Where to start?

TanyaBRN · Dec 1, 2010

I don't know what state you live in but a lot of new graduate nurses (BSN and ADN alike) are having trouble finding hospital jobs, because the hospitals are hurting for money and don't want to pay to train inexperienced nurses. Try looking for a job in long term care or homecare to get a couple years experience, then look at the hospitals again.

Cilantrophobe · Dec 1, 2010

Tanya - I don't mean to be rude, but I am well aware of the problems new grads are facing. It's the exact reason for my post. I think you would have to live under a rock not to know that. I want to know where to start and how to go about seeking out the positions that ARE available regardless of the difficulty in finding a position as a new grad. I am willing to put in the hard work and dedication necessary. I think I would be doing a disservice to myself if I simply didn't look and/or apply for hospital jobs.

Rather than sitting around and complaining about how hard it is to find a job, I am seeking out information about how to find the jobs that are available.

Dvldlphn32 · Dec 1, 2010

Hey FutureNOVARN,

I am only a pre-nursing student but with my original B.S. I was going to be a technical recruiter, so I hope I can help you out a bit. I will tell you now that your biggest ally is the fact that you are Veteran! There are so many resources out there for us (I am prior Navy) and so many people who want military talent! Use this to your advantage!

Recruiters and head hunters could be a big help to you, there are some companies out there and some hospitals hire head hunters to work directly for them. I wish I could refer you to one but the only ones in my network deal with electronics. I have yet to research the health care head hunters since I am not in school yet.

When I went through TAPS the VEC came in and did a big presentation. Since your name is NOVA I am guessing your are Northern VA. If so check in with the VEC and go speak with a rep. They have ones who work specifically with Vets. The best part is that these guys seriously know how to network and they might just know a health care head hunting firm that can help you out or a hospital nursing recruiter that can get you on the fast track.

I volunteer at the VA Hospital here in Hampton and I am hoping one day that will get me a shoe in for a job, plus I plan to do work study while in school. The VA is a great resource for job placement help for Vets and not to mention that since you are a Vet you get hiring preference for federal jobs. USAjobs.gov might be a great place for you to look!

As with any phone call you make, always follow up. If you leave a message and don't hear back show them your military motivation and call back. Show them you want that job and you are the right person for it, make it so that they do not forget your name.

I hope that helps and good luck!

Cilantrophobe · Dec 2, 2010

Dvldlphn32,

Thank you for you response! I was headed in that direction because I had a feeling the only advantage I had over my peers was my veteran's status. I've been looking at Military to Medicine, but haven't seen anything very helpful.

Do I just call everyone? I feel like I am going to get the same answers from everyone and that they are all just going to tell me to check their website frequently for new job postings. Sure, I can add that to the list of things I do every day, but it would be nice to know if I am looking way too early or not. I've heard some hospitals in the area post their jobs in the next few months so I feel like I need to figure out what's going on NOW, before all the jobs are posted and taken!

0402 · Dec 2, 2010

I made a list of all hospitals within what I considered to be an acceptable commuting distance. I then looked up their HR phone number (or if I couldn't find one, then I just used the main number to the hospital and asked to be transferred to HR). I asked for the nursing recruiter and asked them if they were expecting any new grad openings for the fall (that was the timeframe I was looking for, so obviously it will vary for others). I also asked when they expected to list the new grad jobs, if they did have any. I did have HR people tell me to apply for RN 2 jobs, but I didn't end up doing that, as they basically told me I could do it but also said that the chances were slim that it would get me anywhere. In this area, I would also ask what the chances are with an ADN vs a BSN. I believe that where I work, all 100 people that started with me in October had at least a BSN, but I could be wrong. However, I know that when I talked to the nurse recruiter at Reston Hospital Center, she told me that they looked at both degrees the same, when considering new grads. As for being a vet, I do know that one nursing recruiter told me that my Marine Corps time is what caught her eye when looking through 200+ resumes, so it definitely helped me there. At another interview, though, the manager I was talking to was intrigued about what I did in the military, but I'm pretty sure it had nothing to do with me getting the interview (though it very well could have helped with getting the job offer). The one place it didn't help me was the one job I applied for at a federal/ military facility, but that was a whole convoluted thing in and of itself anyway. I did work with Military to Medicine, and while they didn't ultimately help me get a job, I did get a decent amount of information from them. Good luck!

Dvldlphn32 · Dec 2, 2010

I guess the best little bit of advice I can give you is to NETWORK! Build a strong network and make professional "friends". This will get you leads on when jobs will be posted and what they are looking for. When it comes to resumes and applications a lot weighs on key words. Also outfit your resume for the job posting, it takes awhile but it is worth it in the end!

