New grad RN, can't land a job after nursing school

Nurses Job Hunt

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A shortage of nurses huh? Really? Am I the only one having trouble finding a job post-nursing school or what? Yes, I am aware that these things take time but yeash! I've applied to countless jobs all over the inland empire (the area between los Angeles and Palm Springs, California) and nothing! I've been on six interviews since graduation and have yet to receive an offer. I lost count of the amount of rejection letters I've received, but it's a lot. It feels like every day I receive at least three. Oh wait...In fact, I just got another one right now. Yes, we get into nursing to save lives and touch the souls of others, and not for the money, but good grief! I didn't think I would be applying for food stamps and moving back in with my parents! I have my BSN from an amazing nursing school, RN License, BLS, ACLS, PALS cert, and a killer resume, so I am confused on what I'm doing wrong here. So please, if any of you are experiencing a similar struggle please comment. Or if you have experienced the blessing of landing a job immediately after graduation, please post your success story to lift my spirits. Thank you!

-Starving Nurse.

The Southeast US has lots of vacancies if you're willing to move.

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Like someone else mentioned, try post acute facilities, psych, corrections, hospice etc. Might not be what you saw yourself doing, but our first job rarely is. Those jobs will give you experience, pay the bills, and often hire new grads. Hospital jobs are HARD to get in California straight out of school, though possible.

Also, it's always easier to find a job once you have a job. Good luck to you!

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Specializes in school nurse.

"to save lives and touch the souls of others..."

When you do get a job and start practicing, your work goals may end up a bit more nitty-gritty. (e.g. "make it through this shift relatively on time and not make any major mistakes")

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab.

I had a helluva struggle myself at first, probably for totally (and somewhat inexplicable) reasons than you, but as others are saying, maybe you need to find an area where there are nursing shortages. You WILL succeed, I'm sure. Hang in there.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
"to save lives and touch the souls of others..."

When you do get a job and start practicing, your work goals may end up a bit more nitty-gritty. (e.g. "make it through this shift relatively on time and not make any major mistakes")

That jumped out at me, too. Please leave any such rhetoric off your cover letter. Prospective employers want to see evidence of being level-headed, conscientious and reliable. If you come across as too dewy-eyed, they may doubt your ability to weather the inevitable new-grad storms.

I agree that you have to be willing to start applying where the jobs actually are. Good luck.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

You can graduate from the best nursing school, have the "killer" new grad resume, hold all the certs in the world, and otherwise look on paper to be THE perfect candidate, and you still might not get the job..and that doesn't mean it's necessarily something wrong with you. CA is saturated period. Yes, some areas may give you better chances to land that job than others, but the fact is that in CA, you have a lot of competition for any of those jobs. There's only so many jobs and too many applicants. So a lot of qualified applicants have to be told "No" because there's just not enough jobs for them all.

It's not uncommon for CA grads to leave the state for that first job, and then return when they have 1-2 years' of experience. You may want to consider doing that.

Otherwise (or in addition), look outside the acute care box. Any nursing experience looks better on the resume than no nursing experience. So consider specialities and settings outside of traditional hospital settings and which you wouldn't have considered before.

Best of luck.

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As a fellow CA RN, I feel you! It was rough. There as SO many new grads here. It took me 6 months to land my first job: night shift LTAC. This got me me acute care experience. I moved on after a year and am perfectly happy now, 3 years into my career, in a major medical center. You just have to keep at it.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
My mistake, I think I meant to say I have a decent looking "new grad" resume. I've tried hospitals both large and small in my area but I may consider applying other regions of caliornia to increase my chances. Thanks! :)

California is an extremely tight market. Since you say you have had multiple interviews and rejections have you considered consulting with an interview coach? We have discussed this topic here before.

Hppy

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

I could be way off base here, but in my mind I picture hiring managers throwing a pile of applications from equally qualified new grads in a hat and hiring the first one they pull out. Eventually the odds are your application will be the one some hiring manager pulls out of that hat.

From all accounts California is most definitely not experiencing any kind of nursing shortage and understandably so. The weather is great, well except for wildfire season and as an aside I am sorry for all that are living through that this year, it's brutal. California is one of the few states with a mandated nurse/patient ratio. Pay is high, but then in a lot of California the cost of living is also high so that's kind of a wash.

If moving is an option for you finding employment will probably be easier somewhere else, it might even be easier in California if you look away from the major metropolitan areas. If you are willing and able to relocate to a different area of the country altogether but want to avoid the shock of a harsh winter the southeast truly has a nursing shortage with the exception of the high population tourist areas like Orlando. What the southeast also has is a very low rate of pay compared to what you would be expecting in California, however the cost of living is also a lot lower so keep that in mind when comparing salaries.

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I am also having the same problem (not able to find a job since graduation), and I graduated in 2014; however, when I did graduate I had an ADN (Associates Degree in Nursing). I went back to school and I have two more classes to complete before I obtain a BSN and I am hoping that this will sweeten the deal for me.

As for the resume, you may have a "killer" resume, but if you bomb at the interview that may blow your chances. I changed careers, and had worked for basically the same employer for at least 10 years. Didn't have to interview and I already knew I had the job. There are some tips on Monster.com that has suggestions on what to say, not say, do or not do during an interview.

If you're considering looking for employment elsewhere, you may want to consider applying for a compact license. With a compact license, if you find a job or are offered a job in any of the states that accept a compact license you won't have to re-apply for a new license.

Food for thought. Hope this helps.

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Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

I am going to agree with other posters you are in a saturated market. Either apply to the jobs that are less competitive (LTC, psych, corrections, addictions, home health etc) or move to an area that is less saturated. Oregon has lots of jobs if you want to stay on the West Coast and not move super far away from home! The job market around Portland is pretty saturated but the rest of the state has options, particularly the smaller towns. I know several new grads who got great offers from critical access and small community hospitals.

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Specializes in Dialysis.

Fellow CA RN here! It took me 18 months to land my first interview and luckily I got the job. I wound up working at an outpatient dialysis unit in the central valley. It wasn't where I saw myself at first, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. After sticking it out for 2 years I was able to move back to SF.

I was unwilling to relocate and unwilling to apply for non-acute care positions at first and I had a very hard time. I echo what others are saying, consider moving, consider other specialties. Many people I graduated with moved out of state for 1-2 years and have since moved back to CA.

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