Salsacat

To all out of state applicants... San Diego has a plethora of new graduates who are local and don't get jobs either. Those who do have worked, volunteered, or precepted in the hospital. I have 15 years of health care experience, including as an LVN, and two graduate degrees with a 4.0. And it was still hard to get a job (to be fair I was holding out for a speciality). FYI many san Diegan nursing new grads opt to move out of state until they have a year of experience and can shed their new grad label. So, if you aren't getting calls- it's not personal! There are so many qualified people with great resumes and all the certs in the world. It's just an over saturated market. My two cents: get a year experience where you are and then apply as an experienced nurse! Much better👍! Good luck to you😄!

The New Grad posting appeared on their website; New Grad programs in California may only appear a few times a year -- you just have to keep checking back. You can try calling Human Resources and asking when the next posting is. Good luck!

Had my second interview for med-behavioral yesterday. No offer at this time, but it's going to take awhile (could be 1-3 weeks) for a decision. Different schedule for different units. P.S. Congratulations!!!

Not me. But, someone posted anonymously on a New Grad RN Interview FB site asking about Mary Birch interview questions, so I assume that they got an interview.

Your age is irrelevant. There are 25 year olds in terrible shape with no stamina and my 70 yo mother-in-law just finished a bike trip - across Eastern Europe. What matters is as Nurse Beth says - what is your geographical location and where can new grads get hired? I'd go for med surg because I live in California-- and that is a tough market and unless you already work as a CNA on an ICU floor - it's not very likely. PACU almost never hires new grads that I know of. I'd start networking with med surg new grad programs.

I got a call for a second interview with med behavioral for next week. So each unit definitely has its own system:-)

No idea! I do know that they all have their own system so it could go either way!

which was your first choice?

I think it is all unit specific. Did they tell you you needed a second interview?

I interviewed last week for the medical behavioral unit and was told that if I "passed" I'd be contacted for interview #2 within 1-2 weeks. References will come after that interview if I'm chosen to move forward. It is not a short process to be sure!

I have an interview scheduled this week as well -- med behavioral. My status didn't change. Comically though, my status from my JULY application finally changed! :-) I wouldn't go by the status...

I haven't. But, I spoke with the recruiter last week, and she said that she was still going through the applications. She said there won't be interviews until January.

I love stories like yours. Stories where people genuinely change, and put in the time and hard work necessary to change their own lives and circumstances. Congratulations!

Hi - first let me say - I feel for you. When you really want to move it feels so urgent and you just want to be where you want to be NOW. I get it!! BUT - re California - there is NO WAY to get a job out here on the coast (the central valley desert areas are a different story) as a new grad. There are literally THOUSANDS of people applying to new grad programs in coastal California. I should know, I'm one. Unless you already have extremely close connections at a hospital, you will not get hired as a new grad. Coastal California schools are churning out zillions of new grads who already live here - have families - and want to stay! And there are thousands more who finish RN school and move here for the Dream, and there are simply not enough new grad jobs. Unless your dream is to work is a SNF, which is possible - an ICU residency in a good hospital system (or even a bad one) is simply virtually impossible without connections. I could write pages of people's stories, but just for illustration's purposes I have one friend here who moved from san diego to Laughlin, Nevada, to work in a small hospital in the desert for a two years to get experience, on a unit she hated (med surg) so she could move back to san diego (where her fiance and family lived). Now, for the good news!! You CAN get a job in coastal CA (you mentioned san diego) with EXPERIENCE. There are ARE jobs for nurses with at least two years of experience. It is theoretically possible with one year, but two is better. If you have two years experience, you'll have a shot at that ICU job. Also, keep in mind that CA is horrendously expensive. I was paying $1800/month for a tiny two bedroom. In the Bay area that would get you a closet (in Oakland). If I were in your shoes, I would either stay where I was and had connections to get that ICU job for two years, OR, move back to where your family is to get that ICU job there and live with them even for a little while to save money. That way, in two years, you'll have that experience, which is GOLD, and if you live with family you may even have your three months rent deposit saved for an apartment in California! (Maybe you have lots of money and don't need to save, and if so, that's great!). The California Dream is possible - but as a long-term plan with two years nursing experience, and money. Definitely not for new grads. I wish you the best of luck!!

an FYI for anyone who applied to the Chula OB unit: they are apparently overstaffed and not going to hire this round (despite posting). So if that was your one unit.... they aren't hiring:-(.