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.4,671 new-grad friendly roles are open on the board right now.
The First Year Path
Seven chapters for the 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
RN, ICU, NEW $7/hr Specialty Pay, UofL Hospital, Days and Nights
UofL HealthLouisville, KY · Posted last week
- New grads welcomed
- RN
- Rotating shift
- Compact license OK
- Magnet-designated hospital
- New-grad residency
Registered Nurse(NC II) - F/T Evenings - 4C Neurosurgical ICU - Ben Taub Hospital
$44/hr
Harris HealthHouston, TX · Seen active today
Registered Nurse (RN) - Inpatient Rehab
Abrazo HealthGoodyear, AZ · Seen active today
- New grads welcomed
- RN
- Day shift
Registered Nurse, GR
Townsen Memorial Health System · Health system employer
Houston, TX · Seen active today
- New grads welcomed · reported
- RN
- Per diem
Nurses on this in The job hunt
See the room- A one way video interview: three questions, two minutes each, nobody thereFirst round invite came through and it's a recording. Three questions, two minutes each, one retake and only on the first question. No person on the…Published Sep 9, 2026
- The posting I applied to in June is back up with a new numberSame unit, same shift, same three bullet points I could recite from memory. New requisition number, posted last Tuesday.2 replies · Published Sep 5, 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.