Is anyone else having a problem finding a job in Philadelphia?

U.S.A. Pennsylvania

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Hi Everyone,

I have been working in a nursing home in PA for six months now and want out of there so bad. The state has been called to investigate this place at least six times since I have been there. Everyone keep telling me with a BSN that I shouldn't have a problem finding a job in a hospital, but I am. I am willing to take a job anywhere except where I am working now - but I have not had any luck. Is anyone else having this problem?

Specializes in ER.

Yup Many of my friends are those 40 scholarship kids from Jeff. They shouldn't of gave out so many scholarships is they didn't have room to place them. We were the last year to get offered that scholarship, as of now. The nurse recruiter came to out class at the end of the year and said don't even bother applying to Jeff if your not a scholarship kid for the next 2 years or so because they are so OVER STAFFED!!! Sucks!

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One of my classmates was offered a job at Jeff in like Feb and she was supposed to start after graduation. Apparently they retracted the offer because of their hiring freeze. I've heard that they promised their nursing students jobs after graduation so they want to make sure they all have jobs before they hire anyone from other nursing schools. This is just what I heard so I don't know how true it is!

Hmm...about retracting offers, my friend was in the same position as well. He signed a contract and that was retracted. I actually work there and i know they have the freeze because they have 27 or 40 scholarship students. The recruiter from jeff, MJ, said 27 but the lady from methodist said 40 and methodist is the one with the 20 something scholarship students. Oh well. i knew mainline was hiring in may but i couldn't get past their online system. when i finally did, they weren't hiring anymore.

There are few floors at HUP i'd work at so when i realized those floors weren't hiring, i gave up on philly.

Its pretty hard to get a job in philly. Even those of us who were promised jobs when we started as externs have been told different stories now.Crozer is a good hospital, i had my clinical on their step down and i also rotated through their ICU and ER.

Look to other places outsided the city of philadelphia, you'll be saving yourself from city way tax and all the cigarette smoke they blow on your face walking in the streets. I'm really tired of the city wage tax. Thank God i'm outta here.

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Don't be so fast to down the city wage tax. I never liked paying it either until I go a load of the property tax in the burbs. They are much, much higher than in the city. The wage tax does not look all that bad when you factor that in. Oh and just to be clear. In many suburban counties around Philly you have to pay a wage tax although it is no where near as high as Philly.

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Specializes in oncology, transplant, OB.

I also worked as an extern last summer too. As externs we were told by the HR person and the chief nursing officer that we were guaranteed jobs after graduation. They even had a former extern who is now a RN at that hospital come in and encourage us to stay w/that hospital. The externship was only a 12 week program, and the unit that I worked on doesn't have aides so I couldn't keep the job once the extern program was over. My nurse manager raved about what a good job I was did and so did the staff, they seriously loved me. Then I tried applying at that hospital for many positions and any shift and they never got back to me. I kept calling the HR manager who I interviewed w/last year over and over and over again she she NEVER returned my calls. I sent emails, called my old nurse manager and no one got back to me. I'm baffled. The unit I worked on had a very low turnover rate, so although I was hoping to get a job on that unit I realized it probably wouldn't happen. I am totally clueless as to what happened, I really thought they liked me and that I did a good job.

What makes me the most angry was that out of all the hospitals I applied to, most of them got back to me except for this one hospital. Oh well, I moved on and will be starting my first RN position in the ICU of a large teaching hospital. Good luck to everyone and don't give up!

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Specializes in ED, Rehab, LTC.

Its funny I found this thread, I am a new grad. from DE having a very difficult time getting a job too. I have started looking in PA/NJ/MD because I have had no luck with hospitals in DE. With your BSN you probably have a better chance than I do. Here some info I have found out recently-Christiana in Wilmington is not hiring for any positions right now. Christiana in Newark is near impossible to get a hold of someone even if you know someone. Crozer is not hiring new grads at this time.

I was considering commuting to Philly, but I see that it is probably just as difficult to get a job up their too.

I have never had this hard of a time finding a job in my entire life. How sad.

I also work in a nursing home, its not that bad, but its not what I want to do as a career.

Have you called any of the nurse recruiters? I know that Main Line health is not hiring anymore GN's. You can try Brandywine Hosptial, Lancaster General, Christiana Hosp, and EI Dupont my classmates have received jobs at these hosp, we are not BSN we are from a Diploma program

Good luck

Did you pass NCLEX

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Specializes in oncology, transplant, OB.

Hi crazystudent,

If I were you I would still apply to hospitals in Philly with the hopes that some of the new grads they hired failed the nclex. I hope that doesn't sound like you're banking on the misfortune of others, but it seems like many hospitals hire a certain amount of new grads and if something falls through with the people they already hired that may create an opening for you. New positions open everyday. I put the hospitals I was interested in on my "favorite places" on my computer and everyday I would check to see what new openings they had available. Also you can try to stop at the hospital and hand your resume directly to the HR person.

I graduated w/my ASN in May and if you do want to work in downtown Philly your choices are limited. Many of my classmates got jobs at Hahnemann so I would check that out. Also a few got jobs at St. Chris.

Just be persistent and something will come through. Best of luck to you.

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Graduated from , can't buy a job! seems everyone wants experienced RN's.

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Specializes in Rehab, Neuro, Travel Nurse, Home Care.

I know some new grads that just got jobs at Hahnemann (sp), Main Line, and Misericordia (the hosp in West Philly). In Jersey, Kennedy and Lady of Lourdes are hiring

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thanks for the info, tried hahnemann and mainline will look into mercy.

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thanks for the info, tried hahnemann and mainline will look into mercy.

Hahn is hiring. when you put the application in online, you can call Rocky to let her know which position you applied for. I know they had a position on 19. it's a good floor for a new grad, i like the manager there.

The hiring freeze at Jeff is supposed to end this month so try them as well.

If push comes to shove try to look at neighboring places like jersey or bucks county. You may take a paycut but once you get the experience, you can always come back to philly.

Don't give up on looking. Just keep sending the applications and follow up.

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Try carreer builder there are tons of jobs . For example Holy Redeemer,

Roxborough -. I've seen ads for Abington Memorial and if you don't mind the travel (Quick from the pa tp) Suburban Mercy Hospital. Put in your preferences on carrerbulider.com and they send you an email with your job reccomendations....Good Luck!

Linda

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I graduated from Brandywine school of nursing and everyone got jobs. Some at Brandywine Hosp. some at Lancaster General, some at Main LIne Health and others are CHOP and Christiana. But most had there jobs way before graduation.

Good luck

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