New Grad RN, BSN in South Jersey/Philadelphia region

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Hey Guys,

I'm new to this site and have been applying for RN jobs in the south Jersey region. I graduated in May with my BSN and am having no luck with the application process. I have applied to every single position at Cooper and Virtua. I've gotten back about 10 emails saying the usual "thank you for your interest, but we are unable to offer you a position". I am thinking about getting my license in Pennsylvania as well to hopefully open up some more opportunities. I've been reading the forums for both Pennsylvania and New Jersey and haven't heard many positive things for this area. I signed/looked up some career fairs, but they aren't until Septemeber. I was wondering if anyone else with a BSN is having the same problem as me? Or does anyone have any advice for a distraught new grad?

Thanks for any help!

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Specializes in Surgical/Stepdown, Home Care.

Keep trying at Cooper. They just hired a slough of new grads (and they picked up a lot of their techs who graduated this past May/June, so they probably had priority over external candidates). If you're persistant and show your interest, that will definitely help. It's a phenomenal place to work and if you can get your foot in there, you can literally work anywhere because you learn SO much.

Other places to try are South Jersey Regional in Vineland, Underwood (SJR just bought them out), Kennedy, Lourdes, and Atlanticare if you're willing to go out towards AC. From what I've heard, the Philly market is as bad if not worse than South Jersey right now.

Best of luck to you!

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Specializes in Orthopedics/Med-Surg, LDRP.

The whole tri-state area is a hot mess for new grads despite their degrees. I have heard a lot of people who settled for nursing home jobs and doctors offices. I know with Virtua, the squeaky wheel gets the grease and their HR peeps are notoriously slow. Keep plugging!

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NJNursing and Alibee,

I want to show them that I'm interested, but the only thing I can think of is bugging the HR department. I don't want to come off overly aggressive, but I would like to know what is going on with my application. I know they don't like when you call, but I need some answers. How long is too long to wait to hear back for a position? I applied to some a few weeks ago and obviously haven't heard anything back. Should I just write those off? Thanks for all the great advice and help!

If the whole tri-state area is having this problem then maybe I should wait on applying for my PA license. If I can save some money, you bet I will haha.

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Specializes in Surgical/Stepdown, Home Care.

Yeah, don't give up. I worked as a tech at Cooper and I didn't get a call for an interview until 6 weeks after I'd applied for a position. Also, when I applied for the Nurse Extern position at Coop last year, it was around two months before I'd heard anything. The HR people are great, but it seems to take them a while to sift through the apps.

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Alibee,

Well I'll just keep waiting and hoping haha. I am safe to assume that you got an RN position at Cooper? If you don't mind me asking, what floor/area are you working on? I applied for a ton of the open positions on Pavilion 6, but I haven't been there in so long that I don't even know what type of floor that is haha. Sorry for so many questions. I obviously really want to work there so I'm trying to get a feel for the place.

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Specializes in Surgical/Stepdown, Home Care.

LOL no worries! Yeah, I'm there now as a med-surg RN. It's a great hospital to work for because you learn SO much with it being the only level 1 trauma center in south Jersey. And P6 is a very, VERY busy floor - they're post-operative/tele (a lot of bariatric and masectomy patients), as well as surgical step down (3:1 ratio I-SICU) in the back. That's a great floor for new grads to start out on, especially if you like surgical (plus the Pavillion building is beautiful). North 10 also hires new grads, and they're a medicine floor (with a medicine step-down unit) if you prefer that over surgical. ICU hires new grads as well, but only around the time of the critical care classes in July/December (so they just hired a bunch of new grads). Plus with it being a teaching hospital, they're great about helping you along every step of the way as you learn.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Alibee,

Do you have any advice about getting a call back from Cooper? I apply and never hear anything and eventually get the e-mail saying they hired someone else.

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You are not alone! I also graduated in May with my BSN. I am from Philly but went to school in NJ so the license is there. However, I've applied to about 60 different positions throughout philly AND NJ (north and south). At this point, I'm planning on just doing an internship that guarantee's a per diem postion after the 8 weeks. Meanwhile, I'll keep try - that is really the best that we can do. Wishing you lots of luck - I hope you find something soon!!

Also, I forgot to add that I'll be working at a nursing home until I get a hospital job. Sometimes you just gotta do whatcha gotta do and I'm definitlely one of those people. I swore up and down I'd never bite the bullet and work at a nursing home but the way that things are looking right now, I could care less where I'm working till the right job comes along.

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Alibee,

Thats exactly why I wanted to work there. I went to school in Illinois and had cliinicals at the only level 1 trauma in the area and I learned a tremendous amount. I'm not going to lie...I'm a bit jealous haha. That is my ideal position, Med-Surg RN at Cooper.

PhiladelphiaLove,

I just cant bring myself to give up on finding my first hospital job. I'll give it until the end up the year. If I don't have something 7 months after graduation then I will bite the bullet hahah. My school made it seem like getting a job would be so easy since we are nurses and they are in high demand and we have our BSNs. I think thats a load of crap hahah. Although I do feel like every person in my graduating class has gotten a job. Maybe I should've stayed in Illinois. Silly me for trying to save money by living at home.

Where are you thinking about doing the internship? At this point, experience is experience haha. Did you see the Graduate Nurse program that South Jersey Regional has? I know a girl who got it last year. She said they had a signing bonus. I'm assuming that's no longer in effect, but wishful thinking, right? hahah.

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Specializes in Surgical/Stepdown, Home Care.

As far as advice, the only thing that I can say is to keep trying and keep your name in front of the HR people. It appears that Cooper went internally before going externally judging by the number of techs who were promoted, so that's probably why you haven't heard anything. Apply for everything you see if it interests you, but I know that P6&P7, PCU (North & South 8), N10 and ICU/CCU are especially welcoming of new grads.

Re: South Jersey Regional, I made it to the second interview process there (cancelled prior to the panel interview because I got a job offer at Cooper) and I have a relative who currently works there. They pay well, are union, and have good benefits, but be prepared for definite staffing issues (my relative has had up to NINE patients). Though from what I've heard, that seems to be a prevailing theme among SJ hospitals lately; Kennedy also now apparently has mandatory 1:7 minimum ratios (not to mention no computer charting) and friends at Atlanticare & Lourdes are getting slammed with heavy patient loads. Virtua and Cooper are the only places that seem to refuse to go over ratios. Also, try Underwood; as I said before, SJR bought them out and I've seen e-mails for no experience required RN positions.

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To the original poster, would you mind posting the career fairs in September? I had the information for a big one in Philly and now I can't find it

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