Out of state new grad

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Specializes in Cardiology.

Hello all! I am here in Ohio and I hear wonderful things about working and living in Texas. I will be graduating next May and was wondering what the job outlook for new grads in large cities are like. I've heard Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio all have great hospitals. How is Austin? Any input is greatly appreciated!

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

The major cities in Texas are all pretty much saturated with new grads. It is very difficult as a new graduate, especially if one is a two year grad rather than BSN, to find a job. Austin is the most difficult with DFW and Houston quick seconds. The medical field is very political in Texas and getting hired in the major big city hospitals is more about who you know than anything else. If you are not from here it is likely you have no connections here and therefore dubious that your resume will even get looked at.

If you are willing to move to rural areas you will find more opportunities, particularly in the places nobody really wants to go along the Texas/Mexico border.

I would never recommend anyone move here without a firm job offer in hand with a set start date and salary negotiations completed. We have seen several times on this board people who move to Texas thinking somehow it has all these nursing openings, only to be stuck here with no way to get back to their hometown and no job prospects.

There are indeed job opportunities here for experiences nurses. New grads? Not so much.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

My best friend is a BSN grad & has applied to countless jobs/residencies in San Antonio. She has only had TWO interviews where +/- 300 people applied & only a handful were selected for an interview, for one spot. I would never move to a big city looking for a job.

I live in a small city & know when I graduate from nursing school in 2016 I will have a job as an ADN. You definitely have to do your research, there are lots of small towns in Texas that need nurses. I agree completely with the PP, don't move until you have a job. Good luck!

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Specializes in Cardiology.

That's what I have heard too. For some reason this girl in my class seems to think there are all these openings in Texas. She knows someone though so that's probably why she will end up moving there. Good to know though, thanks!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Look into the small cities located 100+ miles away from major metropolitan areas: Abilene, Lubbock, Tyler, Marshall, Longview, Eagle Pass, Alpine, Waco, Wichita Falls, San Angelo, Lufkin, Nacogdoches, etc.

I agree with the previous posters. Most of your major cities are glutted with too many new grad nurses and not enough nursing jobs to pass around.

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