when to start applying for jobs??

I graduated last May, and I knew I wanted a specialty area. I applied for jobs in January and had a job offer by the end of January/early February, and they held the position for me until I passed my NCLEX. (By the way, I wanted to take my NCLEX at the soonest possible date, but I was not able to schedule it until July! My school was very late sending in the roster of graduates to the state, so that completely gummed up my plan. I would have gladly taken it the day after graduation so I could move on with my life). I think the specialty areas fill up fast. You do not need to do med-surg for a year -- I knew I would be miserable doing that, and now that I am a working nurse I am sure I would have left nursing if I had to do that first. You still need to be aware of all the conditions people can have since you WILL see patients with diabetes or a heart problem or whatever in any setting. Starting in a specialty area, you will need to go through the whole adjustment of being a new grad nurse which is challenging AND learn the specialty, but you will be more motivated (especially when you are having a bad day) if you are at least where you want to be. There are plenty of nurses who graduated with me who didn't start applying until after graduation or the NCLEX, and most of them eventually found jobs. However, the specific new grad programs in hospitals filled up early, and some people who waited a long time to apply did not get their first choice. Count yourself blessed to be in an area where you have so many specialty programs in the hospitals for new grads. There is only one hospital in my area that had a specific new grad program, and that one required you to work as a float nurse which I think would make being a new grad nurse even ten times harder since you have to learn where everything is on every floor AND you may not get a good sense of which nurses are helpful to turn to when you have a question. I think it would be great to take advantage of one of those programs even if you don't want to be at that hospital in the long run. Many people recommend not going to your dream hospital right out of school because as a new grad you feel incompetent and are learning so much. In some units, the nurses can be gossipy and catty and never let you live down that "you are new and obviously stupid" label. I am fortunate to not be on such a unit, but I know many new grads in other situations planning to leave as soon as they hit their one year anniversary so they can move on to another place as an experienced nurse. As professionals, we should not be seeing that cattiness often, but unfortunately if you read the "first year in nursing" posts, that type of environment does exist. Good luck to you -- I hope you get a great job in a specialty you enjoy and have good coworkers. Coworkers can make or break any job.

Thanx for the advice! I did hear from our recent grads. that it was important to apply during break for a specialty area.I have been doing alot of thinking, and I decided not to do medsurg.I truly feel I will not be happy because I know it is not what i want to do.

I do not graduate until May 2009 either. we were told by the area hospitals to apply in January as well. We were told they are currently placing December grads:up:

I personally have a job lined up after graduating in December. My classmates have been on interviews and many have jobs. Our teachers have told people that are stressed about not getting intereviews or jobs yet to relax because its best to find the job you want instead of just signing a contract because you want to have a job lined up after graduation. There are pros and cons to rushing into a job decision. My advice to you is to wait for the position that you want and seems the best to you. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR ENDEAVORS!