Unemployed & inexperienced New RNs. Vent it out!

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It's good to have an outlet you can spill your feelings about finding a job and struggling being unemployed.

Got my CA RN license in Jan2011 and trying to land a RN job anywhere. Passed hundreds of applications online which seems like sending to a blackhole (then I learned that most employers are only considering applicants that are referred and just ignore those who aren't). Applied to diff. RN Residencies in diff. states and the competition is really crazy (ex. only

I graduated last yr, I'm staling, I don't fit as a "new grad" anymore, very expensive RN refresher courses which doesn't guarantee an employment and I don't know where would I get money for that. I used to be this guy who's full of hopes, goal-oriented, productive & motivated, now I'm depressed, frustrated, stressed and broke.:smokin:

That's my story, what's yours?:)

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I am in the same boat but a few months behind you. I graduated in May, passed my boards in June, moved to a new town in July. Since I moved, I have no connections locally. I had to move for family reasons but I am certain I would have had a job, had we not moved. It is very discouraging to receive the same stock rejection letter repeatedly via email. I don't understand why there are not more programs out there for new grads. It feels pointless to have left a decent job to bust my butt in school just to be unemployed six months after graduation. So I feel your pain, money is tight! Whats worse is that we have 3 children...Winter (warmer clothes) and Christmas are coming. I pray for relief soon.

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I am in the same boat but a few months behind you. I graduated in May, passed my boards in June, moved to a new town in July. Since I moved, I have no connections locally. I had to move for family reasons but I am certain I would have had a job, had we not moved. It is very discouraging to receive the same stock rejection letter repeatedly via email. I don't understand why there are not more programs out there for new grads. It feels pointless to have left a decent job to bust my butt in school just to be unemployed six months after graduation. So I feel your pain, money is tight! Whats worse is that we have 3 children...Winter (warmer clothes) and Christmas are coming. I pray for relief soon.

I'm sorry to hear that. I've been receiving tons of rejections since the hunt. I think the economy has a huge impact bec. it would really be costly for some institutions to have residency programs. Are you currently working now? What's your state?

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just wanted to offer my support to those looking for a job.

All I can say is: apply, apply, apply. Just apply to anything and everything, even if it's not what you want to do.

hang in there. At some point, you will get a chance!!!!! good luck everyone!!!!

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I am not working now. I am in Tampa FL. There are a number of school around here that I am competing with. I was even contemplating applying to different positions just to get my foot in the door.

EDnursetobe - I assure you I am. I am not being picky at this time. I am looking at places even an hour away.

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It's good to have an outlet you can spill your feelings about finding a job and struggling being unemployed.

Got my CA RN license in Jan2011 and trying to land a RN job anywhere. Passed hundreds of applications online which seems like sending to a blackhole (then I learned that most employers are only considering applicants that are referred and just ignore those who aren't). Applied to diff. RN Residencies in diff. states and the competition is really crazy (ex. only

I graduated last yr, I'm staling, I don't fit as a "new grad" anymore, very expensive RN refresher courses which doesn't guarantee an employment and I don't know where would I get money for that. I used to be this guy who's full of hopes, goal-oriented, productive & motivated, now I'm depressed, frustrated, stressed and broke.:smokin:

That's my story, what's yours?:)

Umm, your story about covers my story and all the rest of us new grads out there. I think it rather dumb of all these hospitals to shun a whole generation of new nurses, who are they planning on turning to in the future? Not me buddy, not once I get my experience, not when they wouldn't give me a chance in hell. What happens when all the experienced nurses are gone, and we are the experienced nurses with one heck of a grudge?

Plus, these nurse managers have the ability to hire me because the recruiters for the hospitals picked me. I hate to say it but when the shoes on the other foot, I am looking out for the nursing licenses that had to go through this horrible experience. Apparently, we are the only nurses that have ever been new grads before?

Positions are there, they just won't consider us for reasons I cannot understand. Maybe the hospital CEO's need to be made aware that since they are shunning us now, don't come asking when you need us in the future because they WILL need us.

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I am in the same boat but a few months behind you. I graduated in May, passed my boards in June, moved to a new town in July. Since I moved, I have no connections locally. I had to move for family reasons but I am certain I would have had a job, had we not moved. It is very discouraging to receive the same stock rejection letter repeatedly via email. I don't understand why there are not more programs out there for new grads. It feels pointless to have left a decent job to bust my butt in school just to be unemployed six months after graduation. So I feel your pain, money is tight! Whats worse is that we have 3 children...Winter (warmer clothes) and Christmas are coming. I pray for relief soon.

I have 3 kids too, passed boards in June too, and Christmas is coming for me too. I feel like I ruined my families future. I have extreme debt now. I pray to, for you, me, and the rest of us being black balled.

The positions are there, they just won't give us a chance. WHY??? I cannot find anyone who will provide me with a decent answer why?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, ER.

Be prepared to relocate. The St. Louis area hires TONS of new/newer grads.

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I have 3 kids too, passed boards in June too, and Christmas is coming for me too. I feel like I ruined my families future. I have extreme debt now. I pray to, for you, me, and the rest of us being black balled.

The positions are there, they just won't give us a chance. WHY??? I cannot find anyone who will provide me with a decent answer why?

I can tell you exactly why. I've already hashed this out in some other threads here and there, alas...

Hospitals in the US are for the majority privately run businesses. We have mostly private healthcare insurance. In 2007, the United States entered into an extremely severe recession that has caused massive unemployment. When people lose their jobs, they lose their health insurance. COBRA does not cover for very long.

This causes hospitals to lose money because of the lowered number of paying patients. People either put off seeking care, or cannot pay for the care they were unable to avoid needing to receive. With hospitals receiving reduced income and increased expenses, they do like any other business does in the face of "low demand", they start cutting costs.

Hiring new graduates is very expensive. We require lots of training. Furthermore, despite how eager graduates like you and I are to work, there are many more in our place who get hired and then quit soon thereafter, leaving that hospital with another hit to their balance sheet. This is why new graduates still get hired, but in small numbers. They try their best to be very sure they are hiring someone who will stay and turn their investment over in a few years.

No, as for why job listings are being posted that you are not considered for? Most hospitals have HR policies that require them to list any and all job openings on their career thingamadoodle even if they are only considering internal candidates or candidates with experience. If they don't fill those positions with someone they want, they just deny all the new-grads and re-post it because currently hospitals are quite content to spread existing staff thinner. It costs less.

Is it impossible to find work as a new grad? No. I and many of my classmates have found work. It just takes persistence and getting valuable face-time with hiring powers. Network, go to job fairs... join organizations... do something that gets you face-to-face with managers. That's the best advice I can give you. (that's how I got my job)

I hope this is at least close to the decent answer you are seeking.

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I can't relocate. We are a blended family and share custody of two of our children. So relocating is not an option for us.

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Great news, I got a job! It took a while but I am very excited. Best wishes to each and everyone of you that are hunting for a job...don't give up hope.

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Great news, I got a job! It took a while but I am very excited. Best wishes to each and everyone of you that are hunting for a job...don't give up hope.

congratulations!

:anpom:

And yes, don't give up new grads. Unemployment rates for RN's is very low compared to other professions (around 2% last I checked) so just be persistent.

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