Hi Nurses,
So, I graduated nursing school December 2018. Passed my NCLEX in March 2019. I was applying for jobs from the second I graduated until months after I passed my boards. I wasn't getting any bites at all. I was applying non-stop, everyday, to all the hospitals I could drive to (I'm in Nassau County in Long Island, NY). I had no luck. It was extremely discouraging. I had one interview for a float position. I could feel it not going well, but it felt like the interviewer had already made up her mind about me the second I mentioned I had a child. Needless to say, I never heard back.
My father mentioned that I should speak with his cousin who worked at a hospital in New Rochelle, about an hour and a toll bridge away from me. I did, and everything went pretty quickly at first, then halted, but eventually I had the job. Before I even got to start though, I found out I was pregnant, and not only that, I was high risk due to the conditions of my previous pregnancy ( only the year before ), AND I was having TWINS! So they told me to speak with my doctor to see what they would recommend as far as taking on this new position. The high risk doctor told me I should sit this one out. So I unfortunately had to decline my position. Fast forward 9 months, I delivered my twins in December 2019. I'm 8 weeks out, so I know its not time to go back to work quite yet, but I can't stop thinking about how I don't look good as a candidate.
When I declined the previous position, the HR director said to contact her when I was ready to come back to work, to see what positions were available. I did call and leave a message, as well as emailed her, and still no response. I am fearful that me being out of work for so long (I've been a stay at home mom since 2018), and being a year plus out from graduating nursing school, I will have a hard time landing my first nursing job, specifically within the hospital setting. I have really bad anxiety and this thought has been on my mind my entire pregnancy with the twins, and now that I am closer to 12 weeks postpartum it is really putting me on edge.
I guess I want to know if anyone has had a similar experience needing to get back into work after a bit of a hiatus. How did it turn out for you? Is there anything I can do to make myself look like a more attractive candidate? Were you grilled about the time off during interviews? I know finding your first nursing job after graduating is the hardest. That's why with the gap in time, I am very nervous. The thought of not finding something is really discouraging, especially because I was only offered the job I had to decline, due to a family connect who got me in with the recruiter. It felt like I didn't earn it on my own.
Any advice would be fantastic.
Thanks
