Hey guys! This website has been so great to me over the years that, once I passed boards (which I did today officially - hurray!) and got a job (which I got a month before I graduated) I would put together a posting on how to best get a job in this economy as a new graduate nurse.
A bit about me:
I worked my behind off in nursing school. I was always an A-B student but had to work for it. I'm pretty addicted to learning and consider myself to be a self starter, which is an essential portion of the below. I live in Southern California, born and raised in the Bay Area, which as most of you know is one of the "worst" places to find a new position as a nurse. I went to an ADN program as well, so already out of the gate you'd think that it would be darn close to impossible to find a job.
I've broken the following down by tips on how to find a position if you're a nursing student vs. a nurse already.
Tips For Nursing Students
Get as many certifications as you can.*
While in school I got BLS, ACLS, PALS, IV and blood withdrawal, and stroke certifications. It was all I asked for for Christmas, birthdays, and other holidays. It beefs up your resume and makes you stand out to recruiters that you not only love learning but you go above and beyond.
* If it's too expensive and not feasible for your life, you can stand out in other ways. ?
Relationships.
On the same track as the above - start forming relationships with your clinical instructors as soon as possible, fellow students, and the nurses and management on the unit. Print out recommendation letter form templates and give them out to the nurses you work with and request they write a few words if they appreciated your help. It really looks good to have recommendations from people who weren't your instructors. Also request after each session a recommendation letter from your instructor. They will forget if you wait!
Portfolio.
Start putting together a portfolio in your first semester of all your accomplishments and recommendation letters. By the time I was finished with school I had over 10 letters of recommendation from instructors and nurses I worked with as well as from the places I volunteered, unofficial transcripts, certification sheets, volunteer work commendations, and a letter of acceptance to my RN-BSN program.
Always go above and beyond in the clinical setting.
This is where you have a chance to shine! Don't be scared to do something new and exciting and always ask if you can at least observe if you don't feel comfortable with a procedure. Even if it seems unreasonable - ASK! Also ask to do things that the nurses don't want or don't have time to do if you have the time (like accuchecks, bed baths, wiping and cleaning up after an "accident.")
For example, my school wasn't going to allow us to go down to observe surgeries, which is eventually where I want to work as a CRNA down the line. I continued to request it from my instructor and specifically picked patients who were heading down for a procedure till I was able to spend two days of my rotation there!
Volunteering and more volunteering.
Go to a hospital, hospice care, anything medically-related and start volunteering as much as you can as soon as you can. THIS ALSO WORKS IF YOU'RE FINISHED WITH SCHOOL WAITING FOR BOARDS! Not only does it look great on your resume for future employers, but it allows you to make connections and be exposed to more facets of the field so you can nail down where you think you'd be happiest.
For example, I volunteered with Cedars Sinai Medical Center as a Meal Time Mate in nursing school feeding cognitively impaired patients and was a part of their nursing internship program in Critical Care.
If you can, get a job related to the field!
Ideally, work at getting into a hospital as a Patient Care Associate or Certified Nursing Assistant or Unit Secretary to form connections that will help give you the internal edge once you graduate.
I worked in home healthcare during nursing school as both a caregiver for one company and eventually the Executive Director for another. It was difficult to work while going to nursing school, but the experience was amazing!
Don't stop with your ADN.
Even showing future employers that you've gotten in to a BSN program says a lot about you as a person. It shows that you're always pushing yourself further and know that higher education in nursing is important.
Introduce yourself!
When you're on the floor for clinicals, make it a point to introduce yourself to the nurse managers on the unit and, if you can, the nurse recruiters.
Advice For Those Who Are Already Nurses:
Attitude.
The biggest beef I have with this site is that people come on and complain about how hard it is to find a job which only perpetuates the negativity that society is giving to us already. What got me and my classmates the positions we have now is not giving up, staying positive and persistent, and refusing to get a defeatist attitude about it being "so hard out there for new grads." Continuing to work at finding the job you love will pay off!
Dream big.
Look at the hospitals you want to work at and get the name and contact information of the nurse recruiters or hiring managers. Even if they give you a no initially, thank them for their time and ask them what you can do to get a job at their hospital. Then let them know that you're going to be contacting them again after you get your BSN/1 year of experience/whatever else they're looking for.
For example, I have an "in" at CHLA through my boss in Los Angeles. My boss and I got me an informational interview/coffee meeting with the nurse recruiter there and we hit it off great. Only downside is the fact that they only hire BSNs into their Versant program, so I gave her my contact information and we ping each other every so often to keep that link alive until I finish my new grad program and my BSN.
Informational interviews are key.
Get the contact information for nurse recruiters and hiring managers and cold call them to request an informational interview after doing a little internet stalking on them to have some interesting things to say.
For example, the nurse recruiter for my job grew up in the same area I did and went to school near where I grew up. When I called to ask for an informational interview, I got to chatting with her about the Bay Area. We ended up on the phone for a good 30 minutes!
Don't just apply online.
You can apply to a million jobs online and never get an interview. Regardless of how good you look on paper, it's all about getting in front of them or talking to someone on the phone. You MUST make yourself known and stand out. If you can't get an informational interview, figure out other creative ways to get in front of them. Are there nursing panels for alumns at your school? Nurse recruitment sessions in your area? Do you have a friend or relative in the hospital that you want to work at? (As horrible as the latter is, some of my friends have been successful at that!)
Don't accept anyone telling you that you aren't good enough with "just" having your ADN.
We know that many hospitals are moving to Magnet status and only hiring BSNs. Don't let yourself think that you are less than for having your ADN! You worked hard for your degree and you have so much to offer organizations. All my classmates and I graduated from an ADN program.
You've got the informational interview or interview! Now what?!
Do as much research on the hospital as you can and prepare a list of questions. They want to know that you're interested in working there and will, inevitably, ask you why. Look at specifics. Was the hospital a leader in the area that you want to work in? (For example, my hospital was the first in the area to do a heart transplant. My specific interests are in the CTICU and cardiac surgery & procedures.) Call to figure out who may be on your panel if you can - then do a little internet research to find out a bit more about them to be able to drop some personal information during your interview!
Also, get a clear picture as to why you're a nurse and why you want to work on that particular unit. Brush up on some nursing basics to be prepared for clinical scenarios.
Contacts get you the job!
Contact family, friends, friends-of-friends, instructors, anyone you can think of that might help you get a job. Drop that you're a nurse to everyone you talk with - your dry cleaner, people sitting next to you on the plane, your waiter. You never know where connections will come from. Always be attentive and "on" when you're out doing things. I got a ping for my current job from my yoga instructor! 
Take care of yourself and your body.
While it sounds superficial, it's a fact that people are that way. Keep a pressed outfit at the ready and keep yourself physically fit and eating well. In several interviews I had people chat with me about fitness tips and commenting on how professional & nice I looked.
