New grad rn :( I wanna cry

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I was wondering if anyone will be able to help me...

I am a new grad ADN RN in nyc. I am currently enrolled to get my BSN and will be done by Feb 2013. I have yet to find a nursing job, I have been working as a medical office secretary/ rn in a private office. I am more a secretary than a nurse due to the fact that the Dr. I work for does not "need" a nurse and would prefer to keep me on a secretary's salary and use my nursing skills according to his convenient. I am getting paid 12 dollars an hour. Besides all of this my boss is verbally abusive, and expects me to work crazy hours just because he asks.

I am a good employee and do as I am instructed just in order to keep my job, because as my boss puts it, he does not need a nurse and is creating a job for me. He tells everyone he can that I am on trial ( been working there almost 6 months) and that he will decide if he wants to keep me ( I previously worked there as a secretary when I was in nursing school, but the conditions were different, the Dr. was less involved with the staff, he had an office manager running the office).

So besides for all of this, I spend all of my free time, networking and trying to find a hospital or nursing home job. Every time I actually get a response from someone, its along the lines of " not hiring new grads" or " looking for a candidate with experience".

I was fortunate enough to use a family friend as a connection to get an interview in a major city hospital, to get an interview with a nurse manager for a position. I had a great interview with her, she asked me to come in the next day and to meet with the staff for a panel interview, I did. That's where I messed up, I was too nervous and messed up silly things.... Either way, I did not get the job.

Besides this, no one has ever responded to any of my inquires. I am at a loss of what to do, I NEED a job, and really can not quit my current one until I find something else. I have literally never been so depressed in my life. I worked so hard in school, only to be working as a secretary for 12 dollars an hour.... I knew the market was hard, but I didnt think it was this bad in NYC.

Due to responsibilities I have, I can not move to another state, but I am willing to drive around ny in order to find work. I have yet to find anything .....I have ACLS, BLS, Smoking cessation certificate, received a scholarship in college, and graduated from a good nursing school. I am just wondering if anyone has any advice for me, of what to do ... where to go.... I am just so upset and down that I have no energy to do anything .

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Hi, Don't panic yet! I am a new grad RN as well Dec 2011. I applied to numerous that's an under estimate lots of jobs, and am having such a hard time as well. I have landed a ton of interviews a ton meaning more than other new grads from our class, 8 total since Jan. However, I have not yet gotten an offer. However, I started taking a different approach. I started applying to only positions that I would really like to have. I ended up getting 3 interviews, 2 last week, 1 this upcoming week. Of course I will be disappointed if I don't hear anything, but at least its an interview someone interested. I started writing my cover letter directly concerning the position, instead of just highlighting my hard work through nursing school etc. Then on my last interview which was a second part interview I felt like ya I really do want this job so I was more excited unlike the interviews I had in LTC. I emailed a thank you and also mailed a shorter version thank you card in the mail. I am hoping to get an offer next week but who knows. Then I have an interview next week for another position that I would also really like both are peds jobs and am hoping I am turning the chapter of this nonstop applying and rejection letters in my email box that are super upsetting. I noticed that there are ads posted for long term care if you wanted to do that to apply in person, so I would walk in wearing a super nice outfit and have all of your materials with you resume, letters of recommendation, cover letter, list of references. But I want you to know there is a ton of us out there struggling as new graduate RNs getting jobs, so it doesn't mean your a loser, or your dreams wont come true. Just hang in there a bit longer. Apply writing those specific cover letters, see if there are any job fairs coming up, and apply on different kinds of sites instead of the generic monster.com. There should be a site for non profit new york city jobs, check out the redcross, and even craigslist. I wish you the best of luck, and am crossing my fingers that I land a job by next Friday. Otherwise I will need a pep talk on Friday!!! Before I start applying again.

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Wow! I am so happy to hear that you got interviews !!! I wish you lots of luck and I hope that you get the position you really want!! I have been a new grad since LAST may, so I am almost a whole year out of nursing school. I have tried to do as you say with the cover letter specific to the position, and have yet to have any luck with it. Another downfall is that I live in NYC, here there are soooo many RNs its crazy .... every other person is a nurse or is related to one. I just feel like I am losing the passion and love I had for the job because I havent worked in it for so long.... I havent been in a hospital in over a year because the clinical portion of my school ended last april. I am just so afraid that as soon as the next class of new grads rn graduate, I will have a much harder time finding a job. I wish there was some repreive to all of this, but I just dont see one.... Do you have any prior experience in nursing? because I do not ... So I have nothing special to note on my resume... I keep thinking of getting additional certifications, but I dont think itll help because I have friends who took EKG courses and IV certifications and are still just as unemployed as I am. wow.. I really never thought I would be in this position a full year after graduating

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Don't feel bad op. I graduated last year in May as well and I had a job for about 6 months and then got laid off...Been looking for a job since. The market is really hard and we just have to look to the future and know something will come along. Good luck and take care.

