What if I don't go to work?

So what are your other classmates doing? Did you check with your school? Maybe they can help you with job placement. What area of Massachusetts are you living in?

The hospitals are technically hiring, just only their internal candidates (CNAs, secretaries, etc; most of my classmates in this situation have been hired). I don't know what others are doing, one can't even get an interview (not entirely, I actually did have an interview but it was because of a lot of persistence and networking, and it's in a specialty area and not M-S). I don't know a single person in my class (other than me with this one interview, or the CNAs who were hired) who has had an interview. It seems to be true across the entire state of MA. I think many of us will get NH licenses, but again there just isn't a nursing shortage in the northeast. None of us had a clue it would be this hard.

I feel than that your nursing school is doing a disservice for you. To me, it seems as though your school is just pandering for tuition money and doesn't look to the future of their students, only to their pocketbooks.

Wish you the best and keep being proactive and persistent.

Kris

A few of my classmates are really angry at the school, feeling like they pulled the wool over our eyes. But I don't blame the school, they can't predict what it will be like two year later when we graduate. I don't think last year's grads had the trouble we are having. And I went to a CC so the tuition was very reasonable. If I had disrupted my family more by moving and taking out more loans to do an accelerated BSN, I would be really mad!!

I graduated last December in Massachusetts, as well. It was a bit easier for me because there are very few nursing graduates in December. 42 schools just gradated nurses this past May in Massachusetts. I had worked as a PCA in my last year of school, so I had a better chance getting in the hospital as a RN than somebody off the street with no experience... however, it still took a lot of frustration and persistence to get a job. I was really nervous that it wasn't a slam dunk to get in. I am not sure I would say that MA doesn't have a shortage, but I do believe that many nurses are re-entering the field due to the hard economic times we are in. I am finding that the per diem nurses in my hospital are finding little work these days. We are in tough times, and let's face it, oil is expensive, health insurance is rising, groceries are outrageous and people are nervous of what the winter months will bring financially.

Be persistent. Follow up when you send in a resume. Talk to the Human Resources Nursing Recruiter. It is easy to have a resume end up in a pile on a desk. Walk the darn thing into the HR office... you have to be persistent. Good luck

I feel you...it is very hard in the S.F. area to get a new grad job, too...the job fairs are just cattle calls, and I'm just about to give up...the nursing shortage is only for experienced nurses...and the bottleneck is new grad programs, not the nursing schools...the problem is, now when I apply to my old profession, they look askance at why I bailded for nursing school. If I had only known....the othe thing is that certain hospitals don't want anyone past the 6 month post grad date...oh well, at least I was able to take vitals and assess my dog the other day...saved a vet bill!

If you can't get a hospital job get something else. Try urgent care centers, home care, rehab centers, LTC, corrections, etc. It might not be exactly where you want to start out, but it beats nothing. There has to be somewhere that'll hire you.

Hi Ladybug, another jobless Massachusetts new grad here. I'm going through the same thing you are and have wondered this myself. It's brutal right now, especially in Boston where I live. Sarasota, to answer your question, a lot of our classmates also do not have jobs. It's a really scary and disheartening feeling. MA does have a nursing shortage, but not a big one and only for experienced nurses. Brigham and Women's hospital only has a roughly 2% nursing shortage - all for experienced RNs. It's just hard to get the experience if no one will hire you. Out here, very few clinics will hire new grads without a year of med-surg, and now a lot are turning to LPNs or hiring within due to the state of the economy. Most of the Boston hospitals are on a hiring freeze and many suburban hospitals are only hiring within. If you go to Lahey's website there's a banner that flashes saying only internal applicants will be considered for new graduate positions. Massachusetts is so saturated because of all the schools of nursing. I really don't know what I'm going to do either, Ladybug. I'm very scared at the very real possibility I won't have a job this year.

PerpetualStudent, I'm not sure if it's different state to state, but it's nearly impossible to get a home care or correctional position without previous experience. Urgent care centers are just as popular...I've applied to every hospital in MA, and some that are commutable from Boston to New Hampshire and Rhode Island. I've only heard back from/interviewed with one hospital and that recruiter told me there are roughly 340 applications for every one position posted...and that's not even a hospital located IN Boston.

Why is relocation not an option?? I mean, I understand uprooting family and losing friends and all, but in this day/age when everybody has email, two or three cellphones, etc, you can stay easily in contact (some would say toooo in contact with those you wish not to be).

They are screaming for nurses around my area, and all over the south (great winters, lousy summers). I've been recruited already and I've yet to begin my senior year.

My fiance's work is here and he has 16 years in with no college degree. He wouldn't be able to get equivalent pay/benefits somewhere else. His position is not easily transferrable to another market either and we couldn't pay our bills on just my salary so that's what is mainly holding me back from relocating.

October - I feel your pain! I was just talking to a classmate today, saying that I don't think we're going to find work this year. It's amazing, I had absolutely no idea it would be like this. I graduated first in my class, too, kind of pointless now. I've thought of a NH license, but I'm not sure that will help. Wow, 340 applicants for 1 spot, scary.

Richard - I haven't seriously considered relocating. The places I would be interested in relocating to are even more expensive than MA. I know many relocate throughout their lives, but it's not something my family is used to! I'd rather live where I want to be and suffer with a less-than-perfect job. Hopefully in this case it won't be 'no' job.