Need job advice

Nurses New Nurse

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  1. What should I do?

    • 0
      Take the hospital job even if it means quitting in 4 months
    • 7
      Skip the hospital job and try in new city.

7 members have participated

My husband moves a lot for work. I graduated from nursing school in May 2014 and landed my first job in our new city in home health. I really want to be in the hospital and eventually do travel nursing. I know I need a year or more of experience for that. My dilemma is that I was offered a position in the hospital here with great orientation on the stroke unit. I'm hesitant to take it because my husband was already offered a new position in another city/state in 4 months which would leave me quitting right after I finish orientation. I don't want to pass up on this opportunity here because the new city job market is terrible. I also don't want to risk not being able to get another position after quitting my first job after 4 months. Any advice on whether I should take the hospital job here or lose the opportunity and try my luck in the new city?

Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

It doesn't make sense to take that hospital job knowing you'll need to quit after orientation. Especially because you really learn a lot when you're off orientation.

You should be starting to look for a job in the city/state you and your husband will be moving to. Don't wait till last minute to start looking.

Sent from iPink's phone via allnurses app

I know it seems like a waste but I really don't feel I will get this opportunity again. We don't know where we will be moving so I can't apply for licensing yet and can't apply for a job because we don't know where we will be. I honestly understand how much time, training, and effort goes into a new grad and don't want to do that to the hospital, manager, and staff. Which is why I am so torn. However, I'm hoping I can take that training and get a job in the new place. Better than I could with no experience. Not that 4 months is really much though.

Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

I'm confused by your post. You said your husband got a job out of state but you don't know where it is?

Four months is hardly anything especially when 3 months of it is orientation. What opportunity do you think you'll gain in four months? A lot of new grads are having it rough finding a job after quitting or being let go during orientation. Most employers want to see that full year of experience. Do you feel confident your employer after four months will have something good to say about you when references are checked?

I started out on a critical care floor, I felt like three months wasn't enough to learn everything. The other experienced nurses on my unit was right when they said the real learning begins once you're on your own. It took close to a year to feel confident in my judgement and skills.

I honestly don't think you're really torn. You're just waiting for an answer that justifies your reason for taking a job you know you're going to quit four months later. Am I right?

Sent from iPink's phone via allnurses app

Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

4 months isn't enough to count as experience, really. Most places want BARE MINIMUM 6 months, but usually 1-2 years. Plus, you'd definitely burn some bridges at the old place if you left after the investment they'd be putting into you. It would also show that you have zero loyalty, which is not very appealing to hiring managers, most of whom understand how hard it is for new grads to get into acute care.

Any chance you could stick it out for a year? How do you not know where he will be if he's already been offered the job?

Specializes in Forensic Psych.
I know it seems like a waste but I really don't feel I will get this opportunity again. We don't know where we will be moving so I can't apply for licensing yet and can't apply for a job because we don't know where we will be. I honestly understand how much time, training, and effort goes into a new grad and don't want to do that to the hospital, manager, and staff. Which is why I am so torn. However, I'm hoping I can take that training and get a job in the new place. Better than I could with no experience. Not that 4 months is really much though.

You don't think you'll have the opportunity to get training for a job and then leave before you can actually use that training?

I guess I don't see the draw. Training for a job you don't intend on performing does what for you exactly? I doubt it'll do much for you in terms of the job hunt, but that's just me.

Not chance you could stay behind for a while?

I don't understand the rudeness in your replies. I am looking for advice as a new nurse and what I should do in terms of my career and goals. No we don't know where the next job will be even though he was offered it. No I will not stay behind in a town where I know no one and have no family with my child and no help. I was hoping this training would get me a job in the new city more easily than starting with zero experience. No I am not looking for "justification" as you put it. I wanted feedback from other rns to see if taking the job would benefit or hurt my career.

OP, I don't think anyone is being rude, they are just trying to understand your rather unusual situation

The 4 months experience you get will not likely help you get a job, and may very well hurt your chances. An employer is going to look at that and worry that you left right after orientation. They will think if you did that once, you are likely to do it again. You are better represented on your resume with the home health longer employment. It really does cost a lot to train a new grad nurse and an employer that is willing to invest in new grads is not going to be impressed with a resume that shows you allowed another hospital to spend that money knowing you would not be around long enough for them to reap the benefits.

You also have to consider that you taking that job means another new grad doesn't get the chance. I would stay at home health until you move, then look for a hospital job.

I don't understand the rudeness in your replies. I am looking for advice as a new nurse and what I should do in terms of my career and goals. No we don't know where the next job will be even though he was offered it. No I will not stay behind in a town where I know no one and have no family with my child and no help. I was hoping this training would get me a job in the new city more easily than starting with zero experience. No I am not looking for "justification" as you put it. I wanted feedback from other rns to see if taking the job would benefit or hurt my career.

Hurt. Wait until you know where you and your family are heading and start looking as soon as you know.

Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I don't feel I was being rude. I was trying to give you a sense of what a hiring manager will see when they see 4 months in a new grad position at a hospital, and you're already applying elsewhere.

Additionally, that training may or may not help in a future position. Chances are you'll be looking just as hard as you have been, and may end up in a completely different unit with a different way of doing things, different computer system, different policies and procedures, etc. I think that taking this position will hurt more than it will help. If you see this perspective as rude, then I think it's more that you're not getting the answer you wanted to hear. Even as a hiring manager in a different field, when I saw people leaving old jobs after just a few months, I was very reluctant to hire them if I had other qualified candidates. It takes time and money to train someone. You have to respect the position of the managers involved here, both at the current place and at future hospitals.

I don't feel I was being rude. I was trying to give you a sense of what a hiring manager will see when they see 4 months in a new grad position at a hospital, and you're already applying elsewhere.

Additionally, that training may or may not help in a future position. Chances are you'll be looking just as hard as you have been, and may end up in a completely different unit with a different way of doing things, different computer system, different policies and procedures, etc. I think that taking this position will hurt more than it will help. If you see this perspective as rude, then I think it's more that you're not getting the answer you wanted to hear. Even as a hiring manager in a different field, when I saw people leaving old jobs after just a few months, I was very reluctant to hire them if I had other qualified candidates. It takes time and money to train someone. You have to respect the position of the managers involved here, both at the current place and at future hospitals.

I though I pink rn was rude. Not every reply and not yours.

Thank you all for your replies and insight. I will go and speak with the hiring manager on Monday about the situation. Let her know why I won't be taking the position after all. I wasn't trying to get a certain answer. Not taking the job means I can spend the holidays with my family 6 hrs away. The hours with home health are way better. I also get to spend more time with my son. I just know my ultimate goal is to travel nurse and I thought this opportunity would give me experience (however short that may be) to obtain that goal in the future. I thought maybe any hospital experience would be better than no experience when job searching. I understand your points and those were my concerns too and why I asked in the first place. I know the hospital and staff put a great deal of money and time into new grads. I look at all sides to things. If I didn't care, I wouldn't be torn and even concerned with their side.

On on a side note, when I interviewed then accepted the position, my husband hadn't been offered the job. This is a new revelation and the hospital job starts in two weeks. So I know they can still pull someone else into my spot.

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