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.
I have one more semester and have been working as an extern at 2 hospitals in florida. I have one job offer when I graduate. My floor is a stepdown unit and we just hired 5 new grads. Maybe the area you are in is not good but my school seems to put out desirable new grads because everyone seems to get hired right away. I agree with some of the other posters. Try to get an intern/extern position and get your foot in the door. By the time you take the Nclex it could be 3-4 months. No need to be discouraged, should push you more if you put all the time and effort. Most places won't hire until you pass. So many hospitals have new grad programs to apply for especially if you finished so high in your class. Hopefully you have plenty of reference letters. Call the director themselves and talk to them. That's how I got my ER position. Be proactive and don't second guess your choice. All this talk about new grads not being hired is a load of crap. You make your own future by setting yourself up for success. I will say when you work in hospital during school you get great experience and you get to know the hiring people. Good luck and don't quit yet.
Specializes in Nursing Education; Leadership/Management.
First, there is NOT a surplus of nurses. It may feel like that right now, but it isn't so.
What is in play is hospital restricted BUDGETS.
I don't know of any hospital in my area that doesn't need more nursing staff. But most won't talk to you until you have that RN license. It costs upwards of $50,000 to orient one nurse. Hospitals have to make sure they choose the 'best' candidates - someone who won't take a position and then once they are off orientation they want to move into another area of the hospital. That $50,000 comes out of that hiring unit's budget. So when you interview, make sure that you come across as someone who is planning to stay awhile.
Hang in there... get that license and you'll get some interviews. Choose a job that will make YOU happy - not your boyfriend.
What state do you live in? I graduated in May, passed my boards in August, started working at a SNF in October and I just got offered a staff nurse 1 position in the L&D Dept of a Community hospital. Most of my classmates are also working. I am in Northern California. That's why I asked where you are from. But please don't give up so quick if nursing is really your passion. And most importantly don't discourage others. Sometimes it's about luck, many times it's about timing.. I am a true believer that if its meant to be it will happen no matter what. Your attitude also has a lot to do with it... Be patient and most importantly positive cause you don't want to be a negative nurse!
I am in agreement with everyone who is commenting on what your fiance says. I'm not saying you need to end the relationship but you may need to seriously reconsider things if the person you are marrying can't make sacrifices for you - and you for them as well. That is part of a loving relationship. Sometimes you need to live through something a little difficult so that both of you can get to somewhere new and more rewarding in your life together. End of that.
I will also say that I agree with you on your feelings about nursing. I would never encourage anyone to pursue this career choice. I have now been a nurse for 6 years. I consider myself good at my job. But my life has felt like I've been in a constant "low point" since I started nursing. I try my best, I do well. I feel like those who do the most good don't get recognized for their work. The only people who get recognized are the ones who join the most committees, go to the most meetings, work their way up the ladder, drink the kool-aid. And then eventually they are our new administrators making our new policies. What about the people who don't want to do that? Those of us who just want to do a good job and go home?
I know these aren't exactly the negative aspects of nursing you were talking about but its some of the problems I see with the job. You're right about not being able to find a job with "no experience". Those first few years are rough. Where you just have to put up with that first position to get the experience under your belt. How does one get experience for a position if every position says you need experience?
I would say it is really hard to get into nursing. But its also hard to get OUT of nursing. If you really feel like you are truly taking the wrong path, change courses now. Before it is too late. Before you've been in it for 20 years and can't go back to school and change careers.
Best of luck to you. It sounds like you are doing the right things. Work on your resume. A job will come.
I will also say that I agree with you on your feelings about nursing. I would never encourage anyone to pursue this career choice. I have now been a nurse for 6 years. I consider myself good at my job. But my life has felt like I've been in a constant "low point" since I started nursing. I try my best, I do well. I feel like those who do the most good don't get recognized for their work. The only people who get recognized are the ones who join the most committees, go to the most meetings, work their way up the ladder, drink the kool-aid. And then eventually they are our new administrators making our new policies. What about the people who don't want to do that? Those of us who just want to do a good job and go home?
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I've been at my current job for over 18 months now. It's a small department. I have never worked with such a bunch of backstabbing nurses. Usually, there were one or two fellow nurses you couldn't trust. Where I work, pretty much every one is that way, including a few of the male nurses!!
The RN who works opposite me? Turned me in to the boss because I missed an expired med in the crash cart. Mind you, where I work, we rarely use the crash cart. But hey, she found it and replaced it. Instead of telling me about it, she instead ran right to our supervisor's office to tattle on me. I HATE people like that. Whatever happened to common courtesy among colleagues? Trust me, I find small errors that coworkers make on a regular basis. I mention it to them and move on.
