New Grad RN CAN'T FIND WORK!! What should I do?

[Aubrey88RN]

Hello,

I graduated with my BSN in May of 2010 and passed my boards in September. I have applied to OVER 30 positions without being picky at all. I've applied to hospitals up to an hour away from where I live, all departments, all shifts, part-time etc... I looked into nursing homes and prison positions as well and there just aren't any opportunities out there. Anything I apply for requires experience as you all know, what an awful catch-22!!

While I wait patiently and keep on applying do you have any recommendations as to what I should be occupying myself with? I need some sort of income because my loans are going to start billing me. What should I do? I'm contemplating applying for holiday temp retail work because i just CANNOT find anything health related... but is this something I should do? Will it effect how future hospitals reviewing my apps will view me?

HELP! I need something to do while I wait for an RN job to hopefully turn up. Thoughts? Ideas? Opinions? HELP!

[amazed107]

Seriously. Everyone is asking me why it is so hard for me to find a job when there is a nursing shortage.

[Ms.Motivatednurse]

I was in the same situation. I graduated May 2009 and had passed boards in July 2009. I could not find a job to save my life.....until March of 2010 (sad but true). During that DOWN time I thought what was I going to do for income. I bust my tail off working as a home health CNA. Finally in March I got a position a LTC (worked there for 3 months while still applying to others). Finally a turn around I got a reply from the fed prison saying hey wanted to hire me in July. Than all the other jobs I had applied to started to respond. My advice to you is to do what you have to do in order to pay your bills. Good things come to those who wait!!!! Long term you wil end up somewhere better than you expected.

[NMendez,RN]

I completely understand where your coming from and it is very frustrating. I graduated in April of this year with a BSN and got my license in July. I have lost count of how many applications i have filled out. It's been 5 months and not even one call back for an interview. I am looking at the volunteering at a clinic or a hospital to gain some experience. Does anyone know where I can volunteer as a nurse in miami-dade or broward county fl ?? I just want to gain some type of experience. I didn't think it was going to be this hard to find a job.

[kevano51]

I was wondering which college u went to pls? Im wondering if the HR dept is looking at the school that u attended?

[NMendez,RN]

Florida International University. I don't think the school has to do with anything. Today its all about who you know.

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

It's not hard to find volunteering positions. Go to the hospital website and there will usually be a link for volunteering. I have been volunteering at a hospital for the past 2 years. But it has not helped me get a job (yet).

[kevano51]

Ok, because I was thinking of getting my BSN from Inter American University of Puerto Rico and was wondering if this would harm me when it came time to find a job? One piece of advice I got from a lady who works at a hospital here in Tampa was to go to a more conventional school like University of Florida, etc. but I figure a BSN is usually more schooling than an RN so therefore it should open up a few more doors?

[Guest27531]

Just make sure you will be eligible to sit for the NCLEX!

[kevano51]

yes, this is the oldest nursing school in PR and we sit for the NCLEX, they are accredited by one of the main nursing accrediting bodies, i just worry about someone in Human Resources that does the hiring, as of late, ive been going to job interviews and not getting the job, i attribute this to the competition, I intervied for one job and there were literally 55 people there that day for one job! So, u dont think HR looks at the school u went to, they just want licensed nurses?!

thanks in advance,

Kevin

[Chicago, BSN, RN]

I didn't read all the responses so I am not sure if this was addressed or not. But I am in the same boat, and as of yet, I am not working. So I contacted my student loan provider and filled out a hardship forms. They were able to extend my repayment schedule to 9mos. Try giving them a call. Nothing is more overwhelming and stressful than the idea of not finding a job PLUS impending debt.

[mitchymo]

Not to sound condescending but (to all of you who are having trouble finding work) what kind of a GPA do you have?

[Bobbkat]

Ouch, that is pretty harsh.

I had a 3.5, BSN, prior bachelor's degree in education and still took 7 months and hundreds of aps to find a job. And I feel like I am one of the lucky ones in my area, to tell the truth.