To the unemployed new grads... what ARE you doing?

[BigB_RN]

Hi guys and gals,

It's a crappy job market and economy. I was just wondering what my fellow umemployed new grads were doing while they are job hunting and pulling out their hair. I'm just finishing up my last couple flu clinics while still looking for a job. What about you? Are you parking cars or working at Starbucks just to make a few dollars until you land that nursing position?

I'm curious what the responses are.

[Blackheartednurse]

I'm working as RN in a home health part-time (just finished doing flu shots for Mollen ).Had two admissions today (my head is kind of buzzing from all the paperwork,asking questions)

[FrogKissingNurse]

your school of nursing should be submitting all the paperwork to the state after you graduate. all you should need to do is get fingerprinted, register with the 2 places and set a date for the nclex... at least that is how it works at my school...good luck!

[FrogKissingNurse]

ninetynine~

your school of nursing should be submitting all the paperwork to the state after you graduate. all you should need to do is get fingerprinted, register with the 2 places and set a date for the nclex... at least that is how it works at my school...good luck!

[KC,RN]

i'm not an unemployed new grad, but an under-employed new grad. i graduated last may and pasted my boards in august. since september i've worked in ltc part-time with no benefits and pay rate that is well below what i was told to expect for a new grad. i've also been doing flu shot clinics as well. i never get down about it because i feel that the experience is much more valuable than the pay. i am returning to school for my bsn in january, and i plan on job hunting for a hospital job with benefits in the spring.

hopeful this will all change soon and we’ll all be swatting of new job offers. in the mean time i’m very thankful to have an income to pay my bills.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I'm not unemployed, but I do not have a full-time job, either.

I work part-time at a local nursing home doing two 12-hour shifts every weekend. I also work PRN status at a small rehab hospital during the week. The rehab hospital has been keeping me busy with three to four 12-hour shifts per week at a very decent pay rate over the past few months, but I've been told that the holiday season will be filled with shift cancellations as the census drops. I was canceled fir the very first time last week, so I expect more cancellations in the coming months.

[mswhitern]

I am a new grad - graduated may 2010. currently living in Georgia and no job...I have searched high and low, hospital, LTC, nursing homes, home health - you name it & I applied, even putting in CNA apps at some places. Nothing.. however I am employed by one home health, $32.00/hr - highest I understand in the ATL area, but you have to wait on clients. I have been luck to have 2 in the month 1/2 I have been there - recently they are picking up.

Being patient, and accepting all cases so that I can get some experience. Had one interview for New Grad program, wasn't accepted. I know our time is coming and when one call - they all will start calling - don't give up.

[bethaj17]

I graduated in March 2010..Licensed in Aug 2010 just got my first nursing job...it didn't work out..sooo now I'm back to square one again....I'm probably gonna jump into any job I can get to make some cash..untill I come up with something else..Sucks Sucks sucks. I trying to be positive..but this whole nursing thing is not the nursing I thought it was way back when I started school.

[beba/rn]

I'm so bored at home waiting for my kids to come from school. No job offers or interview. It's about 6 mouths since I become RN

[nomoreschool]

I am studying for my N-Clex. The rest of the time, I check my emails for rejections from all the places I've applied to. No interview of any sort yet. It's so depressing. I dont know why everyone I've talked to told me that new nurses can find a job anywhere since there's not enough nurses. hahahhahha...I guess none of these people have apply for a new RN position lately. Black Friday is coming and I guess I must do some shopping therapy but by the end of the month when the husband open the CC statement, World War III will explode in my household.

[Gem0607]

I've been out of school since May 2009. I had to relocate due to my husbands job. I've taking ACLS and I did the flu clinics. I will be opening up an in-home child care center by the end of Dec and enrolling into a RN refresher course because I feel like that is all I can do at this point. I have had 3 interviews, sent out about 300 applications and no job yet.

[SLM3]

I am receiving unemployment... I am very thankful for it, although I don't have a lot of bills (single, living at home). I do have expenses tho & if I didn't have it I'd probably have been screwed right now. Also, with an uncertain future it's nice to have some security. So am able to put most of my energy into job-hunting & all that it entails, getting advanced certifications, etc. But when I run out of things to do, I am bored out of my mind. I've never been more stressed while sitting on my butt all day.

I have an interview (2nd in 6mos) next week tho, so here's to hoping my life will be completely different soon. :)

[CardioNRS~DAWN]

Besides praying and pulling my hair out, I'm applying to jobs up and down my state every single day. Next week I plan to volunteer to maintain my sanity. I never thought that having an RN liscense I would be unemployed.