Jobless FNP

Specialties NP

Published

I graduated 1 year ago and still have not found a meaningful NP position. Just about every position that I have applied for, I have either gotten no response or a generic email stating that I am not a candidate for this position. I had no idea when I graduated that I would have such a difficult time finding an NP position. I was expecting to find a position within two months of graduating, but here it is a whole year and I am basically unemployed. I lived and worked in Texas for eight years, but after graduation I relocated to Las Vegas to be closer to family. The job market doesn't seem to be better anywhere, just about all my classmates that I graduated with still living in Texas has not found positions yet. I am currently working doing health risk assessments, however this is not a reliable source of income . You can make up to 2500 a week, but you can also make $200 a week depending on the time of year, cancellations and no patients to schedule. I did get a job offer at a private pain management clinic with an offer of 125,000 per year, no health insurance, paid CME, Paid time off, 6 paid holidays, and two weeks vacation the first year. I did shadow the physician for a couple hours and the demographic Of patients seem very difficult to deal with, and I am also expected to see up to 38 patients ppd. This is a Monday through Friday position 8 AM to 6 PM and some Saturdays. The worst part is that it requires a two year contract. I did accept the position with a heavy heart, because I am desperate to find something full-time. I was waiting on credentialing to be completed, but I have not heard from the physician so I think he changed his mind about hiring me. I refuse to call him because he has given me several start date so far and I keep calling to figure out what's the hold up and he keeps changing the start date. I did get a second job offer this week at another pain management clinic. I asked for 125,000 but he said he couldn't do that and offered 115,000, this job has absolutely no benefits except for paid holidays and two weeks vacation the first year. This office is very nice, it's in a nice part of town, Monday through Friday 8 to 430 with 30 minutes for lunch, and the demographic of patients seem to be much easier to deal with. There is no contract, but I am expected to see 40 patients a day, With 70% being medication refill. The physician appears to be very easy to get along with. I am really considering this position, because after a year I am ready to work. My plan is to stay for a year to get my experience, and then possibly do locum tenem. This journey has been a very unpleasant one and I would like to hear any feedback or recommendations. BTW I am an FNP.

Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
You have repeatedly used your personal experience as an exemplar to describe what you believe getting a first NP job should be like. I'm very happy for you that things worked out well for you in your search for your first job. Of course, not everyone will have the same circumstances or luck that you had with your job search. There have been many threads on this forum posted by new grad NPs in different parts of the country who are having trouble finding jobs. Launching an NP career isn't simply just getting a job. The fit has to be right otherwise the NP is going to find himself/herself looking for another job not long afterwards. This is basically what I was trying to explain in my previous post. Imagine moving all the way across the country to accept a job only to find a few weeks in that you hate both the job and the location. People look for opportunities that suit their personal circumstances. Consider that not everybody can or wants to move to the Western USA or to live in a rural area.

If someone wants a job, and they can't get a job where they are, they must move. That's what people in all professions do.

My offers were not all in rural areas, either. They included cities of 100,000 people up to 1 million people. Isn't that big enough?

There are ways for a new grad NP to evaluate job offers, as well. They can look at the training offered, ramp up schedule, and so forth.

The first job may not be perfect, but people have to stick it out sometimes. There is always something to be learned. What is wrong with going to a rural area for 1 or 2 years? No one is saying an NP has to stay there for the rest of their life. Once an NP has experience, it much easier to find a good job. So some sacrifices may be required for that first job.

Personally, I don't have a trust fund. I have to work to live. So I will go where the work is. If someone has a better approach to finding a good NP job, I'd sure like to hear it.

As far as using myself as an exemplar, since I have proven success, why not? Do you have a better exemplar? I have said over and over that people have to be willing to move if necessary. Other than that, there is nothing so special about me.

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When would you guys suggest starting to apply for NP jobs? I will be graduating this summer and want to get a head start if I can.

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If someone wants a job, and they can't get a job where they are, they must move. That's what people in all professions do.

My offers were not all in rural areas, either. They included cities of 100,000 people up to 1 million people. Isn't that big enough?

There are ways for a new grad NP to evaluate job offers, as well. They can look at the training offered, ramp up schedule, and so forth.

The first job may not be perfect, but people have to stick it out sometimes. There is always something to be learned. What is wrong with going to a rural area for 1 or 2 years? No one is saying an NP has to stay there for the rest of their life. Once an NP has experience, it much easier to find a good job. So some sacrifices may be required for that first job.

Personally, I don't have a trust fund. I have to work to live. So I will go where the work is. If someone has a better approach to finding a good NP job, I'd sure like to hear it.

As far as using myself as an exemplar, since I have proven success, why not? Do you have a better exemplar? I have said over and over that people have to be willing to move if necessary. Other than that, there is nothing so special about me.

I'm done responding to your trolling. I've said all that I had to say. Have a nice day.

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Getting started can be very, very rough. I was told at one interview, after I graduated, that the NP market was "flooded" in the area.

Yep, some 15 years ago.

I would have taken anything, anything at all, to make a living.

I was working a crappy part-time RN job in a LTC facility just to survive, and not lose my house.

My first NP job (that finally materialized) came with good benefits, but zero raise from being an RN.

I was paying student loans. We owned a very modest home with a mortgage. We could not vacation or travel. For years.

It takes what it takes.

And it took some time to get better.

My husband had a job that was not easy to transfer. We couldn't just up and move.

But better, it did eventually get.

Hang in there.

But don't be like pathetic substitute teachers. that do the work for 30 years, with no benefits, and 1/3 the pay.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
I'm done responding to your trolling. I've said all that I had to say. Have a nice day.

Trolling? Why? I gave specific tips for success in job hunting. You provided a lot of negativity and standard pablum like networking. I think you are angry because I am a positive person and my success proves you are wrong.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
Trolling? Why? I gave specific tips for success in job hunting. You provided a lot of negativity and standard pablum like networking. I think you are angry because I am a positive person and my success proves you are wrong.

How is the new job going?

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
How is the new job going?

Very well, thank you. It's hard and scary, and I worry about ever learning everything I need to know, but my feedback has been good.

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