******, tired and frustrated (A Vent)

[danarooo, BSN, RN]

My career hasn't even began and it might as well be over. I have been a "new grad" for over a year now with no luck. I've had a whopping two interviews in a year. I am now at the point of questioning why I spent sooooo much money and time to go to school, I owe $20,000.00 in student loans that I can't pay and have no job. I can't seem to even get a response to submitted applications/resumes. I am so completely discouraged and mad, mad as hell as a matter of fact. I feel totally shut out. I want to give up. It's gotten to the point that I am now considering just geting a job, any freaking job. I have even looked at office jobs. The only nursing job I've been able to get is a flu shot nurse, for a few months and that is it....and that isn't even really using any of my nursing skills.

I am so discouraged and angry. I left my job a few years back to better my life, and now all I am is an unemployed RN with debt up to my eyeballs and no job prospects. I can't even believe this is now my situation. Why nursing schools keep churning out nurses when it's so damn hard to find a job I don't know, but I wished I wasn't lied to when I started nursing school about how great it is and how we will always be in demand. What a crock of crap.

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

certainly, after reading your post i felt like i was looking in a mirror a long time ago mirror of myself, i'm sorry that you're having to go through this. everyone, is aware that every nursing graduate is facing the same fate these days. having said that, one has to understand that nursing schools sought a need to bring up their score in admission on account of their future students. granted it shouldn't have happened, but one can't dwell as they say over spill milk. evidently, i can't remember how many doors were shut to me when i came to the states, mind you as a seasoned nurse. moreover, they tell the new grads that they are looking for experience, then they turn down the seasoned nurses claiming that "your over qualified". however, i didn't loose my faith nor my perseverance and it payed off in time, after countless applications and interviews i got a job. in addition, i continued to work all sorts of odd jobs in order to sustained my responsibilities as a single parent. trust me when i say that there's a light at the end of the tunnel, at times one has to swallow ones pride and roll with the punches, till your day arrives. furthermore, i have no doubt that you will succeed and become the nurse you are meant to be. wishing you the very best in all of your future endeavors...and keep us up to date... aloha~

[MJB2010]

You just have to keep your head up and keep trying.My first bit of advice would be a total revamp of the resume. Have ti ready to cut and paste into all the online apps. Those online apps are usually looking for buzz words when they get scanned so include buzz words (usually in job description). Also It took my class over a year to have 50% of us employed as RNS. Some of us are doing well now, others have left the profession entirely. Keep trying. I had to commute over an hour to my first job and a lot of my classmates said they were not willing to do that and it was crazy, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Looking for a new RN job IS a full time job. And its the most frustrating thing ever reading all the postings over and over. " no new grads" My first job said " BSN required" and I was an ADN, they still hired me. They also said " one year experience preferred" and I had none. So sure, I wated a lot of time applying for jobs that were long shots, but one finally paid off for me. Cast a wide net. Apply to everything.

Best of luck. Please don't give up. Apply far and wide, be open to night shift, apply to state positions, psych positions, LTC, Group Homes etc etc etc.

And as an experienced nurse it is the same. Job market is this right now, no one wants to pay to train new grads, but no one wants to pay what experienced nurses should be paid. So experienced nurses are also having a tough time. Pay scales are going down down down. New grads in my area are being started at 5 bucks an hour less than new grads 5 years ago.