Definitely contact the VEC and start with them. I would also definitely be looking into the federal sector, even with pay freezes they are still hiring. You get a 5 point hiring preference for being a Vet and if you are 30% or more disabled you get a 10 point hiring preference. I can tell you from personal experience that hiring preference works, it landed me an awesome job offer on Langley that I could not take because it required Guard enlistment and I could not get through MEPS for health reasons. A friend of mine is a HR person at Ft Pickett and they told me with Federal jobs keywords and Vet preferences are EVERYTHING!

Cilantrophobe · Dec 2, 2010

Okay, this is starting to get very frustrating. I called Inova nurse recruitment and the lady I spoke with said that the jobs will be posted mid-February/March but said that I wouldn't have a very good chance of getting hired because I don't graduate until May. She also said you can't start working until after you pass the NCLEX. I have been told by more than one person that you can work and that you have to pass the NCLEX within a year of starting. I know that doesn't make sense, that is just what I was told. The lady I spoke with also told me that I shouldn't start looking for a job until next summer...***** After all the jobs are gone?!

I've also read around here that people start looking for and lining up jobs before they graduate. Which is it?! I'm so confused! Plus, they are having a job fair at our school next March.

I feel like HR is giving me the run around!

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Dec 2, 2010

Okay, this is starting to get very frustrating. I called Inova nurse recruitment and the lady I spoke with said that the jobs will be posted mid-February/March but said that I wouldn't have a very good chance of getting hired because I don't graduate until May. She also said you can't start working until after you pass the NCLEX. I have been told by more than one person that you can work and that you have to pass the NCLEX within a year of starting. I know that doesn't make sense, that is just what I was told. The lady I spoke with also told me that I shouldn't start looking for a job until next summer...***** After all the jobs are gone?!
I've also read around here that people start looking for and lining up jobs before they graduate. Which is it?! I'm so confused! Plus, they are having a job fair at our school next March.
I feel like HR is giving me the run around!

Hey FutureNOVARN, I'm in nurse in the Metro area (I actually work for an INOVA facility), and I can say that while they may consider you for a summer start, I have not seen someone start with them as a GN with a temporary practice permit. All the new grads I've seen start with INOVA area newly licensed RN's. My guess is INOVA probably prefers it that way. However, I wouldn't give up, and I would also look at facilities in DC, Georgetown, Washington Hospital Center, and Children's all have decent sized new grad programs in the summer.

Dvldlphn32 · Dec 2, 2010

I am not sure if it will help any but after I have been in school for a year I qualify for the CNA exam and can start working as one. Maybe you can do that until you graduate, it will set you in front of the new grads who have no nursing experience. Then if you have trouble finding a job you will at least have something to fall back on. Here is the link for CNA info in VA, just click on "Certified Nursing Assistant":

Virginia Board of Nursing Forms and Applications

Cilantrophobe · Dec 2, 2010

That might be a good route to take. I called several HR offices today and got the same answers over and over. There either weren't any positions available and to 'keep looking online', OR I needed to wait to look until after I am licensed.

I am starting to think that what I need to do is make a list of all the hospitals in the area and check their websites every single day for positions. It might get really redundant and frustruating but I don't know what else to do.

I don't really know how to make professional friends and/or how to network. I know that probably sounds ridiculous but I am being serious. The only people I come in contact with are nurses on clinical days, nursing instructors, and nursing students. I tried to talk to a few nurses about how to get a job and none of them were helpful. We don't really know anybody here so we have like zero connections.

I just can't understand why we are having a job fair in March when I keep getting told to not even look until after licensure.

Dvldlphn32 · Dec 2, 2010

Networking is easy once you start. What I do is go to job fairs and just talk to people. I built a huge network between job fairs and TAPS. I make sure that I not only give my card, but I take theirs. My strongest network connection is the regional manager at Bradley-Morris, Inc, Chris Stevens, who was a recruiter when I got out of the Navy and landed me my first post-military job. What I do to keep our network strong, well did when I was in electronics, was always send him people. I helped him out and when I needed it he helped me out. He was even my source for my senior project when doing my Senior Project class for my Bachelors since I was going to be a technical recruiter. He is really awesome and we both help each other out. The funny thing is I only met him in person maybe twice, oh the power of LinkedIn and email.

Go to a job fair, and just talk to people. The HR reps are there for that reason, to talk. Sometimes companies even go to the job fair just to fill their pool of applicants, not to hire.

I also mentioned the VEC and I can not stress enough how helpful they can be. You can also look into staffing companies like:

Maxim Healthcare Services

I am not sure if they are staffers or head hunters but either way it is a good place to start. I usually work with head hunters but I got laid off once and worked with a temp-agency or staffer, and pay was high but there were no benefits.

If you have a VA up there, which you should somewhere, they offer classes for resumes, networking and interviewing.

I know it is frustrating, trust me I know. I got a Bachelors and ended up with a crappy job market. But it gave me the chance to volunteer and discover nursing, so there is always a silver lining!