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?
