How is the job market in California right now (2012)?

U.S.A. California

Published

I have almost 9 months of experience as an RN on a med/tele unit and almost 2 years if you include long-term care. I want to work in the Bay Area in particular. Will it be tough to find a job with 1 year of experience? I went through a residency program. I am thinking about moving even without a job offer sometime towards the end of the year. I can survive for several months without a job if need be while looking for one.

Specializes in Med/Surg.

I think it's good to "listen" to people, but apply for positions anyways. A lot of nurses, esp. new grads are way overconfident about themselves and their qualifications so it's good to get a fresh perspective on how things really are as opposed to how one might perceive things. I sure wish I had read the comments on this board while I was in school. I think I might have had a less hard time finding a job or at least had a firm grasp on reality and not take things so personally like I did (like beat myself up for not getting a job when it came down to numbers and the fact that most positions were already allotted to internal applicants).

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Yeah, I mean don't get me wrong a lot of what you find on these forums can be taken as gold , but there is also a lot that you must not let misguide you I don't know about you, but do you remember in nursing school, everyone FREAKINg out over an exam...freaking and stressing you out, then you take it and are like "oh that wasn't so bad" I feel like a lot of that can go on in these forums or in life by word of mouth as well. The only truth is what you find yourself and what you make of it. I been reading these forums about how impossible it is to get jobs etc, and Ive had 2 offers already in southern California and I have been a nurse for 10 months I have nothing too special , just could be the luck and timing. But if so, that is enough to show you it can be done. If I went with what many say on here I would have never applied in the first place. Sure. You'll apply to 25 places and get turned down 25. But just keep at it. Youll get something eventually. Sure it's discouraging, but in the end you'll Appreciate it much more it's possible.

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Things are starting to pick up around here job wise. Recruiters are starting to call again etc but there are things about living in CA that are hard no matter what your profession, job status. If I had the choice to choose to move out of here I would but my husband has always lived here and he loves it here. Don't get blinded by a high salary factor in how much it will cost you to live and factor in how lifestyle creep. It's easy to see someone zipping around in a Bentley and ending up buying a newer car to compensate.

Rentwise sometimes the crappier areas can be more expensive than some of the nicer / safer areas.

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I agree with the above statement.... That is the only thig really on my mind that's making me debate going. Granted I am only 24, but there are alota people my age with mommy and daddy's money drivin Lambos and Porsches , and the women are often quite pretentious. I had a girl come up to me at the bar there asking if I rent or own... I said I don't live here, and she walked away hahah. It was quite bad. Sure not all is like that. I met a lot of cool people on my trip. But it's a never ending competition. At least that's how it seems in Newport

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Dont listen to people..

I am a new RN, year experience in Detroit, and I got a job at Hoag hospital in Newport.

It can be done

I don't think many are saying that it can't be done, more that it's going to be far from easy. True, there are lucky ones who come here and land a job with (seemingly) little to no problems. Could be luck, could be timing, could be they are in fact the perfect fit for the job. But they are the exceptions, and not the norm.

I work for one of the largest hospital chains in SoCal. They are flooded with applicants for nursing jobs, so much so that even many of its internal employees applying for nursing jobs are being rejected...and being an internal employee used to be a guaranteed lock for a nursing job. Not anymore.

We're just warning you (OP and those searching for work in Cali) to be realistic about what the job market is out here. By all means, apply for jobs! But keep in mind it will probably take a lot of applications and a lot of time before you find something. And Cali is expensive to live in even if you have the job, so you may not want to move here before the job, unless you have the money to support a California cost of living for several months.

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Northern CA job market is very tough right now. John Muir (WC & Concord) just announced a lay-off, Sutter is striking, Kaiser is on a hiring freeze, and the smaller hospitals get left with the crumbs. I've never seen it this bad before. Nursing shortage? In CA, the only shortage is in nursing jobs.

Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here!

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Job market is awful but you can always get in worn a travel assignment...they always hire or try to recruit the travelers. I have been working as a traveler in L.A area strictly for the past 6 years without any lapse with my assignments, so yes it can be done and they always tried to recruit me to become permanent staff. Don't let anyone discourage you from what you want especially since there are tons of hospitals to choose from. Good luck.

