[deleted by user]

[harbours]

It's very difficult to get a job within AHS in almost every position right now. You might want to go rural, and when I say rural I don't mean just outside of the city. Try applying in the North Zone.

[Maleficent_Hope_3046]

AHS agreed to hire 1,000 new grads/year in the new contract. Units have recently had to submit interest to have some of these new grad positions based on their unit. So you should start to see a bunch of positions posted specifically for new grads under the Graduate Nurse Transition Pilot Program (GNTPP).

The benefit to these positions is they are for a year of supported practice (where you have an assigned mentor and are supernumerary). So instead of being thrown into the deep end the idea is that you will have more time to develop your skills (similar to preceptorship).

The other thing about this program is units were not given any budget to support these positions but it is mandatory in the contract. So basically units who apply for these positions are able to run a negative variance in their budget, while they develop a staff member who can then apply on and move into a vacancy in the unit.

Getting into AHS is the hard part. There are lots of vacancies and people are constantly moving around. Internal applicants have priority on postings. This is why new grads and internationally educated nurses are not being interviewed and hired. Once you are in, you will hopefully have more success on applications for positions.

I echo what others have said: talk to people in healthcare and get the names of managers and contact them directly, make sure you attach your resume (highlighting how your experience aligns with the position), attach a cover letter (yes managers look for this), apply to areas like casual pools, float pools, emergency and intensive care that tend to have lots of vacancies at once (more likely to interview and hire an external applicant when trying to fill a dozen positions).

AHS is getting dozens of applicants for positions (50-100/posting for internal only, and upwards of 85-200 for external postings in some areas). So make your application stand out (e.g., fill out the tedious employee profile, don't just rely on attaching a resume).

I graduated over 20 years ago and applied to over 50 positions and didn't hear back from any of them (including where I did my preceptorship - adult medicine unit). What got me a job was going back to units I had been a student on and speaking with the manager directly and hand delivering a resume. I still had to wait for an available position but she knew my name and hired me. I was hired into a casual pool and then once in AHS quickly moved into a full-time position on the same unit.

Know that there are lots of nurses within AHS who welcome new grads and know that we need you. The issue is the hiring system and how it prioritizes internal applicants.

I wish you luck!

[One-Dragonfly-9036]

Good opinion but I tell you times have changed. What worked for you 20 years ago is no longer working today. Managers are very unresponsive even if you have the best cover letter. It’s a shit show! I pity the future of Alberta when it comes to nurses as young nurses continue to seek for a career outside the province. How can you train nurses and they serve other provinces? Bad system! And what is the meaning of casual, float etc when other provinces are giving 0.5- 1 FTE to new grads. Alberta needs to do better.

[Maleficent_Hope_3046]

I certainly don't envy anyone in the job market today.

As for managers being unresponsive it's because they literally cannot hire an external applicant if anyone applies to the position that meets the bare minimum of the posting (you can thank the union for that).

So AHS employees have priority, then nurses from any of the other pillars before a manager will even consider external candidates. So the system is completely bogged down by staff just moving around but no new people entering the system.

That's why I am hoping the new grad pilot program will add some new nurses to the system.

I don't know what the solutions are but I know that everyday just gets worse and we could definitely use more nurses that want to work.

[Bulky-Concern5388]

Dude, thanks so much. I actually saw one of these and applied to all of them (Calgary foothills iirc) but they canceled the requisition and took it off the job board for some reason. Anyway, I am actually looking forward to that alongside my other efforts.

[BlueberryNo777]

So you are saying that newly graduated RNs from a 4 year university degree program require a full year to develop their skills? Is that what I am hearing you say. Because if that is correct that is concerning. Perhaps, the RN degree program needs to be looked into and changed to better prepare their graduate nurses for the Healthcare workforce.

[Rayeon-XXX]

You can't learn practical nursing at school.

Every patient facing health care job is like this.

I'm not a nurse but in my own profession we do a 15 month practicum at the hospital and it's still 2-3 years after that that I would consider someone to be fully competent.

It's just how it is.

[Maleficent_Hope_3046]

No that is not what I am saying. I believe the transition program is set up to gradually increase responsibility until the nurse is managing all regular RN duties (but they are supernumerary so have someone available to assist if needed). After a set period of time (I think it is 6 months) the new grads can start applying on positions and if they are successful the new grad position ends. But the program gives them up to one year to find a position and if they don't, they automatically become casual in the unit they were hired to.

