Stupid looser nurse looking for work!

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Hi Fellow Nurses,

I am one of the nursing grads out there pounding the pavement in search of a job. Willing to work nights, weekends, any where; but, no one seems to want a new grad. I keep getting emails saying "thank you for your interest in our organization; but, at this time we are only interviewing candidates with strong clinical backgrounds..." I am tired of looking for work. I am tired of the rejection. I am tired of my family thinking that there must be something wrong with me if no one even wants to interview me. I can't believe I was on cloud nine when I got in nursing school, ecstatic when I graduated, on top of the moon when I passed my NCLEX - only to graduate with an unemployable degree! Every month I remain unemployed my skills wean and I am afraid that if I spend too long out of work I will have to relearn everything. Well, I am probably over reacting; but, thanks for listening.

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Stay positive, eventually you will find someone to give you your first nursing job. The hospital I work at in GA. hires lots of new grads, so you may have to expand your search to other hospitals in your state.

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Specializes in Home Health.

Don't give up or be discouraged! Keep looking! It took me two months to land a LTC job when I graduated LPN school & that was through someone I knew. Now as an BSN-RN, I'm still at all of the jobs that hired me on as an LPN so I'm blessed but I've been looking & applying as well. I'm frustrated too but persistence is key! Network & keep on applying. You'll get a job... Even if it's 6 months from now! Btw Congrats on graduating & passing the boards!!! 🎉🎉🎉

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

Are you determined to live in Florida?

Perhaps your job search would go better in another state?

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Your bio says you have 4 years as a LPN in multiple specialties. Can you contact any of your previous supervisors and see if they have any RN openings or leads on jobs that would be a good fit for you?

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Change your mindset. You are not a stupid loser. You are a very bright person that made it through nursing school.

You are caught in the current environment that makes it difficult for a new grad to get a job.

You need to focus on how to market yourself. Research this.. learn how to sell yourself and network. Your LPN experience is golden.. use it.

Do you have an "elevator" speech?

Agree with previous posters, you may need to go to where the jobs are.

Best of luck... let us know how it's going.

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If you want to move to nebraska...

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Specializes in Infection Prevention, Public Health.

VA Maine (Augusta)has 2 openings for new grads called Entry to Practice. Let me know if you want more info. 55,000 starting salary, 5 weeks vacation, generous sick leave.

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You still have your active LPN license, right? If worse comes to worse, apply for an LPN position, and perhaps that would be your foot in the door. I applied for a licensed nurse job one time. The DON told me that she needed me to work as a CNA for a few months until there was an opening. She kept her word and promoted me when the time came. Sometimes we have to take a step backwards in order to move forward. Good luck.

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Gotta start from the bottom. I have nurse friends who couldn't find jobs and worked at nursing homes to get the experience and other options. To be able to say they worked with patients after graduating.

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You can even get a job as a companion in home care, if need be, to say you have been working with patients and for a personal reference. Private duty patients will jump at having an RN to provide home care, and will usually pay accordingly. Look in the employment web sites such as Craigslist for these types of positions.

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Wow, everybody, thanks for the advice. For now I will have to stay in Florida because hubby's job is here and I think I will stick with him! I like the advice about going back to long term care and also taking a job as a caregiver. I think I need to be working with patients in some sort of fashion. I do have a weird update though, one hospital sent me a turn down email and then the supervisor of PCU called and made an interview apt with me. Another hospital's recruiter called and made an interview apt with me and then a few hours later I got a turn down email before I even went to the interview! So I am going to both interviews and hoping for the best. I filled out about a dozen more applications last night and if I can't get a hospital job by the end of next week then I am going to go back to long term care. I just wanted to work at a hospital and I will continue to try to figure out how to break in to the field! Thanks for all the support and good advice. I know my family doesn't mean to discourage me, they just don't understand the field.

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