How to get a job after graduation

Hey!

I live in southeastern NC. From what I know and have heard from people who are nurses, it is not that difficult to find a job in NC. Everyone I know that has recently graduated and started work after passing the NCLEX had job offers before graduation or right after. I would hope that would be the same for me, but things might change in two years (and my luck just isn't that good.

I want to know what I can do to have a job offer before graduation or right after, then once I pass the NCLEX I can start working. Also I'm getting my ADN, not BSN so that may make a difference. Any thoughts?
Apply early, apply often,apply for everything, don't have a dream job in mind, and follow up with HR weekly.

Get a CNA job in a hospital you might want to work in. Become a stellar CNA with a great reputation. Network and make good connections at work. This is no guarantee for a job, it didn't work for me, but is has helped that several of our former CNAs did get new grad jobs in a very desirable unit after graduation.

I graduated in 2012 and had a job before I passed NCLEX. Most of my classmates did, too. I think they are still hiring at most of the hospitals where you are.

Be open to potential workplaces and specialties outside the acute care hospital setting. Look into nursing homes, home health, private duty, correctional nursing (jails and prisons), psychiatric facilities, physical rehab, methadone clinics, group homes for the developmentally disabled, assisted living facilities, etc.

Is it worth my time to volunteer? I know I don't have any patient contact, but it could be used as a source for networking, right?

It depends on how visible you would be as a volunteer. In my unit, there are no volunteers. Without some kind of license or certification, we don't let anyone else near fragile patients. The volunteers do things like answer the phone in the family waiting room. A volunteer in that position has interaction with family members, but none with nurses or anyone useful for networking.

be stellar in clinicals,be inquisitive and capable, ask the staff "what can i do to help with......whatever?"make statements i really like this unit or facilitywhen i was DON, i cherrie picked outstanding students......cut my recruitment cost and efforts...be capable, appear to be a team player, you have no idea how a really busy staff nurse, who learns her patient had an incontinence episode, would appreciate a student volunteering for the time consuming job......

i usually worked critical care........i always wanted students....i was working med surg....one day i had three students, i really dislike med surg......but the students ask how can we help, i saud there are two patients that needfrequent vital signs and the few cnas were busy......they go in a patients room find hypotensice and tachy, get a low bp, they then went got another vital sign machine to double check, and followed with a manual vital sign, came to me with data and what they assessed, their critical thinking skills were stellar, I knew what protocols I could use with attending, started a saline bolus, explained the physiology and rationale.......i made sure their program director knew what superior job they did........the hosp. hired two of them (rural se texas, yes they were lvn students).....shortly later I was DON in a LTC facility, i hired the other.....also when your program directors start getting compliments, the educators, cater, to enhancing your opportunities.....I have had a local LVN program director call me and say I have two exceptional students.....learn, become capable of being "teachable", be a team player, look like an asset