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I don't have any nursing experience as a RN LPN or aid. I did volunteer but it was many many years ago and only for a short time period, I still added it to my resume though. I really can understand your situation, I am also so nervous about new graduates! I gave up applying to hospitals and started applying to non hospital pediatric jobs office school nurse. I swear if I don't get an offer by next Friday I will also be so hurt. I have my bad days with the good in terms of applying thinking hopeful. The lady interviewing me on this upcoming wednesday asked if it was hard for nurses to get hired or something, it was out of no where and so I just stated from a new graduates stand point it has been difficult, there are positions in long term care but I am really focusing on pediatric position. She asked if I had other interviews I just said yes I did for other peds offices and school nurse this past week. I didn't want to give away too much info but I wanted to be honest and sound important :) I never thought I would be in this predicament either. I am actually right now in chicago near my parents house and my permanent address is CO, but I could only find a nursing home position in colorado and I really am passionate to work with kids and would not be happy living away from my family in Chicago and then on top of it landing a job in LTC. So I decided to come to Chicago my husband is in CO and I have a 23 month old boy. And I decided to just stay a few weeks here hoping to land a peds job. In the meantime my husband has been job searching he is an engineer for a postion in IL and I am hoping we both land a position next week. I am so hopeful but it scares me because every job that interest me I get turned down just because I am a new graduate RN with no experience. Its super sad! I will keep you posted if I get an offer. The school nurse position I know the hiring manager is out of town until Monday so I won't hear anything until then. I also know if she wants me she will hire me soon bc she wants someone to start at the end of may. I am also hoping that this part time peds job at the office will offer me a position. That interview is wednesday and I am going to bring questions with me printed out, my reference lists, letters of recommendation, etc. I just really need an offer its getting very discouraging and embarasing bc you always hear how nurses are in demand yet its like impossible to find a job. Hang in there!

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You are lucky you are trying to relocate. We have no place to go besides NYC. Relocation is out of the question. I wish there were private offices hiring here, most, if not all the private offices here (including the office I work in) hire MAs or CNAs that get paid half a nurses salary and do as much as a nurse would do. For me its not only about applying to hospitals, its getting a job anywhere, I just love working with pts so I wouldn't care where I worked, as long as it was a job in the field... I have faxed dozens of resumes to all the nursing homes in the area with no response .... :confused: I just wish there would be a light at the end of this dark tunnel... Lindsey.. I am so sorry to hear you got laid off... I am so afraid to lose my job that I literally do anything my boss says, my coworkers and superiors all think he is purposely taking advantage of me because he knows I need some sort of income, which just makes the whole thing worse.......... I hope we all three will have some good news this week....................... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Addictions, Adult Psych.

just keep on trucking! i know it sucks right now, i am currently a student so not quite in your shoes... but also in a terrible job where i feel trapped for other reasons. just know that you are doing all the right things and are on your way to a better tomorrow! put up with your awful boss as long as you can, but keep applying and interviewing for as long as it takes to break free! try to stay positive and think that there's a reason for everything. you will find a job eventually just try to keep positive... after I have a terrible day at work (which is 80% of the time) I always come to allnurses for support and it helps me feel better and less alone. good luck, you got this just don't give up!!

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I would call back after you fax your resume, you can google the fax number and that will lead you to the phone number of the office. I would then ask for the hiring manager for nursing. And state you are very excited about the opening and you recently faxed over your information. I always fax more than my resume...the doctor office interview I faxed over my resume cover letter and a letter of recommendation.

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Student nurse: THANKS SO MUCH!!! its nice to know I am not the only one out there with the boss from hell!!! The funniest thing about my boss is that, outside of work he is a different person, he is a compassionate great doctor... I know him for many years and know that he is just like this to his employees. That doesnt change the situation at my office... but I feel like I should just say that because I make him seem like a horrible evil person, he isnt, he is just a perfectionist who wants certain things and wont budge until he gets it.. One thing I can say is that over the past two days I noticed he is trying to teach me some things pertaining to nursing. As I stated before it seems that he wants me to eventually work for him as a nurse, but not for the price he should pay me for. I hope you do really well in school, and find a job you can look forward to going to really soon. I would never wish my situation on anyone ... not even my worst enemy because its just plain torture....

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Beu- thanks for the tips, I am going to give it a shot tomorrow.. I am hoping to find anything, because anything is better than what I am going through now..

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Get a Connecticut license and get on the train! Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport all good possibilities.

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How long is the train ride to greenwich ??? Definitely a good idea for one year of experience ....

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