Confessions of a Job hopper

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in LTC and School Health.

My name is OnlybyhisgraceRN and I am a job hopper. Sigh. I started working at the age of 14 years old, I've had probably 20 different jobs over the past 10 years. My job history goes as follows:

Age 14- Mcdonald's for a year or so. I gained weight off of big macs, fries, and shakes. So I decided to quit.

Age 15- I worked as a dietary aide in a small community hospital. I left after a year for very stupid reasons.

Age 16- A shoe store. I quit a year later.

Age 17- I worked four different jobs. I worked at best buy for 3 months but was fired for letting a friend use my family discount. Then, I worked at marshalls for 3 weeks and quit due it being super chaotic and dealing with crazy customers. Next, I worked at michaels for 2 days... I honestly don't remember why I quit that job. My fourth job was as a student aid, I quit after 3 months because I became a CNA and wanted to work as such.

Age-18 I worked as a school health aide, and lasted 2.5 years. I loved the job so much that I planned on staying as a nurse. However, everyone stated" No, go get your clinical experience". And so I did. After I received my LPN license I left the school system. In addition to the school job I worked for 2 nursing agencies as a float CNA/Sitter.

Age-20 I worked as a LPN in an ALF. After a year I left, it was a new day on hell every single day.

Age-21 I worked in a LTC, which I loved. I left after a year due to schedule conflict with school and they did not allow PRN.

Age 22- I worked in subacute/LTC facility, another ALF, methadone clinic. The subacute and ALF were hell holes. I loved the Methadone clinic but I was PRN and they never had any hours. I also worked for 2 peds HH agency. I hated it because I felt like an over paid babysitter. My last job for this year was a PRN school nurse job for an agency that I'm currently employed.

Age-23- I worked at a subacute facilty , I quit after three months when I received my RN license to pursue the "almighty" hospital experience. I then got hired into a CVICU. I lasted 7 months there( that is a thread all by itself, literally).

Now I'm 24 years old and I find myself starting another job next week. All I can say is that I'm tired of job hopping. My long term goal is to find my home in nursing and stay there until I retire. Why is that so hard for me to do??? I feel so pathetic.

Hopefully this year will be different, and I'll find my self at the same place by the end of the year.

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It sounds like you really enjoyed the school aide job. Maybe you could try to go back to that full time instead of PRN? Clinical nursing is just the standard, but who says you have to be standard? That is like telling a lawyer he needs to do criminal law before family practice, it's just not true! The school nurse I followed during clinical had only worked in community health and I wouldn't say she had any less experience than a hospital nurse, it is a different setting and she was an amazing community health nurse. Good luck wherever you end up!

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You definitely have jumped around, but so far it doesn't seem like it has hurt you much. I would slow things down though. Eventually this will catch up with you. Hopefully you'll enjoy this current position.

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I've been an LPN for 30 years and never stayed at any nursing job longer than 2-2.5 yrs. I easily got bored with "routine" work day in and day out. Then a back injury sidelined me for 13 years! The thought of returning to nursing terrified me, being afraid of re-injury or a new injury. Five years ago I found my niche. I travel a lot in my new career but my assignments are as long as I want them to be. You have been quite lucky that you have been able to find nursing jobs, period. A lot of new RN and LPN grads aren't having as much luck. Can you join a PRN pool and work a variety of areas? Maybe you need that kind of job to find where you would like to stay.

Good luck.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.

From what I gather, some nurses get a job and stay there forever (or so). Others change after a few years, either to different hosptials or different specializations. You can change from bedside nursing to education, administration and stuff. You can continue your education. There are lots of options. You have a good amount of nursing experience (more than 6 months). You can probably start thinking about what you're interested in. If you liked the school nurse aid, try for pediatrics (not home health). Keep the job you have, but if it's not what you really "want", as long as it's tolerable, keep it. Apply only for jobs that you are interested in. Hopefully, you'll land something you like and can stay there forever. Or use it as a 'stepping stone' towards a position you really want (if it requires more experience).

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Specializes in LTC and School Health.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. My dream job is an OB nurse. I have had a couple interviews for L and D and pp but wasn't selected :( During my share time, I truly did envision myself retiring from this specialty. It felt like home. I'm tired of hopping around. I just want to stay put.

While I enjoy school health, I came to appreciate having 4 days off a week. If I don't land and OB job I can see myself doing agency, after I get more experience.

I'm married so health insurance is not a problem for me, hubby has great bennies from his job.

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Specializes in LTC/Sub Acute Rehab.

