When should new grads apply?

now is not too soon. Our HR has a way of keeping up with which applicants are new grads so we can try to place them all over the facility,not in just one spot.

It's never too soon to start developing contacts. Be sure that during your clinicals you find a way to let the clinical managers, charge nurses, and anybody else you come in contact with know what you like to do when you graduate. A good way to start is to go to the floor supervisor and ask about the hiring procedure at the facility. I would estimate that at least half my class got their first jobs at facilities where we spent some time and they laid the ground work for being hired while there. A few even had job offers before graduation.

Finding a job in today's world takes preparation and planning. Getting the jump on everyone else can be the difference between working and sitting at home reading the want ads.

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I don't plan on staying where I am, or where I've gone to school, so I feel I'm at a slight disadvantage because I won't be working where I have clinical. It's hard to make contacts when I'm not in the city I want to get a job.

From what I have read you need at least a year of experience before anybody hires you. Why don't you make an effort and work for at least a year where you are doing your clinicals? And after that you can begin applying to where you really want to work.

That cannot be true. Not everybody gets their first job from where they did their clinicals. Though the market is tough right now, some hospitals hire new grads. Am I wrong?

That cannot be true. Not everybody gets their first job from where they did their clinicals. Though the market is tough right now, some hospitals hire new grads. Am I wrong?

It really depends on where you live...

Sometimes having a contact from clinicals can make the difference in getting your crucial first job. I don't plan to stay in the state I currently live in long term after school, but I do plan on working here at least a while to get some experience to make me marketable where I move next. I've been a tech at a hospital in my city for 2 years now, and I know that will be a huge help in getting my first RN job here (I pray they'll have openings when I graduate, so I can just do an internal transfer!). After a year of experience and some good letters of recommendation, then I'll relocate. :)

That cannot be true. Not everybody gets their first job from where they did their clinicals. Though the market is tough right now, some hospitals hire new grads. Am I wrong?

No, you're not wrong. I never did a clinical where I got my job but I got it in great part because the facility is located in the area where I grew up and I was able to use contacts I had for years. It also didn't hurt that there are a couple of those "dedication plaques" with my family's name on them hanging on some walls here. Also, this place is very happy to hire a new grad as long as they don't already have a "rookie" in training. In short, I pretty much lucked out.

...if you have to ask, then you're already too late :)

Well I don't graduate for 5 months...so I don't think I'm too late as of now. But thanks for your reply.

Well I don't graduate for 5 months...so I don't think I'm too late as of now. But thanks for your reply.

I graduated May of 2009. People from my class secured jobs back in December.. so I was in the same boat as you, the earlier the better, especially in this situation where jobs are hard to come by.

Good luck! But if I were you, I'd take my advice and at least start!!!

...and you're welcome.