When to apply for first nursing job? Completing my final semester...

Sparrowhawk · Sep 17, 2009

I'd say now is a fine time...if you wait there might not be ANY jobs in your area....

danh3190 · Sep 17, 2009

I agree. I graduated in June and I'd accepted my only job offer in March. That was 18 months ago and from what I read on AllNurses it's not getting any easier getting jobs.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Sep 17, 2009

Now

Go online to area facility's websites to see what is available. Maybe talk to a recruiter at area hospitals. Test the waters.

lucy888 · Sep 17, 2009

Okay great - thank you both for your replies, I will get on that ASAP!

bittycrumblesRN · Sep 17, 2009

Start applying now. At least in my area, there isn't really much of a job market. I feel very lucky to have my job.

Good luck.

JenniferSews · Sep 17, 2009

Yeah, start applying now. I'm already collecting decline letters and will graduate in Dec too.

rn2bnwi, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2009

i think the time is now...good luck!

smn2010, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2009

:eek: start applying now!!...

with my final semester experience...knowing that schools put out their fall graduates in december, most hospitals interview during october and november with final hiring decisions made in december. especially if the facility has a nurse residency program--many have january/february start dates. also, considering the number of nursing students coming out of various nursing programs, the facilities start early in order to compile their top 10, top 20... list of interviewees. the interview process is sometimes long. you may interview with the h.r. representative...then the nurse recruiter (several asked me to set aside a 2-hour window since the interview was done over the phone, long distance)...then the unit manager...then with unit team leaders/charge nurses. throughout this process, some interviewees are eliminated. this narrows the list down to the top 3 or 5 (..or whatever...) applicants. if you are from out-of-state, as i was, after all the interviews, the facility may arrange for you to do a facility/hospital site visit at their expense (airfare, hotel, rental car...). i thoroughly enjoyed this part of the interview process!! :yeah: i started scheduling my site visits the week after my final semester exams. once this was all done, the job offers started coming in.

...so, again, start applying now!!!...

good luck with your job search and interviews. :up:

mixedfruit · Sep 18, 2009

Hi there I am also graduating in december. What kind of jobs could we be looking for? because I see a lot of them say RN license is required. Does that mean we don't have much of the chance because of it? Does anyone have any inputs? thank you!

Markis · Sep 18, 2009

a lot of them say RN license is required. Does that mean we don't have much of the chance because of it? Does anyone have any inputs? thank you!

Nope. Go ahead and apply for the job. I got my job 2 months before I graduated, they just didnt let me start until I got my provisional license.

For those of you still in school and participating in clinicals, get to know the nurse manager on the units where you are at. Sometimes just knocking on the door of the NM's office and introducing yourself can get a productive coversation going.

smn2010, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2009

mixed fruit:

hospitals/facilities that have a nurse residency program often have a special section on their website that supports their program. it is usually located under their "nurses" link or they may actually have a "nurse residency" link in their employement section--or from their home page.

as for the job title that you will apply for....that will vary from facility to facility. it could be "nurse i", "new grad", etc. if you are not sure, i suggest you contact the nurse recruiter that is listed on the website. again, most of the sites that i viewed have a section geared towards nurses/nursing. there is usually a point-of-contact listed. if the facility that you are interested in has a nurse residency/new graduate rn program, you will know it!!!

keep in mind, all hospitals do not support a residency program so do not assume that they do. if they do, their web site will guide you to it because the facility usually explains their residency program (start dates, length of time, departments that participate, application forms, minimum requirements, etc.). some facilities may not post the position online because you must submit all applicable residency paperwork (there is a process) to an identified individual, first.

good luck!!!