New Grad- one year of experience required

I just became licensed for vocational nursing. There are lots of jobs but most say "no new grads" or "must have one year of experience" in the requirements of the job. One agency that I applied to responded to me via e-mail saying that I should contact them after I obtain a year of experience.

How then am I supposed to get a year of experience if facilities don't hire new grads. This is confusing. These people were once "new grads" themselves. What gives???
It sucks, but this sort of hiring expectation is common across many fields of work, including 2 previous ones I worked in that had no relation to healthcare. You just need to get your foot in the door.. an opportunity will open up. Also, just because they say "one year exp required" does not mean you should avoid sending them your resume. 1 yr may not be hugely important if other aspects of your resume are enticing.

I'm in the same boat as you. Where I live there is only one hospital in the area, the rest are 1 1/2 hours away. I try to check carefully on the websites of any hospitals that i do check into and see if they have a preceptorship program for new grads. I have also called several Nurse Recruiters to ask if they hire New Grads. So far I have heard that one hospital has a program that starts in August. The person I talked to recommended that I try to get in the hospital under any position that I can because it will be easier to get into the New Grad program if I am already in the facility. I truly do not want to work as a Tech- no offense to the Techs, I was one for years- but since I am a licensed RN (in two states), I will do what I need to. Good luck with your job search,Hoot

Thanks guys, I'll keep a positive outlook and continue my efforts.

Quote from caregivergracealso, just because they say "one year exp required" does not mean you should avoid sending them your resume. 1 yr may not be hugely important if other aspects of your resume are enticing.

Quote from mbarnbsnthis is not true of nursing.

OP; send the resume anyway, even without the one year exp . I was applying for hospice positions, which required one year of experience (which I do not have) and did get an interview. She liked my resume and called me in to discuss hospice and how to go about becoming a hospice nurse. I did not get the job, but I left with two contacts and a heads up about two RN positions that were unposted within the hospital. I may not have received a job offer from her, but I know who to contact once I do have experience. In addition, I have a direct route to two CNM's and a recommendation for the positions. Send the resume, at worst you are out time and a stamp.

Quote from hiddencatrni don't think this is a hard and fast rule. if the position wants a year of experience and you have none and apply anyway, you will likely get filtered out on the hr level- however, if you have an inside connection, have networked, met the nurse manager, know someone on the floor, maybe a clinical instructor who liked you knows someone....you can sometimes get past hr.

Quote from mbarnbsntrue! plus, if the hiring manager wants to spend $60,000-100,000+ to train you rather then hire multiple experienced nurses for much less, then you have a shot as well. however, at this time many managers do not want to spend the money that it takes to hire and train a new nurse. this is especially true of employers who have been burned in the past by new nurses who quit within weeks or a few months of hire. experienced nurses not only require little training, but they also do not require a lot of attention and tend to have a lower turn-over rate compared with new nurses. employers are in the driver's seat at this time and are picky for many reasons. if the op wants to continue to send out resumes in a bad market, that won't hurt him/her. however, i would look at a plan b (such as moving away) if the market is truly closed to new grads. as crazy as it may sound, i know of a few nurses that remained in a dead job market two years ago and are now considered to be old grads because they have never worked as nurses. whereas former classmates moved away, earned experience, and have sense returned employed.

I have been looking for 6 months now and nothing. I am so sad. Of my graduating class of 40, 7 people are working. Of that 7, 3 of them got jobs because they were Techs at their facility and it still took a while. The next 4 had parents or family members who were in healthcare and got them an interview becaue they know the recruiter. Two of them admitted it was not a real interview just so it would look right. Its who you know.

To be honest. I've been sitting for a year with no job. Now sometime I do get concerned that I may never get hired because I'm a old grad.....But I realize that if/when the general economy turns upward and older or dissatisfied nurses can finally leave the workforce.....this should open up spot for graduates of all dates (old or new). I've read a couple of treads on allnurses and it seems some of the RNs that have been in this game for a longtime have said that they have seen this lack of hiring before, and believe eventually the pendulum will swing the other way and the employees will be in the driver seat and you see all those perks of joining bonuses, paid training, etc. return. Basically it's a waiting game from what I can see. So I wait and keep applying.

Quote from MBARNBSNExperienced nurses not only require little training, but they also do not require a lot of attention and tend to have a lower turn-over rate compared with new nurses. Employers are in the driver's seat at this time and are picky for many reasons.

Quote from mbarnbsnthis is not true of nursing. other fields, maybe... but it is not true of nursing. nursing recruiters are not going to look at resumes or applicants that do not posses the requirements. if the posting says 1 year required, then you must have 1 year of work experience! i worked in a horrible area for almost two years due to being a new nurse. now i will be able to move soon because i am getting interviews with employers who, two years ago, refused to talk to me because i had no work experience. op: nurses are moving out of areas that want nothing to do with new grads because nurse recruiters are able to be picky. check places that seem to be hiring new grads for a job. then move back when you have enough work experience. good luck.