I am a recent BSN graduate living in the Philadelphia area. It is tough to find a job without one year of experience here so I am considering various states where I have family living, such as IL, NC, FL, and WI. Is it a waste of time to apply for online jobs at hospitals which state, for example: "Must be in possession of a NC license?" If so, that suggests one must be firmly committed to moving to a specific area and proceed to apply for licensure there?
note to Readers: The original answer had incorrect information on my part. The answer has been edited to reflect the residency requirements of a compact multistate license holder.
Many thanks to the astute readers below for bringing it to my attention.
Dear Looking Out of State,
For the most part, employers want RNs who are ready to work, including having the appropriate state licensure. But it never hurts to apply.
What you might consider doing is establishing residence in a compact state and applying for compact multistate licensure. A multistate license allows compact state residents to practice across state lines in other compact states. There are 24 compact states.
NC and Wisconsin are compact states. However, Florida is not, and Illinois is pending (but not yet a compact state).
A lot of nurses look out of state to land their first job. Good luck with your Job Search.
