Out of school 3-4 months and still no job!!!

DreamingTree · Sep 18, 2008

It all depends on where you live. There are ALWAYS open positions in this part of the country. Maybe if you give a location, someone from around there can offer good advice.

kcsb12 · Sep 18, 2008

i live in new jersey, the central area.

DeterminedtobeRN08 · Sep 18, 2008

Did you apply at UNDNJ seems like they always have openings as well. Try them.

Guest296136 · Sep 18, 2008

look on the NJ forum, alot of people are in the same boat. I'm in south jersey and it took 3 months to find a job and lots of applications and phone calls. Be persistant, call recruiters after appling on line.

TsavarenaRN · Sep 19, 2008

I know how you feel. I got out of school and got my NCLEX results almost the same as you. I went applying like crazy and got pretty discouraged when I didn't hear anything back immediately. I was always up front about being a new grad but that I was also ambitious, ready to learn and excited about breaking into the nursing field. It took a bit, but all of a sudden I was getting calls and emails from several places that I applied, even those that claimed to require 1-2 years experience. I felt like I could just take my pick! Just be sure you have a perfect, honest resume and that you have good personal references. I used some of my most excellent nursing instructors. Good luck finding your dream job and grats on passing boards! :heartbeat

Sunshine139 · Sep 21, 2008

I am in the same boat as you are! I passed my boards in August and have applied at over 10 hospitals in Minneapolis, MN and have not heard back from a single hospital yet. :crying2: Some of my applications have been pending over a month. I know at most of the hospitals you have to get into their new grad programs in order to get hired so that's what I applied for. I'm just afraid it's the worst time of year to apply and that I won't get hired anywhere until Jan. It is just really frustrating to be sitting here with a RN license unable to work as a nurse!

NurseBrittney · Sep 21, 2008

find the one you want to work at and pay the nurse managers a visit. Call before hand, let them know your name, and see your face. Be devoted to getting a job. Sometimes you have to demand it almost. Persistence and a positive attitude can lend to a fulfilling career.

bookscrapper · Sep 23, 2008

I understand where you're coming from. I graduated in May, passed NCLEX in June, and have my license. A lot of nurses I graduated with applied during that last semester of school and had jobs before graduating. Personally, my husband was applying for new jobs in a different geographic location so i couldn't really apply until we figured out where we would be living. Since the end of July, I've applied for a dozen or so jobs in the Pittsburgh area and had only one interview (3 weeks ago, no word yet ). I don't really know what else to do. When ever I tell people I'm a nurse but haven't gotten a job yet, they say don't worry, they always need nurses. Well ya, but how do I get them to want me?

justme1972 · Sep 23, 2008

Here is some job searching advice:

Even if the job says they want experience...apply for it anyway.

There may be a reason why the job is still open.

Never read want ads to literally. Even if you are (within reason) just short on education or experience, you would be surprised sometimes how you can STILL get the job.

R*Star*RN, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2008

Hey there. I was in the same situation. I actually left my state to find a job. If you can look out of state, as in you don't have afamily or own a house or anything, maybe you should try that? Think of places you've always wanted to live and apply there :) That way you would have something to look forward to.

My suggestion is to apply for all jobs, but look hard for ones that say "New Grad Residency". I know that they are notoriously hard programs to get into, but this is not the time of year that most people graduate. The hospital I found a position at actually does a New Grad program start every month, from what I was told in the interview!

I used websites like careerbuilder.com and monster.com to find positions. I got many call backs from southern states such as Georgia, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia. I took a job in the Northwest.

Good luck finding a position :)

HappyPediRN · Sep 23, 2008

Hi KC. I feel your pain. I've had my license three months and still do not have a job and have very few prospects in the foreseeable future. By any chance do you live in MA?