[mcvcrna]

Hands down CRNA is the way to go. You can play that 'most CRNAs don't work independently" all you want. The fact is we can--you can't. That isn't a crack on AAs--it's just a fact. And in reality, AAs never will. Fact is, there are 37,000 CRNAs--half the anesthesia work force. How many AAs are there? 1700? Why would you want to play on a team with only 1700 players? Do you really think it's a contest? Come on. The AANA is one of the top 10 recognized organizations on Capital Hill--your going to compete with our organization? Get real. Give it another 50 years--then maybe. This is not our fault--its just the way it is. We worked hard to get to this point. I can't believe you would try to downplay our profession. Face it--AA is a runner up scenario. Your comments cement my feelings. AAs should be trying to befriend us not alienate us.

[neurogeek]

Originally Posted by foxyhill21

The salaries on gaswork.com seem a little outlandish. I can’t image a CRNA making that kind of $$$. (But hhhhhhhmmm who knows just my opinion)

Believe it or not those are accurate salaries. I know CRNA's that work in rural areas and make well over $200k. I live in the Dallas/FW area and the average salary here for a new grad is between $120 to $140k.

[neurogeek]

Originally Posted by jwk

You must be a recruiter, or somehow your perspective has really been skewed somewhere along the way - almost universally, the CRNA's on this particular board have stressed not using recruiters. There is a reason employers use recruiters, and it is NOT because they have stellar job opportunities going unfilled. We would much prefer to pay our anesthetists a better salary or a signing bonus than pay a hefty commission to a recruiter. You are absolutely fooling yourself if you think quality employers with quality positions prefer to use recruiters.

We get calls every day from recruiters - we hang up on them. We have NEVER used a recruiter to find staff, and have never hired an employee through a recruiter. Never have, never will. Period. If an individual looking for a job doesn't have the initiative to put together a resume', and look up or call for our address, mail a resume', and follow up, (actually, we follow up all serious inquiries) then we're really not interested in talking with them, much less hiring them. Yes - the demand is there - plenty of places need anesthesia staff. The advantage is already with the person looking for a job. That's why someone looking for an anesthesia position doesn't need a recruiter - unless they're too lazy to do it themselves.

Ha! No, I am not a recruiter. I am preparing to enter a CRNA program this fall. Many of the students I know are already working with recruiters to secure jobs upon graduation. So, are you a CRNA? It's true that there are people who say not to use a recruiter. On the other hand there are just as many folks who say it's a good idea. I think it's a personal preference. Also, I hardly believe that Southwestern Medical School (one of the top rated in the country) would be using recruiters (which they do) to find CRNA's because the jobs there are just so awful that no one wants to work there. Same goes for Parkland Hospital (level I top rated trauma center). Both have had advertisements on the website. So your theory that only the most loathesome of positions would be posted there seems a bit skewed. Obviously you either had a bad recruiter experience or are just anti-CRNA. I haven't figured it out yet. Anyway, again are you a CRNA, because if not you should probably not be speaking for the profession.

[mcvcrna]

Originally Posted by neurogeek

Believe it or not those are accurate salaries. I know CRNA's that work in rural areas and make well over $200k. I live in the Dallas/FW area and the average salary here for a new grad is between $120 to $140k.

That ain't nothing--I know numerous colleagues making over 200K and personally know several making over 300K. Opportunity is out there--you have to go find it. Without a doubt, areas in which AAs work tend to experience some salary depression. Not all, but many. There could be many reasons for this to occur.

[jwk]

Originally Posted by neurogeek

Ha! No, I am not a recruiter. I am preparing to enter a CRNA program this fall. Many of the students I know are already working with recruiters to secure jobs upon graduation. So, are you a CRNA? It's true that there are people who say not to use a recruiter. On the other hand there are just as many folks who say it's a good idea. I think it's a personal preference. Also, I hardly believe that Southwestern Medical School (one of the top rated in the country) would be using recruiters (which they do) to find CRNA's because the jobs there are just so awful that no one wants to work there. Same goes for Parkland Hospital (level I top rated trauma center). Both have had advertisements on the website. So your theory that only the most loathesome of positions would be posted there seems a bit skewed. Obviously you either had a bad recruiter experience or are just anti-CRNA. I haven't figured it out yet. Anyway, again are you a CRNA, because if not you should probably not be speaking for the profession.

