Hello all! I know I am not alone in the struggle for new graduate nurses trying to find their first job. I feel like I have a good background and decent grades... and even have a great hospital interested... but they are on a hiring freeze so qualifications don't matter. Hospitals out of state aren't taking risks on nursing students from a nursing school far away... i have even heard of float nurses getting laid off. What's next?!
I was wondering if anyone else had stories to share about their struggle and what people are doing to get by it.. and get jobs! Do new grad nurses have to settle now.. just to keep skills and get a paycheck?
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March 20th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Yes, I am in the same situation in IL. The job market for new grad is really bad. What can you do after having student loan I never thought I would have trouble at least one hospital that can hire new grads. IL is really bad place for new grads. The only thing I can say everyone has to keep trying until they land somewhere.
March 21st, 2009 at 11:48 am
I thought I would never hear that nurses couldn’t find a job. They talk all the time about the great shortages. Must be the economy hitting the health care profession!
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:53 am
I agree, I am funding my student loan payback by painting as a contractor until new grad slots become available in June. Until that time I just keep applying.
March 24th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I am a relative recent grad from SLC, UT. I actually graduated mid december ’08, passed boards the first week of January and have yet to be able to find a job. It apparently is the same all over the country. I have tried at no less than 17 hospitals around the country that accept “new grads” with no bites. Straight A’s, Honors etc. With the economy they way it is (in the crapper) I have found most organizations have either placed hiring freezes, or limit the number of new grads they are willing to hire. Nursing shortage? Just a great statement for nursing schools and recruiters. As for myself, I feel I wasted 5+ years of my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 24th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
I have been a nurse for over 30 years, and if hospital jobs seem unreachable take a look at a subacute hospital facility.
As an RN you will gain experience and get you in the game. There are so many areas to work as a nurse, and investigating alternatives to the hospital environment could help get you in the game and earning a paycheck.
March 24th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Wow, haven’t heard of anyone having trouble in WV yet. I totally agree with Ann about alternatives to the hospital environment. I would think that hospitals (and the corporations that own them) would be the first/most effected by the economy. Give that a look-see.
March 24th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Also, for those still in school- get a nurse extern job while you are in school. That way your foot is already in the door and you have a edge over other recent graduates.
March 24th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
Ann– Yes. This is true. However, don’t you think that if you do not go straight into the hospital setting, you will lose your skills? This is what they pound into us. i would love to go abriad and volunteer at a mission for a couple years. However, I am told by my instructors that if I do this, I will lose skills that I just got in nursing school and that upon arrival to the states and when I looked for hospital jobs, I would have a lot of trouble finding one… it’s like if we don’t get into a hospital now, we will “miss the boat”…. I just want to revert into my childhood days and cross my arms and say “It’s just not fair!!”.
March 25th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Just graduated in December with BSN-rn in Ma. Passed the boards but even having 6 years LPN experience in subacute care isn’t getting me in the door. Lots of ” no positions, hiring freeze, and internal apps only”. If you can do externship while in school or work up as CNA, it is your best bet to walk into a job. Agency work got me through school , but with the economy even companies are cutting back.
March 26th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Megi, what part of Illinois are you in?
I am at RML specialty Hospital in Hinsdale, and we are hiring new grads. We are an 86-bed Long-term acute care hospital. We get very sick pts. who have just come out of ICUs, so you will get to use many skills here.
March 27th, 2009 at 12:53 am
Soon to be new grad here!! I’m in Dallas. I still have 2 months until graduation and I was offered 2 jobs. I took one. More than half of my class has jobs. Are there less positions open than before? YES. But in the DFW area there are plenty of them open for everyone to get a job!! If you want to work in this area you need to talk to the recruiters. If anyone is interested in med/surg or telemetry let me know because I have those recruiters numbers for the Baylor Health Care System.
March 28th, 2009 at 1:20 am
Thais.. I would love those names! Could you email me that contact? I am from Houston and willing to relocate. THANKS!! My email is
[email protected]
Thanks again!!
March 29th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
I know they’re hiring in AZ, NM, and TX. I got offers from that area, but I didn’t take them because I have a disabled father here in NJ, and my family needs me. I graduated in December of last year, and I’m the only one of 17 graduates that has a job. It’s really rough over here! I know my friends are thinking of working in PA and commuting everyday. That’s a 1.5-2 hour commute…it’s awful.