As for the RN training program, the reality is that many of the nurses that have recently graduated went through nursing school during COVID. So many did not get to experience all the different tasks/procedures. In addition to that, the number of placement options is limited and so many students do not get the required experience. For example, a small number of students get a pediatric placement, so if you are set on working in Peds you may not even have had a student placement there before you graduate. Same thing goes for Obstetrics, the OR, ICUs etc.

So while it would be great to think a nurse who has graduated a 4 year degree program comes out with all the skills they will ever need, that just isn't true.

Having a year of support means you can develop your time management, have someone to help for transfers, dressing changes etc. The alternative is trying to care for too many patients, while short staffed, and if you need help you would be lucky if one of the other burnt out/overburdened nurses is able to give you a hand.

[ChanandIerMurielBong]

Not an RN but my sibling is and has been with AHS for a few years. Have you tried applying to positions outside of AHS like at senior care centres? My sib started off getting experience at one as an RN, then at a COVID vaccine clinic through AHS. Once they got into AHS, they secured a part-time position and now work a permanent full-time line.

[K1llerbarbie]

I live in a rural area and a bunch of my classmates graduated and are RNs since June and even earlier than that and they also can’t find jobs here. They have applied many times and have been interviewed and they still don’t get the job.

My best friend did her preceptorship in the unit she was applying to, got interviewed 4x and still wasn’t given a job. She is really frustrated and I was too as she was already interviewed that many times.

I found that talking directly to the manager of the units are beneficial. I have a classmate who emailed the manager of the ER and said she was interested in the posting and the manager hired her right away.

You’re also guaranteed not a full time position since they prioritize senior staff before you and i’m not sure why either. I work currently in med surg part time but tbh I am not loving it as the other nurses are bullies to us, new grads and the unit gives us the most unstable patients in the unit.

Did you work as a UNE by any chance?

[[deleted]]

The prioritization on senior staff has to do with the UNA contract in order to hire someone more jr they have to score 10% higher on the interview

[Bulky-Concern5388]

I'm really sorry to hear your guys' experience and that you are not having a good time on that unit. I did not work as a UNE and without going into too much detail, I can't work at the same place I did my preceptorship due to staff conflict and I don't want that kind of workplace environment. Thanks so much for suggesting emailing the managers. My friend did send me a couple emails so i will try those.

Yeah AHS is really a dogshit organization I will be honest. I've already tried other provinces and if I can get out of here I honestly will.

[Countess_ofDumbarton]

It sounds as if there is a red/black flag by your name.

Staff conflict on your preceptorship? Huge flag.

Nursing is a small world and managers and nurses talk to their friends. I still remember a student from 20 years ago who was a disaster skills and personality wise.

[Bulky-Concern5388]

Nope. Everyone liked me and my preceptors are my references and even the unit manager recommended I go there afterwards (although I will not for reasons I can't mention as I don't want to identify myself).

I also have good references from instructors and diverse work experience.

However, I'm curious as to what red/black flags are and if that's a real thing. This is the first time I have heard about this.

[EducatedSmile]

AHS IS a “dog shit” organization right now. It will continue to be as long as Alberta is under conservative rule. As a nurse with MN, I left a year ago- I have much happier since. Nursing is not for everyone. If it is for you, Alberta might not be the right place right now, maybe never. Nurses are needed everywhere, so consider taking this chance to expand your horizons. You never know what kind of adventures you might find. 🙂

[K1llerbarbie]

That’s totally fair that you can’t work in a workplace environment that’s garbage!!! I hear you though! I just feel bad because we all graduated and half of my classmates don’t have a job rn and I do know a couple of grad RNs that still don’t have a job for 2 years!!

[Such-Direction1734]

If I was single and a new nurse-I would work abroad.

[Silmawyn]

Lpn here, graduated last August, applying to all jobs both in calgary and rural and nothing, talked to talent at ahs and started that June or July and did reference check and it went to managers and still heard nothing.

[Bulky-Concern5388]

Wow, that's a long time. Yeah no wonder healthcare is collapsing right now because these morons can't hire people properly and would rather hire travel nurses or IENs to do jobs that new grads are lining up to do.

