New grads that got jobs

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Specializes in Critical Care/Trauma and a new PMHNP-BC.

Dear new grads,

First of all, congratulations for getting a job. It seems that very few of us in Northern CA got hired into hospital positions. Please help those who are still trying to get in.

Please post your job search experience: How long you’ve been out of school? Where did you get hired? Whether you did your preceptorship in that facility? Or if knew someone who was working there?

Please give us any tips you felt that helped you in finding that job or getting successfully through the interview. Also, suggestions about resume and cover letters will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much for taking the time :heartbeat

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

While I went to school in northern California, I have a home/husband in southern california and returned there after graduation. I had been applying for jobs for three months before graduation. And kept applying for another three months after graduation. I finally got two interviews. One in med/surg, which was rather informal and they seemed to hire on the spot. The other was ICU, which had a preliminary HR interview, where they ask the basic questions, strengths, weaknesses, what makes you an asset to our company.

The best advice I can give is to have an idea of what you have planned to say prior to the interview. If it is a weakness question, always turn it into a positive question. Well my weakness is that I am a new nurse, therefore have limited experience, however I believe that makes me very enthusiastic to learn all I can to be a better nurse. Something along those lines.

Be flexible, many of the interview sessions that were planned had times or dates changed, do not be annoyed or feel as though they aren't interested. They have a ton of applicants/meetings etc.

As far as resume, did you include all your clinical history in what departments at what hospitals? Even though that's not official "work experience" the fact that you had these experiences is always a plus!

Your cover letter should be specific to the hospital, for example, research each place you plan to apply to, if they have a large heart unit, mention that and your profound interest in the care of cardiac patients. Individualize it. Even if you don't care, you still need a job. Faking interest can land you the job. Until that someday where you have enough experience to get your dream job.

Network like crazy! I know one girl from my class who just happened to know someone who knew they were hiring in ER, and she was able to snag the job based on her previous LVN experience and ER tech experience.

I know the market up there is insane, and every spot has at least 100 applicants so I've heard. Any additional experiences you can get. Example, do you already have ACLS, PALS 12 lead EKG etc? New grads cost money, the less you cost them to train the more they are likely to hire you.

Furthermore, if you aren't absolutely "stuck" in the bay area. Consider other places. I know many hospitals won't hire workers from out of the area right now, but some do. Do your research and keep hunting!

Good luck!

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, Peds ICU.

Hey Nataly, there's a really good and really long thread about this here: https://allnurses.com/graduate-nurse-forum/calling-those-who-404711.html

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Specializes in SICU.

You might want to try attending an Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) meeting in your area. Many CNOs, nurse managers and recruiters belong to it. Two of my friends attended one in SoCal and were able to network and then get hired! Just a thought. I know how hard it is out there.

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Took me about 4.5 months. Started applying immediately after NCLEX. I live in the Bay Area and applied everywhere. I had 2 interviews. One in So Cal and one in Northern Cal.

From what i learned, you better be dam good at interviewing. Competition is fierce. Hospitals have all the leverage in the world and will nit pick everything if they chose to do so in selecting candidates for new grad programs. If you interview poorly and have all the education the world, you will get passed over. Imagine applying for a new grad program with 5-10 spaces when there are over 500 applications.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Look out of the area and go get your 1-2 yrs experience and the come back to your desired location/hospital. I stopped wasting my time with bay area hospitals after giving them 1 go around. Same with So cal hospitals. Look out of the area where there are less people like out of major cities or even rural areas. Don't dismiss rural hospitals because I seen some rural hospitals that can hold their ground in terms of equipment and facilities against major big city hospitals. The only thing is they are smaller. Who cares.

The longer you wait, the worst it looks on your part. Don't use up that 1 year of eligibility you have as a new grad. Be aggressive and look out of the area.

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