It's Tough Out There!

by Anna Flaxis, ASN
  5,207 Views   33 Comments

  1. I know this has been covered extensively, but I've been on a job hunt for a while now, and I have to say it is tough out there!!!

    At first I was holding out for my "ideal" job. But now I'll be happy to take what I can get just to get my foot in the door.

    I'm not even a new grad seeking my first job. I've got six years' experience, several certs, and excellent references, and I'm still putting in multiple applications with no calls back!

    A lot of positions are being filled by internal applicants, and I've been applying outside the system I'm currently employed in, so that's part of it. If I were to apply for a transfer within my current system, I'd probably have another job by now....but I want to relocate, and my current system doesn't own any facilities where I want to move to.

    But sheesh, I'm sure glad I'm not a new grad out there trying to find something!
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  2. 33 Comments

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  3. by HeatherGurl84
    Jul 25, '13
    I am currently going through the same thing..it is frustrating!!
  4. by DoGoodThenGo
    Jul 25, '13
    Here in NYC its Déjà vu all over again; another hospital is set to close by this weekend (Long Island College) which means nearly one thousand or more nurses will be hitting the streets looking for work. As if that wasn't bad enough another Brooklyn hospital (Interfaith) is facing pressure to get it's act together and if it doesn't......
  5. by Altra
    Jul 25, '13
    ~Stargazer~, what happened - thought you had taken a happy non-bedside job?
  6. by Fiona59
    Jul 25, '13
    It's not even that easy for "internal applicants" in my system. Displaced staff get priority on open positions rather than lay them off. Bumping has been threatened in a few areas.

    I hope those who believe faith, karma, their nationality will get them the job read your post and realize it really is dog eat dog out there in the job marketplace.
  7. by Anna Flaxis
    Jul 25, '13
    Altra, I'm geographically relocating.

    But, I have to admit, I got bored with my happy non-bedside job about two months ago. It's been a great break that I desperately needed, but I'm ready to plunge back in to acute care, just in a different environment from my previous experience. I'm looking at a teeny tiny itsy bitsy community ED right now.

    Wish me luck?
  8. by Kidrn911
    Jul 25, '13
    It is tuff out there. I finally got an ER position close to me, I have been driving 70 miles one way, now it will be 27 miles.
  9. by wish_me_luck
    Jul 25, '13
    Good luck! I know the health systems where I am are on hiring freezes due to finances because of Affordable Care Act. They are re-structuring and are on a hiring freeze to prevent loss of jobs.
  10. by bluebeetle7
    Jul 26, '13
    I am a new grad. Searching for 5 months now. It's very hard to hold the faith. Everybody keeps saying "Think positive, and positive will come". Too bad we can't lobby with ANA or something on a national level.
  11. by PeepnBiscuitsRN
    Jul 26, '13
    When I was a new grad I took a night shift in cardiac- I'm now evenings in OB and love it to death. I think about how hard it is to find a nursing job, and how insanely lucky I am to be on evening shift and I seriously want to throw myself at my supervisor's feet and kiss them.
  12. by TamDar429
    Jul 26, '13
    Why are there 15 RN jobs listed on a hospital Jobs Available page on their website; I apply with 16 years experience, and no call back? What are red flags that they won't hire? Human Resources won't take any interviews without applicants first going through the online app process. If they want RNs so badly, why don't they bend a little? It it fake? Do they really not want the jobs filled? Frustrated.
  13. by TamDar429
    Jul 26, '13
    I wish you the best.
  14. by calivianya
    Jul 26, '13
    Quote from TamDar429
    Why are there 15 RN jobs listed on a hospital Jobs Available page on their website; I apply with 16 years experience, and no call back? What are red flags that they won't hire? Human Resources won't take any interviews without applicants first going through the online app process. If they want RNs so badly, why don't they bend a little? It it fake? Do they really not want the jobs filled? Frustrated.
    They might be "fake," as you put it. I talked to my manager at my last hospital and he had plenty of positions posted that he didn't necessarily intend to fill. We had low census at the time and couldn't afford more staff, but he said that if he didn't put positions up on the website the higher ups would assume he was fine with the staff he currently had and they could eliminate the positions and reduce the unit's staffing budgets. So, yes, sometimes jobs are put up just to protect them in case people are needed to fill those positions later. It sucks.

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