Former job hopper...help!

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Jun 29, 2012

Welcome to my world! :hug:

I've held 13 Nursing Jobs in 15 years. Some were part-time jobs I doubled up on, but I've never stayed with one job for more than 2 1/2 years at any time in my entire working life. In retrospect, it probably had a lot to do with my own psychiatric problems (I have bipolar d/o and anxiety) which weren't diagnosed until this past winter. But until then, I had no idea why I couldn't stick with one job longer than a bird can sit on one telephone pole.

Now I've been at my current job for almost 2 years and have absolutely none of that old restlessness, but I too am medicated so I'm sure that helps, although I really do love the place where I work and the people I work with. I haven't even looked at the classified ads in all that time.

The trick to finding a job with some staying power is, I think, looking in the right places to begin with. Sure, your resume stinks....so does mine. But there IS a niche for you, as there was for me.......your aim now is to recognize it when you do find it. Take your time looking for a new job; think about what you really want; and DON'T take just any job out of desperation because you'll wind up leaving again. Research different types of nursing jobs and learn about what's involved. Check out employers too, because you want to know if the facility is one you'd choose to work in.

Never lie on your resume. Employers have a way of finding this stuff out, and there goes any chance you may have had. Be honest about why you left, and make sure to tell the interviewer what you learned and what you'll do differently in the future.

Wishing you the best of luck in your endeavors.....believe me, someone WILL give you a shot at your dream job. :up:

Burlshoe114 · Jun 30, 2012

I also have resume problems. Part of this is due to my husband being in the military (Hard to hold down a job long-term when you move every three years!), part of this was due to life-changes (having a baby), and some jobs just simply didn't work out in the long-term.

Nowadays. thanks to the internet and the in-depth security checks they perform on nurses, anyone can find out anything about you. (At one point I had a recruiter asking about a 2-month per diem job I had worked at one point and completely forgotten about.) Unfortunately, you are going to have to "own" your past and you are going to have to pay some dues to get back on track.

If I were you, I would forget about the hospitals for a while and focus on finding a place where you can work reliably and prove you are now a stable employee. Hospitals are typically the first place everyone goes for employment, so your competition for job placement is going to be fierce. (If you do get hired, it is going to be for a less-than desirable position, which is going to make you want to quit again.)

Look for jobs in places like community health, free-clinics, or churchs. There are also good visiting nurses organizations that are looking for RNs to go to homes of patients.

Good luck!