SoCal job market NON new grad

[SailorWifey]

I just wondered if anyone has experience with this. I will have 2+ years acute care experience. I'm realistic about the application process and know its tedious. However, many of my coworkers are agency/travel nurses who claim that there are opportunities in this area. One coworker just picked up a contract to begin later this month, so I know that's there too. Most posts here apply to new grads so I just wanted to open up to experienced RNs as well.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

The market is better if you have experience. If you have a BSN (strongly preferred out here) and/or certification in your specialty, you've got a pretty good chance of getting a job. There's several hospital chains in the area: Kaiser, Sharp, Scripps...as well as other hospitals (Palomar, Pleasant Valley, Alvarado, UCSD). There's also the military hospitals/clinics and the VA.

Given that you're a military spouse (unless your username has an entirely different connotation, in which case I apologize for my assumption), you do have military spouse hiring preference at the government facilities...it does NOT guarantee you a job, but does give you a leg up over similarly qualified applicants. However, when I spoke to some nurses at Balboa this past February, the word was that they're under a hiring freeze. Still, try anyway as you never know.

There are several agencies around, but they don't always pay better than the hospitals. I work psych, so I can only give you more info on the psych opportunities with agencies.

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

I moved to the area with two years of experience and an ADN. The suburban hospitals didn't seem to be hiring much, but I did get some calls when I started looking closer to downtown. The job I was offered required two years of recent acute care experience as a minimum.

(copied and pasted from my response last time I saw this question, "downtown" is LA)

Good luck! Finding work is not impossible with a few years of experience.

[SailorWifey]

Thank you so much Meriwhen! Yes I am a military spouse. I have a BSN and am working on taking my cert exam so those should help. I am open to all possibilities, just really hoping to find employment when we move out there. Thank you again for your insight, I feel less overwhelmed now.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

It took me about a month to find something once I started looking. I don't have the BSN (yet) but I am certified in psych/mental health, so that helps atone for that sin. Still, there were a couple of places that don't want anything to do with me without BSN after my name. Oh well.