new grad RN moving to Bay Area

smile123 · Sep 18, 2007

Hi. I live in San Diego and just graduated from an ADN program. I did a 6 month externship at UCSD in med surg before graduation. From everything that I have read on this forum, it seems really difficult to get a job as a new grad in the bay area. This makes me really nervous, I always thought it would be easy to get a job as an RN. Does anyone have any advice on what hospitals have new grad programs? Any info for a new grad would be much appreciated. Thank you!!!

There are several threads on this topic already. There are new grad programs in the San Francisco Bay Area, but they only offer them 2 or 3 times a year (typically in Oct, Feb and July). You need to interview early to get in (the October classes are probably full). Also, you need to be assertive because lots of new grads want to work here. Here are some questions that will help the group help you:

1) When will you take the NCLEX? You stand a better chance of getting a job if you have already passed your NCLEX. But there are others that have interim permits that also have gotten job offers in the new grad programs.

2) What are you interested in? Med Surg? Oncology? Cardiac? ICU? ER? Adults? Peds?

3) Do you want to work in a hospital? If so, do you want a teaching hospital or a community hospital? Hospitals generally pay higher than clinics, home health or nursing homes.

4) Where exactly do you want to work? In San Francisco? In the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, etc.)? On the Peninsula (Sequoia, Stanford)? In the South Bay (Regional Medical, Good Sam, O'Connor, etc.)? I would advise you to do look at a map and see where cities are in the area. There are lot of hospitals, but if you don't want to commute a hour or more one way, you need to figure out where you want to live. Also, the cost of living is very high, so you need to figure that in too.

Good luck!

ManyRN2B · Sep 24, 2007

I agree! It is hard to find jobs for new grads here in the Bay Area. I just moved here from Maryland and I have 2 yrs experience and it was difficult for me to find a job. I wanted to switch specialities and I think that made it more difficult. But I did interview with a hospital that told me that they can be really picky on who they hire for their new grad residency program. She told me for this past July class, they have over 500 applicants, mostly out of state, they selected the best 100 and then narrowed it down to the best 14 students and that was it!!!!!!!! She said in past years, they were hiring 65 per class but this past year they didn't need as many because more nurses are staying on board after training. So apply really early! I'm talking 4 mos in advance. I had to apply for as many jobs as I could at that point and then I began getting calls back like crazy. I think it was bad timing for me but if you want a new grad program or anyone out there looking to change specialities and move to this area, you need to apply very early!!!!!!!

Good luck!!