New grad finding a job

[amortentia62442]

HI,

This is my first post. I am graduating with an associates degree next Thursday... YAY

Here is the dilemma...

I had an interview last Tuesday on a surgical floor in a state run hospital. I got a call officially offering me the job today. But, I also had an interview today on a cardiac floor in the hospital associated with my school, that I have had two clinical rotations on and enjoyed very much. Heart stuff just makes sense to me, the staff there is great, the manager I feel I can talk to, and I feel comfortable there.

I am shadowing on the surgical floor that offered me the job to see how I like it tomorrow afternoon. But what do I tell the recruiter? The cardiac floor manager said she has many other interviews to complete in the next week or two and to be patient.

My parents said to accept the job and then if I do get the cardiac floor job and decide I'd rather work there, to resign. My parents keep pushing the job at the state run hospital to receive state benefits (NY).

My boyfriend said to call the manager on the cardiac floor and ask her what my chances of getting hired are and explain the situation.

The pay is about the same as are the benefits. I am pretty sure I would rather work on the cardiac floor as it interests me. But I don't want to say no to the surgical floor and then not get hired on the cardiac floor and have no job. But feel it would look bad to accept the job on the surgical floor and then change my mind...

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[BonnieSc]

I agree with your boyfriend. Managers are used to that kind of question. Explain that your preference is definitely for the cardiac floor. At the other hospital, ask how long you have to decide (don't mention that you're holding out for another job). I think every time a new grad accepts one position and then quits to take a better one, it makes it just a little harder for everyone else to get a job--it gives new grads a bad name.

Whatever you do, don't turn down the state job unless you have a real offer somewhere else.

[cmmny]

Wow..that's great that you have gotten offers already! Which school in NY did you go to? I graduated last week with my ADN also in NY and have been sending out a ton of resumes but no calls Any advice?

[amortentia62442]

Thank you for the reply! I think I am going to call the state hospital and ask how long I have to think about it and then call the cardiac floor in a few daysand ask the manager what my chances are and go from there! Thank you!

I will graduate from Crouse Hospital School of Nursing next Thursday. I am sorry you aren't having any luck. Both of the interviews I had I sent letters to the managers telling them how interested I was in the position. I don't have much advice to give. It did take a while between application/letter to getting the call for the interview so give it time. I'm sure you'll find something!

[kaa3418]

I agree with Wendy79. I think you should be careful about burning bridges so I would definitely ask how long do you have before you need to accept or deny the position and contact the other manager to see what your chances are or when she will be making an offer for the position. Congrats on finding a job so quickly and good luck!

[GM2RN]

While I don't think it will hurt anything to ask how long you have to decide on your job offer, I also don't think it will make any difference in the end. They certainly won't give you much more than a day or two, and it sounds like the cardiac position will take more than a couple of weeks before you get any kind of job offer. There's no way that the state hospital will wait that long, so you may just have to accept the state job while waiting to hear about the Cardiac job.

It's not a bad position to be in, and you're not the first person to have to make this decision. I disagree that it makes new grads look bad. Lots of seasoned nurses have had to deal with this (including myself, but I was also a new grad at the time), and I actually think it's a good thing that the competition is swinging a little back in favor of the applicants.

[cnstecky]

I have to agree with most of the responses here in that calling would be better and seeing what the managers say for this situation as I know this is nothing new for them. When it comes from a managerial position it does look bad to have to go through the hiring process only to have the newly hired applicant quit and thus making the process start all over.