Un-accepting position one week before start date

goodstudentnowRN · Jun 19, 2010

Oh boy this is tough...You know how many graduates out there including myself would want a job? Think about what you are doing and I hope you will not regret your decision.

excessively_diverted · Jun 20, 2010

Typically a 'two-week notice' isn't mandatory, it's mainly just a curtsey. One week may seem like a short period of time, but you're under no obligation to give them more time. If this other job is what you've been waiting for and is a better opportunity for you then go get it! Don't settle for less when you're being offered more. The hospital you've been working at may be disappointed and try to make you stay, I'm sure they would understand that this is a better plan for you. It's not like they won't be able to fill your spot in an instant! lol Good luck with whatever you choose! :)

tothepointeLVN, LVN · Jun 20, 2010

I'm always on the side of not burning your bridges and always being respectful to employers. You made a commitment to accept a position. You took a position that might have been someone else's dream job. Now your jumping ship?

The grass is almost never greener. A switching to a hospital thats in the same system as the one you are already in is risky. You never know who is going to call who.

A former classmate of mine when I was in nursing school got kicked out of clinicals at a very nice hospital and sent to a nursing home instead when she was rude to a labworker doing her drug screening at what she assumed was an unrelated clinic. Same parent company.

I'm just seeing a rash of these "I took it because I couldn't get something else and now I am going elsewhere" posts. Which is good that new grads and nurses under 1 year of experience are getting positions but in a lot of ways your creating a problem for the new grads behind you.

It's no wonder hospitals aren't hiring new grads. Why should they when all they do is leave?

caliotter3 · Jun 20, 2010

Don't be surprised or disappointed if after you give notice to the first hospital, something happens and your second job offer is also gone.

tothepointeLVN, LVN · Jun 20, 2010

I do have to second what caliotter3 has to say. If your dream job is in the same hospital system as the one you are already committed to then transferring further down the road should be possible.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 20, 2010

First, don't even think of giving notice at Job #1 until Job #2 is guaranteed. By this I mean you have received an official job offer from HR, not just a casual "oh, we'd love to have you here" by the manager who interviewed you....because no matter what Job #2 tells you, if you don't have an official job offer in hand, you don't have a job.

Now, if you do have that job offer in hand...

You may or may not burn a bridge with Job #1 by leaving on short notice--you need to accept that possibility. Given that time is very short, I would tell them you're leaving as soon as possible. Also, given the glut of new grads out here, they will not have a problem replacing you, so if things don't work out with Job #2, don't expect that they'll be saving your spot at Job #1.

Also, job hopping often doesn't look good to employers. Yes, sometimes it has to be done...and yes, you technically didn't start Job #1 so you wouldn't have to put it on your resume, so other employers may not need to know about it. But since both hospitals are under the same parent company, THEY'LL know about it, and that may be held against you if you decide to pursue other opportunities in that hospital. Especially if you get to Job #2, find you don't like it and want to bail after three months.

It's a hard decision you have. Good luck.

PiedPiperRN · Jun 20, 2010

I have been a few situations where I was offered a job that started less then two weeks from the offer. I know that this isn't exactly your sitatuion. In my cases, I told my new employeer that I will need two weeks for proper notice to my last job. In one case when I did this, my new employeer was happy to give me those two weeks, as they would want thier employees to extend the same courtesy. I felt that the new employer respected me more for this.

In the other case, the training started in less then the two week period, so I worked with my old employeer to work shifts outside the training period. I did miss part of a training day, but everyone was willing to work with me.

D1914 · Jun 21, 2010

I was in a similar position. This is a business decision and you have to do whats best for you. Jobs fire people all of the time, so remember that loyalty beings and ends at home. Don't listen to any of these other new grads that can't find jobs, make decisions based on your own circumstances. Good luck!

suanna · Jun 21, 2010

You are not currently in the "staffing pattern" so two week notice isn't as imperative as it would be if they were counting on you to show up to take report on your assignment. Talk to your "home floor" nurse manager, and thank her (or him) for the opportunity, but you can always offer that as a first position, you want the broadest possible experiences to optomize your skill set as you begin your career as a nurse. I'm sure (mostly) she will be supportive of you desire to persue opportunities that enhance your long term career choices. By all means tell your floor manager as soon as you can so they can offer the position to the best second choice candidate.