Leaving current job after only 5 months

Caffeine_IV · Jul 3, 2016

I agree with everyone else. Everything besides the sign-on bonus make it an easy choice to me.

I don't even want to calculate what my commute cost me in gas and tolls.

LPN_beauty16 · Jul 3, 2016

I have been offered a job that pays $2/hr more, 6% retirement match as apprised to my current 3% match and a $15,000 sign on bonus and only a 5 minute commute instead of my 75 minute commute now. My only hesitation is I just started 5 months ago. I hate to let people down. Anyone else in my boat?

75 min vs. 5minutes, making $2 more and better benefits?? I wouldn't hesitate to take that position. Neither should you :)

sebaticalnurse2010 · Jul 3, 2016

I would go for it!

Tenebrae, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2016

The offer sounds great, however the ginormous sign on bonus raises a red flag for me. Why the need to offer so much if its such a great place to work?

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 3, 2016

Even if it may be a less than ideal workplace and that is why it has a huge sign on bonus (I don't know - just speculating), 5 minute vs 75 minute commute would seal the deal for me.

Libby1987 · Jul 3, 2016

Even if it may be a less than ideal workplace and that is why it has a huge sign on bonus (I don't know - just speculating) 5 minute vs 75 minute commute would seal the deal for me.[/quote']
As much as I would be leary of it, it would be for me too. I would put that 2 hours saved each shift to some kind of good use, maybe just sleep and maybe set aside the 15K (- taxes) towards a fabulous vacation after I survived the time commitment. I might even use the extra $2/HR for a house keeper which could also lower the stress of working for what might be a more stressful place.
Extra sleep, house keeper and 2 weeks Kauai in 2 years, that's how I would make it work :-)

1nursetotherrescue · Jul 3, 2016

I'm in the same place right now. I have been at this job that I really enjoy for 6 months that pays $30/hr and its 30 min commute. I was offered a job that pays $45/hr and 60 min commute. after a month and a half I have decided to take the higher paying job. I feel really bad for leaving where I am after such a short time but I either stay where I am and get a second job OR I can work this one job...also, free employee health care, great retirement, its a major teaching hospital and the pay is phenomenal!

I just gave my resignation today cause I start the new job in two weeks.

I wish I would of given them more of a notice but this was a very hard decision!!

Good luck in whatever you decide. I say go for it. :yes:

RacheltheRN · Jul 3, 2016

If it makes you feel any better, I just left my hospital position after being employed for only 6 months for a community health nurse position. I had been working in a hospital for over 2 years, and then moved to a new city for my boyfriend and got another hospital position and I HATED it. I starting applying for different fields within just 3-4 months and gave my notice at 5 months. I felt pretty bad considering my boos was great, and I did feel like I was letting her and everyone else down, but my mental and physical health depended on it. Instead of quitting for more pay, I quit for better quality of life. I will make about 12,000 less a year, but I am okay with that. Good luck to you, no matter what you do. Less commute is very nice. Perhaps try to quickly explore why they are offering such a big sign-on bonus.

thecrossfitrn, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2016

I agree with everyone on the big red flag of the sign-on bonus. While it sounds amazing, you need to make sure you do your homework on whether it's worth the money. The last facility I worked at was one of two hospitals in the entire metro city. The hospital I didn't work at was well known for offering up insane sign-on bonuses to get nurses in the door, but the majority of them would cut their contracts short and opt to pay back the money just to get out of the hell hole after they figured out how bad it was. Just keep that in mind. Talk to other nurses who work there and make sure it's somewhere you really want to me. No amount of money is worth it if you're not happy.

DeenieRN · Jul 3, 2016

No, I am not in your boat. I do not hesitate to separate from an employer if another workplace is making a better offer. I am loyal to no workplace; therefore, I do not feel guilty about leaving when the right time arises.
Employers protect their self-interests. It is time for employees to adopt the same outlook.

I couldn't agree more with TheCommuter! That is my exact outlook! I am loyal to my happiness only!

I took a job on a post-CABG unit because I felt that it was a step up in my career, I was promised advanced education opportunities, support, advancement, etc. After 4 months, I realized this was all a lie. There was a severe lack of teamwork, no support from management, no option for education, and I found the post-CABG process to be monotonous. After four months and a very bad shift, I went home and applied for a huge list of jobs in my area at other hospitals.

I went for an interview for a ED job with no experience in that area. The question was raised, why am I applying after only 4mo in my current job. Although you should never say anything negative in an interview, I thought I had nothing to lose, so I was honest. I told the manager, after 4 months, I don't see room to grow in my current job, and what I was promised isn't attainable there. She appreciated my honesty and offered me the job on the spot, with a sign-on bonus, as well as the higher pay and better benefits. It was a no-brainer.

I didn't feel bad at all handing in my letter of resignation in person to my manager. It was such a shake up to the manager, the director got involved and offered me a lot of tempting offers to stay, but it wasn't enough, I was moving on and they would have to deal with how that looks on them, not on me.

I'm not nursing for kicks and giggles, this is me making a living, advancing my knowledge and career. If I can't grow, it it's complicating my life, if I'm feeling miserable going to work - I'm outta there, I don't care about how it looks.

calivianya, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2016

Every job I've ever worked has had some sort of bonus because of short staffing, so that bonus would not scare me. I even got relocation assistance upwards of $2000 as a new grad. The first hospital I ever worked for was offering $25k for certain positions last I heard - and it was not at all a terrible place to work, it was just in a terrible place to live in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do - which I should have figured out when they would even offer relocation assistance to new grads. Oh well, I learned a lot.

It's a no brainer to take the better job. I've thought about applying other places because of the sign on bonuses, but the place I work right now has better benefits than the neighboring hospitals and we are also being paid a lot more incentive pay for overtime shifts than other hospitals are offering, so taking a huge sign on bonus spread out over the course of a few years would actually cost me money compared to the incentive pay I receive for overtime now.

chacha82, ADN, BSN · Jul 3, 2016

The commute switch alone is a no-brainer for me, but that's just me. As long as you give proper notice and complete the exit process, I'd say go for it. I worked with a nurse whose wife was transferred and they had to move. I believe he was with us only 3 or 4 months. . I was part-time at a doctor's office for 2 years, did a small rural hospital for 7 months, transferred to the large hospital after that. Coming up on 2 years at my current hospital. I think as long as you leave on good terms no one would fault you, especially with that commute.