Good news! I have accepted a new graduate RN position on a PCU at UCSD!
I am beyond blessed and relieved! You would think after NCLEX all your worries would go away. No, that is only the beginning. Now you must actually land a job to use that hard earned RN license! I was more stressed between passing the NCLEX and finding a new grad position than I was studying for the NCLEX! So much so that I ended up taking a part-time aesthetic RN position until I landed a new grad RN position (blog post to come on that later). Why do you care about this anyways? Because, I can now pass on my pearls of wisdom to YOU!
So you passed the NCLEX, now what?
This is my checklist for those of you who want a new graduate RN position in a hospital setting. For those of you who do not, my next post will cover applying to clinics and med spas!
Find out when applications for new graduate RN positions in your desired area open & apply ASAP!
Build a portfolio! I recommend having an online and hard copy.
- Online portfolio allows you to market yourself anytime and anywhere! It also shows your technology skills and allows recruiters/interviewers to see files that you cannot include in the portfolio!
- Hard-copy portfolio is what you will bring to the interviews. Your interviewer will not have the means or time to see your online portfolio.
- Tips:
- Have a color/design theme
- Include pictures
- Use stock paper or regular paper with a clear protector
- Use a portfolio cover
- Include summaries of your work… not the entire essay/powerpoint (but you can offer the link to your online portfolio that has the full files!)
- This is how I organized mine:
- Table of Contents
- Cover Letter (personalized to the unit/interviewers)
- Resume
- Letters of Reference
- Volunteer Experience (with pictures and summaries of each)
- Baccalaureate Nursing Competencies (examples of best work from nursing school)
- Awards and Certificates
- Tips:
Prepare for the interview!
- Search possible questions (coming to resources section soon!)
- Have a couple stories in your arsenal for situational questions
- Have a PROFESSIONAL “tell me about yourself” answer! Do not tell them you are a single parent going through a divorce… that is not what they want to hear!
Optional/Feeling Desperate?
- Make a LinkedIn account
- Make a GlassDoor account
- Get any RN experience you can
- Seasonal/per-diem flu clinics
- Part-time clinic positions (search craig’s list, linkedin, glassdoor, and indeed)
Congratulations Bri!!!
Hi bri!
Congrats on all your accomplishments!
I was wondering if APU has a white coat ceremony?
Not as far as I know yet. I have only finished the pre-licensure portion (BSN) so there may be one in the MSN portion but I would contact the school for a definite answer!
Congratulations! I’m currently job hunting right now. I’ve been a semester behind you throughout the pre-licensure portion at the Azusa campus….it’s been really helpful following your blog! It’s given me a good idea of what to expect every semester. Thank you!
I am glad it has helped!
Hi Bri Congrats on getting the new grad position. i am also interviewing at UCSD SICU this coming Monday any tips or info I may need to prep for the interview. I am also an almuni of APU ELMSN :-). I hope to connect with you soon. thank you
Luckily, UCSD has pretty similar questions across the board for new grads. They will mostly be behavioral like the ones I mentioned they asked me during my interview (ex: Tell me a time of when you overcame a challenge… dealt with a difficult co-worker, etc.). I would act yourself. If you made it this far with UCSD SICU, you are a very competitive candidate and they are just making sure you are trainable and you will fit into their culture. Congrats for making it this far!