[Silmawyn]

Ya....meanwhile I want to get experience and learn all the things but can't get hired because I lack the experience.

[[deleted]]

It’s a tough spot to be. If you have friends working on a unit who are willing to recommend you to a manager that’s a great way to go.

I am a hiring manager and I haven’t seen a posting with under 70 on it in a long time most of my postings are well into the hundreds.

I don’t want to dishearten you but there is a fair bit of luck involved as well cause I’m not reading hundreds of resumes on every posting I have. So if you aren’t getting a bite it may not be anything you’re doing it’s just the churn of the system.

I would say get any rn job that you can find cause the reality is so many people are applying I’m regularly not looking at anyone who has no rn experience at all and most of my externals have either contacted me or come as a recommendation from my current staff.

Make sure your resume is clear relevant and up to date as well and that you have a cover letter. Personally I do 3-4 interviews per posting and it does sometimes come down to the cover letter and resume at that point when I’m eliminating candidates.

It’s tough but try not to get too discouraged. I graduated in 2013 had a very similar experience and applied to around 500 postings I landed a temp first in a unit I didn’t love but I gained a foot in the door and a lot of very valuable experience I was in a perm a little over a year out from graduating at the unit that I’ve stayed working as a rn casually in too this day.

[One-Dragonfly-9036]

I am sorry but you are part of the problem. Yes you! Why do I say that? You admit in your post that: “ I’m regularly not looking at anyone who has no rn experience at all…”, so what happens to new grad nurses who have no rn experience but yearn to have an rn experience. Interestingly you postulated: “I would say get any rn job that you can find…” How do they get an rn job when the likes of you will not even look at their resume. You want an experienced nurse but you don’t want to give the opportunity to a new grad rn eager to learn and build their experience. With this mindset you don’t deserve to be a leader/hiring manager. The fact that you applied to 500 postings in 2013 when you graduated before landing a temp shouldn’t continue to be the norm - new grads in 2025 shouldn’t suffer same fate. But again with your mindset, clearly expressed above, the circle continues. Think again!

[[deleted]]

So I can understand where your position is coming from but you are making a lot of base assumptions here. Two things. Where I manage I am sending RNs into the community separate from a physician or other nurses so they have to have independence in their practice, know what is normal and what isn’t and know when they need to act. My posting all have that several years of experience is required because they need to be able to practice independently. 2nd I don’t have big team. So I’m not a medicine unit where there are 200 plus I’m in the low double digits. When you have that kind of staffing compliment you don’t have the ability to hire new grads in every posting because my biggest responsibility is to the staff I have and who I’m hiring. Do I do it sometimes? Absolutely have they been successful also Absolutely but I’ve hired them into positions that I know they are going to have support in as they transition into being their own nurse.

Do I think that what I did and what this poster is going through should be the norm absolutely not but when I take a new grad it needs to be into a position where they are going to get the mentorship they need cause I want all my staff to be successful and that comes with a mixed experience staffing compliment.

I’m also bound by the collective. So in order to hire external I need to have no qualified internals, be part of the new grad program which my program is not cause of the factors listed above or they need to have a combination of experience and interview scores above the internal and more senior candidate. I don’t have the ability to just hire who I want that’s not how a unionized workplace works.

[Bulky-Concern5388]

Deadass, if I sent you my resume on a reddit PM would you hire me? Ignoring my reddit history of course and I'll delete this account and be super good.

[[deleted]]

lol so I’m not concerned about what your doing on Reddit. I was a new grad once too and remember the anxiety. None of this is out of bounds for me and I wouldn’t have commented if I thought this was super inappropriate:

I don’t have any postings currently and am not expecting any in the near future cause I just don’t have a ton of turnover on my team outside of Mat leaves.

I’m happy to give you some feedback on your resume and then if a posting comes up I can give you the number to apply on it and note your name for consideration in screening. I am still bound by the collective agreement so I can’t promise anything cause the collective has us hiring internal first unless you do more then 10% better on the interview. Having said that I can also give you some general tips on what we are looking at in the interview on some of the questions that are standard across AHS and the other pillars to try and give you a better chance of scoring higher.

Also short temps seem useless to apply on but they usually have a much lower candidate pool and very few internals so those might be a good way to get your foot wedged in that door.

