I agree with other posters, get certifications. Yes, they are expensive but your application will stand out and they are great skills to have. Driving an hour to work is not unreasonable. Try following up with a phone call to each facility. I had a hard time being aggressive with my job search. I learned that nobody is going to come looking for me even though I had a 4.0 and great references. I applied to every facility within one hour of my home (single mom with kids, or I would probably have gone anywhere). I then began to follow up with a phone call, I'm sure HR was annoyed with me, I went to open houses at SNF's. I took ACLS and a cardiac interpretation course through the AHA. Eventually I got really brave and mailed my resume and cover letter to one of the directors of the ED I had clinical at. She called me back and offered me a position because she remembered me. (I wish schools would reiterate to students to network during clinicals, many people got jobs that way). Also, be wiling to work any shift. You just have to get your foot in the door. Best of luck.
Go online and look for hospitals having job fairs or open house. They may say experienced nurses only but don't let that stop you. Sometimes they need to see you in person that's is how I got my first nursing job and I'm a new graduate. Good Luck!
I just wanted to add onto something about relocation. I do not know your living or financial situation. And relocation is a whole lot easier if you are single and do not have children. But, there are places that will give you sign-on bonuses. Look into jobs in New Mexico and Texas.
I did not have a lot of money before relocating. I worked part-time at a retail store before getting my nursing job. Do you work at all right now? Even a part-time job somewhere? Start saving up your money now if you are serious about a move. I saved up enough to get my endorsement in my new state, to get to said location, and first month rent. My relocation bonus and first paycheck paid for the rest.
Because you are bilingual, this makes you hugely marketable.
It would be so worth your while to go to your schools career center, or to a professional and have them help you to present your resume and cover letter in a way that stands out. Your nursing professor suggested changes. And that is a good thing. Now take all of that information and have someone help you to organize and present it. They can also coach you on interview skills.
There are many reasons why you might not be getting selected. Have you called/emailed the places that have not selected you and tried asking why they did not?
Many of the online applications I went thru had a section to submit your own resume. I have had some friends who went to a resume presentation and we were told we needed "power" words in our resume because that is how the computers choose applicants and what hiring managers look for in resumes. If you google "resume power words" you will get an idea of what I am talking about. Any work experience can look good if you word it right.
Cover letters are also extremely important, and you should be mentioning the values and mission statements of the places you apply in that cover letter. That lets them know you did your research.
Have you called the new grad program that keeps taking down their application online and asked them why and if you can apply? Other then that, the simple truth is that if you are dead set on working in a hospital and you have exhausted all resources where you live, it is time to start looking and applying in different cities/states. The new grad programs I applied for only took new grads who had graduated within 6 months (so if it was your 7th month of no job after graduating, you don't qualify anymore) here in CO so you may be a ticking time bomb of lost opportunity.
I know you want to stay where your family is for the first part of this transition, but the more time you spend not applying your knowledge, the less you will remember when you finally get a job. They were not kidding when they said you would still feel like you know nothing at your first job. I graduated in August, was accepted into a new grad program and started working in late October and I can tell you this job is pretty darn hard.
At this point, do whatever you need to do to figure out why people won't hire you. We can all sit here and type our advice, but the truth is none of us really know why you cannot find employment unless you go and find out!
phlebitis
11 Posts
I agree with other posters, get certifications. Yes, they are expensive but your application will stand out and they are great skills to have. Driving an hour to work is not unreasonable. Try following up with a phone call to each facility. I had a hard time being aggressive with my job search. I learned that nobody is going to come looking for me even though I had a 4.0 and great references. I applied to every facility within one hour of my home (single mom with kids, or I would probably have gone anywhere). I then began to follow up with a phone call, I'm sure HR was annoyed with me, I went to open houses at SNF's. I took ACLS and a cardiac interpretation course through the AHA. Eventually I got really brave and mailed my resume and cover letter to one of the directors of the ED I had clinical at. She called me back and offered me a position because she remembered me. (I wish schools would reiterate to students to network during clinicals, many people got jobs that way). Also, be wiling to work any shift. You just have to get your foot in the door. Best of luck.