I too have the same issue. I am on my 5th ltc job in 5 years and I have found at least 2 new positions that I actually want that aren't in ltc. Im honestly scared to apply because of my inability to write a stand out cover letter and resume, my job history, never having a position other than a floor nurse, and poor interviewing skills due to my insecurities of an unstable work history and having to explain the reasons for it. Ive never had a job that I really wanted; not even when I was a cna. So, you aren't alone. I tell you what, lets proclaim that you will get that coveted job in L&D and I WILL write an effective cover letter and resume to get the job I want! We will start the new year off with positive thoughts and together we will have what we want professionally in 2013! Best of luck to you!

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I too have the same issue. I am on my 5th ltc job in 5 years and I have found at least 2 new positions that I actually want that aren't in ltc. Im honestly scared to apply because of my inability to write a stand out cover letter and resume, my job history, never having a position other than a floor nurse, and poor interviewing skills due to my insecurities of an unstable work history and having to explain the reasons for it. Ive never had a job that I really wanted; not even when I was a cna. So, you aren't alone. I tell you what, lets proclaim that you will get that coveted job in L&D and I WILL write an effective cover letter and resume to get the job I want! We will start the new year off with positive thoughts and together we will have what we want professionally in 2013! Best of luck to you!
I am in a similar situation, only I'm a new grad and quit my first job after only two months? What have you done in the past to explain the "job hopping" during interviews. I have SUCH anxiety over this and I did it to myself :/ I don't know what to do
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The early jobs were low-skill dead-end jobs where job hopping is not a big deal. These places are used a lot of employee turnover. I worked my share of those jobs popular when I was a student, and job hopping at that level is usually not harmful.

At a more skilled level, things change. Experience and skills count for more. Employers are looking at return on investment when they hire new people, and your past gives a clue.

In every new endeavor there is a "honeymoon phase". After that phase wears off, you see plainly the reality. Have you ever worked through the low morale time that comes after the honeymoon time? Things really do get better and you gain strength.

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Thank you for being honest! Alot of us can relate to you. I dont think theres anything wrong with it in the beginning. I mean, as a teenager/young adult, we dont know what we want. And as a brand new nurse, we still dont know! Theres a lot of posts on here where people state theyre a job hunter & others say how bad that is but now a days i think thats more of a reality. Almost everyone has had that one job where they feel like they left for the wrong reasons. When i was 17, i was fired because of a no call no show. I regret how immature i was, and realize i was just young & didnt have obligations at that time. I think that helped me to know that now, as an adult, i truly dont want to be that person anymore. I would never do that again. But youre still young and finding your way! Just try to not do anything you'll regret. And realize that even with that dream job in ob, things will get boring after awhile. We all hit that point at a job. But staying with it, makes it easier & you get over that boredom (in most cases). Do what makes you happy. I can tell at least that you have a good work ethic because youve been employed constantly since you were 15! Getting your degree in something you want to do, will help you find that dream job you'll commit to even when it gets old. I mean really, who wants to work at mcdonalds or marshalls any longer than they have to. Not that theres anything wrong with those jobs, but if you have the ability & want to do something else, you will get bored easily. Now you have a career, not just a "job". Hopefully, youll find you want to commit 100% when you find something you love. Just try to leave in good terms, & get a new job before leaving your old one. Also, dont put all those on your resume! Lol good luck to you! You're not alone!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

My first job was at McDonald's too. I lasted three months before quitting.I too am a job. I have had seven jobs in the last three and half years and I just started a new job nineteen days ago. I hope to stick around for about a year before finding something new.Always have a new job before quitting an old one.

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Specializes in LTC/Sub Acute Rehab.
I am in a similar situation, only I'm a new grad and quit my first job after only two months? What have you done in the past to explain the "job hopping" during interviews. I have SUCH anxiety over this and I did it to myself :/ I don't know what to do
When asked, I have a habit of attempting to explain each situation and probably being a little too honest and divulging too much information to my detriment because that's how they ask me in the interview (all ltc). I think now that I'm looking to expand my horizons outside of ltc, I think instead of attempting to explain it away, I'll just be respectfully honest and say that I've had enough time to realize that long term care isn't what I want to do and because I've gotten honest with myself, it has made me a better person, a better nurse, a better coworker, and most likely a better employee. I'm honestly figuring out after all this time that, it makes no excuse for me to attempt to explain what is most obvious. But with that said, I haven't been afforded the opportunity to share this in an interview to let you know how well it was or wasn't received. I'm just in a place in my life where I refuse to settle for what I don't want and pretending that I'm happy working in a place and a setting that I don't really care for and truthfully, I'm burnt out in. I've been in ltc since I became a cna in 1998. I'M LONG OVERDUE FOR A CHANGE!:wacky: Getting a potential employer to understand this is a whole different beast.
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