Residencies & Relocating?! HELP! CA (SF)

jigsnurse · Nov 24, 2018

I'm not gonna lie, getting into a nursing residency in the Bay Area is extremely competitive, the whole country wants to be here because of the pay. I graduated from a great school in the Bay Area with an amazing GPA, previous healthcare experience, I speak 4 languages, etc and didn't even get an interview in any of the hospitals I had clinicals at. Of all the people in my class, only one got a position in a hospital here and she is the most intelligent person I've ever met and has years of LVN experience.

My main advice would be to get at least 2 years of experience where you can get a job and then move, I've heard even with 1 year of experience it's still hard to get a job here. The way to stand out on applications as a new grad here is to have a close friend/family member that can get you in the door, sadly.

I understand your partner is here, if you decide to move, keep in mind CA BRN is a little slow, it took me 3 months to be able to take the NCLEX, I imagine getting the license by endorsement here takes a while as well, I'm trying to get the license in another state and it takes CA 2-3 months to send them the info.

I wish you the best of luck, I don't want to discourage you, you might be one of the lucky ones, but I just wanted to paint a realistic picture.

There are groups on facebook about new grads in California, you should search for them as a lot of valuable info is posted there.

lrb_nursing · Dec 3, 2018

ugh, as discouraging as it is to hear that it definitely doesn't surprise me :/ I really want to move out there but honestly might have to reconsider unfortunately! I'll definitely search for the facebook groups, thank you!!

TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN · Dec 4, 2018

Don't be discouraged. It's just a very competitive area. That doesn't mean you can't get a job, it just means that you have to stand out enough. Your resume and cover letter is the most important part of applying for jobs anywhere. Give these places a reason to think that training you as a new grad after you're licensed is a better choice than some other experienced nurse. Your degree and your license is not going to get you a job, YOU have to do that part. So do it.

lrb_nursing · Dec 4, 2018

I'm definitely still going for it! Just also feeling the stress/pressure. Any idea if they'll start looking at apps "pending NCLEX"? I know some hospitals will allow you to apply without being licensed/upcoming exam and some places won't not really sure how it is in Cali/SF

TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN · Dec 5, 2018

I'm definitely still going for it! Just also feeling the stress/pressure. Any idea if they'll start looking at apps "pending NCLEX"? I know some hospitals will allow you to apply without being licensed/upcoming exam and some places won't not really sure how it is in Cali/SF

You can apply for any job, anywhere. I can apply to be an engineer at NASA right now with no qualifications. It doesn't mean I'll get an interview, but I can still apply.

That's where that cover letter and how your resume is written will matter. Or get in touch with their HR departments, explain your situation that you're planning on moving across the country and want to work on getting a job set up.

lrb_nursing · Dec 5, 2018

Definitely! Thank you :) My only qualm about getting in touch with HR is it being too early. I want to be as direct as I can and try to form connections out there, but it's a bit hard from across the country. Hopefully that's what LinkedIN and National Nursing Societies are for!!