Sorry Nurse Recruiters/Nurse Managers!

KeyMaster · Apr 17, 2012

Sadly a lot of places are interviewing, but still not filling positions. If you have a stong education with a string of degrees behind your name, recruiters want more experience. If you are experienced, they want more education. If you have both you are over-qualified. If you have neither you are disposable. Truth is - it's an employer's market. They have plenty of applicants to pick and choose from, yet somehow still find a reason to not fill vacancies.

OCNRN63, RN · Apr 17, 2012

You have got to be kidding me? no on second thought your right, my friend recently obtained her RN degree after being an LPN for years and was told the same exact thing!! this is crazy... i need CNA experience and your LPN NURSE experience means nothing... unreal

I understand your need to vent. I'm sorrier that others do not.

OCNRN63, RN · Apr 17, 2012

To the OP, I do wish you well in your search, and I believe in time you'll find something. But there's something you really do have to realize, and it's been said here a variety of ways, although I'll throw my hat in and try another way :)
For every RN job opening, there's going to be quite alot of interested applicants. Those with the most experience, best attitude in interviews, most impressive resumes and credentials are most likely to land that job. This, we all know.
So when you present with good character references, a degree and a license, you are interesting enough to the recruiter to want to look further, but that's about it. After that, all things being equal (meaning, the other applicants also have good character references, a degree and a license), the ones who have better resumes, more experience are going to get that job before you do.
It's frustrating, because you made some very valid choices when going through nursing school, ones that you felt were the best fit for yourself and your family, no doubt. But you do have to understand the the Nurse Manager/Recruiter is looking at a STACK of people, all of whom made choices, and some of those choices are more attractive to the recruiter.
It's not that they can't see your 3.0 GPA, it's that it really doesn't matter. Truly. It's not that they can't see how hard you studied for your NCLEX, it honestly truly does not matter--75 questions or 265 questions, they don't care. How long it took? They don't care. How well-liked you were in school? Again, as long as you have the requisite number of character references---they don't care.
In time, there will be a job opening that will allow you to get in and GET that all-important experience. But please don't think that those who do the hiring "can't see" how great you are, it's that the reality is there's ALOT of great nurses who are bringing just a bit more to the table than you.
Best of luck.

I do agree with this, however some of the previous responses were a little harsh. Reading this made me think the OP might benefit from having someone do a professional resume for her, so her good qualities make her stand out and make her memorable for someone looking to hire.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

OCN: good point.

NO doubt, today's job market is tough.

79Tango · Apr 17, 2012

Have you obtained ACLS and PALS? That is a way to set yourself apart. Especially if the job doesnt require it.

OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

I'm sorry you are not employed yet. Instead of being sorry and feeling sorry for yourself you need to put yourself out there. There are many new grads without experience that find jobs. What ever you are doing now is not working. Something needs to change. I would advise changing your resume and job search techniques. Sending the good ole resume doesn't do it anymore. Nothing from your posts makes you stand out. Almost everyone I know has a BSN, 3.0, kids, spouse, and full time job while in school.

At this point I would suggest volunterring somewhere in the health care field just to get experience and to network. When you go on interviews talk about how you nursed your kids, parents, God parents, or whoever. Focus on your clinical experience. Wish you much luck.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

thatguy: i didn't say i was special, i said i worked hard to get through school with real responsibilities, (as many others have).. but if you have any suggestions to help us new grads, career changes stand out, i am all ears!!

i am sorry you were lied to. i am sorry that your school and instructors never told you the real story. i am sorry you are experiencing this.

the real story that for right now there is no nursing shortage. schools continue to crank out grads at an alarming rate under the false pretense that there are jobs abundant out there for there isn't. new grads are particularly hard hit as it is expensive to train them and many hospitals are finding that some new grads, from certain programs, are less trained than others. you may need to consider ltc tan ltac

has the nursing shortage disappeared?

it's that time of year again. graduating nursing students are preparing to take the nclex and are looking for their first jobs. this year, many are finding those first jobs in short supply.

reports are rampant of new graduates being unable to find open positions in their specialty of choice, and even more shockingly, many are finding it tough to find any openings at all.

these new rns entered school with the promise that nursing is a recession-proof career. they were told the nursing shortage would guarantee them employment whenever and wherever they wanted.

