New grad
The new grad window moves fast and runs on calendars, not luck. Residency cohorts open and close on set dates, licenses post on state timelines, and the strongest applications are ready before the window opens. Start earlier than feels natural.15,061 new-grad friendly jobs are open right now.
New nurse guide
Chapters for your first two years
- 01 · Last semesterApply the semester before you graduate
- 02 · Waiting on boardsThe Wait for Boards Is a Hiring Season
- 03 · License in handMost postings never ask for a year
- 04 · License in handThe silence is a calendar, not a verdict
- 05 · On orientationA Residency is Not Orientation. Ask About Both.
- 06 · Off orientationThe new-grad rate is at the floor
- 07 · The 2-year markTwo years in, most of the job board opens. Here's what the line really screens.
Open new-grad friendly roles
See all
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Med/Surg Full-time Nights
St. Joseph Regional Medical Center
Lewiston, ID · Posted last week
- New grads welcomed
- CNA
- Night shift
- New grads welcomed
- LPN
- Per diem
- New grads welcomed
- RN
- 10-hour nights
Indian Health Service
Multiple Locations · Health system employer
- New grads welcomed
- LPN
- 12-hour rotating
LPN, Licensed Practical Nurse 1:1 School Nurse Position
Posted 6 days ago
- New grads welcomed
- LPN
Registered Nurse (RN) - Intensive Care Unit (ICU) - Community Howard Regional Health
Posted 3 days ago
- New grads welcomed
- RN
The job hunt
Join the conversation- Coming back after years away: refresher course first, or apply now?Nurses on r/Nurses and r/nursing keep asking a version of this: licensed, away from practice for six or ten years, and every application goes quiet.2 replies · Published Oct 26, 2026
- Left the bedside after a few years: what did you move to, and would you go back?The fear in these threads is always the same one: leave the bedside and regret it, or stay and burn out.2 replies · Published Oct 26, 2026
Questions nurses ask
- Can I apply to nursing jobs before I pass boards?
- Often, yes. Many employers and residency programs take applications while a test date or ATT is pending, and some states allow practice on a graduate permit. The posting or program page states what it accepts.
- What is a nurse residency, and do I need one?
- A structured first year: longer orientation, a cohort, classroom time. You don't need one to become a good nurse, but the structure helps, and the fine print on commitment and repayment terms is worth reading before you sign.
- When should I start applying?
- Before graduation. Cohort windows can open while you're still in school, and some stay open only a short stretch. Save your radar so you can reopen the employer list and recheck each source page.
- How many residency programs should I apply to?
- More than feels comfortable. Cohorts admit small classes on set dates, so a wide net across systems and states beats a short list of favorites. Each application you finish early is one you never rush.
- What if I don't get into a residency?
- A residency is one door, not the only one. Plenty of units hire new grads directly with a structured orientation, and smaller or rural hospitals often train where the big systems screen. The first job matters less than the first year of bedside time.