Will a new grad be considered.. if experience is required?

military spouse · Sep 9, 2005

It can't hurt to apply--you never know.

wooh, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2005

Most of the time, yes.

rn/writer, RN · Sep 9, 2005

If the unit has had one or more positions sitting open for awhile, if you are willing to be flexible on scheduling, if you have great references (instructors, other employers), you might have a chance.

I'd recommend applying for postpartum first. It's not quite so intense. I have a number of friends who started in L&D right out of school and, while they all survived, it was VERY hard on them. Some just barely hung in there. If you do a year of PP and get to know your way around your facility and nursing in general, transitioning to L&D should be less stressful.

I wish you well.

NurseforPreggers · Sep 9, 2005

It can be done, I started as a new grad in L&D with absolutely no experience. The worst thing they can do is not call you, right? Give it a shot!

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 9, 2005

I got my OB job while I was in my last semester in school. SURE apply ,and see what happens.

newnurse.rs · Sep 9, 2005

Thank you guys. I just finished applying for the position. Your right all they can do is not call me........but hopefully they will :)

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Sep 9, 2005

Good luck to you!

Wolfie

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 9, 2005

If they do not call you, be sure and follow up with a phone call or visit yourself. I learned this first hand.. Time now to learn paperwork/electronic resume's do get lost and forgotten for many reasons. HR depts are busy. Unit managers get busy. Things fall through the cracks. Be tenacious and don't give up unless and until someone tells you they are NOT hiring you and why.

I wish you the very best of luck.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2005

Clinicals while in school can count toward experience. Dont discount your experience even with an instructor.

epiphany · Sep 9, 2005

Clinicals while in school can count toward experience. Dont discount your experience even with an instructor.

New grad/job hunter here. What everyone said is true, and I've had several offers even though the job is officially "experienced required". Maybe one of the reasons is because the job description was written on paper or online and has not kept up with the constant changes in policy and demand for nurses. That's my guess. Certainly there were enough L&D openings for new grads.

Job hunting is just like any task - roll up your sleeves and get to work. Send out lots of resumes, pound the pavement, make calls, and don't hold out your hope for one particular place and don't despair over a rejection. Be positive and persistent. That's what I did, and it worked. Go for it. Lots of luck.

rn/writer, RN · Sep 9, 2005

New grad/job hunter here. What everyone said is true, and I've had several offers even though the job is officially "experienced required". Maybe one of the reasons is because the job description was written on paper or online and has not kept up with the constant changes in policy and demand for nurses. That's my guess. Certainly there were enough L&D openings for new grads.
Job hunting is just like any task - roll up your sleeves and get to work. Send out lots of resumes, pound the pavement, make calls, and don't hold out your hope for one particular place and don't despair over a rejection. Be positive and persistent. That's what I did, and it worked. Go for it. Lots of luck.

One more thing. Send an actual hard copy letter to the nurse manager of your floor. Go the traditional route, ie. fill out the in-person or on-line application, send in a resume, etc., but go that extra mile and introduce yourself, give a brief description of your background and tell why you are interested in this particular unit. Most important, list anything that sets you apart and distinguishes you from all of the other candidates. THIS is what might get your foot in the door.

I got my current job (postpartum) without any OB experience (and after taking a five-year break from nursing) because I wrote and told the manager that I had 16 year's experience as an EMT (I know how to think on my feet and have good assessment skills) and many years of foster parenting unwed teen mothers, including helping them with prenatal care, coaching them through the births, and doing lots and lots of teaching with a not-always-receptive audience. None of this fit on a typical application, but they made an impression on my manager and after she got my letter, SHE contacted HR and pulled my app out of the pipeline. (At a recent unit meeting, she told us that out of every 100 applications, she might see one or two by the time HR is through screening them.)

This is your chance to make a stand-out impression. Show some enthusiasm. List unconventional skills and experiences (and tell how they might apply in your prospective job). Confidently (but without sounding smug) put down challenges you have overcome and goals you have achieved. And, whatever else you do, take the time to find out the manager's name and correct spelling.

If you are given an interview, write a timely thank you note afterward. I'm surprised at how many people don't know they should do this.

I hope you meet with success.