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.

[Depressed_RN]

What kind of employment did you have before you became a nurse? It is expected that you would work in your previous field as a survival job until a nursing position becomes available.

I work as a cashier barely making above minimum wage, I do not work full time, I live on my own and I'm a single mother. Does it not make sense to apply as a cleaner, laundry aide, Unit clerk or even kitchen staff? I think so....it's still more money then what I'm making now. How long do I hold on for a nursing job? I've held on for 8 months now.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

The HR and managers are NOT going to offer you a position as a unit clerk, cleaner, laundry or kitchen staff when you are already qualified as a RN, they have plenty of qualified applicants to chose from, they are not going to chose an over qualified applicant. By applying for those positions you are raising red flags about your desperation for a job and your competance as a nurse.

[Depressed_RN]

By applying for those positions you are raising red flags about your desperation for a job and your competance as a nurse.

I am desperate but can you blame me? people do what they have to for money. Its not ok for me to apply for a unit clerk position but its ok for me to have to stay as a cashier barely making ends meet? Think about it, I make $12/hr these non nursing positions make at least $15 plus I would be an internal applicant. It makes sense for me to try to get in anyway I can.

I have recently started applying for these non-nursing positions and I do not put that I am a nurse or even graduated from nursing.

I am a hard worker and I am desperate, I need to make more money than I am right now. I do not know how it raises red flags about my competence as a nurse, I have never had a problem with my competence as a student nurse. The problem is I cannot sit back and wait for a nursing job, I've tried actively looking for 8 months, my savings are next to nothing now and my bills keep piling up. I need anything I can get right now until I get a nursing position.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

You are omitting your nursing education and RN designation when applying to non-nursing jobs at a hospital? that is not a good idea, omission is considered lying. You are not alone in wanting to make money in order to pay bills, so do the other hundred applicants who apply for non-nursing hospital positions. The lucky ones who are hired, were usually recommended by someone who knows the hiring manager.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

OP you're not an internal applicant unless you were already working as a unit clerk or in the kitchen, as some people do while they're in school.

Your resume will likely be ignored simply because management knows that as soon as you find a nursing position, you'll quit the clerk job. That's a waste of their time and yours.

Instead of applying for those positions, consider retail. The customer service aspect will transfer to nursing. More importantly, if it were me, I would relocate to a small town or city where nurses are needed.

ETA: I noticed you are leaving nursing off your resume. This is lying by omission. Don't do it.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

Do you know any hospital HR staff or nursing managers? If so, you should speak to them about your job hunting strategies. I worked in hospitals before I was a nurse and since being a nurse I have been on interview panels and involved in recruitment, I am well aware of want happens to inapproipriate applications/resumes.

[Depressed_RN]

The lucky ones who are hired, were usually recommended by someone who knows the hiring manager.

To me that is not fair, I know it happens in all jobs but everyone should be on an equal playing field. Because I don't know anyone that knows a manager means I don't even stand a chance.

[Depressed_RN]

OP

Your resume will likely be ignored simply because management knows that as soon as you find a nursing position, you'll quit the clerk job. That's a waste of their time and yours.

Instead of applying for those positions, consider retail. The customer service aspect will transfer to nursing. More importantly, if it were me, I would relocate to a small town or city where nurses are needed.

ETA: I noticed you are leaving nursing off your resume. This is lying by omission. Don't do it.

why would retail not view it the same way? They can easily believe I will up and quit also.

I have asked health force ontario where the areas of nursing shortages are and I was not given an answer. I have applied all the way north to nunavut, east to ottawa and west to sioux and still no callback.

I understand leaving out nursing is lying by omission but I am left with no choice. I actually have a classmate that did it and he believes if he didn't he would still be looking for work also. It did work out for him and he is now a nurse in the facility. I also know a PSW that did the same thing in order to work in a long term care facility. To me its worth a shot.

[rjones416]

Human resources and nursing managers do not see it as a positive sign when qualified nurses apply for unit clerk, cleaner and laundry positions, this tactic will get your resume ignored.

Would they look down on you if you try to get a volunteer position at the hospital?

[dishes, BSN, RN]

Would they look down on you if you try to get a volunteer position at the hospital?

The decision to accept someone as a volunteer is at the discretion of the volunteer coordinator, some do not want to accept qualified nurses as volunteers, as they believe as soon as they find a nursing position, they will not honour their volunteer committment.

[echase]

Have you applied with The Government of Canada and are you willing to go to a First Nations (Indian) Reserve or Nursing Station in the Far North for 1-3 years? Many teachers, nurses, and other new grads who cannot find jobs will sign up for these gigs to get their first job experience. Beats not working. I had student loans and would have done that if I were desperate to support myself after grad.

[echase]

Sadly, you have to be willing to go where no one else will go. e.g remote communities in the North or Rural areas.

My one classmate went to Hay River NWT for her first job after grad. Another went to Haida Gwaii on Queen Charlotte Island, BC.