PS – A word of advice, you WILL NOT lose your nursing skills by working in a sub-acute facility! Think about it….most people in a sub-acute facility get bumped back & forth to & from the hospital. Also, I would definately look into long-term acute care. I know of the “Kindred Hospital.” They get many ventilator patients, and very sick patients that have over-stayed their welcome in the hospitals and get bumped out to a long-term acute care facility. They still need a high level of care and will keep you on your toes.
GOOD LUCK ALL!!!
April 1st, 2009 at 12:13 pm
I posted a response earlier and was just reading some of the responses. It does seem hit or miss throughout the country. I have personally applied to no less than 50+ positions from UT, AZ, FL, TX, NC, SC… The list goes on. Even sub-acute positions are gone, or not hiring (especially in UT). The economy seems to have exacerbated the ultimate “catch 22”. No experience, no job… No job, no experience. Congrats to all who are able to find something. It just seems not enough to have a 3.8 GPA in Nursing school anymore! Just curious, what happened to the “nursing shortage”?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:34 pm
I am graduating from Michigan State (Go Final Four!) in May, and I’ve been having trouble with job hunt too. There definitely aren’t nearly as many nursing internships or new grad programs as they used to have. I’ve applied to several hospitals in the Detroit area, and I’ve only heard back from one for an interview. Also, I was hoping to get a NICU or pediatric job after graduation, but I’m starting to realize I have a better chance of getting med-surg (thats what I got an interview for), and this will probably be a better learning experience anyway.
So my advice is to be open to doing other specialties, and if you can’t find a hospital job, I think a sub-acute place would definitely at least pay the bills and provide some nursing experience. Let me know what happens!
April 4th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
You know the saying that when one positive event happens that more good things will come? I finally starting seeking out offers made by facilities for a job while working for a temp agency and received two offers. I took a per diem position and started immediately. In the same day, I got a job offer from Lahey in Burlington for the Icu, my dream job! I was hoping for a benefited position but just to get in the door as a new grad will give me the opportunity to get the best training and I can show them how much I’m willing to learn. Three jobs at once is going to be challenging but if this is how to make ends meet, just needs to bite the bullet.
April 7th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
I started looking for a job right after I passed the boards back in Sept. 08 here in Colorado. I have yet to find a job anywhere. First I started looking at only hospitals but after being told that they would have a new grad program starting up in October..which then got bumped to January…I started trying to look at specialty care or long-term care. All of these jobs are taken or they want a BSN or one year of experience. I have now started looking out of state but it is really hard to connect with recruiters out of state when they have local candidates looking for new grad positions. The goal this week is to contact as many agencies as possible to see if any will hire a nurse with very little working experience.
April 22nd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
They aren’t hiring new grads in Arizona. I am here and have several friends who passed their boards in December and are still looking.
Not looking good here.
April 24th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
I graduated almost 2 years ago…took a break for awhile because of things going on in my life, and now the job market in VA is saturated with new graduates and hardly any positions. Even if I was “fresh” out of school, the competition would be high. I have been offered a postion in WVa, where the economy doesn’t seem to have taken a hold on many of the hospitals there. Needless to say I’m moving for the sake of experience and getting my foot in the door. I say regardless of the unit or speciality you want, take what you can get right now.
April 29th, 2009 at 2:29 am
I’m a new grad, Dec. 08, in CA and I just started looking this month, but I’m allready getting nervous that I will not find a job. It sounds like there are too many applicants and too few new grad positions, and people are coming from all over the country to apply in CA state.
August 5th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
I graduated 3 years ago, received licensure last year and am continuing on with my BSN studies currently. I’ve applied all over California where I live as well as multiple other states, called recruiters, spent hours through the evening filling out applications and only received 1 interview after about a year and a half of job searching. New grads are everywhere, schools seem to be pretty close-mouthed about the situation to prospective students since they are trying to stay afloat and the nursing shortage noted in the media is so incredibly overblown. Even experiences nurses are nervous with many of them having their hours cut back or laid off. Anyway, it’s absolutely terrible in California for a new grad. Not the industry to be in over here unless you have experience.
August 6th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Come to Seattle, the ED unit I work for just hired on 15 new grads and I know the rest of the hospital is looking too. Sorry you’re having such a hard time I have heard a lot of people are and I feel really lucky that I got hired so quickly, I think it really has to do with where you live. Good luck, I hope you find something good soon!
August 7th, 2009 at 7:15 am
I gradated 18years ago and i have worked with different health facilities such as medical research council,world wide evangelic church, family plannig associations and finally a reproductive clinic.
