? I don't ever do that, and I would encourage people to keep trying. New grads are still getting hired, there are just fewer jobs unfortunately. That doesn't mean they aren't out there. While the situation is less than ideal, I think we just have to work with what IS there.
Yeah, its very unfortunate. I want to move back to Alberta, my family including my children are all there. Both of my sons recently left Florida for a better future in Alberta, I'm stuck here with a house I can't sell and in nursing school.
I'm crossing my fingers and toes that things will turn around in the next few years, I"m not getting any younger. If things don't get any better I'll be living in my parent's basement working part time but at least I'll have health insurance.
Can I ask a personal question? Just how much does an LPN make in Florida? How much does an RN make? Could your house be leased as a holiday rental?
With your years of experience you wouldn't be hired at the bottom of the LPN pay scale. Things are opening up slowly in Alberta. Very few new hires have ever walked into a full time line. Most casuals I know are working at least the equivalent of a .5 FTE, more if they are willing to do shifts. You could do the BScN via distance ed through Athabasca.
Specializes in CHN, MH & Addictions, Acute Med, Neuro..
I am too lazy to read all the other posts but what I can add is to find out names of managers and email them personally with a cover letter and resume. It's hard to break into the health authorities right now and honestly, a lot people do get hired through inside help.
I just graduated in april and was lucky that my previous job as an LPN rehired me as RN. I picked up another casual position by getting the name of the manager on a unit I was interested in and doing what I mentioned above.
Thank you. That is good advice. I always try to find out the name of a contact person before sending a resume. Especially in these times, resumes get overlooked in the sea of applicants. Yesterday a recruiter in California informed me that they have over 500 applicants for 20 positions. No surprise. I remember back when I used to screen resumes, it was the same deal sometimes. I think the key is to be persistent, for sure.
I agree with you. However, please keep in mind that I am not the typical picture of some of the new grads that are hired. I am willing to learn, I work hard, I don't complain, and I am realistic about nursing. I gave this much thought before I decided to return to school.
While I realize I have ALOT to learn about nursing, I am 36 years old, with a previous background in hotel management. I am graduating with honours, and I have been the recipient of 2 awards from the School of Nursing for my leadership skills and outstanding work in my clinicals. More importantly, I learn quickly, and I want to do well. It IS someone's life, after all.
Furthermore, I have the maturity, and the self awareness to handle the job. So while some new grads may not be prepared, I know I would fit in well somewhere. If it weren't for bed closures, I would have stayed at my last placement.
That's a bit pretentious of you to say. Nothing is guaranteed, especially in the work place. It's impossible to know that you "would fit well" under any circumstances. Yes, some new grads are not prepared but what makes you think that you are "more" prepared than they are? You are no better or worse than any of the new graduates out there. Age, awards, and honours don't mean much in the work setting. All they care about is that you preform up to the standards of the facility. Let those people speak on behalf of how "well prepared" you are.
I know I sound a bit unpleasant but I hear too many "mature" students say similar things to "inexperienced" (i.e., fresh out of highschool) student nurses, like myself. I just feel mature students have a sense of entitlement to nursing jobs because, well, they think that their "maturity" trumps over any experience of, dare I say, "younger" student nurses. I remember there was this girl who had a previous degree tell me that she would get the placement that she and I were both vying for because she was more mature and experienced than I. Funny though, we both didn't get the specialized placement we applied for.
I think you just said everything I wanted to but couldn't figure out how to do it nicely without being accused of making a snack out of a student.
Nobody knows how they will fit into a unit and the existing culture. Managers try to get the best personality fit for their unit but I can remember some spectacular mishires.
And it's so true "academic excellence" really doesn't mean much when you are up to your neck in backbreaking work, I'm shuddering as I remember one Norwalk outbreak.
I think that students today, should be demanding more clinical time from their schools and less emphasis on the academics. I've heard too many horror stories from friends who have bridged from LPN to RN on hours spent writing essays. I write an excellent essay in my degree subject but it doesn't do me a bit of good in day to day work, other than making my charting clear, concise, and reasonably readable.
I'm right behind you Fiona.I went to school with one of those overconfident "high achievers". She had a previous degree, got top marks and always stated loudly to anyone that would listen that she was going to specialize in ER nursing and would be going directly to a bridge program to get her RN.She could write a heck of an essay but that doesn't mean much when the floor is going nuts, you're working short because of a sick call and you've got an enteric outbreak on your hands.
Ok first of all, I apologize if I sounded pretentious, which I am certainly not. If you had the opportunity to know me at all, you would see that. My point is that I approach everything I do with a certain dedication, and work ethic. I take nursing very seriously, and I try to extend kindness to others whenever I can. And yes, I may be considered an "overacheiver", but there is nothing wrong with that.
I guess the issue I have sometimes is hearing about "new grads" and how many of us are immature, not clinically prepared, etc. I think you have to take people on a case by case basis, and everyone had to start out somewhere. I am also willing to learn, and be mentored by others, young or old. Experience comes in many shapes and sizes. So, no, I do not think I am better than anyone else either. Not by any means.
Nevertheless, I feel that I have something to offer, which I have worked for. My saying this is based on my own life experiences, including having to fend for myself at a young age, pay my way through school twice, and come to terms with various issues in life, as we all do.
One more thing....to address the clinical time issue. If I could have done more clinical time, I gladly would have. I loved going to clinical, and I would have much rather attended clinical than some of those classes. However, the students do not set the educational curriculum. Our clinical group actually addressed this with our faculty, but again, it takes more than a few people to change a policy. So the education is what it is. New grads shouldn't be faulted for that. Not to mention, I took every opportunity that I could to improve my clinical skills, and I still would. I also get the impression that some think if a student get's A's, then maybe they aren't as good at hands on. sometimes that is true, however, this is not always the case either.
There are still opportunities in BC and a lot of the health authorities and agencies here have new grad programs. Usually, hiring into "new grad" positions happens in the spring but you can still apply for any external vacancies posted on any of the six health authority websites. Many currently have postings for general duty staff nurses ranging from casual to fulltime positions and will still offer you the same supports that are available under the "new grad programs" any time of the year. I'm not sure what it is like in the rest of the country, but getting hired on as a casual in BC you are usually turning down shifts! Plus, once your in then you can apply for any internal postings that come up, which increases your options significantly.
joanna73, BSN, RN
4,767 Posts
Go on the internet and google it. I know it is hard for American grads as well right now for sure. Especially if you look on Indeed.com, you will see all kinds of postings for new grad various places throughout the States. If you think the US is bad for grads, I can tell you that right now Canada has even fewer postings for new grads.
Also, traditionally, US recruiters regard Canadian education highly, because we all require the 4 year Bachelors degree now. I know that some people in the US have the ASN, which is not the same, so that can present an issue when applying for some of the jobs.
In any case, I wish you well. It is tough out there. I know that. And I'm trying to be positive about this situation and utilize whatever resources present itself. Hopefully, things will start to turn around for everyone by the end of the year.
Good luck.