Hi everyone,

As you all know, the job market in California is terrible for new grads! After trying unsuccessfully to land a job after graduation, I finally decided to take a position at a hospital here on the East Coast. I absolutely love my job, and I'm learning so much, but to be honest I'm really not loving living here. I miss the sunshine, I miss the food, and most of all I miss my friends!

My goal now is to finish out the year here and move to L.A. I have a BSN plus a previous master's, and the hospital where I work now is very well-respected--so my credentials are good. But I'm just hoping that that will be enough to open up some doors for me back west! I'm wondering if any former new grads were able to land a job back home after a year away? And if so, how you did it, when you started applying, etc.

I would be grateful for any advice. I think that hearing some success stories from people who were in my position would really help lift my spirits on this cold and rainy day!

My story is a little diff. I relocated to CA a yr ago with a yr of exp. I didn't realize that the job market was so bad here. I thought since I had the usual required year of exp, worked at one the top hospitals in the country, and had a BSN that I would find a job with no problem. There's a nursing shortage right? I searched for a job for a few months, maybe 3. (Before I moved, I actually looked at job boards to see what kind of jobs were out there and there were like a million.) I applied to so many jobs online. I think I probably went to every hospital in the L.A. area with resume in hand to meet with a nursing recruiter. I continued to follow up and try to get interviews with the nurse managers. I ended up getting 2 interviews, which lead no where.

After I couldn't find a permanent job I decided to sign up with an agency. I have been working through agencies ever since. It takes some research along with trial and error to find a good agency sometimes. I've done contracts and per diem work at hospitals and clinics. I think you can find plenty of work through agencies if you are unable to find a permanent job. The only downside for me is not having benefits but I love the fact that I could work 7 days a week if I wanted to. I can take weeks off if I want. I don't have to deal with the politics of being an employee of a hospital. If I get tired or burnt out at one facility, my agency staffs lots of hospitals and I can just go to another. I love working per diem. I think working per diem or doing a local contract is a good way to get your foot in the door. The places I've worked always encourage me to apply for a job so I'm sure I could get a permanent job now but I just love the flexibility I have right now. Good luck, I'm sure things will work out if you decide to move back.