There's a difference between using recruiters and using Gaswork. You're starting to confuse the two. Gaswork is an OK resource, but many employers simply don't use it. It does give hints as to what a variety of employers are offering in a given area. Recruiters on the other hand charge outrageous fees, that again, my group would prefer to pay to the anesthetist and not a recruiter.

You're not even in school yet but somehow you think you have a clear understanding of this issue. You don't. As stated previously, most of the previous threads on this topic on this board are generally against the use of recruiters.

[neurogeek]

Originally Posted by jwk

Recruiters on the other hand charge outrageous fees, that again, my group would prefer to pay to the anesthetist and not a recruiter.

I am still confused. Are you a CRNA? It seems that you are saying that you are part of the decision making crew for an anesthesia group. Am I correct or just reading too much into what you are saying? As for gaswork, there are recruiters on that website as well as independent groups and hospitals. I am well aware of how a recruiter works, and that they are paid a head-hunting fee. Many companies feel that by paying this fee they get to forgo the misery of weeding through applications and instead give the responsiblity to the recruiter to find the cream-of-the-crop. No, I don't have first hand experience with recruiters as a CRNA, but I've had head-hunters who have gotten me outlandish deals in ICU's in the past, so yes, I have had experience with recruiters. I know that when I did my salary was not lower than any of the nurses who hired in directly and was in fact higher, as well as the fact that I received a larger sign-on bonus because it was negotiated that way. I think it all depends on the individual circumstances as to what is the best deal for someone. I'm not one to judge either way, just know that I had positive outcomes when I've worked with recruiters before. Someone else may say they have had rotten experiences. To each his own.....

[mcvcrna]

Originally Posted by neurogeek

I am still confused. Are you a CRNA? It seems that you are saying that you are part of the decision making crew for an anesthesia group. Am I correct or just reading too much into what you are saying? As for gaswork, there are recruiters on that website as well as independent groups and hospitals. I am well aware of how a recruiter works, and that they are paid a head-hunting fee. Many companies feel that by paying this fee they get to forgo the misery of weeding through applications and instead give the responsiblity to the recruiter to find the cream-of-the-crop. No, I don't have first hand experience with recruiters as a CRNA, but I've had head-hunters who have gotten me outlandish deals in ICU's in the past, so yes, I have had experience with recruiters. I know that when I did my salary was not lower than any of the nurses who hired in directly and was in fact higher, as well as the fact that I received a larger sign-on bonus because it was negotiated that way. I think it all depends on the individual circumstances as to what is the best deal for someone. I'm not one to judge either way, just know that I had positive outcomes when I've worked with recruiters before. Someone else may say they have had rotten experiences. To each his own.....

He's an AA.

[neurogeek]

Originally Posted by mcvcrna

He's an AA.

Ah.....enough said.

[Ventjock]

Originally Posted by neurogeek

Ah.....enough said.

Chief Anesthetist in an ACT practice.

(correct me if I'm wrong here jwk)

[japaho41]

Originally Posted by mcvcrna

Hands down CRNA is the way to go. You can play that 'most CRNAs don't work independently" all you want. The fact is we can--you can't. That isn't a crack on AAs--it's just a fact. And in reality, AAs never will. Fact is, there are 37,000 CRNAs--half the anesthesia work force. How many AAs are there? 1700? Why would you want to play on a team with only 1700 players? Do you really think it's a contest? Come on. The AANA is one of the top 10 recognized organizations on Capital Hill--your going to compete with our organization? Get real. Give it another 50 years--then maybe. This is not our fault--its just the way it is. We worked hard to get to this point. I can't believe you would try to downplay our profession. Face it--AA is a runner up scenario. Your comments cement my feelings. AAs should be trying to befriend us not alienate us.