I am graduating in two months. It took me seven years from the moment I decided to become a nurse to when I started my BSN program. I thought I did everything right. Graduating Summa Cum Laude. Volunteering at every opportunity. Years of job experience in healthcare. Networking. But, I am getting turned down for every job I apply to.
The best advice I could give anyone is not to pursue a career in nursing. I thought I was going to be an awesome nurse. I have the passion, the drive, the compassion, the dedication, the hard work--but that doesn't matter. If you don't have two years experience you can't even get your foot in the door. No one will take you.
I got one job interview but I flunked the "describe a situation where..." questions. The biggest employer in my area requires an electronic "talent" test and if you don't get the right algorithm your application doesn't even make it past HR, so it doesn't matter how hard you work. I regret the moment of "clarity" when I thought nursing was the right thing to do. Me, and thousands and thousands of other naive people who think they're actually going to make a difference in the world.
This is probably the lowest point in my life, and I've been through a lot. I thought I'd finally "made it". I thought I'd pulled myself up by my bootstraps. But I don't see any way out, now. I'm in debt and can't get a job, and neither can many, many other new graduates.
Are you kidding me what med surg unit will not take a new grad???? I would call the med surg director and let them know you have applied and are they still recruiting i would email the manager by calling the unit asking for the email address. you have to by pass the system and email the manager directly letting them know how very interested you always have been in med surg and would welcome an opportunity to interview. every job i ever had was because i did this.
Specializes in Oncology (Prior: Ortho-Neuro, Metabolic Surgery).
Just chiming in on that not all underserved areas stink. Rural Colorado is severely underserved, especially deep in the mountains. There are many resort mountain towns with tiny hospitals that are begging for all kinds of health care providers. The problem is many of these don't advertise well in nation wide job search boards. Dig deep and I'm sure you'll find something.
Where do you live? I live in GA and the hospitals compete just for us to be their externs... I am in my second semester of the BSN program and have already gotten three interviews this week just for externships with three different hospitals, each wanting me to commit to work for them after graduation. I hope your situation improves, you seem like you are at your wit's end. Hang in there and do what you need to do to get through this rough spot...you have worked too hard to throw in the towel now :-)
I have been a critical care manager for over a decade. I am surprised to hear so many people in this thread complaining that there is a nursing surplus. I have heard concerns from manager colleagues all over the country about the difficulty we are having filling open positions. In Northeast Ohio, we have been hiring new grads into critical care positions for quite some time. (There are actually some advantages to this.) There are many urban areas that are considered under-served, so you may not have to look only at rural areas. At the large hospital in Cleveland where I work, we extend conditional offers for graduating nurses. I currently have positions held for a handful of May grads. They won't actually become employees until they have passed the NCLEX, but they've already gone through the interview process and provided references and the position is theirs as soon as they pass. There are many hospitals across the country that do this. I echo the advice of many others: Take a deep breath, prepare as fully as you can, and pursue every potential opportunity (even if it doesn't seem, at first, to be the most desirable). You WILL find a job.
What area are you in, OP? And do you have an idea of what you would like to do after (med/surg, psych, etc)? I live in southern Vermont and work at a hospital that does and has hired many new grads, some even before they took the NCLEX. I know of several other hospitals in the area that also hire new grads.
Don't give up hope! DTMFA (google that, wise words of advice from Dan Savage) and keep applying! And practice interviewing! Network the sh*t out of places you volunteer at, attend recruiting fairs, find ways to bypass the morass of online applications and get noticed! It's hard, I'm making it sound way easier -- I know how stressful it is to stay positive. The job search is f***ing horrible but you will find something. You might be surprised by the opportunities that come up in areas you weren't expecting -- or even local to you now!
Most employeers want a license in hand before they'll even consider you... Pass the NCLEX and then look for a job. You're doing it out of order. If you're willing to move there are tons of places looking for nurses... Hell I'll give you the name of a hospital that will hire you as long as you have a license and a pulse... PM me if you want the tip, but it's a **** hole...
I am not sure of where you are at, your family situation or if you could pick up and move but many states especially midwest with many rural and critical access facilities, rural or facilities located in areas of great disparity (maybe even your state) or even starting in a local nursing home/extended care or even veterans or Indian reservation hospitals, have programs that offer reimbursement for your education to begin your practice, get some experience and then see how many doors open for you. Also I advise getting into a medical surgical unit and keep the ICU, ER, OB until after you have spread your wings a bit.r
I am getting ready to enter nursing school in August. Please don't give up! First of all, if your man doesn't stand behind you 100%, then he isn't the ONE! Girl, you deserve better than that, especially after all of your hard work! Second, I work at a hospital in my area that has a nurse residency program. New grads apply for it and they must serve 500 hours voluntarily after passing the NCLEX. You choose your unit of choice. About 98% of the residents are hired after their residency. Perhaps there are hospitals in your area or somewhat close to you that have similar programs. A lot of people think it sucks because you don't get paid, but the reward is that you have a job and experience under your belt. Also, you can promote to staff nurse II much quicker if you complete your residency. Something to look into :) Don't lose hope. I am sure you are going to make a great nurse. You will get there!
Well, depending on where you came from...as for me, nursing has been a great accomplishment from working low-paying dead-end jobs. I can't complain. I work a week on and get a week off. I get two weeks off a month and the pay isn't bad once you put your time in. I started off on the floor for a year and then went to critical care ever since. I'm coming up on 8 years in June. You learn to get over the small stuff within a few years, and just find a routine that works for you.
having the 2 year experiences and not finding a job isn't true at all. I have interviewed, hired, and trained plenty of new grads in critical care over the years.
DEE S.
36 Posts
Are you kidding me what med surg unit will not take a new grad???? I would call the med surg director and let them know you have applied and are they still recruiting i would email the manager by calling the unit asking for the email address. you have to by pass the system and email the manager directly letting them know how very interested you always have been in med surg and would welcome an opportunity to interview. every job i ever had was because i did this.