What did you do to get an RN job though without experience?

umad · Dec 15, 2015

I did it through a new grad residency program

emmy27 · Dec 15, 2015

Most hospitals will only hire to new grads to new grad-specific slots or residency programs- it takes much longer and costs more to train a new grad, so mass-applying to jobs that say they require experience is probably futile as those positions can't accommodate your training needs. Save your effort and focus on finding a new grad job where you actually have a shot.

Jwin10 · Dec 15, 2015

Often times it's who you know. Or who your family knows.

A new grad program is also another great way to go.

runRNmom · Dec 16, 2015

I signed on with a staffing agency who was willing to make me a Wellness Nurse-- usually employers providing a health fair for employees where we would check their blood sugar, BP, BMI, etc. After a few months of that, I found a listing for a county-funded outpatient psych clinic. I never really wanted outpatient OR psych, but the job market here is ridiculous!!! And, I took about a year to get started job-hunting anyway, because I had had a baby after graduation.

I was hired for the outpatient psych job, and I was very happy with it. We did in-house labs, so I was able to get good at drawing blood and get very familiar with labs. I gave regularly scheduled injections all the time. Many of my pts were homeless, so I was often the only person they would approach with a rash, sprained ankle, vomiting, etc. Also importantly, I was able to get comfortable Being An RN and establish a baseline and have a supervisor, physicians, and NPs willing to be professional references for me.

I quit last month (after maternity leave.) My dream is really acute care, but I am open to other types of nursing at this point too. I have gotten a LOT more responses to my applications, from inpatient psych to hospice to home health to corrections to SNF. I've turned down a couple that don't work for me schedule-wise, and I'm waiting to hear back about two interviews I had in the past couple weeks, and I have two more interviews this week.

I'm interviewing for a new grad position in a few weeks and not gonna lie, that's where I reeeeeeeally hope I get in, because ACUTE CARE! However, if I don't, I am confident I will have at least a few different offers from which to choose. Getting my foot in the door and building a real resume was the biggest factor for me.

kh2488 · Dec 16, 2015

Thank you for all your suggestions.

I cannot and will not be eligible for a new grad program since i graduated few years back. Im a foreign graduate and it took a long time to process my papers. Anyway, i still tried but ive noticed they prefer "local graduate" and could be the reason why they didnt pick/choose my application. Would reallllly looovvee to work acute care.