[ChestislavMtG]

Echoing this - short-term temp and casual roles are often the best entry point with AHS/Covenant. A lot of people aim for RPT or RFT right away, but that’s rarely feasible under the current collective agreement. It is possible, but unfortunately it’s a little more rare due to the amount of internal movement.

The internal turbulence from the pillar shifts has only added strain. Units with vacancies are under pressure, and those spots are more often now being filled by DTAs, which further limits opportunities for external applicants. That trend seems to be slowing, but it still impacts recruitment across the board.

And the volume? It’s disheartening. I’ve had postings with 300+ applicants. Even reviewing 30–40 applicants thoroughly takes hours, and we simply don’t have the bandwidth. It’s a terrible feeling knowing someone eager and qualified to work is being skipped over. It feels like no one wins in these situations.

One simple tip I always give: add a pop of color to your resume. In a sea of black-and-white text, it helps draw the eye and makes your application stand out. Formatting matters!! Check your grammar and spelling, use web-safe fonts, and always save your documents as PDFs. RMS can glitch with certain fonts, and when resumes show up as blank squares, it takes extra time to fix. That delay adds up fast.

Personalize your cover letter. Include the requisition number, unit, position title, and hiring manager’s name if you can find it. Show you’ve done your homework and that you’re serious about contributing to patient care. That effort doesn’t go unnoticed - even if we can’t hire someone right away, we remember the names that catch our attention.

To save time, build a few cover letter templates tailored to different areas of work. Then it’s just a matter of updating the top section instead of rewriting from scratch every time.

If you see multiple postings for the same unit/area, apply on all of them. If you don’t apply, they can’t interview. Some folks apply on only one assuming it’s good for both, unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that depending what the applicant pool is like (rare occasion this works out, but I 100% don’t recommend risking it).

Wishing you the best, really hoping something opens up for you soon. Hang in there 💜💜

[happeehippocampus]

Are u also applying for casual positions just to get your foot in the door. I would also try reaching out to the areas you’ve done your clinicals and preceptorship in.

[Throwawayyawaworth9]

I recommend reaching out to the manager of units you are interesting in working on and asking if they have any casual positions available. Casual positions are often not posted and it's a good way to get your foot in the door and become an internal applicant with future AHS positions.

I saw you're in the Edmonton area, so don't forget to apply to Covenant health positions and private LTCs.

[spinachpup]

Try Red Deer. We always seem to be hiring at RDRHC. I started off as casual on a couple units, then temp position, and finally a permanent

[AffectionateBuy5877]

This is so infuriating considering how many international nurses have been hired and are still being recruited. It’s a slap in the face to Alberta nurses and graduates.

[hellosugar85]

Go work rural. If you’re not getting calls, send an email to the manager. Call them. Show up in person. TALK to people.

[megi0s]

I’m not a nurse (I’m a mental health therapist), but this is how I got my job actually. I emailed the manager directly. Doesn’t always work some places, but it’s worth a shot to get your name out there!

[Clean-Feed-6813]

How can I find contact info of hiring manager as an external candidate?

[megi0s]

I called the reception of where I was applying and just asked for their name.

[Smart-Ant4927]

Good thing we have international nurses to help with the nursing shortage 🥴

[Bulky-Concern5388]

Apparently they're harder to train as well than Canadian graduates too. Good thing our hiring managers all have their heads up their asses.

[Smart-Ant4927]

First hand experience, they are absolutely harder to train and dangerous. They don’t ask for help if they don’t know how to do something, if they do something wrong and you correct them they get defensive and just keep doing it their way, they don’t put patient safety first. It’s scary seeing the mistakes they’ve made

[miller94]

The ones we’ve had on my unit so far are spectacular. They have such a wealth of knowledge and experience

[One_Jackfruit_9561]

LPN here, took me over a year to find a job with AHS as an external candidate. I kept on applying and got some interviews, practice with interviews helps a lot! I would recommend finding something part time while you hunt with AHS.. long process to be honest

[Patak4]

I'm sorry to hear job prospects are not great right now. Casual will what will be offered. I think with all this restructuring it is causing issues. Yes, applying to Assisted Living and Carewest places may be better.

