Where are all the jobs-I thought there was a nursing shortage??!!

[uandi]

I'm a new nurse (San Diego area) with just a few months experience and moved to California the end of last year, been looking since Jan. and have had very little response to my applications. Any suggestions about what I should be doing besides the obvious?? Seems like everywhere you look they want at least a year's experience and I'm short of that so I'm not experienced and the new grad programs are SO competetive to get into. What are all the new grads out there doing while they look? I feel so let-down, had thought that coming back to my native California I'd be able to find something when all they talk about is how the nursing shortage is getting worse. How are they going to remedy that when they aren't hiring and training new nurses?

I guess you can tell I'm frustrated--any words of wisdom would be appreciated!!

[tbanurse]

I feel your pain! It took me 5 months of searching and applying to every position, every facility I could, before I finally landed something as a new grad. I can tell you the same thing that has been posted here many times--be persistant, call the recruiters, ask for the dept. manager's names, make contact with them, set up a time to bring your resume' to them face-to-face, call every week to follow up on the application and resume' status.

I felt completely deceived about the nursing "shortage" in CA. It appears there is a shortage of experienced nurses, but unfortunately there is a huge glut of new grads (Sacramento alone had over 200 new grads in May/June, but only 75 new grad positions offered in local hospitals--as per a recruiter from one of the large hospital systems in the area).

Patience and a LOT of persistence will eventually land you something. There are new grad programs starting again in January in this area, so it may be the same where you are, too. Good luck!

[uandi]

Thanks for the encouragement, I need every little bit I can get! It's hard to stay positive after so long. I just keep looking and applying and find it comforting to know there's others in my same situation judging from the other posts on this website. Hopefully I'll remember what they taught me in nursing school if and when I eventually get work!