Looking for advice (Austin, TX)

[astn]

I'm looking for advice from the central Texas folks on here. I'm a recent graduate (so recent it doesn't happen for another 22 days) of Excelsior College. I've been a paramedic for ten years, working remote/offshore as an independent contractor for the last five. My wife is a neonatal PA who has been a traveller for the last couple years, so wherever she has been getting a job, I've called home (because I just fly to work.)

I mention these two facts because I feel they are potentially major negatives against me, particularly in this job market, as I am coming from a controversial school and I haven't had a "stable life," so there would be some questions of how long I might hang around. I am a bit of a wanderer, but if my wife is going to stop moving around so I can get experience, I would plan to stay at a facility for at least two years, just to establish a good baseline and employment history.

WIth that said, there are very few places that I would really want to stay for two years--many of them are coastal and jobless. Austin, TX, is one of the few places that doesn't seem as badly hit that I would really enjoy living for a long time. I have called around to some of the hospitals in town, received a lukewarm response, though I did talk to SETON about their ED residency (June is full, as expected, but I could apply for October.) I had lived in Austin a few years ago (in Hyde Park) and really enjoyed the city, the people, and had joked at the time that I'd never leave once global warming brought the ocean a bit closer, so I'm not concerned about "where to live," "if I'd like it," or "if I'd stay."

I am part of my own problem of course, as I am being more selective then recommended in this market (i.e. I am looking for ED as opposed to anywhere that will take me,) but I am not worried about getting "a job" as I can easily go back offshore as a nurse, but I would like to get a "good job" that I will enjoy, will be a good fit to my personality and skills, and that I will be able to stay at for the next two years or longer without dreading each day.

For those of you in the market or working in that region, how bad off is it? How poor (or good) are my chances? My wife's contract ends the beginning of next month, and we're going to be trying to move somewhere (for real) in June (which would be a good time to find a rental, but I don't want to get a lease and end up trapped somewhere without any jobs.)

For completeness sake, I had the full alphabet soup of credentials as a paramedic, ACLS-Instructor, PALS-Instructor, BLS-Instructor, ATLS, BTLS, PBTLS, etc, etc. Many have lapsed as noone in Africa seemed to mind if my cards were up to date, but I have made or am making arrangements to get all of the 'provider' cards back up to date, and once I find a region, I will be trying to a facility to teach at again.

Thank you very much for your time and any responses.

[abbabask]

I work for Seton in Austin (Brack). I will say that my residency cohort of 70+ people has 2 or 3 ED hires in it.. and that's more than the previous cohort or the one after that. So while it is possible to go straight into ER/ED, it's very rare right now to find a position. The ERs just don't support new grads well for some reason, I think because it's so hard to train GNs in that environment. The ED hires are all very overwhelmed. However, you do have paramedic experience and that will definitely be a benefit for you during the interview and hiring process. I wish you luck in finding a job!

[astn]

Thank you very much for your reply. I've spoken to SETON and St. David's, and I'm not convinced that I can be competitive in that job market at the moment, which is sad, because I think that I have a lot of 'pluses,' but I don't have the contacts to make it past HR to speak to someone who might appreciate that. I should say that HR didn't give me any indication either way, this is just based on my own personal evaluation of the questions I asked and the answer I was given.

Again, thanks very much.