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Specializes in Intermediate Care.

I have exactly one year experience and have interviewed at 3 different hospitals in the bay area in the past month and got a call today to interview with a fourth!

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Very encouraging LoveAlwaysV! I will be on my way down there shortly and maybe I will end up being your colleague :)

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"Job market is awful but you can always get in worn a travel assignment...they always hire or try to recruit the travelers. I have been working as a traveler in L.A area strictly for the past 6 years without any lapse with my assignments, so yes it can be done and they always tried to recruit me to become permanent staff. Don't let anyone discourage you from what you want especially since there are tons of hospitals to choose from. Good luck."

I was interested in this as a way to get into a position once I have a little bit of experience. I still am waiting to go to nursing school BUT it is important for me to keep an eye on the prospects of working so I can make sure the nursing expense and time won't be a wash. I currently volunteer in a hospital in Oxnard and enjoy the program. We can work a little bit with the patients and help the nurses. I am also working on my EMT, as I could not get into the pre-reqs I needed. Only a few more to go. =) We have some travelers that work a the hospital but I see them all the time. It is almost like they are regular staff without actually being regular staff.

Do you just put yourself on call on certain days and times and wait for a call or is it for a block of time with regular shifts or?? Do you need alot of experience? I don't need the insurance so traveling (if it dos not require it) would not bug me, as long as it is within a few hours drive. I also wonder if you need to have experience in the specific dept they assign you to? How does a nurse gain that experience--the different departments? ONce you are trained in one then how do you get in another? Thanks--just apprehensive of the economy and the job prospects! I KNOW this is something I really want to do and especially after the last year volunteering at the hospital and all the great experiences I hace had!

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Specializes in OB/GYN.
"Job market is awful but you can always get in worn a travel assignment...they always hire or try to recruit the travelers. I have been working as a traveler in L.A area strictly for the past 6 years without any lapse with my assignments, so yes it can be done and they always tried to recruit me to become permanent staff. Don't let anyone discourage you from what you want especially since there are tons of hospitals to choose from. Good luck."

I was interested in this as a way to get into a position once I have a little bit of experience. I still am waiting to go to nursing school BUT it is important for me to keep an eye on the prospects of working so I can make sure the nursing expense and time won't be a wash. I currently volunteer in a hospital in Oxnard and enjoy the program. We can work a little bit with the patients and help the nurses. I am also working on my EMT, as I could not get into the pre-reqs I needed. Only a few more to go. =) We have some travelers that work a the hospital but I see them all the time. It is almost like they are regular staff without actually being regular staff.

Do you just put yourself on call on certain days and times and wait for a call or is it for a block of time with regular shifts or?? Do you need alot of experience? I don't need the insurance so traveling (if it dos not require it) would not bug me, as long as it is within a few hours drive. I also wonder if you need to have experience in the specific dept they assign you to? How does a nurse gain that experience--the different departments? ONce you are trained in one then how do you get in another? Thanks--just apprehensive of the economy and the job prospects! I KNOW this is something I really want to do and especially after the last year volunteering at the hospital and all the great experiences I hace had!

Usually you need at least 1, if not 2, years of experience in your particular field before joining with a travel agency. When you get your assignment, you only have a day or two of orientation to get to know the floor so you really have to know your stuff. Most travel assignments are 13 weeks and you work a set 3 or 4 days per week. Specifics will be in your contract.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Usually you need at least 1, if not 2, years of experience in your particular field before joining with a travel agency. When you get your assignment, you only have a day or two of orientation to get to know the floor so you really have to know your stuff. Most travel assignments are 13 weeks and you work a set 3 or 4 days per week. Specifics will be in your contract.

Same thing also applies to non-travel staffing agencies. You really to have experience under your belt because the orientation you will receive is minimal. You will not get Nursing 101 in your orientation because they expect you to already know what you will be doing as a nurse. Instead, the orientation will focus on things specific to the facility you will be working at.

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