1 year out, no job. Throw in the towel?

[simply_viki]

Hi all. I've made just about every mistake in job hunting that I've seen mentioned - I didn't do a good job networking in school, I didn't join any student organizations or do anything "above and beyond" in volunteer work or anything like that, I didn't work as a CNA or patient care tech or anything healthcare related prior to or during nursing school, and I let too much time pass by before starting to really look for a job. I'm now starting to wonder if it's even worth it to bother.

I finished my ADN program in February 2011. The graduation was in April 2011, so we weren't eligible to sit for boards until after April. The boards lost my application, and I didn't realize it because I was waiting patiently for the 6-8 weeks to pass by before calling to pester them about it. End result of that, plus a little procrastination to boot, I didn't sit for boards until September 2011. I passed my NCLEX first try, the computer shut off after 75 questions, so I know I did well despite the passing of time since school, but I'm sure on my resume it probably looks like I tried several times before passing NCLEX, due to the length of time between graduation and testing.

After getting my license, I applied to a few positions at a local hospital, and then tabled the Job Search temporarily while I did some traveling over the holidays to visit family. I missed everybody... my immediate family moved away during nursing school, and I hadn't seen them in a while.

I returned home from the holidays in January, but I felt so apprehensive and anxious about the prospect of job hunting that I didn't begin in earnest until a few weeks ago. I've been reading about job hunting practically the whole time, and trying to polish my resume and cover letters (both of which I think suck, to be honest), but I just don't feel like there's any hope.

Ideally, I'd love to get into OB and/or women's health, but I'll take anything. I just don't see anything happening. I don't feel like I have any strengths to play up in a job interview, assuming I get that far (well, I'm good at school. That's a strength, but what employer cares if I'm good at school? Nobody, that's who).

I got back in contact with a nursing professor of mine, who pointed me in the direction of a couple of hospitals who she'd heard were hiring new nurses. I applied for both, but haven't heard anything back, despite leaving messages with both HR departments and speaking to one nursing recruiter (who took one look at my application and told me "good luck", which I don't take as a good sign at all).

I'm planning on starting my BSN, which I guess will put me back at "fresh new grad" status, which is better than "rusty new grad" status, but I'm not sure what to do in the meantime. So far I've applied to every hospital in the area and a few out of the area, the corrections facilities, the VA hospitals, and my next try is going to be nursing homes and possibly an abortion clinic (which I think might work well with my OB/women's health goals... I hope).

SO... If you read all this, you've got my appreciation, and if you've got any encouragement, I'll be grateful. I'll take some hard realism if that's all you've got, but I think I'm already pretty realistic/leaning towards pessimistic about this whole job hunt thing. Any other perspectives? Tips? Comments?

ETA: Oh, also I was thinking about doing some volunteer work in a hospital. Is that too little, too late at this point, or might it actually help? What about applying to CNA or LPN positions (I don't have those licenses, but does my RN supercede that?) or something like that? Is that an option?

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Well. The 1st thing you need to do is have someone look over your resume and cover letters and get ideas to improve them.

Then, and i mean this kindly, you need to get off your orifice and get yourself out there in person at local facilites and offices and at the ones that will let you, fill out a resume in person instead of on-line, and hopefully do some networking.

You can get a job. However, it will not come by sitting home with a lackluster resume and applying on-line and hoping for the best.

Good luck!

[simply_viki]

Thank you for the input, CrunchRN, I really do appreciate it. I'll see if my professor is willing to take a look at my resume and cover letters.

As to showing up in person, do you think that will be redundant if I show up at the places I've applied to already? I can show up in person to the nursing home by my house and the abortion clinic with a resume and cover letter in hand; they don't have online application systems in place anyway, so I haven't yet applied.

[wwwyzzy]

This was back in 2007 but it took me about a month to find a job. I had VERY little luck applying through hospital websites. However, I caught my lucky break when I went to an Open House at a local hospital. I went to the open houseresume in hand, met with some people, and the next day had a job offer.

I agree with CrunchRN, you gotta get out and show your interest in person. Even if you have already applied online to a particular facility, still go there in person. This will show them how interested and motivated you are. :) Good luck!!

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

It doesn't really sound like you have been job hunting for over a year. As you said, you've been job hunting for a few weeks, since you only recently started applying. That's not a lot of time. It takes many larger hospitals over a month just to review applications and select for the interview process.

In the first few months that I was job hunting I applied to over a hundred different positions. I only heard back from two. It's a tough job market, but you need to be persistant. Have other people look ofer your resume. Do some volunteer work in the meantime to show you are trying to advance your skills. Apply not only to hospitals, but to long term care and skilled facilities as well. In this market, you can't afford to be picky. Look for new openings regularly and apply to new positions often. You should not be throwing in the towel after just a few weeks of looking.

Edit: In most states you cannot work as an LPN or CNA if you have your RN license due to liability issues.

[simply_viki]

Debunker - Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for open houses. Maybe my professor has heard of some. I'll ask her.

Ashley - You're right, I didn't mean I'd been looking for a year, I only meant I've ben out of school for a year, which I think is major points against me.

As far as the volunteer work, do you think it will look good no matter what I volunteer to do in a hospital (i.e., what if all they've got available is kitchen work or delivering newspapers to patients?) or should I look for something more specific?

Thanks for the tip on liability issues with LPN and CNA work as an RN. I kind of thought it was probably something like that, but I wasn't sure. Maybe I could ask my BON...? Would they know?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

OP - let's face it, you are a stereotypical procrastinator. I should know, because I am also. I can always find a jillion reasons/excuses not to do something (that I anticipate will be unpleasant or difficult). Luckily, I am surrounded by people who recognize the behavior and keep poking me until I do something about it. This is really beneficial because the longer I put something off, the more difficult/unpleasant it becomes, etc.

Finishing up an RN-BSN does not really re-set the clock and turn you into a new grad again because BSN completion programs usually don't include a lot of clinical practicum.

[simply_viki]

LOL. HouTx, yes, you're spot on. I am a procrastinator, and it's BAD, and it's WORSE since it's already been a long time. So now what?

ETA: I knew I was a big time procrastinator in nursing school, but at least in nursing school there were rock solid, immovable deadlines that I absolutely couldn't get around, so even if I did put something off til the very end, at least I ended up getting it done. I'm still rather shocked I managed to drag my procrastinating butt all the way through with A's and B's, despite the last minute cramming.

This job hunting is another matter entirely. The timing is all up to me! That's just... awful.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

I hope you don't go to an abortion clinic, that would be a sad and gory thing to be a part of and would probably haunt you especially when you want children of your own. If you want to work OB, I'm assuming you want to see little babies born into this world, not killed and torn apart! Please reconsider that decision, choose life not death!

[simply_viki]

Erm... I'm also a big fan of the women's health part of OB, which in my own personal moral code, includes women's choice.

[wwwyzzy]

Since you are interested in OB/women's health... There are hospitals in my city where people can volunteer to do baby holding in the NICU's. Something like this could potentially get you known around the staff a bit and perhaps get someone to refer you to a position. Sometimes that can help you get your foot in the door.

[simply_viki]

Thank you! I hadn't thought of that; that's a really good idea. I'll look into that.