So at the moment am looking for an employment.
August 9th, 2009 at 4:42 am
I graduated in May with my BSN in CA and I have been looking since early April. I was hoping after I got my license I would have better luck, but it hasn’t happen. I’ve looked in CA and done a little nation wide. It’s very discouraging… I got all my loan repayment information today and just kept taking deep breaths! In school professors kept stressing the idea of going into specialities as a new grad and I’m afraid to settle for what I can find.
August 10th, 2009 at 11:31 am
I graduated May ’09 this year and am finally starting my new nursing job today after 4 months of looking. My job is in a LTC facility with Rehab. I know it’s not the hospital, but I will still nursing experience. One thing that I do like about this position is that I will get plenty of supervisory experience which will be useful if I decide I would like to pursue a management position. This job isn’t my first pick, but I am excited to have the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. So perhaps looking at places like LTC’s are a good stepping stone until you find the job you want.
August 26th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I’m a new grad from Massachusetts and things are terrible here. I was offered one job on a sub acute caring for 70 people with one other new grad. Conditions were dangerous at this place so I had to refuse. A temp agency hired me but it appears she had me on fluff jobs and they were infrequent. I work per diem and so few cases have come in that I don’t have a steady paycheck. All of the stress and study and sleepless nights seem like they were for nothing. I’m totally discouraged but I will keep trying and take whatever position I can get!
August 28th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
I just graduated and have a job on the floor where I teched during school. However, reading this thread made me think back two years ago when my best friend graduated from nursing school – here in Florida she had her PICK of jobs. Seriously. Like 5 offers. She went to pediatrics at a great hospital. Fast-forward to when I graduated – I sent out apps just to see what was out there. NOTHING. Every hospital told me that they are not hiring new grads. Thank GOD I had an in at my hospital.
Best of luck to all of you. I guess the push to graduate new nurses has glutted the market?
September 2nd, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Any new grad opportunities any knows about in AZ would be great!
September 3rd, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Jean Roberson ,
I live in Aurora, IL. Please let me know if RML has any opening and whom should I contact
Megi.
September 11th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
AMY from SEATTLE!!!…I am a new grad looking hard. I am in the Seattle area. Can you tell me what hospital you work at that is hiring new grads? Thanks so much!!
September 14th, 2009 at 12:26 am
hi,
does anybody know who hires new nurses in NJ or PA?
Thanks for any news! 🙂
October 4th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Hey all,
I graduated in May 2009…4 months of looking here in PA for a new grad hospital job. No luck! I have applied to 14 hospitals in and around the Pittsburgh area; not even a phone call back. I am going to look into LTC this coming week. All of my friends with CNA/tech jobs got job offers from the floors they worked on. As for myself, I have 2 kids and couldn’t work during nursing school. Best of luck to all. If anyone knows who is hiring in Pittsburgh, shoot me an email.
October 6th, 2009 at 12:01 am
sorry, to say that but in America there is no shortage of bedside nurses, there is only shortage of nurses who are not willing to work in hospital environment who most of the time exploit nurses, and this is very good example what is happening now. Sorry to disappoint new graduate nurses who are full of hopes, but actually every seasoned nurse are looking for jobs outside the hospital. Sorry if I disappointed anyone, but reality is that without hospital experience your doors are closed almost to every nursing position, try nursing homes.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:15 am
I live in NY and my husband can not find a job here. He has family in Pittsburgh and wants to look for an RN job there. Did you find anything yet…. Good luck
October 25th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Hi Amy, RN,
I just read your posting from August 6th. I moved to the Seattle late August and am having trouble finding a new grad job. Just wondering if the hospital where you work is still hiring or if you know of any other hospitals with new grad openings. Most of the places I’ve looked into have minimal openings starting in the winter/spring or none at all. Thanks for any info. you can provide!!
October 29th, 2009 at 2:41 am
Same case here in CA.. no opening for new grads.. even the long term care and convalescent hospitals are not hiring.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:46 am
Lindsay,
Are you willing to take part time? If so, work two part time employments just to get your foot in the door. Also, look at public health, clinics and places no one wants to work in. Those will be open. organ Transplants, rehabs, correctional, etc.
October 29th, 2009 at 3:47 am
Lindsay,
Look at urgent care facilities or similar facilities
January 23rd, 2010 at 6:05 am
Hi there, I’m a single working mother and am looking to go back to school this fall and get my nursing diploma. I have been finding out about getting a pell grant as well as some different financial aid options. Anyone have any kind of recomendations to get various simple scholarships or even grants which i could get?
