Jobs, Jobs, Jobs??

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I have the possibility of starting a nursing program in the Spring of 2011, which will prompt me to be done by 2013.

I have a few friends and heard from several people that have graduated since 8 months ago and still have not heard year from anywhere. I live in Central California, so expanding from Bakersfield to the Turlock/Stockton area it seem that no one is hiring.

It is said that there is a huge shortage, how come no one is hiring? It makes me really nervous and scared at the same time if I end up going through the program and by the time I am out, I might have to wait a whole year or more before getting my first job.

Is this job shortage going to get any better, will it stay the same or turn worse?

What do you guys think?

Thanks

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

who knows

If the economy turns around maybe

If the baby boomers start to retire maybe

When the economy tanked and people were layed off, nurses who hadn't worked and were stay at home moms, went back to the work force.

but who knows what is going to happen in 2013 when the health care reform takes effect,

No one really know

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I am planning on starting with an accelerated BSN by Fall 2011, and just like you, I will most likely be done by 2013 (tentatively). I have the same apprehension about jobs. Will there be jobs by the time I graduate? Are there going to baby boomers who would need medical attention?

It is kind of hard to predict what will happen then. I live in California as well (South Bay), and everywhere around me seems like there is no job. I have no idea about other states though!!

-Bidisha

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If relocation is an option, you'll be able to find a job. If relocation isn't an option, it's a gamble, especially in CA. You live in one of the most desirable states to work as a nurse since you have mandated ratios that are sometimes literally less than half the patient load being carried elsewhere in the country for the exact same acuity of patient. Not to mention it's CA where many people want to live simply for the lifestyle (real or imagined) anyway!

If you really want to be a nurse, go for it. If you are willing to relocate, go for it. If nursing isn't your passion or relocation isn't a viable option, think long and hard if it's the right path for you because there are a lot of unemployed nurses out there, particularly in your neck of the woods.

/edit I should clarify, if relocation to where there is a job is an option, not just some other desirable loction. It might not be a place you'd normally choose to live but if you are the kind of person who can live wherever they need to live to get a year or two of experience, you'll be able to find a job. Once you have experience, finding a job where you actually want to live/work will be significantly easier.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I certainly understand people's concern about the horrible job market for nurses we have seen over the past 2 years ... but isn't it similarly bad in other occupations? It's not as if the nursing job were that much worse than the market in other careers. Are there really other careers out there where the hiring is going full steam ahead and can be expected to continue that way indefinitely? I don't think so.

If you really want to become a nurse, become a nurse and hope for the best but prepare for the worst. That's all you can do with any career choice. If you are only interested in nursing because you thought the job market would always be "hot," -- well -- consider yourself lucky that you learned that's not true before you made the investment.

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Don't get your hopes up! I can already see the job market improving (at least around my area). The graduates in May and December of 2009 had it very bad... the most that would graduate with jobs would be 10 out of 60. My class of May 2010 has shown a HUGE turn around where most of the students had jobs before graduating and only a couple are left without jobs thus far. I live in North Carolina and most of the students are staying in state however many have decided to go to Texas, PA, SC, and various others. Willingness to travel will definitely help. But being at the stage you are in your program, don't worry about it.... you still have many obstacles to go through in your program and worrying about this should become priority in 2013 when you graduate!! Good luck!!:)

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

Even if you do relocate they are given preference to the their own local grads, I suggest some thing other than nursing.....

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It smelled like the computer-related job market was getting soft back in 2004, so I threw over 3 years to a computer sci degree to start from scratch with nursing prereqs. At that time, the salaries in computers were double that of a RN (maybe they still are for computer folks who are still working), so absolutely no one said "Hey, smart move."

Nowadays, you don't even have to guess about these things. Just look at who's out of work. So you think nursing's bad? What, do you want to start out in anything but nursing? Just about anything you can think of is slower, if not at a total standstill.

Yeah, we're seeing times when a good chunk of the population will have to relocate to find work, and nurses aren't exempt. But who's set up better for relocation than those of us whose licensing states have the compact in place?

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I certainly understand people's concern about the horrible job market for nurses we have seen over the past 2 years ... but isn't it similarly bad in other occupations? It's not as if the nursing job were that much worse than the market in other careers. Are there really other careers out there where the hiring is going full steam ahead and can be expected to continue that way indefinitely? I don't think so.

If you really want to become a nurse, become a nurse and hope for the best but prepare for the worst. That's all you can do with any career choice. If you are only interested in nursing because you thought the job market would always be "hot," -- well -- consider yourself lucky that you learned that's not true before you made the investment.

Well said. The job market in general is not great at all right now. I am starting nursing school in August, and it does worry me about the job market, especially because I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Things are terrible for new grad nurses hear right now, to say the least. However, if nursing is what you want to do, go for it. At least with nursing you have a specific job that you are eligible for once you are an RN. What I am trying to say is, if you have a BA in Business/English or something general like that, it is even more difficult because you didn't learn real skills that are applicable to your future job in class. Nursing, CPAs, lawyers, etc. all need to have a license to be able to do their job, and I think even if the job market is bad, it's worse for others. I work at a non-profit right now, and we just received over 150 resumes for one position. Believe me, it's tough for everyone out there. I am just going to take the opportunity to go to nursing school since I was lucky enough to get in, and then take it from there. I have wanted to be a nurse since 2003, so I am not going to let the job market stop me now.

Good luck to you. If you know it's going to make you happy, go for it. My advice to anyone is to follow your passion. Don't go into a career based on the demand for that type of job. Job demand always changes.

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Specializes in Long Term Care.

Okay, here's one big thing that I've learned:

You're going to have to put in the effort to get the job. The jobs are there, but you may not get your ritzy hospital job that you want right off. I'm a new grad as well. I got a job in LTC as a medcart nurse. I'm not going to be responsible for patient care, just pushing meds basically. but it's a start! It's pretty bad out there right now, I'll admit. Here's a few tips:

1.) Do apply in person instead of online.

2.) Do call HR and pester them as much as possible. (Get your name out)

3.) If you get an interview, DO send a thank you note.

4.) (and this is most important) Do keep an open mind!

If you're not willing to work something outside of your comfort zone, you're closing a door. Used to, you could apply and work wherever you wanted to, but obviously that's not the case now. Be realisitc. and yes, there's still a shortage, but one recent article I read is that we're gearing up for the baby boomers. That's why there's such an over saturation of nurses right now. It'll get better. Just don't go to school to be a nurse for the wrong reasons, because if you're in it for the money, you're going to learn really quick that nurses don't get paid their due.

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There IS a nursing shortage but also in this economy there is NO money to hire like they need to...so yes, the jobs will come back when the economy does and we will always need nurses in any economy. It just takes longer to find a job when things are slow, but eventually we will all have jobs.

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