Getting Ready to Apply for New Grad RN Programs
As your time in nursing school wraps up and graduation approaches, the next step to focus on is applying for RN jobs! There are two (2) main ways to secure a job: First, hospitals hire new nurses as regular staff members and provide training; Second, hospitals offer dedicated New Graduate RN programs where they hire groups of new grads. With that in mind, I’m here to provide advice on how to navigate the process of applying for New Graduate RN programs:
Begin by searching for nearby hospitals in your area using keywords like “new grad registered nurse.” This should yield various hospital programs as results.
Create an Excel sheet with a list of hospitals you’re interested in. Set up columns for application opening and closing dates, application page links, and reminders for special requirements.
Research and gather information about each program, and fill in your Excel sheet to keep everything organized.
As you progress through the application process, highlight each row to indicate that you’ve applied to those programs.
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I’ve found these tips to be really effective because they help you keep track of program deadlines. Most applications are only open for a short period, usually 1 to 2 weeks, so it’s crucial to stay organized. Make sure you have all your supplemental documents ready (cover letter, resume, letters of recommendation, clinical hours, and transcripts).
Writing Your Cover Letter
Tailor your cover letter to match the specific unit or population you’re applying for. Share experiences that led you to want to work with that group. After writing a solid cover letter, take the time to look up the hospital’s mission statement and values to incorporate into your letter. This shows that you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested.
Polishing Your Resume
Your resume can be 1 to 2 pages in length. Ensure it’s easy to read. Sometimes, a plain Word document is preferred (as some hospitals specify). Include your education, licenses/certifications, clinical experience, work history, skills, etc. When describing your job roles, use language that you’d find in a typical RN job description.
Securing Letters of Recommendation
If you’re applying to a specific specialty, consider getting a recommendation from someone in that specialty or who taught in that area. Plan ahead and ask for letters in advance! Reach out to your professors or supervisors at least 1 to 2 months before you need the letter. You wouldn’t want to miss out on applying just because you’re missing recommendation letters.
The entire application process can be stressful. Waiting for responses is a real challenge, but don’t give up. Even if it takes a while to hear back for an interview, as long as your application isn’t rejected, you still have a good chance. Best of luck!
My Life After Graduating Nursing School
Preparing to Apply for New Grad RN Programs
As graduation and your nursing school career come to an end, the next thing you need to worry about is applying for RN jobs! There are two (2) ways you can land a job: First, a hospital hires new nurses as regular staff nurses and trains them; Secondly, the hospital can have an actual New Graduate RN program where they hire in cohorts. With that being said, I am here to give you advice on how to navigate through applying for New Graduate RN programs:
- Search for all the nearby hospitals in your area by looking up “new grad registered nurse” and different hospital programs should show up as a result.
- Make an Excel sheet of all the hospitals you are interested in. Make a few columns and take note when the application opens and closes. Also, include the links to the application pages and set reminders for special requirements.
- Look up all the programs and fill in your Excel sheet so that you have all the information in one place.
- Highlight each row as you go through the application process to note those you already applied for.
I found these pointers to work really well for me because I was able to keep track of all the programs’ deadlines. Most program applications are only open for 1 to 2 weeks, so you really need to keep track of dates and times. Make sure all your supplemental documents are ready to go (cover letter, resume, letter of recommendations, clinical hours, and transcripts).
Cover Letter
Make sure you cater your cover letter towards the unit or population you are applying for. It is important to build up a story of experiences that led you to want to work for that population. After writing a solid cover letter, I would advise you to look up the hospital’s mission statement and values so you can incorporate that into your letter. Make it known that you know about the hospital so that they know you are actually interested.
Resume
Your resume can be 1 to 2 pages long. Make sure it is easy to read. Sometimes it is better to just have it a plain word document (I noticed some hospitals actually ask for it to be plain). Add your educational background, licenses/certifications, clinical experience, work experience, skills, etc. For your job description, try to use words that you can find in a normal RN job description.
Letter of Recommendations
If you are applying to a specialty, I would recommend getting a letter of recommendation where the person who is writing it is either in that specialty or someone who taught in that specialty. Make sure you ask IN ADVANCE! Ask your professors or direct superior at least 1 to 2 months in advance so that they get it to you on time. You would not want to be held back from applying because you don’t have all your letters available.
Overall, the whole application process can get very stressful. The waiting game is real but I learned to not give up. Although it might take months to hear back for an interview, as long as your application was not rejected, you still have a fair chance. Good luck!
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