1st interview, I'm a new grad w/o work experience - help!

[heronurse]

Hello guys! I just landed my first interview in one of the prestigious hospital in the state and I'm so anxious about it.

I'm a new grad BSN, RN without workexperience. yeah fresh, really. After graduation jumped into NCLEX then now on the job hunt.

I applied for a position where it says 1-2 years work experience PREFFERED, which I don't have.

I need tips on how I can answer the question "WHATS YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE and WHY SHOULD YOU HIRE YOU"

I read up online about the hospital interviews and responses said they really look into the work experience. I also read that one applicant who is also a new grad landed a interview but when she was ask also about the work experience, the mood of the interview suddenly shifted.

Please, this is my dream hospital and I really think this is my only shot getting in. I think I applied for like 5-6 positions there and I landed one interview and I got rejected into the other floor.

I'm really anxious and scarred at the same time.

Any help is appreciated.

Thank you!

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Do you have any experience at all? Not just nursing experience. Any volunteer experience?

[heronurse]

Do you have any experience at all? Not just nursing experience. Any volunteer experience?

not at all, I'm a foreign graduate. volunteering in my country is not popular when you're a student.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Any internships? Is the language you speak one that is a "hot" second language in the US?

[heronurse]

Any internships? Is the language you speak one that is a "hot" second language in the US?

nope, came from the Philippines. Are you asking internship like the residency program here? if its like that, it's a no but the clinicals during college is different here in the US. We are really hands on and intensive practice. Does that count?

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

nope, came from the Philippines. Are you asking internship like the residency program here? if its like that, it's a no but the clinicals during college is different here in the US. We are really hands on and intensive practice. Does that count?

There are many nursing graduates here who have "really hands on and intensive practice" in nursing programs; it still doesn't count because the clinical practicum is required to satisfy graduation requirements.

Your best bet is to find which hospitals have "residency programs" or find other places outside of the hospital to gain nursing experience, such as long term care or short term rehab centers; depending on the area you choose to practice, you may be able to get a hospital job or cast your net wide to obtain a nursing position.

[annabash_rn]

Congrats on the interview! I have a friend who had a similar situation and had little prior work experience, but she was hired on a busy med surg floor.

Do you have any experience babysitting or anything like that? Any clinical situations you can think of where you had to go "above and beyond"? Emphasize that you are eager to learn. Best of luck to you.

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

Well, if you look at it from the employers point of view you are wasting their time by applying for a job you are clearly not qualified for. They have attempted to weed out interviewing the massive numbers of domestically educated grads equally unqualified for the jobs they are posting as they prefer to not train an inexperienced nurse fresh out of school. As a new grad you are expensive to train and if they don't have a residency program they don't want to incur that expense. Let someone else train you.

Apply to a less "prestigious" place to get that 1-2 year's experience then go back to your dream hospital. You will have a better idea what is really important once you've been in the work force.

What makes you think lying your way through an interview is your only shot at getting in?

ETA: Gosh you are in a fix. It took you over a year to pass NCLEX so you are what is called a "stale grad". No experience and over a year since nursing school. Be prepared to explain that in an interview, too.

[heronurse]

Well, if you look at it from the employers point of view you are wasting their time by applying for a job you are clearly not qualified for. They have attempted to weed out interviewing the massive numbers of domestically educated grads equally unqualified for the jobs they are posting as they prefer to not train an inexperienced nurse fresh out of school. As a new grad you are expensive to train and if they don't have a residency program they don't want to incur that expense. Let someone else train you.

Apply to a less "prestigious" place to get that 1-2 year's experience then go back to your dream hospital. You will have a better idea what is really important once you've been in the work force.

What makes you think lying your way through an interview is your only shot at getting in?

ETA: Gosh you are in a fix. It took you over a year to pass NCLEX so you are what is called a "stale grad". No experience and over a year since nursing school. Be prepared to explain that in an interview, too.

yeah I'm a foreign graduate and the processing of the papers takes a long time.

[heronurse]

Well, if you look at it from the employers point of view you are wasting their time by applying for a job you are clearly not qualified for. They have attempted to weed out interviewing the massive numbers of domestically educated grads equally unqualified for the jobs they are posting as they prefer to not train an inexperienced nurse fresh out of school. As a new grad you are expensive to train and if they don't have a residency program they don't want to incur that expense. Let someone else train you.

Apply to a less "prestigious" place to get that 1-2 year's experience then go back to your dream hospital. You will have a better idea what is really important once you've been in the work force.

What makes you think lying your way through an interview is your only shot at getting in?

ETA: Gosh you are in a fix. It took you over a year to pass NCLEX so you are what is called a "stale grad". No experience and over a year since nursing school. Be prepared to explain that in an interview, too.

yeah I'm a foreign graduate and the processing of the papers takes a long time and I did not lie about not having a work experience. I stated that in my resume, that's why I'm surprised they called me in.

[heronurse]

Congrats on the interview! I have a friend who had a similar situation and had little prior work experience, but she was hired on a busy med surg floor.

Do you have any experience babysitting or anything like that? Any clinical situations you can think of where you had to go "above and beyond"? Emphasize that you are eager to learn. Best of luck to you.

good to hear some people has the same situation as I am and still getting a job. thank you for making my hopes up! :)

[nutella, MSN, RN]

Be honest and yourself.

It is not all about your work experience, it is also about how your personality fits.

There are usually certain qualities a hiring manager will look for and at times that can be more important than extensive history. A candidate who will in general be a good fit but just needs some more training can have a better position for a job as opposed to a person with extensive job history but not a good fit otherwise. That is what interviews are all about - to find out if you are a good fit in all regards, not just work experience. The job market is very competitive but good work ethics and other "soft" skills are still important. It is not uncommon that a person applies to one specific job but a hiring manager thinks about a different job or position or has future needs.