To apply or not to apply...

[OhioRn11]

I'm one of the many new grads out there searching for a job. I graduated in June, passed the NCLEX (RN) in July and now desperately searching for a job.

My question is this: When applying for jobs and it clearly states "Experience Required" but doesn't blatantly say "No New Grads" (as I've seen on some jobs), do I apply or not? Part of me thinks, it can't hurt, while the other part of me thinks that the human resources dept might think that if I can't follow directions, they may not hire me for another job that I've applied for.

One more question... when online applications have a listing of different areas and want to know how much experience you have in each area, are clinicals considered experience? Logic tells me no, but I thought I'd ask anyhow. I went through a dual enrollment program that was an 18 month LPN program and then we went right into an RN program so I've basically done clinicals for 2.5 years continuously with the majority of them done in one hospital.

Thanks for your input!!

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

If it were me and it specifically states "experience required" then those would be the ones I'd not waste my time with. However, if it stated "experience preferred" then I'd send my app in.

We were told clincals aren't considered "experience", but as new grads, to set up a section on our resume (under the education section) that showed our clinical sites/dept. After that first job, we were told its best to revamp the resume and remove the clinical experience.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

"Experience" means functioning as a fully licensed nurse, managing patient care independently - not in an educational practicum. So, nursing clinicals do not count as experience.

[ILOVEnrsg2]

I agree with CT Pixie and HouTX, I don't waste my time with "Experience Required" posts because HR is just going to blow through that and dump your file for that position, but I do post for "Experience Preferred." And no, clinicals do not count for experience, but I would definitely have a section in your resume for where you did your clinicals at and during what semesters/quarters etc. I did that on my resume.

I was in the same boat as you, and I just got my first RN job a couple of weeks ago. Good luck, and keep being persistent and check the hospital career pages every day for new openings! You never know what may pop up.