I'm a 24 year old male, recent BSN graduate, obtained my RN license this month. I've applied to 20 RN & GNP (Graduate Nurse Permit) positions within 7 different hospitals in my city and surrounding cities (I applied for about 3 positions per facility). It has been 3 and a half weeks since my applications have been submitted and all 20 application statuses online either say "closed" (yes I know closed means the positions have been filled) or "un-qualified" or "pending".
Keep in mind, all 20 nursing positions I applied for have a minimum experience requirement of either "less than one year" or "graduate nurse" with a minimum education of an associates. No other requirements were posted. I met All desired preferences on every position I applied for with either ACLS certification and or education/ BSN and prior experience.
I have 6 letters of recommendation from either clinical site instructors and or nurse assistant professors at my university. I maintained the presidents list throughout nursing school and graduated with a cumulative GPA of 3.8. I have 700 clinical hours, 200 in critical care, 200 in med surg, 100 in Ob/peds. 100 in psych and 100 in community. (And yes all of this information and more is on my resume). I was also a nurse tech prior to nursing school and made sure to network during clinical rotations.
So why can't I get a job? I have a bachelors of science in nursing, 700 clinical hours, 3.8 GPA, I was in the SNA all throughout my program, volunteered at local children's hospital during my breaks, recent RN license, 6 letters of recommendation for hire, I've made sure to apply for positions that are for graduate nurses or RNs with less than 1 year of experience.
I've even made the effort to meet with unit managers in person that were hiring, even gave a few a hard copies of my resume and recommendation letters to them directly and bypassing HR. Still, nothing!
I'm just bent over backwards at the fact that everyone keeps saying "nursing is in so high demand right now, you will get a job so fast bla bla bla" when in reality it's been 3 and a half weeks since I've applied for 20 positions and not a single call back. All of the other open RN positions are for either charge nurse or require a minimum of 2-3 years experience so I can't apply for the others ones.
Why can't I get a job? What am I doing wrong? Advice?
"I'm just bent over backwards at the fact that everyone keeps saying "nursing is in so high demand right now, you will get a job so fast bla bla bla" when in reality it's been 3 and a half weeks since I've applied for 20 positions and not a single call back. All of the other open RN positions are for either charge nurse or require a minimum of 2-3 years experience so I can't apply for the others ones."
Therein lies the issue. NO ONE has truthfully said (for the last dozen or so years) that nursing is in high demand. That is a truth that should have been researched prior to nursing school. It is dose of reality.
3.5 weeks of job search? Seriously? There are many recent grads, just as gifted as yourself, who have been searching for 3 months, 9 months/years.....
Your expectations are way out of line. You must adjust to the reality of nursing today.
As this is what I had to find out on my own as a new grad. As I and fellow cohort were told over and over again how high of a demand nursing is right now. But I see now that the icing on the cake was overdone. Even though my city has about 700 RN positions currently open, more than half are for charge nurse and majority of the rest require 2+ years of experience. No room for new grads
My resume is 1 page and only highlights key information. I didn't go into detail as I did on my post. Thanks I will keep my hopes up, just got my hopes too high I suppose.
I hate to rain on your party, but twenty positions and three weeks is nothing. I applied for almost 100 positions and it took me four months to get a job.
I also have a BSN, healthcare experience and a very high gpa.
I know others who took over seven months to get a job. And in places like California, more than half of all new grads still don't have jobs one year later.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
As you found out new grad nurses are NOT in high demand especially in a highly impacted area with fresh grads every 4-6 months. 3-4 weeks is nothing as nurses in high impact areas have been searching for any nursing job for 12-18 MONTHS.
Take part time, it can get a foot in the door and prioritize you for full time in a facility who hires from within first. Part time or per diem work is better than no work. Look at LTC, acute rehab, subacute rehab or LTACH, hospital is not the only environment hiring nurses. Valuable critical care experience can be gained in an LTACH facility. Excellent nursing skills and time management can be fostered in LTC or subacute rehab. Don't limit your options to acute impatient of you may be searching for upwards of a year for your first paid nursing job.
Unless you had a unique preceptorship your clinical hours are not necessary to list on a resume as HR knows what you did if you graduated from an accredited program. ACLS is not always a positive as a new grad as it does not mean much without the clinical nursing experience. Objectives are obsolete recruiters know your objective is to get a job.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
How long did it take you to get a job as a new grad ?
That's a hard question to answer, because times were different when I graduated (1985). I had a job before I graduated. That was partly because of the jobs climate at that time, and also because I had the good luck to have babysat for the CEO of the hospital where I had applied. Actually, it was dumb luck, because I had no idea he was the CEO of a hospital. Goes to show you that networking plays a big role in acquiring a job.
Only reason I listed my clinical hours on my resume was due to the fact fellow cohort who got jobs had listed their clinical hours and told me to do it as well.
Only reason I listed my clinical hours on my resume was due to the fact fellow cohort who got jobs had listed their clinical hours and told me to do it as well.
I wouldn't. It's an amateur move, like listing your high school GPA. JustBeachy is right, if it's an accredited school the recruiters know the deal.
.thumb.jpg.32153ff3eaff9886e5b70223acf10ffa.jpg){kind=small}
roser13, ASN, RN
6,504 Posts
"I'm just bent over backwards at the fact that everyone keeps saying "nursing is in so high demand right now, you will get a job so fast bla bla bla" when in reality it's been 3 and a half weeks since I've applied for 20 positions and not a single call back. All of the other open RN positions are for either charge nurse or require a minimum of 2-3 years experience so I can't apply for the others ones."
Therein lies the issue. NO ONE has truthfully said (for the last dozen or so years) that nursing is in high demand. That is a truth that should have been researched prior to nursing school. It is dose of reality.
3.5 weeks of job search? Seriously? There are many recent grads, just as gifted as yourself, who have been searching for 3 months, 9 months/years.....
Your expectations are way out of line. You must adjust to the reality of nursing today.