Agencies in CA/Bay Area.........

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Hello!!!

I see there is not much of a nursing shortage in the Bay Area. A few months ago, when I did a job search, a good amount of jobs showed up but yesterday I looked and it looks very discouraging. Then I read some posts here about other ppl have trouble finding a job. Eeeeekkss!!!!!! Not comforting. I was upset because we are relocating to the Bay Area because of dh's job and if I can't find a job, we will be struggling. I did apply to 2 hospitals a month ago and one hosp filled the job and the other didn't respond. We went on our first house hunting trip this past weekend. I have never been to Cali and it was different. It was such a quick trip (4 days) that I really didn't appreciate the area/climate/setting, until I was on my long flight home. :) I see why everyone wants to come here. We found a house in Livermore. Gorgeous area. I think we were attracted to this area because of the "country like setting."

My coworkers suggest I take a 13 wk contract assignment become familiar with the hospitals and be able to get infront of someone. Someone else on this website suggested also, I don't remember who but it's a great idea. I'm with an agency now but they don't deal with West Coast Hosp. I know you all are full of information and can recommend some agencies to sign with. :)

I never thought I would be facing this in my career. What ever this area is doing to fix the nursing shortage is doing something right. Possibly the weather?????:lol2:

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I have an email from a recruiter who wanted me to travel, and the stuff she lists sounds great. I can email it to you if you like. Send me a PM and let me know.

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Specializes in Intensive Care - MICU/SICU/CVICU/CCU.

hi! i just posted in another ca relocation thread. i am going to be living in the bay area. i would like to get a travel contract or agency job to get me started while i get settled in my new place before looking for a full-time "regular" job. any help/advice/info would be great!

oh, i work icu. 7 years of experience.

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hi.. do you know agencies at bay area that also caters for foreign nurses?

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Specializes in Telemetry.

Hmm, I live in Dublin (next to Livermore) and I know most of the hospitals around here have job listings for nurses... ValleyCare (in Livermore and Pleasanton) has a ton of job postings, I'm sure they need at least a few nurses, and San Ramon Regional (where I work) also needs some nurses, if you don't want to do agency work.

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Hmm, I live in Dublin (next to Livermore) and I know most of the hospitals around here have job listings for nurses... ValleyCare (in Livermore and Pleasanton) has a ton of job postings, I'm sure they need at least a few nurses, and San Ramon Regional (where I work) also needs some nurses, if you don't want to do agency work.

but im in the Philippines, can i apply directly? o I need to go to agency first?... will they entertain entry level nurses?

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Specializes in med-surg,icu,geriatrics.

hey tazziRN i tried to pm u but i just cant can u send me details of that recruiter?

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Hi there,

I've been a nurse at a major Bay Area hospital off and on (more on) since 1988. 1 year ago I took a year off (2008) to look into going back to school for an MSN and decided not to do that. So I thought, I'll just go back. Wow, was I ever surprised. It took me 5 1/2 months of very active looking and contacting EVERYONE I know but I finally got a job. Not back in the hospital but close by.

Here's what I learned in the process: There is no shortage of nurses in the Bay Area. It's a highly desirable place to live and the pay is some of the highest in the nation. A lot of nurses who were planning on retiring didn't and part time/per diem nurses picked up more hours and as a result there are few to no positions left. When you see a position posted it's because the hospital is legally required to post any open reqs for a certain period of time but most of these positions are filled by internal candidates.

A few suggestions: 1. Cast a wide net 2. Volunteer in a health related area (ie. American Heart Association) and network like crazy! 3. After filling out the online applications, call the recruiting office and get in front of someone and start talking. Do not wait for them to call you--they won't. I promise. For every 1 open position, they are getting 15-30 applications. 4. Drop off a resume and cover letter to the mailbox outside the door of the manager who will have the final say on who gets hired. 5. You may have to take a per diem/on call position but at least it's a foot in the door. 6. You may have to take a position in a unit, on a shift you may never have considered (think nights on Oncology or Head and Neck). 7. Tweek you resume to each individual application. Don't just use the same resume for each one. Different jobs need different skill sets and you need to be able to highlight those skills in your resume. Often, they get so many applications that they are looking for key/trigger words within the document.

Good luck!

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hi.. do you know agencies at bay area that also caters for foreign nurses?

Unless you have a couple of years of US work experience, then this type of agency will not work for you. You do not get orientation and are expected to show up at the hospital and be able to function immediately.

Check out the International Forum. If you do not already possess a green card, you are going to be looking at more than a 7 year wait for the chance at a green card. As well as the fact that we have not seen one facility in the Bay Area that is petitioning any longer.

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but im in the Philippines, can i apply directly? o I need to go to agency first?... will they entertain entry level nurses?

Please go to the International Forum, this type of agency work that is being discussed here does not do anything if you do not already possess a green card and several years of work experience in a US hospital.

And this type of agency does not hire any nurses that do not already possess a couple of years of experience here in the US.

These are different from the type of agencies that employ foreign nurses to the US. You are also not going to be able to get anything in the Bay Area, and chances are even CA at this time.

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Things are quite tight in the Bay Area right now. Travel contracts are way down in the area as well. Hospitals are having hiring freezes as well as lay-offs.

Have seen significant changes over the past few years, and I mean significant. And not for the better.

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Suzanne or others,

Can you name some good Agencies for the bay area for picking up shifts? ICU particularily?

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