I’m A Newly Grad Nurse, But I Can’t Find a Job! Why?
“I have graduated from a nursing school and got my nurse license recently. I was very excited to find a job. But unfortunately, I still don’t have a job until now. If what they say that there is a nursing shortage is true, then why can’t I be hired?” – Ms.FrustratedNurse
Can you relate to Ms.FrustratedNurse? Are you one of those newly grad nurses that can’t find the job they’ve dreamed of? Have you lost interest and passion in your career?
Many have chosen to pursue studies in the field of nursing and eventually become nurses in different specializations when news about nursing shortage spread, hoping to have a job right away to practice their profession. But many are welcomed with disappointments after graduating when they fail to land a job in hospitals or clinics. They are left with wonders why, despite nursing shortage, they can’t find a nursing job? Which is a contradiction to what other people think that they can easily have a work since they are nursing graduates.
Factors may be considered that contributes to unemployment of nurses, even newly grads.
Your resume or CV doesn’t attract attention. Try to take a look again at your resume or curriculum vitae. Compare how many have returned call for your interview scheduled to how many you have submitted. A nurse resume must be attractive because it has the qualifications the institution is looking for.
What a Good Resume Should Show
How to Sell Yourself Using an Effective Cover Letter
Your interview isn’t successful. As a fresh grad, it is natural to have butterflies in your stomach during your interviews. But this must not affect how you’ll response to the interviewer so that your confidence will show instead of your nervousness. Learn the top 5 ways to ace your job interview.
Your choice of location to apply maybe wrong. It is true that city hospital offers higher salary compare to those in rural areas. Their technology is more advanced too. But the reality is that there are many unemployed nurse graduates sending their application to these city hospitals. And little chances you may have to be hired. So why not try gaining experience first in rural healthcare facilities since you need it as a new nurse.
Your connections aren’t that broad, your search area is limited. We may admit it or not, but our connections do make a difference in our search for a job. Who knows, a friend of a friend of our cousin may know an urgent job vacancy we can fill in. Aside from online job portals, you can look for hirings at classified ads and job fairs too.
Your expectation is far from reality. Yes, we may have heard of the ‘nursing shortage’ issue before and we may assume that as a new nurse grad, job offers will pop here and there. In reality, because of the vast numbers of nursing graduates that adds to the pool of applicants a hospital must choose from, there is still the competition for the available slots.
You just sit and wait after an interview. Your job interview may be over and they may have said ‘We’ll call you again.’ But this doesn’t mean you really just have to wait for them to give you a ring. Does the phrase “follow-up” ring a bell? An applicant who does follow up a few days after their interviewer implicates an eager and interested job seeker to the hiring officer. Try these tips on how to follow up after an interview.
Healthcare institutions need nurses with specialization. This is a sad reality that new nurses must face and learn to accept. Gone are the days when nurses are generalists and are to do the basic things to the patients. Before, nurses can be designated to duty from the pediatric ward to the emergency room and then the next day to delivery room. Today, nurses are assigned to work in specific unit which give birth to nurses with specialization, like NICU nurses, gerontological nurse, medical-surgical nurse and diabetes nurse.
Many new nurses will continue to graduate in the coming years, and many will still struggle to find a job. The only way to secure a position is to put your best self forward, make the best out of your interviews, and continue studying to gain a specialty while waiting for a slot to open.
Hospice RNs Needed to Fill Vacancies by Retirees in 2020.
Published at: 12/26/2015