January 23rd, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Hello, I’m a single working mom and am wanting to return to school this fall and get my nursing degree. I’ve been looking over getting a pell grant plus some other financial aid possibilities. Someone have any recomendations for a few easy scholarships or even grants that i might find?
January 26th, 2010 at 8:23 am
Hello.I live in Northern Kentucky (close to Cincinnati OH) and I graduated in May 09 and worked for a physician through out nursing school. He decided to retire 12-09 and I have put out hundreds of applications, ranging to drive an hour in either direction. I also have applied at LTC facilities. The phrase that grates on my nerves is “call us back when you have experience”. The million dollar question, how are you supposed to get experience if someone won’t take a chance on you. If anyone knows of any opportunities near me, let me know. I also agree if you are in school or starting school, secure a hospital job as a CNA or tech.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
It sounds like when the economy went south about a year ago so did all the opportunities for new grad nurses. I think the jobs are out there, but most of them are in Texas or Oklahoma. I really thinks when the economy picks up so will the job openings. In the mean time, we’ll just have to take what’s out there.
February 25th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
HI gurls well my friend from anaheim california told me that anaheim reg.hosp still hiring for new grad…
March 3rd, 2010 at 7:35 pm
The job market is tough. I started out at a hospital as a Nurse Tech. Due to some unfortunate circumstances I had to let it go. Now that i look back I wish I didn’t. It has taken over 3 mos to find another nursing job – now working at a nursing home part-time. The LTC didn’t really want to hire a new grad so they only gave me part-time/contingent. I did home care to tie me over after my NT position, which i do not suggest to new nurses although many of us do it. It did help pay the bills and helped keep up my assessment skills. For home care i really think you need to have good assessment and critical thinking skills because you really do practice autonomously, and have limited access to the physician and other disciplines. Good luck with your job searches.
March 7th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
Anyone know what the starting salary is for the first year in CA for new grad RNs? If you work in Orange County area. Also, do you make more if you work the graveyard shift?
May 5th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
I got licensed in February and I’ve been looking for jobs since. It’s been difficult finding a job here in Illinois!
May 12th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
I graduated May 09 and I still have no RN job in NJ. It’s very hard. They all want experience and how can a new grad get experience if no one is willing to give them a chance.
May 22nd, 2010 at 1:41 pm
I understand how you guys feel. I was the same way. Until I posted my resume on Monster and the owner Phil called me to see if I was seeking a position. He runs a company called CNS and it is based out of Phoenix Arizona. I relocated and started working and haven’t looked back since. They work nationwide but Phil understands what we all as nurses go through because he is a nurse. Check out their website at http://www.cnsnursing.com
Hope it works out for you guys! – Brett
May 25th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
I finished a RN-reentry program in April. Have been a RN for 23 years. Med-surg, ICU_CCU, DON, Home health clinical coordinator, PICC line certified, Behavioral health. Was my eyes opened. NO jobs. I have never, in all my years of nursing ever not been able to find a job..I am know looked at as a new grad because I was out for 5 years… I was counting on this job, my husband was layed off…
May 26th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
Just graduated this may from a BSN program and have applied for about 15 positions and still not one interview. NC/SC RN new grad jobs are scarce and it is disappointing. Who would have ever dreamed of graduating from nursing school and not be able to find a job! I probably should have stuck with my prior job which was also in the health care field at least until the economy got a little better. Although some people are getting new grad jobs around here, you pretty much have to know someone with some pull in the hospital system or work for the hospital to even get an interview.
May 29th, 2010 at 6:15 am
In reply to post # 45: I live in Orange County, CA and I know Hoag Hospital (Newport Beach,CA) starts their new grads at $28 and $33 for graveyard. I have 2 friends that JUST got hired to their New Grad Program (we graduated in Dec ’09).
May 30th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
My advice to all is not to give up hope of finding a job. It will take time, but don’t give up. It took me almost two years for me to find a job as a nurse with a BSN. The pay isn’t great as many of the LPNs that work under me make a lot more, but I am learning a lot and I am happy to be working.
