Hi all! I've been on this site for a while now, but haven't posted much. however, i feel like it'll just make me (and hopefully a few others) feel a bit better about this whole job situation if we vent it out together. i just need to complain, and i need people who understand how frustrated and hopeless i'm feeling.
i graduated from a somewhat prestigious university over a year ago, and passed my nclex without a bead of sweat. great grades, great clinical experience, killer references and resume....still can't get a job. i live in the northeast, where things are tight...but still. i work at the grocery store...THE GROCERY STORE! i paid $100,000 to get a degree so that people can supervise how i bag their eggs and talk to me like i'm stupid. i have nothing against my current job - they're great to me and it pays my bills kinda sorta for now - but it's so damn frustrating!
on top of all of this, i'm getting so sick of people constantly saying to me "but i thought we needed nurses!"...when is oprah gonna do a show about all of us who are graduating and finding a completely closed off job market? and now that a second year of nurses are finishing up, us 2008 grads are getting more and more lost.
it's not like i'm not trying - i apply to jobs nearly non stop. i call and ask for nurse managers and recruiters personally, who never answer their phones or my voicemails. i feel like a complete and total failure pretty much all of the time, and don't know what to do. i have at least 15 friends in the same boat, but none of them currently live nearby and i don't have anyone to talk to about these feelings. i cry a lot when i'm alone, but put on a big smile and just tell people i'm staying optimistic and i'm still looking etc. etc.
anyway - if you wanna chime in, please do. i know our families and friends are probably getting sick of listening to us talk about this stuff, so it feels better to talk to strangers who understand. :)
much love and keep the faith, my friends. we're gonna rise above this someday.
I don't have any kids, but I am definitely losing hope, I mean my actions are not saying I am giving up as I apply and make calls everyday but my head is saying what is this all for, nothing is coming up. 500+ applications within 7-8 states and nothing!..This really sucks!!!
I definitely went through the stage where I was losing hope but now I'm in a place where I feel like something will come along, I continue to pray everyday, and I feel like I am sooo close to getting a job. I follow up with jobs, keep an open mind about positions, continue to apply. I'm getting forebearance and deferrment on my loans so I got some time to pay those off. My education set me back alot for the same reason as char13713. I felt like it would be jobs thrown at me after graduating.
So overall, I thank allnurses.com for giving us an outlet to vent about these issues and stay motivated everyone!!!
Specializes in Ortho-Neuro,labor and delivery, nursery.
I have been searching for a job for 9 months now and STILL nothing! I don't have any kids but I do have bills (especially from school). I have tried everywhere...hospitals both in and out of state, internships, nurse tech positions, doctors' offices, nursing homes etc. I don't even know how many applications/resumes I've put in any anymore, it's been so many. It's so depressing and discouraging not being able to find work, especially when I have people constantly asking me why I don't have a job yet and telling they don't understand why I'm not working when there's a "huge nursing shortage". When I try to explain my situation, they look at me in utter disbelief as if I'm making it all up. I've been volunteering several times a week as an RN at a free clinic for several months now, and while I'm learning a lot of different things and doing a good deed...it doesn't pay the bills. The doctors there are even willing to give me a recommendation but there just aren't any jobs out there. I've even had people tell me that I'm wasting my time by volunteering because it probably won't help any:o:angryfire. I just feel so discouraged. Sometimes it makes me wonder if busting my butt in school was worth it. I'm still trying to keep hope though....praying that a job will come along one day.
But you do need a BSN, right? I think the military is an excellent suggestion, and you are very wise to pursue it. I'm a military brat -- grew up in Germany. There are hospitals in many, many places around the world, not just Iraq. I would encourage everyone eligible to consider this route -- and check the Navy and Air Force as well. If I were younger, I would consider it when I finished my BSN! But my husband is former Army (infantry, AKA a "gravity tester for the 82nd Airborne"), and would probably NOT be happy if I joined up. LOL.
Husband notwithstanding...they've upped the age limit for most of the military services to the early 40s, so depending on when you finish your degree you may still be eligible. And you never know, he may not mind being the military spouse.
I'm thinking about doing myself once my BSN is done. My better half will be about ready to retire from the military at that point, and he said he wouldn't mind being the homemaker if I went active duty.
Husband notwithstanding...they've upped the age limit for most of the military services to the early 40s, so depending on when you finish your degree you may still be eligible. And you never know, he may not mind being the military spouse.
I'm thinking about doing myself once my BSN is done. My better half will be about ready to retire from the military at that point, and he said he wouldn't mind being the homemaker if I went active duty.
I've thought about it -- almost as much as I've considered also going overseas as a civilian RN! The problem with overseas is that my husband is a tattoo artist, and getting him licensed to tattoo overseas would be very tough/next to impossible, unfortunately -- I've looked into that already. Otherwise I would have applied to work at Landstuhl in Germany months ago! While his profession is very mobile, it has limits (like being stateside). However, it is still very very tempting! I miss the military culture. I'll be 38 (gack!) when I finish my BSN next year, so it does still bear consideration.
I just got my RN and it's almost three months and not a single call or interview. I am becoming more and more discourage daily. I am about to apply for more school but I am afraid to waste the money!!! I have A BS in health science and a AS in nursing. If I knew that this was going to happen I would have never went back to school period. I was a waitress and made decent money doing so. I quit my job in August thinking I was going to get hired only to find that getting an RN job is next to impossible!!! Thank God that I am subbing as a school nurse in a town close by my house, but my desire to be in a hospital setting is so strong. I have never been depressed in my entire 29 years of life, and nursing has managed to have me SAD, HOPELESS, and CRYING everyday...
If anyone is wanting to relocate Las Palmas in El Paso will hire new nurses and will take GN's willing to relocate. I got a job offer from them last week, but took an offer from Baylor in Dallas instead. I have also received interview calls from Denton Regional in Denton Tx and Cook's Methodist in DFW.
If anyone is wanting to relocate Las Palmas in El Paso will hire new nurses and will take GN's willing to relocate. I got a job offer from them last week, but took an offer from Baylor in Dallas instead. I have also received interview calls from Denton Regional in Denton Tx and Cook's Methodist in DFW.
Hi lweatherby, thanks for the info. Did you travel all the way to Dallas to have an interview? And do they offer relocation assistance? Thanks in advance!
I did travel to Dallas, but I only live about 2.5 hours east of dallas. Relocation assistance was never discussed.... so not sure if they provide or not.
I did travel to Dallas, but I only live about 2.5 hours east of dallas. Relocation assistance was never discussed.... so not sure if they provide or not.
Thanks for the info. I don't live in Texas so I was curious. But I have a feeling that they'll prefer ppl who live in Texas before they look at out of state candidates.
LittleLRNThanks for the info. I don't live in Texas so I was curious. But I have a feeling that they'll prefer ppl who live in Texas before they look at out of state candidates.
hi i just got a job at mcallen tx if you like to move there, i moved all the way from Minnesota and they have up to 10 thousand dollars relocation assistance program for out of state and then five thousand dollars for instate..... so let me know if you interested and again i am a new grad... they still alot of openings, i took the day time med surg position... the hospital is great
k.morris
192 Posts
I don't have any kids, but I am definitely losing hope, I mean my actions are not saying I am giving up as I apply and make calls everyday but my head is saying what is this all for, nothing is coming up. 500+ applications within 7-8 states and nothing!..This really sucks!!!