Well, guess who found a mistake that she made? BIGGER than the one I made because it's going to cost the workplace money. And you better believe I'll be waiting for our supervisor first thing in the morning to tell him about it. I wouldn't normally do that but I see how she's gonna play and turnabout is fair play in my book
There used to be a time when employers hired fresh graduates and actively then trained them on the job. These times are long gone.
If you happen to be in a very small town or rural area, then finding employment may be hard even for seasoned nurses.
That being said, taking and passing NCLEX would be your first priority. NCLEX is no walk in the park despite what others may say. NCSBN has been raising difficulty level several times over the past five years r so. So, it is a challenge in itself.
Once you have your license, you can start actively searching and applying. Meanwhile why not volunteer one day a week at a local hospital?
Almost all hospitals will take volunteers. Once you are in, you will make connections on the inside and then it would help you secure a job once you have your RN license. In the current poor economy and tight competition it behooves you to be creative.
Good luck!
You're right. Back in 2006, I was hired along with 37 other new grads. In my state, we can work with a grad nurse license( have to pass boards within 3 months) so many of us had these jobs lined up months before graduating. They hired into specialty units too( ICU, ER, and OR).
This is not the experience of many new grads today. It's hard for them, and I can't fault them for being stressed and scared. OP, take a deep breath. Keep trying, and don't be too picky about that first job. Experience is the key here. And tell your fiance to lay off with the threats. This is not what a supportive partner does. Best of luck to you!
I'm really sorry, but your boy (because no self-assured, compassionate MAN would offer up an ultimatum like that) needs to get over it or go. Also, not everybody gets a job right out of school so relax about that. This stress isn't going to help you as you finish school and I know it sounds cliche, but it's one day at a time for real.
Don't worry so much over stuff you can't do anything about right now. If you want, what you could do now that you have an idea of what an interview is like is go over the things you feel you could've answered better, but don't even think about that too much. You need to work on school right now and that's all.
Come 5 months out of school and still no job? Ok, then you can worry, but give yourself a fighting chance, hun. You're losing the race before you even start with that attitude. YOU CAN DO IT!! XO
Specializes in Behavioral Health, Disability Case Mgmt.
Whoah!!! Your audience within this nursing forum have given you a lot of valuable advise . . . Please slow down and listen, if you are sincere, it will work out. Forgive me for saying, but some of the conversation does not compute. A Federal nursing scholarship where you owe $40,000.00 with stipulations, your report of lots of volunteer work on your behalf - with no offers, presumption the NCLEX will be a breeze, and a Cum Laude nursing student that is not being sought after, all indicate red flags to me. Please understand nursing is from the heart, it is not easy, and we do feed on our own ( not maliciously). In my experience, I have never known a good "nurse" that was a beggar.
Almost Nurse, So many new grads are feeling this way. I recently completed NP school and feel the same way about that and am in fact still working at the bedside for many of the reasons you outlined above. I think that you should not give up but what you have to say and your experience is super powerful to juxtaposition against the growing nursing shortage. I look forward to talking with you...
If you are hoping for a job in Critical Care, OR, or ER, you might have to be patient. Most facilities still require 2 years of Med-Surg experience. Go ahead and get the 2 years done. You will discover that the foundation you get there will serve you well as you mature in your practice.
Don't blame nursing for your poor decision making. Life is tough. Sometimes you have to do things you don't really want to do. It's called being a responsible adult. Graduate, pass the NCLEX and find a job. If you panic, essentially 7.5 months before you need to, you're not going to like nursing.
And on a personal note, your fiance is looking for an out. Just saying.
cgambino70
163 Posts
I have one more semester and have been working as an extern at 2 hospitals in florida. I have one job offer when I graduate. My floor is a stepdown unit and we just hired 5 new grads. Maybe the area you are in is not good but my school seems to put out desirable new grads because everyone seems to get hired right away. I agree with some of the other posters. Try to get an intern/extern position and get your foot in the door. By the time you take the Nclex it could be 3-4 months. No need to be discouraged, should push you more if you put all the time and effort. Most places won't hire until you pass. So many hospitals have new grad programs to apply for especially if you finished so high in your class. Hopefully you have plenty of reference letters. Call the director themselves and talk to them. That's how I got my ER position. Be proactive and don't second guess your choice. All this talk about new grads not being hired is a load of crap. You make your own future by setting yourself up for success. I will say when you work in hospital during school you get great experience and you get to know the hiring people. Good luck and don't quit yet.