New Grad in Toronto Cannot find job

[Depressed_RN]

Hello All,

I am a new grad RN that cannot find a job. I graduated in April and passed the NCLEX shortly after. I applied to the Nursing guarantee initiative and unfortunately did not find a job, now I am stuck feeling so depressed. I have applied ALL OVER Ontario, also Nunavut, I have sent so far OVER 240 resumes with only one response. I went to the interview, stayed over night since it was 8 hours away from where I lived and bombed it because I was so nervous, not only that I was not prepared for medication type of questions (

I have had my resume looked over by TWO employment agency services. I change my cover letter for each job postings.

I have contacted the RNAO for help but they are useless, I have emailed the lady that reviews resumes 3 times and I doubt she even read my email since she has not even responded.

I have contacted health force ontario which claims to be committed to supporting nurses and they are also useless, I was told just to keep applying for jobs from the HFO and RNAO sites.

I have applied for a job in the U.S and they called me within a week. However, I was not aware of the LONG and EXPENSIVE process to become licensed in the U.S. So as of right now I want to focus on getting a job here in Ontario. Of course if I am still out of luck I will have no choice but to apply to the U.S.

I have become very depressed and I cry all the time, I am so frustrated that most jobs require at least 1 year experience, I am also frustrated when I see nurses complain about their shifts when theres nurses that cannot find work that would die for that chance.

As bad as it sounds I would work for less, I love nursing I would take a big pay cut just for the opportunity to work as a nurse, unfortunately with unions I know that is not possible but if it was I would do it.

I need help, places that would give a new grad a chance.

I'm a single mother, I'm so desperate right now.

[loriangel14, RN]

Usually those northern stations want nurses with experience because you have to be able to function without a lot of support. Not a great place for new grads.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

The op has had her resume assessed and it was ok, it is more likely that the saturated job market and hospital budget shortfalls are the reasons that GTA new grads are unemployed or underemployed.

[Depressed_RN]

I hope so too! If you are taking the Humber course and you plan to stay in the GTA until the course is completed, consider volunteering with St Johns Ambulance, it's one of the few volunteer experiences that allows you to use your assessment skills. Also, it would be possible to honour the volunteer committment while working as a nurse.

That sounds great! I actually looked at the site and right now for the Toronto area they only have volunteer opportunities for Dog therapy (I do not own a dog).

I got an email for a travel clinic working 3 hours a week, its better than nothing so I will take it if they offer me the position.

[Depressed_RN]

Yeah, it's especially weird when so many of these places are short of nurses, and hire agency nurses to fill the gaps. Northern hospitals are actually a great place to get some experience, they're a good mix of routine, predictable work, and totally unexpected challenging stuff (but not usually more than you can deal with). I worked at James Bay General (25 years ago now) and they hired new grads, you might try them as well, they're in the communities north of Moosonee. They're not the sort of place that would be attractive to most experienced nurses, most nurses with experience would be looking to make the bigger bucks if working up north, which means working in health centres / nursing stations, so I don't see how they could avoid hiring new grads even if they wanted to.

The isolated and semi-isolated northern hospitals used to all hire new grads, and if they don't any more, then they're nuts, as they need them. It's better to have a new grad who will stay a while than have a constant revolving door of agency nurses.

I'm curious, I wonder if there is something in your cover letter or resume that is making employers reject you, because you sounds very eager to work, and you're very articulate, which also helps in getting jobs. Are you mentioning being a single mother anywhere in what you are sending them? Is there anything else in your letter or resume that might be giving them info that might not be working in your favour?

I am very eager to work...I am willing to take just about anything.

I was told that my resume is fine, maybe it is my cover letter that stinks. I was talking to a coworker that told me her sister graduated way after me and got a job at Trillium, my heart sank. I have applied to over 40 positions at that hospital and all I got were emails saying "We regret to inform you that we will not be pursuing your candidacy" ...She does not have an idea what Health Force Ontario is so she is not sure she got it that way.

Is James Bay hospital the same as Weeneebayko Area Health Authority? I just tried googling James Bay and Weeneebayko pops up. If it is, I have applied to THREE positions there, I believe I applied to those positions in November and they are still posted!! I know that I do not have half of the requirements but I will call HR and ask if there is a small chance they would give me a try.

[Depressed_RN]

Usually those northern stations want nurses with experience because you have to be able to function without a lot of support. Not a great place for new grads.

I understand that, but I read on an article that more than a quarter of the nursing positions go unfilled in Nunavut. I would still think a new grad would be better than no nurse.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

There are many experienced nurses who have been laid off in the last few years, and experienced nurses looking for more than casual hours.

Then there are many families suffering because of the oil crisis, which means that nurses are working longer or returning to work.

Unfortunately, new grads are competing with experience and employers can be selective. That's the reality, despite what you've read.

[Depressed_RN]

There are many experienced nurses who have been laid off in the last few years, and experienced nurses looking for more than casual hours.

Then there are many families suffering because of the oil crisis, which means that nurses are working longer or returning to work.

Unfortunately, new grads are competing with experience and employers can be selective. That's the reality, despite what you've read.

That is true for much of Southern Ontario but the Far North? They claim that they are having difficulty recruiting nurses to Nunavut.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Given the current economic conditions, it's hard to say. The economies of AB and Sask are terrible, so people who wouldn't have considered traveling will in order to pay the bills.

Also, it's easier to work short sometimes than spend the time and money training. The budget is another key factor. Posted positions will often go unfilled.

The messages are very confusing, but it all amounts to money.

[hellohobbit]

Hey, RNAO just tweeted this yesterday. Maybe it's time to tell them your stories!

"Are you a new grad? Did you find a job straight away? Are you still struggling? We want to hear from you. Email [email protected]"

[Technicalglitch]

Usually those northern stations want nurses with experience because you have to be able to function without a lot of support. Not a great place for new grads.

You need experience for the nursing stations / health centres, but not the hospitals (unless now they are demanding it there too). It's the hospitals that I'm recommending and that she has been applying to.

[Technicalglitch]

Is James Bay hospital the same as Weeneebayko Area Health Authority? I just tried googling James Bay and Weeneebayko pops up. If it is, I have applied to THREE positions there <...>

Yes, I just checked and it's the same. I just pulled up the job postings and it says they are looking for EIGHT nurses for Fort Albany - I think we only had 10 for full staffing when I worked there 25 years ago! They do foolishly list 2 years experience - they are nuts these days.

They'll work without staff, or a revolving door of temporaries, rather than ease in a new grad every couple of months (which they could easily do). When I worked there we were around half new grads, and the place functioned fine. There is a ward and a clinic, and the new grads can easily handle the ward, especially since the more experienced nurses can (and do) take call for emergencies, and can come in to help.

In Nunavut, in the communities, I would guess that only around 1/4 of the jobs have full-time indeterminates in them, the rest are filled with casuals and agency nurses. That's the nursing stations, but I know that the Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay centres (which are more like little hospitals) are also usually short-staffed, and if they are not open to new grads, they should be. Not that every nurse could be a new grad, no, but they could be eased in.

They're pickier than when I started about who they hire, which in theory is good, but in practice, you do need to hire someone! These days they'll just not hire anyone if they can't get their ideal candidates, it seems, and the whole system is starting to fall apart (in Nunavut, anyway.)

[Depressed_RN]

I just applied to the casual nursing positions posted on the Department of Health in Nunavut instead of the "Nunavut Nursing" job postings which requires 1-2 years experience. I will see how this goes.