which start date to choose?

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Specializes in public health.

My original post in the career section was not getting any response, so I want to ask it here.

I recently got hired and my supervisor gave me two possible start dates. She said I could start in mid November or Dec 1 if I want to take a vacation first (since I have to work at least several months to get enough PTO to take a vacation. She said it doesn't make any difference for her or the department when I start. For me, money is not an issue here, I don't have to work immediately to pay my bill. I do want to have a vacation. But I was wondering if I choose the later start date, would that make me look bad or less enthused about the job (even though she said it doesn't matter)? Thanks!

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Specializes in Pedi.

Do what you want to do. As a new grad, I was given the option of July or September and I chose September because I wanted to have a final summer.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Pick the date that is most convenient for you. If they offered you two options and said either one was fine, then that means they offered you two options and either one is fine. It's not some sort of secret test to see how bad you really want the job.

Congratulations!

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My kid started his job the Monday after graduation; a number of his classmates went to the same employer, but they took a few weeks or a month off first. Guess whose seniority is still important today?

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Specializes in Oncology.
My kid started his job the Monday after graduation; a number of his classmates went to the same employer, but they took a few weeks or a month off first. Guess whose seniority is still important today?

You beat me to it. I started the week after graduation. Several of my classmates and other new grads waited a month or two. When I had Christmas off and they didn't they were kicking themselves.

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Specializes in Pedi.
You beat me to it. I started the week after graduation. Several of my classmates and other new grads waited a month or two. When I had Christmas off and they didn't they were kicking themselves.

Starting later actually worked out in my favor in that sense. Everyone who started in July finished orientation in mid-November and had to work all the holidays. Those of us who started in September finished orientation mid-January and had to work NO holidays that first year. By the time the next holiday season rolled around, there were plenty of people under us. The only time I ever worked a Christmas day shift was by choice.

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Specializes in Oncology.
Starting later actually worked out in my favor in that sense. Everyone who started in July finished orientation in mid-November and had to work all the holidays. Those of us who started in September finished orientation mid-January and had to work NO holidays that first year. By the time the next holiday season rolled around, there were plenty of people under us. The only time I ever worked a Christmas day shift was by choice.

That's great for that year, but the new grads that started right away are going to have more seniority than you for the rest of your careers.

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Specializes in Pedi.
That's great for that year, but the new grads that started right away are going to have more seniority than you for the rest of your careers.

Not really. This was a non-union hospital, seniority of 2 months didn't matter one bit. The only thing that mattered when it came to getting a good schedule and/or vacation time was whether or not you were on the manager's good side. I often had better schedules than one of my friends who started in the summer because our manager liked me better. And, since not a single one of us is still at this hospital, it doesn't matter in the least today. I've never regretted the way I did it.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Seniority is more of an issue in union facilities, where even a day's seniority can make a big difference. And it only matters if you're going to stay at that union facility. Get a new job at a new facility (not counting internal/same organization transfers, of course), and the counter resets to zero.

But in the non-union facilities I've worked at, a couple of months of seniority were--like KelRN215 stated--a non-factor once you were were off of orientation. Then again, other non-union facilities may do things differently.

OP: see what your facility does, and then it's up to you to weigh the pros and cons of each start date.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Rehab.

I would probably just go with the earlier start date and take a vacation in 6 months to a year when I became eligible for PTO. But my vacations tend to take a lot of planning and money so if I took a random 2 weeks off, I'd just end up sitting on the couch and vegging. I wouldn't read too much into it though. If the nurse manager said either date is ok, then either date is ok. It really comes down to personal preference.

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I just accepted an offer for a new job and they gave me two choices of start dates and said either was fine. I chose the later one due to 2 prior commitments the week before the start day. When they give YOU the choice, pick what works best for you personally ;)

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