so what happened? has the nursing shortage—that we've heard about incessantly for years—suddenly gone away?

the short term answer is clearly yes, although in the long term, unfortunately, the shortage will still be there.

the recession has brought a temporary reprieve to the shortage. nurses who were close to retirement have seen their 401(k) portfolios plummet and their potential retirement income decline. they are postponing retirement a few more years until the economy—and their portfolios—pick up.

many nurses have seen their spouses and partners lose their jobs and have increased their hours to make ends meet for their families. some who left the profession to care for children or for other reasons have rejoined the workforce for similar reasons.

in addition, many hospitals are not hiring. the recession brought hiring freezes to healthcare facilities across the country, and many are still in effect. help wanted ads for healthcare professionals dropped by 18,400 listings in july.

http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/nrs-254907/has-the-nursing-shortage-disappeared.html

the big lie?

without a doubt, the main source of frustration experienced by recently graduated and licensed but still unemployed nurses is what could be called "the big lie."in other words, the television commercials that encourage young people to become nurses -- and then abandon them for months (or years) without employment; and the educators who tell them that the associate's degree is perfectly adequate to guarantee employment, that they will have their pick of jobs when they graduate, and that there is plenty of time to get a bsn later on. who knows whether it is greed, ignorance, or wishful thinking that underlies the fairy tales told to nursing students about their future job prospects? whatever the motivation, the disillusionment of our new grads is palpable. the jobs they expected after all of their hard work just haven't materialized, and some grads are getting pretty desperate.

medscape: medscape access you have to register for medscape but it is free....no strings.

overhauling nursing education: does nursing education prepare nurses for the real world? http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/736236_6

how i got my dream job!

mar 23 by tokyorose

i was down and hard on myself because it seemed like most of my classmates have gotten jobs. i kept on thinking, what is wrong with me? i graduated almost near the top of my class! i volunteer! i (think) my resume and cover letter rocks! then one day, i read a post on allnurses.com that absolutely changed my life...

https://allnurses.com/nursing-job-search/how-i-got-689384.html

the area of an you may find very helpful.

:hug: it's a tough market out there right now i wish you the best.

steffuturelpn · Apr 17, 2012

I feel ur frustration I am a new grad Lon bridging over to rn this summer and I found a job just a few weeks after passing boards but I have to drive a hr each way cuz I have no experience I wish you the best of luck and I am gonna pray a special prayer just for you today. I asked a lot of people to pray for me and it must of worked. Keep ya head up

LynnLRN · Apr 17, 2012

Have you had any interviews or are you being rejected just from your applications? My assumption is you must not be presenting yourself very well. Especially from your "entitled" attitude in your post. Everyone has hurdles to over come and have to work hard during nursing school. I'm willing to bet the majority of nursing students graduate with GPA's > 3.0. I mean I'm not trying to downplay all the hard work you did its just that I think its kind of the nurse personality to be an over achiever and do well so I think you are up against a tough crowd.

So I recommend reevaluating your resume and make sure not to come off as arrogant if you get an interview.

Merlyn · Apr 17, 2012

Shoot, I was an LPN for almost 5 years and the nurse recruiter flat out told me that LPN experience doesn't count nor matter.

I hope that that recruiter becomes one of my patients. Then I can post to this board how you can make a Foley out of an ordinary garden hose. Oh, there goes my love of humanity out the window again. Blame it on being an old LPN. My first trauma patient was a head wound. Patient's name was Abe something.

DixieGrace · Apr 17, 2012

Have your tried LTC and home health agency?? I am in school now.. will graduated next year ( hopefully). I have a friend youis having a hard time getting a job in a hospital, so she started working in a home health to get the experience.

I wish you the very best. This is my second degree as well. I plan on getting a PT CNA job soon just to be in the "loop"

Kudos to you in getting a second degree.

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

as i receive rejection after rejection for nursing jobs, i feel the need to apologize to nurse recruiters/managers who overlook my bsn because i lack patient care tech experience.
i am sorry

do all the nursing students who did all those things you list owe you a snarky apology?

the new grad nurses i work with who have solid tech, cna, and other healthcare experience are simply better nurses. i hate following bsn grads who never worked in the field. their rooms, their lines, and their patients are often a sorry mess.