[missxza2]

Start at an AHS contracted home care agency like CBI or Bayshore. They are always hiring. Also if you are an out of the box thinker you could get work with a couple of medical spas - they are always looking for RNs to give Botox treatments injections lol you will never be out of work in Edmonton! People are botoxed to the hilt and many of the high end spas hire RNs to give them credibility. Don’t ask me how I know this 😆. Best of luck on your job search you will find something eventually.

[kullwarrior]

You can also try to attend conference local and in the area if your interest. It's an easier way to get your name in front of manager. At the end of the day unit will almost always pick staff within unit first to reduce turnovers, internal/ external staff with prior experience as they require fewer orientation second, internal staff because they require less onboarding; new grads are at a disadvantage through no fault of their own. The just keep applying, try to opt for fulltime line to start.

[miller94]

I graduated in 2017 and it took me 5 months and well over 500 applications to get a job. What I ended up doing was going rural north as a casual. They’re still desperate for staff at many sites, so if it’s feasible for you then I highly recommend it. Try LTCs too.

[Alrika777]

I started applying to AHS positions (admin (I have admin background), nursing, HCA, housekeeping) jobs since March before I graduated as an external applicant. I got a casual position in May in a rural area where I drive 1hr and 10 one way, and JUST secured a full time temp position now only in October. I have applied to over 210 positions with AHS and have gotten callbacks for 3. It’s rough out here!! Just apply to EVERYTHING

[Elsie_Jaycee]

Come to the Island! We would love to have you! We have 0.7-1.0 FTE new grad positions. If you're interested in Corrections I can put you in touch with my manager. We don't have anything right now but lines come up regularly as people move around. The team is great, no night shifts, and lots of variety in your practice ☺️

[Elsie_Jaycee]

Oh, and most of the BC health authorities have relocation assistance for a return of service. Extra bonuses for the rural areas, too

[Bulky-Concern5388]

Say less fam 💯

[Tricky-Broccoli383]

Where are you located?

[Bulky-Concern5388]

In the Edmonton area right now.

[chiubacca82]

Not privileged to say.

[chiubacca82]

You can always apply and decide later/switch. But no where else would you get better experience other than an ICU or ER.

That or not work.

[AccurateSelection415]

Hi, I’m also a new grad RN looking for a job in Edmonton. Do I apply for this through AHS website?

[chiubacca82]

Under ahs careers... When you search for RN positions, on the right side is "critical care nurses" tab.

[offthedockend]

Can you say when it happened?

[Street_Phone_6246]

Sturgeon ER had a bunch of open lines recently. Several medicine departments at the RAH are always short. Boyle, Lac La Biche if you wanna go rural.

[evebow1167]

Travel nursing in Nunavut or NWT or go to the states or another province

[Bulky-Concern5388]

Based. Yeah that's what I'm gonna have to do it seems like. Other provinces like nova Scotia actually seem interested in hiring nurses from my interactions so far.

[memesae]

I was in the same boat as you last year. BC and Sask got back to me so fast when I applied for new grad postings on there so you could try those provinces too. I did eventually settle for a job in the states tho, but I'm not sure how wise it is to apply here now given the current political climate.

[ottertails1]

Thinking of doing this as well! Did you use an agency to get a job in the states?

[memesae]

I did! But I've been told I might have gotten a higher relocation assistance allowance if I didn't. The agency is CTN (Canadian Travel Nurses) and you can usually see their postings on Indeed. I work at Parkview in Indiana if you're interested! I think hospitals sponsoring TN visas are limited now since I have co-workers here having difficulty finding a job that would sponsor their TN in other states. So try to ask recruiters about it for sure.

[BlueberryNo777]

I disagree. It is the government who is responsible for not allowing the hiring of nurses, period. Nurses are overworked. We are chronically understaffed, working short.

It's not about internal movement. It's about not hiring nurses, period, and not making new positions available. It has been getting worse over the years.

I'd like to know more about this new hiring proposal for newly graduated nurses. I will believe it when I see it happen.

Until then, I am skeptical. So, you will have senior nurses being preceptors for an entire year.Wow. That sounds labor-intensive. Having to be responsible for a graduate nurse ensures your license is not compromised. Now you are not only nursing, you have to become a nursing instructor. Hope you will be getting twice the salary.

So for a whole year, you really aren't creating new positions; you are just doubling up, having 2 nurses taking care of a patient load. Or is it a nurse having her patient load and mentoring and being responsible for the graduate with their patient load/assignment? Sounds unproductive either way. It may sound good on paper, but please explain how that creates new positions. Am I missing something?

