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.
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.
Is that not a gamble with ANY volunteer??? I would think so, and because anyone finds a position does not automatically mean they will not continue with their commitment. Are they that clueless to think because you are a nurse or any other professional you do not genuinely want to help others? Some people also volunteer to build skills, network and advance their career but so what? We do what we have to in order to try to get ahead.
Maybe the REAL problem are those negative individuals that are in hiring positions. They seem to seriously lack understanding and have a very bias mindset if that is the case.
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.
I have read a couple jobs on the reserves but the ones that I've read requires a driver's license to be able to go to the different communities. I am planning on getting my G1 this week but I have at least 8 months after that before I can get my G2.
OP, you may not like the responses, but you've come here asking for advice from working nurses. We aren't trying to lead you astray.
Retail managers may also feel you might up and leave, but there are always positions that need to be filled in retail. However, if you are applying for random positions in the hospital, they KNOW for certain you will be gone once the nursing job comes along. With retail, you could conceivably work both for a while. I know people who have done just that.
Applying to Health Canada is a good idea. They are often looking for nurses who are willing to work remote communities.
OP, you may not like the responses, but you've come here asking for advice from working nurses. We aren't trying to lead you astray.
Retail managers may also feel you might up and leave, but there are always positions that need to be filled in retail. However, if you are applying for random positions in the hospital, they KNOW for certain you will be gone once the nursing job comes along. With retail, you could conceivably work both for a while. I know people who have done just that.
Applying to Health Canada is a good idea. They are often looking for nurses who are willing to work remote communities.
I understand that however, once SOME people get to a certain position they seem to forget what its like to be at the bottom. I honestly feel most individuals on here do not know what its like to be at or below the poverty line so I believe most will never understand where I am coming from. I am not asking for sympathy however I feel like I'm being painted as the worst possible person in life because I need to do what I have to for money. Yes everyone has the right to their opinion and not everyone will agree with what I choose to do and I'm ok with that. But I am a VERY understanding person and I try to put myself in others shoes. Just think would you rather work 12/hr part time as a cashier or in retail or would you try to work making more money in say a hospital where I understand cleaners make close to 25/hr?
I could balance both jobs also. Most jobs for nurses are part time or casual anyway.
Is that not a gamble with ANY volunteer??? I would think so, and because anyone finds a position does not automatically mean they will not continue with their commitment. Are they that clueless to think because you are a nurse or any other professional you do not genuinely want to help others? Some people also volunteer to build skills, network and advance their career but so what? We do what we have to in order to try to get ahead.
Maybe the REAL problem are those negative individuals that are in hiring positions. They seem to seriously lack understanding and have a very bias mindset if that is the case.
Volunteer coordinators have the right to be selective, it costs hospitals money to have volunteers initially, someone has to do interviews, verify health screens, reference checks and provide orientation and training.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
1). Health Force Ontario "If you're a nurse who is looking for a dynamic and rewarding career, then Ontario is the place for you. As nurses are in demand in the province, you'll find great flexibility in terms of career path and many career opportunities available to you. Additionally, the Ontario government recognizes the importance of your role and is committed to supporting you."
Health Force Ontario is a government agency that was developed in the mid-2000s when there actually was a shortage of nurses. It is not an employer of nurses. This shortage was fairly rapidly eliminated by the importation of hundreds of IENs. But nobody told the government.
2) RNAO "Nurses are needed more than ever in Ontario. The biggest population cohort, baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964), is aging. Their health care needs in the home and the community are rapidly expanding. Plus there is greater value being placed on illness prevention in society. Currently, the province's ratio of 72 nurses to every 100,000 people lags behind the nation's average (83 to every 100,000).The good news is that a career in nursing in this diverse, exciting province has never looked brighter."
RNAO is an association for nurses but doesn't employ nurses except in very minuscule numbers. Their role is the protection of the Registered Nurse title, protection of the public and offering practice resources to RNs on the job. Like any regulatory or associative organization, they have no direct experience of the nursing workforce and no knowledge of the realities of day-to-day nursing. They tend to live in a bit of a bubble; they have wonderful ideas for raising the profile of the RN, for seeing that RNs work to their full scope of practice but don't see that RNs are basically treading water. So I wouldn't put any faith in anything either of these groups say. Here in Alberta, our College's monthly magazine always includes full-page ads for nursing jobs with Alberta Health Services, jobs which don't exist. So you should take everything they say with a large grain of salt.
You would be surprised OP how many of us have been exactly where you are. Eventually you will find nursing employment, but you are one of thousands looking for work.
I do not forget what it is like to live in poverty, nor do I forget what it is like to apply for nursing jobs when it is a surplus market. My information that I shared is from an insiders view on hiring process in Toronto hospitals, you are free to ignore it and proceed with applying to non-nursing positions,
It's not that the people at the top forget what it was like starting out its just that there are dozens of applicants for each job. They can't hire everyone. BCH is Brampton Civic Hospital and RVH is Royal Victoria in Barrie.
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Depressed_RN
74 Posts
Is that not a gamble with ANY volunteer??? I would think so, and because anyone finds a position does not automatically mean they will not continue with their commitment. Are they that clueless to think because you are a nurse or any other professional you do not genuinely want to help others? Some people also volunteer to build skills, network and advance their career but so what? We do what we have to in order to try to get ahead.
Maybe the REAL problem are those negative individuals that are in hiring positions. They seem to seriously lack understanding and have a very bias mindset if that is the case.