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Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Waiting, waiting, waiting...
I graduated from college with my BSN in early May of this year and got married in late June so very newlywed...I started looking for a job the moment I became a registered nurse which was immediately after graduation. I know I have technically only been looking for about 2 months, but the application process is getting tiring. I have literally sent in around 25 applications in the past 2 months and have only received rejection emails. My husband has a great job and has had this great job since before graduation (we graduated at the same time.) Problem is I don't think this little family of ours (just the 2 of us,moving into a new house) can run very long on just one income and still eat....I guess I'm just looking for some kind of advice. Maybe my cover letter sucks or my resume isn't long enough. Maybe I'm being too impatient, but I am feeling simply useless just cooking and cleaning and packing every day and not leaving this tiny apartment for any other reason. This website is my only entertainment!!!!
Re: Waiting, waiting, waiting...
First, hang in there. I know it's hard to hear but 2 months isn't very long at all. Just stay focused. Find yourself some volunteer work at a local hospital or clinic, it'll get you out of the house, keep you social and you never know what connections you might make while you're out there.
Second, does your university have career services for new grads? Most schools have something to help grads find jobs. They would be able to look over your resume & cover letter and give you pointers. If that doesn't exist have a couple friends or previous employers look it over & give you tips.
Third, why did you buy a house / get a larger appartment that the two of you can't afford? Basing it on what you hope to make when you find a job is not a good idea. If this is what you did you need to go get a temporary job - waitresses, cashier, nanny something to pay the bills.
I agree, two months isn't that long, and 25 resumes isn't a ton either. I know that it's not the number of resumes you send out, it's the positions, but make sure that you are really exploring ALL of your options--especially if money is tight.
Since the waiting game is so aweful, I definitely suggest volunteering or working a part-time job to help pass your days while you are waiting to get a full-time career position.
My sister-in-law was laid off & unemployed for a very long time (like, over a year, I think). She would say she was looking & applying for jobs & couldn't find anything. It turns out she was being very picky about what jobs she was applying for, and only applying for like 1-2 jobs each week. She was looking for her dream job, and not just A job (but she really just needed A job, bc her unemployment was running out).
I needed to find a part-time job quick to make some extra money, and started applying like crazy. I applied to ~100 jobs (part-time) within 1 week, had 4-5 interviews 1-2 weeks later, and got multiple job offers within 3 weeks. I shared all of this with her, and I think it was a real eye-opener for her that if you are just looking for SOMETHING to bring in extra income (a job, not a career), you can find something if you really work at it. She now is working full-time in retail. She's still looking/applying for career positions in her field, but at least in the meantime she has income coming in & no employment gap (not to mention no boredom/depression from just looking for jobs all day).
I had good luck using snagajob dot com to apply & find a part-time job. It's mostly retail or restaurant jobs working for chains (Home Depot, FedEx, Target, Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc), but the nice thing is you create your profile/resume, and for most jobs you can apply directly through the site--without having to go to each site one by one. If you live near a larger city, craigslist is good too for part-time jobs. I've gotten babysitting jobs through craigslist to bring in extra money in the past as well.
Good Luck!!!
My hubby & I rock the frock.
Bio
6.12.2010
You may have to adjust your expectations. Two months and 25 applications is not a lot given the current economy.
If finances are an issue, you may need to take any job available while you continue to search for a career opportunity. If you can, it would be best to find a job that still relates to the medical field so that you can network and so that the experience is still relevant to your career field.
Also, are you being flexible when it comes to the job search? For instance - can you broaden your search by accepting a longer commute, less desirable hours, or a lower salary? Are you open to all specialities? Are you open to all different types of facilities - hospital, office, nursing home, etc.? Are you applying to jobs that don't require a bachelor's degree? Being flexible greatly increases your odds of finding something quickly. You can only afford to be picky if you have multiple offers in hand.
Let family, friends and acquaintances know that you are searching for a job. Don't be too proud to speak up. Personal connections are a great way to discover unadvertised job opportunities.
I can really empathize with your frustration. I graduated May 2010 and searched for months before finding a job. During that time I applied for over 500 positions. I considered finding a job to be my full time job. I spent countless hours tailoring resumes and cover letters, following up on opportunities, networking within my career field, etc. Ultimately, I was offered a job that is considered outside the traditional career path for degree. However, I love the job and, if I decide to pursue a more traditional path in the future, the experience that I will have gained will open opportunities that would not have been available right out of school.
Good luck with your job search! Try not to take the rejection personally. It happens to everyone. Hopefully you will soon be happily employed.