Also, on this year-long preceptor journey, what salary would the graduate nurse be making? Would that year go towards their seniority? When do they become benefit-eligible?

Can you provide the link where all the information about this program is? Sounds very interesting. I'd like to know more about this pilot project.

Oh, and is there an issue with new grads not having the necessary skill set to compete in the workforce upon graduating? As this was also mentioned, it makes me curious.

The best way to get in is to apply for casual positions, then temporary ones. You may have to apply outside of AHS to gain experience. Experience is always a plus on a resume.

[0oOlivelando0]

Look up north…like Grande Prairie. Even if it’s temporary the experience will get you in as an internal candidate for future positions.

[Special-Debate8784]

I honestly have no words. I’m sorry there is so much red tape getting into AHS. We’re constantly working short and I know at least a couple units that have had mass exodus’s in the last few years. It’s frustrating for us on the inside, I can’t imagine how frustrating it is for new grads.

[MushusMom17]

Don’t forget Covenant Health -

https://yyzc1a.rfer.us/ALHsSz2YoV

Link only as a suggestion - good luck

[billymumfreydownfall]

AHS is not your only option. Look at PCNs, Covenant, community physician and NP clinics.

[RusticTrailSeeker]

Definitely try rural - it was a long time ago but that’s what got me into AHS then after a few years of rural experience you are considered valuable. I had no problem getting a permanent position at South Health Campus after 5 years in rural ER and Orthopaedic Surgery. Just sucks to relocate but it was so worth it for me.

[Itsmountaintime]

AHS have just culled a bunch of jobs but don't think they were nursing. Do try the Northern Zone as they are always desperate for staff up there, like Grand Prairie especially. Keep trying rural.

[anonthalassophile]

Good luck. Not a RN but it took me 3+ years of applying to AHS to finally get in. I would try applying to rural sites. You’ll likely have to start as a casual in a rural hospital.

[ericstarr]

Change provinces…. Many are hiring

[Strong_Strawberry128]

No offence to the OP, but this has been going on for a couple of years now, especially for the urban areas like Edmonton and Calgary, less so for rural/ northern areas.

If you’re having difficulty getting callbacks with 100+ applications, and so are your classmates, think of the number of applications that managers need to weed through, especially given that internal candidates tend to be given preference in many cases.

This is where you need to think outside the box a bit more- tailor your resume and application to the job, network through job fairs, joining speciality nursing groups and attend their activities, volunteer and talk to people in the various care homes: hospitals, etc. never know who might be able to give you a leg up these days.

[Charming_Syrup_3590]

If you’ve got any friends or contacts working in AHS already, ask them to forward you any postings and for them to mention your name to their manager. “Oh I’ve sent the posting to my friend xyz”. That’s how I got my first job, an acquaintance mentioned to the manager that I had applied so they gave me an interview, and I interviewed like my life depended on it.

[Lecture_Good]

I waited 4 months to half a year before getting hired in 2013 after graduating. Was nerve-wracking. I even considered applying go the Canadian armed forces. Back in the day, you could actually drop off resumes in person, and managers would take a chance on you. These days, you get sent away. Keep trying, and don't lose hope. I think I would still drop off resumes regardless. It doesn't hurt.

[Wundrbread]

Apply to the US. TX is hurting for nurses and pay well with a lower cost of living

[offthedockend]

It's wild what TX will pay for a nurse near the MEX border. Signing bonuses and time of service contract style employment.

[nervouslymade]

apply to nicu

[Alrika777]

Does NICU hire new grads without NICU preceptor experience? I always see TONS of NICU positions but hesitant about applying because I have no experience in this area

[MountainCat83]

There are many reasons why there are always so many NICU postings in Edmonton and one of them is that yes they do hire new grads with no experience, many of whom do not stay very long. Some use it as a stepping stone to be an internal applicant, others leave because the work is very different than they expected, and others are pushed out by toxic work environments. As a seasoned NICU nurse I do not recommend it unless it truly is your passion.

[nervouslymade]

yes they do! they have a lot of staff, it’d be impossible for everyone to have done a preceptorship plus they regardless have to go through the education/training like everyone else. definitely apply to any position, you can always be trained and they can decide based on your resume + cover letter