Ugh. Rejected from dream job

[ThePrincessBride]

So I have just found out that my dream job has rejected me after what I thought was a great interview with good references.

Looks like all my hard work didn't mean anything. BSN. Magna Cum Laude. 3+ years of healthcare experience. Nothing. While other new grads get their dream jobs with no experience. It just ticks me off.

So now, I do not know what to do. I had my heart set on the babies, but looks like that isn't happening. I am now starting to apply indiscriminately, even though I am not in love with any other specialty like I am with the babies.

Now what? To the more experienced nurses out there, what happens if you don't get that dream job? Do you stop pursuing it and just take what you can get? I am so disappointed.

[pdmomma10]

I know you guys are right. I just had connections to this unit and I thought everything went so well. I guess I was just blind-sided by the fakery that is management.

*Sighs*

I have applied to other nicus, picu, pediatric oncology, float pool, cardiac icu, pediatrics cvticu...I am at a loss as to what I should do. I honest to god hate Med-Surg and don't think it would be right to apply to a unit I have no intention of staying at for more than a year.

I thought the same thing. I ended up working outside of the hospital in Hospice and found my heart/passion. Unfortunately in that line of work, burn-out rate is high. I know its not where I can be full time due to my single mom status. I am back in the hospital now. I have found that if you have a passion for Nursing....no matter what your patient (baby or elderly) you can find joy in helping people.

[amandacam]

In nursing school, I HATED med/surg with a passion. I dreaded every single time I had to be on a med/surg floor. Then 4th semester rolled around and I was put with a preceptor on a surgical floor, on night shift. All summer before the start of that semester, I was dreading it. But then I started and shockingly, I loved it. The people were team oriented and helpful, my preceptor was amazing, and I saw conditions that I had either only read about lightly or ones that we had not learned about yet. I honestly believe being on this unit helped me pass NCLEX, too. Next week, I start my first RN job on this very same floor. I encourage you to go into the med/surg interview with an open mind. You may change it or at the very least, it will give you a solid base.

[ScrappytheCoco]

I feel your pain. I have been loathing life in the ER for the last 2 years since graduating nursing school. I only ever wanted L&D, but the ER was the only place that called me when I graduated and I soon discovered being short staffed was the reason. We bounce around so much with my husband's job in the military that I never stay long enough to transfer units. All of the recruiters tell me I need L&D experience to even interview. I feel like I'm pigeon-holed to the ER forever and I hate it. Eventually I will get to where I want to be, I guess it just takes time. In the meantime, I am thankful I never have unpaid bills, sigh.

[soulshine101]

I am so glad I found this. I am currently doing my capstone in the ED at a level one trauma center, my dream job, and I thought for sure I was a shoe in because once I graduate in May I will have >584 hours of ED experience with a 1:1 preceptor model. I knew it was competitive and they were only taking 3. In my program, they paired us up so there are 2 Clinical Nurse Leaders in the ED. So we both applied to the ED. I thought the interview went semi okay but in the end my friend got the ED job and I got rejected. I just found out a week ago and it has been a hard pill to swallow. I was extremely disappointed, still am, but I was offered a job on the orthopedic/trauma unit which was my 2nd choice. I never really thought I would end up there and when I put it down on my application I didn't really put a lot of thought into it. Well I accepted the offer and I am headed to a med-surge floor. Trying to stay optimistic. We have to do a nurse residency program at my hospital for a year so I can't even consider transferring to the ED for a year. I really hope I can become a more desirable candidate after a year in ortho trauma? Do you think my chances are better after a year in Med surg to transfer to the ED? Thankfully, I asked the manager for feedback and advice about why I didn't get the job so I can reapply in the future and she agreed to meet!! :) That makes me hopeful but still totally devastated that I didn't get it and that I have to continue doing my capstone there until may knowing they didn't want me instead my friend I need some pick me up advice because the ER is my dream and I want to get back there SOON!!

[LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN]

To echo other posters most new nurses do not get their "dream job" right out of the gate....

And your "dream job" may change with experience

I knew I wanted ED, worked as a tech did my capstone in my ED....they got free training, well a free VPs got fired upper management was in chaos so I didn't get hired.

Went to a SNF instead for experience

Interviewed at a level 2 trauma center, made it through 3 rounds of interviews...."my dream"

I didn't get the job

Got hired into peds LTC....not the dream, but a thousand times better than the SNF.

Got hired to peds acute care one a level 1 trauma center.

Was very happy! Not "my dream" but my dream job was changing

I now currently work in that centers peds only ED.

Adjusted Dream!

Just because you don't get the dream job right away, get some experience, and adjust your dream accordingly.

[nursewr]

I'm a new grad, was hoping to just get anything! My dream was OB, but wanted to get my foot in the door. Sometimes you never know, I was rejected for a med surg position but landed an OB position, go figure...

[No Stars In My Eyes]

My dream job has always been one about which I do not wake up with dread for the approaching day! No small feat from what I read here sometimes! :) I am truly blessed that those days now are few and far between!