New RN, can't find job/RN Residency, help please....

[purple nurple]

Okay, first: Apologies for the length of this post.

I'll start with some background and then get into the issues:

I'm a male RN. I received my BSN at an out-of-state university in May 2010. I then moved back home to Houston, TX and received my RN license in December of 2010. While in school, I was on the Dean's List twice, the President's Honor Roll once, and a received an additional award at graduation for clinical excellence. I graduated with a 3.67 nursing GPA. I'm also 35 with a 10+ year work history, including 4 years as a counselor at an inpatient psych hospital.

Now....Not only am I having a difficult time finding a job, I'm having a difficult time getting anyone to even look at my application / resume. I keep checking my application status at websites for the various RN Residencies to which I've applied, only to find my application closed or cancelled without so much as an email or a phone call. I have had exactly two interviews, one for ER (waiting to hear back for this one) and one for med/surg (I was turned down for this one, which I'll get to in a moment)....but there are a zillion hospitals here....I would think that I would warrant at least a little more interest from prospective employers based on my academic performance and my work history.

I understand that because I went out-of-state I lack the contact network that others might possess, but considering that the largest medical center in the world is here in Houston, and considering that, on paper, I look excellent....why in the WORLD can't I even get a phone call?? I'd understand a little more if I'd barely scraped by in nursing school, but that's not the case.

What I want is to be in ER or ICU, but I don't have an "all or nothing" attitude about this. But I do want my CCRN and/or ECN, and I'd eventually like to become a RN Practitioner. Those are my goals. Older RNs have told me to "start in med/surg," and I'd be fine with that, but I was turned down at the one interview I had for med/surg because I told the interviewer those exact goals, which means that she knew I didn't want to stay in med/surg forever....and this is AFTER I said I was more than willing to commit to a year or more on her floor. I mean, I guess I could have lied to her and said that I wanted to work med/surg for the rest of my life, but I'd hate to do something like that to her (or anyone else, for that matter). I guess I now know better for future interviews, but I still bristle at the potential of having to lie to someone. Maybe that's an old-school train of thought; I don't know.

It seems that these RN Residencies have changed the game plan as I can't just "start in med/surg" as older RNs have told me to do. So, while they're hiring (experienced) RNs left and right, I can't get hired because I don't have any experience, and in order to get experience, I have to be accepted into an RN Residency program, and these are so competitive that I can't seem to get anyone to even look at me. I've called HR time and time again. I've looked up and called RN Managers, only to be redirected back to HR or not have my calls/emails returned. I've talked to anyone and everyone I can think of, and still: nothing. Well, not besides the two interviews out of the many jobs for which I've applied.

So....what am I doing wrong? Where else should I be looking? Schools, community nursing, etc? I'm starting to get desperate....

ANY thoughts, perspective, words of wisdom, encouragement, etc. would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[R*Star*RN, BSN, RN]

Actually in response to the poster above, the area I live in does have a large military presence now that I think of it.

When I decided to move out of state for a residency the process had several steps. First I was in email contact with the recruiter and then I had a phone interview. I was offered the opportunity to either fly out for a second interview or have a conference call, but chose to fly out so I could be certain I'd like the hospital and the area it was in. Finally, I managed to convince them to pay me for relocation. It was about 3 thousand dollars, which honestly isn't that much, but it makes a huge difference if you have no income.

Most hospitals will pay for relocation, usually dependent on how far away you live. In my facility you need to live more than 200 miles away for assistance.

Keep us updated on your job search!

[CFitzRN, ADN]

I agree with the above - please keep us posted! I really would like to hear how it plays out for you, and I wish you the absolute best in your search. I know you'll be a great nurse.

I have a 13-year-old son who is interested in going into nursing, despite a healthy fear of being seen as "girlie". I think he has a calling. I remind him on a regular basis that nursing is no longer a woman's domain only, like it used to be, and that there are many great male nurses out there. So I have a bit of a selfish interest in how it works out for you. :)

[purple nurple]

........

Good, sound, practical advice. Thank you.

I have a 13-year-old son who is interested in going into nursing, despite a healthy fear of being seen as "girlie". I think he has a calling. I remind him on a regular basis that nursing is no longer a woman's domain only, like it used to be, and that there are many great male nurses out there. So I have a bit of a selfish interest in how it works out for you. :)

Tell your son this, from one guy to another: There were some "selfish" reasons I had that made nursing personally appealing:

• Despite my frustration at the moment, as soon as I get 1-2 years experience, I can quite literally go anywhere and do anything, from a hospital setting to a community setting to a home setting, from Texas to California to Hawaii to New York and everywhere in between, from med/surge to ER, RN to RNP to CRNA to RN Flight Paramedic, which has to be one of the "manliest" jobs I've ever heard of, in or out of the nursing world. Those guys are like Special Forces medic teams. In fact, Special Forces medics are the most comparable thing I can think of to RN Flight Paramedics. I've known a few in both fields....and they literally do everything.
  

• I'm a night owl, and as a result I can work nights. Or 3-11 should I happen to find a 3-11 shift, such as in a psych hospital. While working there, I went to sleep around 4am, slept until noon, took care of whatever I needed or wanted to take care of before work, and happily rolled in at 3pm. And they paid me more money with my differential.
  

• Once you get past that very first hurdle, you'll always have a steady, stable, well-paying job that you can work as much or as little as you like.
  

• My hair is long, and I can keep it that way. I made a point to ask every professor and hiring manager I ever came across their opinion as to the length of my hair, which comes to my mid-upper back, and they all said the same thing: "As long as it's neat, it won't matter." And none of these folks were California-cool, hippie types: they were all a conservative crowd. It may be a small thing, but I like my hair.
  

• Finally, it's a field that is 96-97% female. In other words, the odds are....rather nice, lol.
  

One final question for those of you who had to wait to find a job: were you at all anxious about your skills and knowledge base deteriorating while you waited? Any particular suggestions as to what to do about this and what to tell potential employers you've done to stay sharp? I've basically just been reviewing my Kaplan book and using YouTube to stay up on various pharm and physio concepts, skills demos, etc.

Thanks to all of you. I'll start looking outside of Houston (and Austin, where I've run into the same issues, just on a much smaller scale). I've bookmarked this thread, so I'll definitely keep y'all posted.

[CFitzRN, ADN]

I just read your post to my son and he had a huge smile on his face. He too has longish hair and has for awhile now. He is a snowboarder and very much enjoys the snowboarder mentality (do what you like so long as its moral, wear your clothes and hair the way you like, easy-going, laid-back, etc). He really liked the vibe of your post. CRNA is what he wants. Of course he is only 13 so everything can change but I think your post made a big impression. Thanks so much for that. He is my youngest and gives me my IM B-12 injections perfectly with no fear - that's what got him thinking he might like a profession in the health care field. I think he has a knack. He actually enjoys doing them.

As to your last paragraph, I still worry my skills are going to crap because I do management work. I do volunteer at a free clinic run by our church every couple of weeks (Saturdays) but honestly, I mostly do vitals, blood gluc checks and minor assessments. But I'm in a bad place at the moment, trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up (I'm 46 but have only been an RN for going on 3 years). I feel very pulled to do hospital nursing but am also semi-terrified of the pace and the physical workload. BUT... I seriously feel completely inadequate as a nurse without it. So who knows what will happen. Not sure I'm hirable at this point. Whatever, what will be will be. I'm just enjoying the job I have for now.

Thanks again and all the best.