Not getting interviews before NCLEX

[jelly34]

Hi guys!

I've always heard to begin applying for jobs early, as early as a few months before graduation. I began applying for jobs this week with my graduation 6 weeks away. However, after putting in 30+ applications so far, all have been rejected, and I am seeming to have no luck being someone with no health care experience and no license next to my name. 

Is it best to wait until after NCLEX? Does anyone have experience with this?

 

Thanks!

[kayji, BSN]

I think it just depends on the situation where you are. Some places are willing to hire (conditionally) before graduation but others prefer to wait. If you are applying in the same city you are going to school, your teachers or nurses at clinical should have good advice for what employers are looking for. If those people are telling you to apply before graduation, you may need to work on your resume.

[gere7404, BSN, RN]

My hospital has specific new grad jobs... if it isn’t listed as a new grad position, they’ll toss your application.

[cameron5575, BSN, RN]

As gere7404 said, make sure you're specifically applying to new grad positions. I'm a senior and my school expects my cohort to be interviewing right now and securing jobs that will give us a guaranteed job under the condition that we pass the NCLEX in a few months. But they have to be new grad positions with orientation/new-grad residencies.

Also, perhaps it would be helpful to go to the career center at your school and ask for help with your resume to make sure it's written and formatted properly. If it's written in the wrong font, the computer system that filters out online applications might not be able to read it properly and will basically throw away the whole application. This could be one reason you're not having any success.