Nursing Jobs

[ncatlin21]

Is it hard to land a job right out of nursing school? I know most places are looking for past experiences, in some way I do. I've been a medical assistant now for over 7+ years and I'm in my first year of nursing school. Just curious to see what kind of road I have ahead of me.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Location is a major determinant. Some locations, such as most of California, Colorado, the Northeast, and parts of south Florida, are glutted with too many new grad nurses. On the other hand, landing a job is easier in other locations.

It also depends on how flexible you are. The new grad who refuses to work holidays, evenings, nights and weekends will be passed up for someone who doesn't have as many special snowflake requests.

In addition, it depends on how selective you are. If you are dead set on working in an area such as postpartum because "it is my dream," you're eliminating yourself from the vast majority of the employment market. Be willing to take jobs outside the hospital. Be willing to accrue any experience.

Good luck to you.

[scaredsilly, BSN, RN]

It is hard, but not impossible to land a job right out of school. The area you live in will make a difference, some places are much easier than others. Hospital jobs are harder to get than clinics, SNFs, LTCs, and home health. Start collecting connections NOW. Your professors may work in a hospital, your clinical preceptors are connections...anyone who may go to a nurse manager and say "I want this person to work on this unit to fill that opening" is going to be helpful to you! It's how I got my job, and many other people have as well. There are people on this forum who were offered jobs before they graduated and others who are still unemployed a year after NCLEX. It took me two months.

Best of luck!