June 16th, 2010 at 10:18 pm
It’s been over a year since I graduated nursing school and received my RN in Massachusetts. I’ve submitted, it must be, hundreds, if not thousands, of applications/resumes for jobs all over the country, with only rejections (due to an overwhelming number of applicants) or no replies on most. I’m getting extremely frustrated trying to find a job. I’ve even applied to some LTC facilities here too, only to be told that they’ve had so many applications that if they’re interested they’ll call me. I’m a bit reticent about LTC; first, the RN to patient ratios are too high at most facilities (which might put my hard-earned license in jeopardy), and second, I’m afraid I’ll be pigeonholed as a LTC nurse and when the economy finally picks up, I’ll be excluded from hospitals (which I really want). I’m so discouraged at this point; I’m not sure what more I can do, but I’m continuing to apply to several positions daily in hopes that something will happen.
June 28th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
I graduated over a year ago and have been trying to find a job since. I live in MA and the market here is horrid! I have applied at every hospital, LTC facility, and rehab with NO luck at all! I am very discouraged because my husband has been laid-off and is also having trouble getting a job and with 3 kids (one in college) and creditors calling left and right we don’t know what to do. I am going back to school in Sept. for my Bachelors and then on to my Masters in Forensic Nursing. I hope to have a job before I get my Masters at least!!!
July 4th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
I graduated in May and started to network. I can tell you that I got NO reply from the applications I made base on positions posted. I was told once in a clinical by a new hired nurse that “you need to know somebody to get the first job now a days!”. I took that advise and started network. The two interview that basically hired me on the spot was because I was referred by someone… Network network network is all I get to say!
July 20th, 2010 at 11:46 am
how is it you guys can find jobs you type in RN jobs in jobs searches and up pops hundreds of RN jobs….here in Odessa tx a rinky dink little oilfield town in the middle of now where the hospital here is paying new grads 26.50 and is always hiring its as if they dont have enough they have a flex pool they pay 40/ an hr just to make up for the shortage im moving to Cali and done my search and they too are looking for nurses……all the new grads here go straight ti the 2 hospitals here to learn their skills then branch out from there….. maybe yall should move down here
November 3rd, 2010 at 7:27 pm
I graduated May 09 and I still have no RN job in NJ. It’s very hard. They all want experience and how can a new grad get experience if no one is willing to give them a chance.
November 16th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
I can relate to the job search frustration. But I can assure you with perseverance, you will find your job. I took the first job I could get with a BSN degree and relocated to a rural town that started me off at $18.00/hour. I took what I could! I hated working on a med/surg floor but it got me the experience I needed. I call it a “character building” experience. lol
November 19th, 2010 at 1:37 am
I am also a 09 grad in NYC. Keep your hopes up!! Do not give up! I looked since I got my ATT and got my license in July 09. After a year long search I finally landed a position as a new grad nurse in home care. I wanted to give up so many times but DONT. You worked hard for it! Fight for it!
November 27th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
I graduated in May 2010, it was a stuggle right after school to find a job but in the end I found the perfect job for me. I had to get away from applying to the hospitals, it seemed like if you didn’t have an in with the nurse manager your application never even got looked at. But the fact is that there are some great oppurtunities in health clinics, extended care facilities so forth and so on. I suggest looing in local community news papers and follow up after you fax and email your resume. Go there if you have to. Good luck!!!
December 13th, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Does anyone know any facilities that will hire new grads RN in Jacksonville ,Florida?
March 24th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Hello – can anyone tell me how to find hospitals around the country that hire new grads directly into RN positions? I graduated with my BSN in July 2010 and got my license in September BUT I’m still looking for a job. I have interviewed several times with no offer and am wondering if I made a mistake in trading my admin job for a career in nursing…
March 25th, 2011 at 10:32 am
Hey there all,
Don’t know if my posting will help out, but I offer some tips on job hunting.
It’s entitled “Where, Oh Where, Have All the Jobs Gone?” Just search my name and you’ll see it. Lots of good stuff from recruiters that may help in the job search.
I know at the hospital I work at, if you’re in the upstate of South Carolina, they are hiring. AnMed Health is the name, google it.
Best of luck!
August 30th, 2014 at 12:36 pm
G from NYC here. Its been two years for me, havent found nothibg. Graduated from an ADN program in May 2012, passed my boards in Aug. I am a single mom and need yhe help from my fam, thats why I really cant move but trust me, I would’ve if it was easy. I just want to work as a nurse and it doesn’t have to be in the hospital; Im over getting a job in the hospital. I look at is as its meant for me to be a nurse somewhere else. I dont mind travelling to PA or NJ, is the market better now? Hopefully someone can give me some tips or connections. God bless, thank you.