Did I just sabotage my career before it even started?

Nurses Job Hunt

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Hello,

I've been having trouble finding a job and need some kind of income because money that I have saved up is almost gone. I talked myself into applying for a major hospital system that pretty much dominates most of Pittsburgh, well they brought me in for an interview a few days ago and the manager had one more person to interview but said I pretty much had the job. Yikes it just now hit me that I don't think I want to work for them right now as a new nurse, when I do get the job offer if I turn it down would that be a reason for them to blacklist me for ever working for them in the future? If I go through their orientation that's a few weeks long and manage to work on the floor and decide it's not for me can I put in a two week notice or do you think they blacklist because it looks like you wasted their time? I'm just so upset about all of this and for some reason the thought of working there makes me depressed because I did most of my school clinical rotations there and absolutely hated that place. I know I shouldn't have applied but I couldn't help it and at the time I was just so depressed about finances and taking care of two kids with money that may last if I'm lucky for the next month... Any advice I would greatly appreciate it because right now life sucks and I feel so helpless with no way out...

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

If you are stressed about finances and are having trouble finding a job why on earth would you turn down this one? It may not be your ideal job but it would be work.Too many new grads seem to think that right after school their "dream job" is just going to plop into their laps.In the real world that doesn't always happen.Give it a chance.

Turning down the job may not have an effect but quitting after going through orientation wouldn't look good.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Why in the world would you reject a potential job offer if you are currently unemployed, nearly broke, and with young mouths to feed? Are you cognizant that you might not receive another job offer in several months (or years) in this languid economy?

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I almost don't believe what I'm reading. A vast majority of posts on this website have to do with the harsh reality of new grads finding their first job, and here you are wanting to turn down a hospital job offer.

In your post I don't see any specifics of why you hated this hospital during your hospital rotations. Humans I tell you, we are one complex breed.

Sent via my iPhone using allnurses.com ❤️

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Specializes in ER.

I would accept it no matter what unless you have a stalker working at that hospital.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Telemetry/ICU Stepdown.

Finding a good employer and a good team/manager you want to work with is a challenging. Nursing is a vast industry but the good companies you want to work for are relatively few. Also, companies that appear great on paper could actually have problems (bad management, bad staff, budget issues, unacceptable staffing) you are not aware of when you're studying their expensive website. You may turn down this offer, find your dream hospital, and realize your dream hospitals stinks. This happens.

It's very difficult to size up an employer after a 45 minute interview (it's also very difficult to size up a candidate during the same time period-hence bad hiring decisions :) ). If they want you, obviously they will present their best side and avoid awkward topics.

Do you have a network of people who know that employer, maybe folks who work for them, who could give you more insider information about that hospital and what it's like to work for them?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Turning it down would be the very definition of foolish.

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I'm from Pittsburgh and I know what health system your referring to... Where else would you work? The other health system is failing and laying off nurses.

I personally enjoy working here. Though the wages could be higher lol.

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Take it from a new grad (August) who is having much trouble. I have four children to feed. You would be foolish to turn down any offer. There many new nurses that would die to find a hospital job (including myself). Take it!!!!!!

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

You're running out of money, have children to feed and are contemplating turning down a job offer? Suck it up, go to work and feed your children.

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Turning it down would be the very definition of foolish.

OP you need to read this qoute over and over again!

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Unless you have another offer in the wings, I would strongly consider taking the job and consider it valuable experience. Try to go into it with a really good attitude though. You will get so much more out of it if you do. Even if you end up hating it there, you will still gain more education. This will make it easier for you to find a different job in a year. A year will go by anyway - you might as well be working while it does.

Also, I agree with loriangel14 above; if you quit after going through orientation, it will look bad. Training is very expensive and you want to leave on good terms with whomever you work for if possible. If you really don't think you can work there, then it would be best to kindly turn them down when they offer the position rather than go through the training and then quit.

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