What's the job market like in the Toronto area?

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I've been applying to several hospitals in and around the GTA (think the Golden Horshoe, mostly) and have had no luck - not a single call back. I posted my resume in the Resume Help section and got some feedback, but overall it didn't seem like I had any glaring issues with it. I have 2.5 years of medical/oncology experience and have a wide skill set due to the nature of the unit I work on.

I'm wondering: what's the job market like in the area I'm applying to? When I graduated in 2010, the economy had taken a turn for the worse and a lot of hospitals in the GTA had hiring freezes, making it quite competitive. Is it still about the same or is it something on my end that I'm doing wrong or not doing enough of? I'm starting to feel rather inadequate. For the record, I'm an RN and want to stay in an acute care setting.

Any insight would be fabulous!

I'm not too sure what kind of nursing you're interested in doing. If you're not interested in a specialty, what would you like to do?

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Hi. Yes I'm a native Torontonian. I finished my degree and promptly moved to AB at the end of 2010. There are jobs for new grads in part time lines, especially if you can handle living in rural AB somewhere for at least a year.

Wow. you really relocated that far. I'm an IEN just got my license this november and currently taking Coronary Care 1 at Humber, and planning to pursue Critical Care Nursing. I'm still in that crucial phase of landing on my first job. I got a job offer from an agency and will start next week, I'm not that satisfied but of course it's still experience/work thought i may be assigned in LTC. I know it's gonna be tough especially I had my last working experience in NICU back home (in 2010) I don't have any Canadian clinical experience that's why i decided to pursue continuing education. Relocating to another province will be my last resort.

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LTC isn't the end of the world! When I graduated in AB, there were no jobs. A job in LTC was a job! You learn time management, delegation and how to keep your head above water.

I had no option to relocate, husband's job is here, kids are here. But I learnt my trade in LTC which made the crossover to Acute Care that much easier.

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LTC isn't the end of the world! When I graduated in AB, there were no jobs. A job in LTC was a job! You learn time management, delegation and how to keep your head above water.

I had no option to relocate, husband's job is here, kids are here. But I learnt my trade in LTC which made the crossover to Acute Care that much easier.

Yea i know that's why I'm not really complaining coz it's still a job, and I also need to be acquainted with the system here in Canada. I just hope to be directly hired in a facility so I have benefits and it's also good if it's under ONA.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

You take what you get and learn to make the best of things. Relocation was/ is tough. However, this was the best decision I could have made. I've learned A LOT, the money is better than ON, and my loans are paid. I would have been paying loans for eight years in ON. I'm 40 years old. I needed to start my career immediately, whatever that took. And I've done that. The time has flown by. We're at the tail end of a major recession. If you really want to succeed, you make the sacrifices. Many others have and are doing the same. Always consider the larger picture when you're thinking of change.

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Specializes in Oncology, Medical.
I'm not too sure what kind of nursing you're interested in doing. If you're not interested in a specialty, what would you like to do?

I'm not entirely sure myself. I'm not interested in certain specialties, which I've already listed. However, I'm pretty open to anything else related to acute care nursing. I was thinking either something surgical or cardiac related, since surgical isn't something I've done a whole lot of and I've always been interested in the cardiovascular realm but haven't really gotten in-depth with it.

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Its interesting that with changes in the economy, the first things that seem to be cut or condensed are the roles of nurses. Hospitals attempt to balance budgets, and they immediately cut educational benefits for nurses, or the positions altogether. RN positions are being cut at my hospital like wildfire, and replaced with RPN's, or are disappearing altogether. I have also heard the same at hospitals across toronto and Ontario for that matter. I guess the standard of care is changing dramatically. Who suffers...well I guess the patients do. All in all, the job market is tough and stagnant. That said, I see new hires appear, so keep up and maybe apply to areas outside your domain.

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Wow. you really relocated that far. I'm an IEN just got my license this november and currently taking Coronary Care 1 at Humber, and planning to pursue Critical Care Nursing. I'm still in that crucial phase of landing on my first job. I got a job offer from an agency and will start next week, I'm not that satisfied but of course it's still experience/work thought i may be assigned in LTC. I know it's gonna be tough especially I had my last working experience in NICU back home (in 2010) I don't have any Canadian clinical experience that's why i decided to pursue continuing education. Relocating to another province will be my last resort.

Congrats kheemooy.. Hope you are settled with the new job environment by now and my advance wishes on your Critical Care Nursing.

I am still searching for my first job. But I am not sure if I can / would like to take a job from an agency because of the unknown assignment (I guess I am afraid of long travel / new environment every day if the assignment is for home care). Any advice from your experience?

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Congrats kheemooy.. Hope you are settled with the new job environment by now and my advance wishes on your Critical Care Nursing.

I am still searching for my first job. But I am not sure if I can / would like to take a job from an agency because of the unknown assignment (I guess I am afraid of long travel / new environment every day if the assignment is for home care). Any advice from your experience?

You're certainly right with what you said about the agency. I haven't got any call from agency for the past week, so there's really no guaranteed hours as well. It's not really advisable especially for IENs since there's no proper orientation. I'm currently taking my Coronary Care 2 at George Brown College. Will start my Critical Care Nursing E-Learning Graduate Certificage Program at Durham on May. I thought it will be a good investment for my career and I'm also aiming for the placement/preceptorship and simulation which will help you in networking and hospital experience. :)

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