PPhillipsRN

I graduated from a Sacramento area school and I haven't gotten a call for any of the positions posted for the last 2 rounds of the STRONG program, so don't feel too bad. It's open for only a very few positions and you're not just competing with hundreds of applicants equally either. I know for a fact there are "insiders" who get selected as well, meaning, they have connections within recruitment. Then those that are connected (family friends, etc) bring in a person or two that they're friends with from their graduating class. Other than that, it seems to be a lotta luck. If I could do school all over again, I would work sooo much harder at trying to make friends and network at the facilities you do clinical rounds in. Get to know the managers and express interest in working there. It's stuff they never go over in school, though I wish they did. The market is so saturated and cold to new grads and schools kinda throw you out there unprepared for what you need to do to get your career started, i.e. pretty much give up on starting at a hospital, unless you've got an "in," and start at a SNF. It's stuff I'm having to learn on my own, and thankfully, through this great site.

And that's in California I take it? Thank you so much for your reply.

Anyone have any updated information on this? I'm a new grad and have been extended an informal offer to work at a convalescent hospital in Pasadena, CA. Contact with management has been through a family friend thus far but in the course of their conversation, they apparently told her they'd pay me "twenty-something" an hour. Well, that sounds pretty vague, 1st off, and 2nd, that seems incredibly low for a licensed RN, even for a nursing home. Can anyone shed some light on whether this is a going rate in the L.A. area, or if I should steer clear. I don't wanna even bother calling the facility before I have some idea of what I'm getting myself into. I'd happily work for minimum wage in a hospital to start off at this point, but seeing as the quality of these nursing homes can range from reputable to shady, I'm reluctant to take an offer from a facility that doesn't even have its own website, has been written up in the newspaper recently for citations they've received for poor patient care, and is offering a pay rate that seems off to me. We all need to get experience as new grads somehow, but I worry that this might not be the best way. Any info and advice would be much appreciated!

I'm a fully licensed RN, but as I'm sure you know, the market's gotten considerably tighter since 2010 for new grads. We're pretty much relegated to these "new grad" programs and they get inundated with applicants all hoping for a chance to work. The fact that these new grad programs are subsidized, thereby eliminating any incentive to take new grads into any UN-subsidized positions, just makes the market that much worse. But I'm still plugging away. I hope for something soon...

Hi, I was just curious as to which position you ended up taking. I've applied to Glendale Adventist's new grad program. How lucky you were to get TWO offers! I've been applying all over for more than 6 months now and can't even get an interview. It's tough out there. What was your secret to getting two offers?