Job offer problem - Who would have thought? Time sensitive, please take a look.

Nurses Career Support

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So, after a good solid three weeks of being on the job prowl up until today I have had ZERO luck. It's doesn't help that I'm a new grad without a ton of experience but that is besides the point.

There is a hospital down the street from me that has a GREAT reputation as far as patient care, and nursing satisfaction and I REALLY REALLY want to get my foot in the door there. I applied for every RN position they had, probably 20 or so spots about three weeks ago, give or take a week, because I didn't do these all at one time. I put in for everything from med surge to the birthing center, to telemetry. Weeks go by, I hear NOTHING. I am starting to lose hope and I have been looking elsewhere but finally today I grew a pair and called HR, jumped through some hoops to bypass the phone system that is supposed to stop people from nagging and got a lady from HR. Of all my applications, THREE have been forwarded to the department managers one wound care, and two telemetry. She told me they had been forwarded for about three days? Is it typical to take so long?

In the meantime, I had an interview today in a rehab facility and the job is mine if I want it, I'm supposed to meet with HR tomorrow. I would REALLY prefer the hospital job though. Would I be the biggest ass ever to take this rehab job and quit if the hospital gets back with me?

I did not expect to have this much trouble finding a job, so I am hesitant to turn down this rehab job, but I don't want to be a bad person either and turn around and leave immediately.

Take the job you have been offered. A bird in hand is better than 2 in the bush!

You've only been looking for 3 weeks? And you didn't expect it to take that long?

Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

So the NM has had them for 3 days, so what. Has the closing date passed? Do you not think that the NM has a huge schedule, meetings, unit to run, current staffing issues or may even be off work with a cold?

Speaking as someone who has been a NM I will not look at applications until the closing date has passed as I could miss a great candidate by being hasty. Reading job applications is time consuming so I need a day when I have enough free time to do it. Not running from meeting to meeting or dealing with staffing problems on the ward or the million other things that crop up.

Please be aware I am not trying to discourage you but explain what it is like on the other side. While it is your only priority the NM is juggling lots of things.

Go to the rehab interview. Even if you do not get it, it is a chance to experience an interview for a nursing role.

Yeah, I didn't mean to make it sound as though the NM were taking longer than they had a right too, but just that they are taking longer than the rehab facility, and I don't know how to put the rehab facility off in terms of making a choice because I feel bad accepting a position, only to have something I really wanted far more to come along.

Like I said, I don't have a ton of experience, I am more or less a new grad so these things are new for me.

Yeeeeeeah, Here in the midwest were I live nursing positions are still considered a "sure thing" so to speak.

Specializes in Urology, ENT.

I'd go with the rehab facility. If the other place calls, my teachers said you can quit at the rehab place "properly", even with short notice such as calling or writing a letter. No, it's not the best way to do things, but it's better than texting the person to say you quit (which has happened with some employers before).

I'm a new grad too, and I'd give it a month before panicking. I applied to a lot of the hospitals where I am now which has a higher nursing need than where I'm from originally, but even that requires more than 2-3 weeks. I got a call back from one of the bigger hospitals 2 weeks after I applied, and the only reason another facility called me back, I suspect, is because they're much smaller.

Take the rehab job then quit when you get the other job. You think hospitals care about you? They'll fire you in a second with no hesitation, it's your future.. follow a goal and don't care what hospitals say

Yeeeeeeah Here in the midwest were I live nursing positions are still considered a "sure thing" so to speak.[/quote']

I don't know what part if the Midwest you live, but I don't know of anywhere that nursing jobs are a sure thing. You should take the rehab job while you can.

Well, you are right, but what I really mean is that at least here in kansas, you still dont hear about new grads taking months and months to find jobs. Everyone I know that I graduated with in December that has actively looked for a job already has one. The only reason I waited this long is because I had a major surgery after graduation that I needed to recover from.

We didn't all get our first pick, but we all have one.

Specializes in Cardiac Care.

I know two new grads in Kansas, one graduated last May, the other in January and both had jobs virtually immediately (and both graduated with their ADN). They both now hold two jobs in fact, one full and one part time each :) That makse me hopeful for my future in the KCMO area!

If I were you, I'm not sure if this "rehab" is a nursing home type of rehab or a rehab that's separate from the hospital type thing. I would do a per diem at the rehab and take the hospital job. Most jobs look for that one year hospital experience. Its just something good for your resume that will get you into other jobs at say clinics or surgery centers so to speak.

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