New grads can't get jobs afraid of becoming an old new grad.

Nurses General Nursing

Published

So I get my BSN and my RN liscense. I'ts been 5 months and about 50-75 job applications latter. And if this keeps up I'm going to be and OLD new grad with no experience who Is in the hole 30k in student loans. So what do I do now. I can't move locations due to family and financial restriction. Should I just get out of the nursing game and go for a teaching job for right now?

0 Votes
Specializes in Med/Surg and ANCC RN-BC.

Don't give up your dreams of becoming a nurse. It took me 5 months and hundreds of applications to get a job. It's hard with the hiring freeze right now. Have you thought about doing flu clinics? I know it's not ideal, but it's experience. Have you called the HR people at hospitals? What about LTC or home health?

0 Votes

Yeah I've tried LTC, home health, rehab, and of course all of the hospitals and clinics. I even tried a residency program that told me that i was going to be an OLD new grad so they couldn't take me into their program. Miami Fl. Is pretty tightly closed to new RN's. It feels suffocating. I feel like if I don't get a job soon I'll just be yesterdays news. I'm acctually thinking teaching might be a good job..... I feel like fruit that no one is buying even though i've proactive in getting my ACLS and PALS certifications Still no luck.

0 Votes

We are all hoping it gets better soon. I too am actively looking and I believ I have put in at least 100 applications with only 2 interviews. (1 of which was at a assisted living facility where I would be the only medical person there and that's not safe for a newly licensed nurse) The other did not go too well because of course NEW GRAD but not new enough. Hang in ther and don't give up!

0 Votes

Hang in there in hopes of what? I understand and thank you for your encouragment but this is impractical. I am considering getting my certification as a teacher and waiting this nonsense out, or just taking some MSN classes in the interum.

0 Votes
Specializes in ER.

I graduated in a tight job market back in the 90s and had to commute 3 hours round trip each day because I wanted an ICU position. The job market turned around in less than a year and my experience allowed me to get a job at the hospital where I originally wanted to work. Have you thought about commuting? I have to say that the traffic in Miami is the worst traffic I have ever encountered so commuting might not be a good option.

0 Votes

I hear your frustration. It's just not clear what's the best thing for someone in your position to do. It's not fair to you or any of the other new grads, nor to anyone else negatively affected by these tough economic times.

If your heart is really in nursing, you'll find a way to make it work, even if your path is less straightforward and very different than you'd planned. If your heart isn't really in nursing, then maybe going another direction is for the best anyway.

Where I am, due to educational budget cuts, many teachers were laid off recently; so it's a tough employment market for teachers as well. Maybe it's better where you are.

Best wishes whatever direction you go!

0 Votes
Specializes in Med Surg.

I didn't realize nursing degrees and teaching degrees were interchangeable...they are very different career paths.

0 Votes
Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care, Cardiac, EMS.
So I get my BSN and my RN liscense. I'ts been 5 months and about 50-75 job applications latter. And if this keeps up I'm going to be and OLD new grad with no experience who Is in the hole 30k in student loans. So what do I do now. I can't move locations due to family and financial restriction. Should I just get out of the nursing game and go for a teaching job for right now?

Kendall, Westside, Baptist, Coral Gables are all posting openings for RNs. 104 new postings for RN jobs in the last 30 days on one site.

Do what you want, but I tend to believe that an obstacle is there to discourage people who don't want to climb over it. IOW - if nursing is what you want to do, then you will find a way to do it. If it isn't, then you will give up on it. And you'll find a rationale for whichever decision you make.

Good luck to you.

0 Votes
Specializes in MedSurge/Tele/Observation.

Don't loose hope, back in 05 I got my CNA license and 5 months later landed a job, and this was when the economy was nice. I think the big issue here was that I got my license in the middle of the year, and most hospitals and other companies don't do hiring then unless they realy need someone due to the budget. The new budget year (usually starts at the beginning of the new year) opens up more jobs, that's is when I started getting job offers. Give it a bit more time :-)

0 Votes
Specializes in critical care, PACU.
I graduated in a tight job market back in the 90s and had to commute 3 hours round trip each day because I wanted an ICU position. The job market turned around in less than a year and my experience allowed me to get a job at the hospital where I originally wanted to work. Have you thought about commuting? I have to say that the traffic in Miami is the worst traffic I have ever encountered so commuting might not be a good option.

I have done exactly that, commuting 3hrs RT to have my dream job

0 Votes
I didn't realize nursing degrees and teaching degrees were interchangeable...they are very different career paths.

Yeah, I could since I have a BSN with a minor in chemistry. But for sure teaching would be just as much as an uphill climb, But atleast they don't tell you opps sorry a bunch of retired teachers flooded the market and we only take teachers with 2 years of experience. Now that's the BS I hate. What did I just spend 30K training to do? Get 0% experience which will expire in 1 year anyway.

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment