Seasons better than others to graduate?

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Dec 8, 2014

I graduated in August. Even though the job availability is rough for new grads, I think graduating in August was better than May or December. The May graduates had 3 months to find jobs before I graduated and I had a window of opportunity from September (passed NCLEX) to January (when Dec. grads start passing NCLEX). I think I was offered a job last month over Dec. grads because I had already graduated and had my license and why risk hiring someone that may not graduate or pass NCLEX when you have someone that has their license?

Summers3 · Dec 8, 2014

Hello there! Thank you for your reply!

You graduated during a time where there are traditionally less graduates so I can absolutely see your reasoning why it was better during that time. But considering the job market is so rough on new grads, I would think that the three months from May to August would not be enough time for all the May graduates to find jobs. So when you graduated in August, I would think there would be a lot of May graduates that competed with you who are still looking for jobs, wouldn’t there be?

Also, I have heard that people have secured jobs even before graduating and before getting their license. While it is not guaranteed that they will pass in the end, they still have a job offer before graduating. So in your experience, why did you think this is? Especially since I agree with you on the point where it would be better to hire someone who already had their license and ready to go working immediately rather than wait a few more months to graduate?

Thank you again for your time! :)

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Dec 8, 2014

I have had several classmates tell me that before they got their license that the online application process will automatically give them a message that they do not meet the requirements of the position since they answer "NO" to the question "Do you have the licensure for this position?" Those that secure positions prior to graduation have either worked in the department they are applying for or have some kind of connection at the hospital.

Yes, there are May graduates that had not secured jobs by the time my cohort graduated, but I am sure that there was less competition than if I graduated in May. Some of the May graduates got jobs between June and September which would eliminate them from competition. I had no luck with applications in the Indianapolis area (2 classmates put out a hundred applications without an interview). My classmates put out a few applications in Louisville and got jobs fairly quickly. I applied and was offered one of four positions I applied for in Louisville. The nurse recruiter said that they have had fewer new BSN grads in the area, the area is growing and has caused a higher demand for nurses. I got a call from the nurse recruiter a week after I applied for the jobs. When she called, she asked me which one of the four I was most interested in. She sent my application to the hiring manager and had a 9 minute phone interview with her a week later. Another week later, on a Friday, I had a in person chat (not really an interview) and a tour with the assistant nursing care manger. At the end of the tour she took me back to the hiring manager for 5 minutes. She stated that she had more interviews with Dec. grads next week and would let me know before Thanksgiving (2 weeks away). I got a call the following Tuesday (4 days after the interview) with the job offer. I am not sure if she had multiple openings and offered me one and then interviewed the Dec. grads for the other opening. I guess I will find out next month when I start.

Summers3 · Dec 11, 2014

Don1984, thank you again for your reply! Your detailed experience was very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to write everything out for me!

It is great that you were able to find a job only within a few months of graduating! :) I hope I can do that in the future. Did you happen to have any prior experience relevant to the specific job you applied for? Perhaps that is another advantage you had over Dec. applicants too?

I understand that location has a huge impact on job hunting but did you have to relocate (far?) for your current position?

Best of luck with your new position and have fun! :)

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Dec 12, 2014

Louisville is a 3.5 hr move versus 1.5 hrs for Indy if I had got a job there.

I had a 135 hr. Senior Capstone at a children's hospital in Indy that had the same level NICU as the one I got the job at. I also have 20 yrs experience in a variety of health care specialties (surgery, EKG, EMS, sleep studies), so that had a lot to do with it also.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Dec 12, 2014

Don1984, thank you again for your reply! Your detailed experience was very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to write everything out for me!
It is great that you were able to find a job only within a few months of graduating! :) I hope I can do that in the future. Did you happen to have any prior experience relevant to the specific job you applied for? Perhaps that is another advantage you had over Dec. applicants too?
I understand that location has a huge impact on job hunting but did you have to relocate (far?) for your current position?
Best of luck with your new position and have fun! :)

Tina....you are in one of the toughest job markets in the country....California. You are probably going to have to go a lot further than Don to find a position. ((HUGS))

zzbxdo · Dec 12, 2014

Especially being that she's in San Diego. Home girl, just worry about doing your best, using your time well, network. I'm looking at your started posts and appreciate you're looking at your future from every angle but you need to be realistic. The whole job hunting process is all gray area and you are but a drop of water in a pond. You're overwhelming yourself before you're even in school. The answers you get here also don't hold much weight due to your location. All your future classmates are going to have some kind of related volunteer or experience, many are going to be working during the program, half of them will have some sort of connection, all of them will be minimally intelligent, they will all study differently etc.

In the end, what difference does it make if one season has better job outcome? Are you gonna change your graduation date? Don't let a couple of posts influence you too much, cause in the end if you're in San Diego you're gonna have a hard time. That is fact, not because one or two people get back to you, but the hundreds of theads in the ca forum and new grad statistics.

So really. There are many things you can do to make yourself a better candidate. And then there are things that are out of your hands that you really just need to chill over.

And as always, I'm on mobile with a bunch of typos probably.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Dec 13, 2014

As Esme said, you can't use my experience as the norm. There are so many variables to getting a job as a new grad that you can't compare how I got a job so quickly to what you need to do to get a job. I am very, very fortunate to get a job as a new grad and add to that, a Level IV NICU position. I expected to have to start at a Special Care Nursery (Level II NICU) and work my way up after several years and several moves. As the saying goes "Being at the right place, at the right time." I happen to (along with 3 classmates) find a job in one of the areas of the country that is having a temporary nursing shortage. The only other interview I had was in North Carolina (800 miles away) which was for a Special Care Nursery position in a smaller community. It would be naive for me to think that I could have the same luck getting a job in California. That is why I didn't even apply to jobs there. It would have been futile to even attempt to get a job there. I applied to about 100 jobs in 12 states (almost entirely NICU/Special Care Nursery) and only had 2 interviews.

Summers3 · Dec 13, 2014

Thank you so much for the hug and comfort, Esme12! I appreciate it. XD

Summers3 · Dec 13, 2014

zzbxdo, thank you so much for taking the time to encourage me. Yes, I am in one of the worst places to be but I still hold hope (realistic hope) for the future. Because as you said, honestly who knows what might happen then? But of course that doesn’t stop the worrywart in me. As you said, I’m worrying over things outside my control but it’s so scary since this has to everything with my career and future in life (like you said, things outside of my control). I will try to focus my best in school and worry about job hunting when the time draws closer. Hopefully by then, I will be somewhat more confident about myself (hopefully!). Thank you again, zzbxdo. I appreciate your advice for me greatly. :)

Summers3 · Dec 13, 2014

Don, you have tons of experience so that have probably worked wonders for your such advanced position. J And then again, you applied for such advanced positions in such specific departments that I would think they were potentially extra picky about their applicants. But who cares, since you got an offer! :) But yes, I also do believe in the "being in the right place at the right time" and honestly as you have said, who knows what might happen in the future (or during my own experience). As everyone's job hunting and career paths are very potentially different/individualistic to be compared to one another and really. But I was curious to hear from as many people as I can so I asked you. Thank you again for sharing your experience and best of luck. :)