Moving from Florida to Colorado and need a job

JenniferSews · Feb 2, 2010

Honestly? I'd find a job there and work for a year first. I have been looking for a job since October (graduated and licensed in December.) The job market here for new grads is extremely tight right now. They want a BSN and at least 1 year experience. If I were you I'd get a job and then look for work here, and move once I found a job here. A good friend of mine has been working at Denver Health as an aid and is still having a hard time getting a job there. Sorry to be a downer but I'd hate for you to get here and be like so many of us still looking for work.

fsumurse · Feb 2, 2010

I appreciate the quick response. I actually have my BSN and have clinical experience as a tech, both in the ED and ICU step down unit. DO you think either of these things will speak positively for me in my application process?

str8fan62 · Feb 3, 2010

Sorry, but I have to agree with the previous reply to your question. I moved here from St. Louis last April with 8 years of ICU experience and still had a hard time finding a job. The job market in Colorado is very tight right now!

Good luck to you!

JenniferSews · Feb 3, 2010

I appreciate the quick response. I actually have my BSN and have clinical experience as a tech, both in the ED and ICU step down unit. DO you think either of these things will speak positively for me in my application process?

It will help, for sure. But I still say get a job there and actively look for a job before moving here. I've met lots of very experienced nurses in my clinicals who had a hard time getting a job. Experience like yours will only put you in the running at the top half of the large new grad pool. When you're competing against new nurses with years of experience as CNAs plus experienced RN new grads with RN-BSN it doesn't help. It can be done, and there ARE jobs, but the more time you spend getting valuable experience where you currently work there means less time hoping for even a PRN basic med surg or LTC job here. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and all that jazz. Sometimes it just takes the right job at the right time for the right person. But I'd caution against moving 2500 miles with no safety net. If you have a safety net, just ignore me. I love CO and couldn't imagine working anywhere else. But you asked for a job and I thought you should know it's not that easy here. If it was, I'd be working, and so would my classmates. :lol2: When I finally get a job, I'll be happy to give you some advice on how to get one too. :jester: :clown:

jungianhealer · Feb 9, 2010

Listen honey, you know how it's said that nurses eat their young? Well not this time. I have to agree with the others. It's really tight right now for new grads in this area, supersaturated. My wife has friends that are new grads secondary to having completed bridge programs so they have LPN experience but cannot find jobs. So unless you want to work at a nursing home or LTAC (which is not terrible, those places need nurses too) I'd stay in FL and get some experience.

Specifically, it looks like you have a thing for critical situations working in ED and step-down. So here's what you can do. Take a job at a university hospital and let them train you up. Take advantage of opportunities to become CCRN and/or TNCC. I know the pay at university hospitals for new grads is not the best but they will train you and you will get to do and see things that other health care facilities just don't do. After 3 years or so in the units or ED, you should be competent and confident in your skills and ready to write your own ticket.

Just my advice.

jungianhealer · Feb 10, 2010

I am a new RN in Florida and my dream has been to move back to Colorado (born in CO). I have begun the application process to get my license in Colorado, i fear though that I am going to have a difficult time getting a job. If anyone can please give me some advise that I can use to obtain a job please let me know. Thank you.
oh and I have applied for a couple jobs at Denver Health, downtown. Just waiting to hear back from them.

I don't know if you believe in synchronous moments but in my mailbox today was the quarterly Colorado Nurses Association publication Vol. 110 No. 1 with an article by Ricker, RN, MSN New RN Graduate Job Fair Draws Heavy Attendance. Basically the article addresses the very real issue of new grads in the area achieving employment. You should check it out, maybe they can send you a copy or perhaps it's online. Here's their info: CNA http://www.nurses-co.org email: [email protected] give them a shout maybe they can provide answers to some questions that you may have.

Opinions are worth much but, I don't understand how the nursing industry in this area can in one breath state their nursing shortage and in the next say to folks, except you we don't want you if you're a new grad. Hell we were all new grads at some point. Good luck to you I hope it works out whatever you decide.

JenniferSews · Feb 10, 2010

I don't know if you believe in synchronous moments but in my mailbox today was the quarterly Colorado Nurses Association publication Vol. 110 No. 1 with an article by Ricker, RN, MSN New RN Graduate Job Fair Draws Heavy Attendance. Basically the article addresses the very real issue of new grads in the area achieving employment. You should check it out, maybe they can send you a copy or perhaps it's online. Here's their info: CNA http://www.nurses-co.org email: [email protected] give them a shout maybe they can provide answers to some questions that you may have.
Opinions are worth much but, I don't understand how the nursing industry in this area can in one breath state their nursing shortage and in the next say to folks, except you we don't want you if you're a new grad. Hell we were all new grads at some point. Good luck to you I hope it works out whatever you decide.

I was at that job fair, along with most of my fellow graduates from Dec and ran into quite a few from last May. It was like a reunion. :lol2: It was pretty worthless though. The lines were HUGE to talk to anyone and then when we got up there they had 1, maybe 2 openings for the hundreds of us there. It was temp agencies, a couple LTC centers and two hospitals. My girlfriend and I talked to everyone we could, then gave up and went to the bar afterward. :yeah: