Career Frustrations

[panthermike]

Hey all,

Just wanted to vent a little here because I'm sure many here have had similar experiences. On April 26th, I received my degree in Radiographic Sciences so I can practice as an X-ray tech. I didn't know what I wanted to do for a while so it felt great going to school and accomplishing a goal.

Thing is, now that I have the degree and my state/national certifications; I can't find a job! Part of the problem here in AZ is the Radiography field is way saturated. Not enough jobs and at least 4-5 schools pumping out hundreds of students every year. I feel like I'm kind of stuck though as I'm going back to school next July for Radiation Therapy(although I'm questioning that as well since it's such a small field).

Anyways, I just accepted a job as a delivery driver. I accepted the job because 1. I'm very bored right now. All I do is house related work and work out. 2. It will certainly be nice to start quickly paying down my school loan and our Civic car loan.

Anyone else have experiences like mine? It's very frustrating to not be able to work in my field yet. I certainly will actively keep looking. Funny thing is though, it took my wife 9 months to find her first job and she's a nurse! Only been 3 months for me so far, but it's not a good feeling, plus I want to keep my skills sharp.

Thanks for listening

 

[Rand]

you can goto school anywhere.

If nothing else is holding you there.

 

[Mr Nice]

Yep, the job market really sucks for X-ray, MRI, CT, Ultrasound, Nurses, Respiratory Techs..., etc... The problem is that there are sooo many schools graduating folks with very little job prospects due to the glut. I also have a healthcare background but not in nursing or radiology.

Indeed.com has many stories of people with no jobs after finishing school.


http://www.indeed.com/forum/job/radiologic-technologist/no-jobs-rad-techs/t24195

 

[expat]

Quote: Not enough jobs and at least 4-5 schools pumping out hundreds of students every year.

Same old story.
Has happened to a few people I know.
Consider moving or emergrating?

 

[dparm]

Consider moving.

U of A has some enormous new hospital complexes -- no openings there?

 

[joaks]

Its interesting that both you and your wife are in "hot" fields (healthcare) and are having trouble finding jobs. I am also in a "hot" field (biomedical science) which is also saturated. My current position should last for about three years and I am already looking for my next job. I have a friend who might finally having something lined up soon but was thinking about going into bartending (something he did early in college) just to keep food on the table.
I don't have a magic solution for you. Of course keep looking. Try all of the websites (indeed.com, monster etc) and look outside of your current location as you may need to move.
Also make sure your resume' and online profiles are perfect. Any time there is an opening, there will be others just like you applying.
Good luck!

 

[Swarmlord]

Join the Army.

 

[jrustles]

Beware of those TV colleges pushing "medical technician" training and all kinds of other cool and hopeful sounding career fields! You go in thinking you'll be a doctor and come out ready to be a nurse!

Originally Posted By: panthermike
Hey all,

Just wanted to vent a little here because I'm sure many here have had similar experiences. On April 26th, I received my degree in Radiographic Sciences so I can practice as an X-ray tech. I didn't know what I wanted to do for a while so it felt great going to school and accomplishing a goal.

Thing is, now that I have the degree and my state/national certifications; I can't find a job! Part of the problem here in AZ is the Radiography field is way saturated. Not enough jobs and at least 4-5 schools pumping out hundreds of students every year. I feel like I'm kind of stuck though as I'm going back to school next July for Radiation Therapy(although I'm questioning that as well since it's such a small field).

Anyways, I just accepted a job as a delivery driver. I accepted the job because 1. I'm very bored right now. All I do is house related work and work out. 2. It will certainly be nice to start quickly paying down my school loan and our Civic car loan.

Anyone else have experiences like mine? It's very frustrating to not be able to work in my field yet. I certainly will actively keep looking. Funny thing is though, it took my wife 9 months to find her first job and she's a nurse! Only been 3 months for me so far, but it's not a good feeling, plus I want to keep my skills sharp.

Thanks for listening

 

[Donald]

Once the HCRA kicks in next January there will be a whole lot more people seeking medical care.

You may need to move to find a job. But your wife has a job as a nurse. I have always lived in the northeast so I am not familiar with job opportunities elsewhere. But I would think there would be more jobs near major cities.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: jrustles
Beware of those TV colleges pushing "medical technician" training and all kinds of other cool and hopeful sounding career fields! You go in thinking you'll be a doctor and come out ready to be a nurse!


I feel horrible for the kids that go to UTI and Wyotech and graduate not knowing how to diagnose themselves out of a cardboard box. We usually don't hire them and go to the local community college that I went to. The training is the same, and they kids aren't $50k+ in debt with a "degree" that has credits that are non transferrable to a 4 year school. Plus it is a lot better to get them in with a little knowledge and send them to Ford school on the dealer's dime instead of the student's.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Once the HCRA kicks in next January there will be a whole lot more people seeking medical care.

You may need to move to find a job. But your wife has a job as a nurse. I have always lived in the northeast so I am not familiar with job opportunities elsewhere. But I would think there would be more jobs near major cities.


Hospitals in north carolina are already laying off workers. More businesses will only hire part time. reimbursement is down. elective procedures are down( shoulders knees etc.)

 

[Mr Nice]

Just because ObamaCare / HCRA kicks in doesn't mean hospitals will increase hiring. It will just force hospitals to trim the fat, freeze hiring (do more with less) and cut payroll (no more new full-time employees, just per diem with no benefits), contract and outsource services.

Read Daily Job Cuts.com to see all the hospital layoffs across the USA. TONS of layoffs at hospitals recently. At first the hospitals said "we are restructuring" ,
but now they are coming out and saying its due to ObamaCare / HCRA. My wife works at a major hospital in Palm Beach and they recently had 80 layoffs and that's just the beginning.


www.DailyJobCuts.com

 

[Falken]

Hang in there, and keep busy.

Everyone is experiencing some sort of a job glut right now in many fields.

Also, there may be many temporary foreign workers and other aspects that are wrecking your chances.

Up here in Canada all employers do is cry to the Government that there are no qualified employees.

But they don't mention that there are plenty of qualified people, just not that many that are willing to work for 13$ an hour that have viable skills and schooling.

 

[wkcars]

Maybe find some volunteer work at a clinic or something to keep up your skills and get experience that you can add to your resume, maybe you might be able to get some leads on jobs from other people volunteering there. The job market is tough right now even people with bachelor and grad degrees have a tough time finding jobs after graduation. Good luck.

 

[jimbrewer]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Just because ObamaCare / HCRA kicks in doesn't mean hospitals will increase hiring. It will just force hospitals to trim the fat, freeze hiring (do more with less) and cut payroll (no more new full-time employees, just per diem with no benefits), contract and outsource services.

Read Daily Job Cuts.com to see all the hospital layoffs across the USA. TONS of layoffs at hospitals recently. At first the hospitals said "we are restructuring" ,
but now they are coming out and saying its due to ObamaCare / HCRA. My wife works at a major hospital in Palm Beach and they recently had 80 layoffs and that's just the beginning.


www.DailyJobCuts.com



Adding 40 million people to the health care system is going to have a positive effect on hiring on all but emergency care, which is where those guys go now. Sure, it will be at Medicaid reimbursement rates (with the other rates not far behind).

My advice? Get out of Phoenix. Don't be afraid to move to a small town somewhere to start. That's what I did and it changed my life.

 

[rjundi]

Find an area(potentially move) with the jobs likely places not desirable to get experience and then come back?

My wife had a blast in her 20's as a traveler as Physical Therapist. Cruddy places but she did something every weekend and tried to keep near airports. Basically made a lot of money but burned it too.

Experience is key as a leg up.

 

[Fleetmon]

I think Swarmlord probably gave you the best advice....join the military if you can get in. You're already trained/schooled in a professional career and the military may allow you to expand upon what you've already learned.

 

[MONKEYMAN]

My niece graduated 3 years ago as a school teacher. She has only been able to substitute teach. When there is an opening there is a lot of competition. The school she went to keeps on graduating teachers.

A lot depends on timing. My brother received a bachelor degree in computer science back in the "70's, just before things took off. Back then he was the first person I knew that went to college. Now it is very common.

 

[Scott_Tucker]

I graduated with a [censored] in information systems in December and am having trouble finding work in that field. Luckily, I also have 2 AS degrees in automotive technology and have had an extremely successful career restoring cars and am in high demand so I have a job that pays well. I have conquered every aspect of that job and am ready for my next challenge.I am looking for something more technical. I also have background as a software developer so I am looking for something that combines cars and computers. I live in Silicon Valley and there are plenty of places to work, but hiring here seems to be really messed up right now. Nobody will call you (or even email) to tell you whether your resume made the grade or not. People in HR seem to be really flaky right now.

 

[Sunnyinhollister]

The radiography field is saturated. See if you can temp anywhere and maybe continue the education to get into the nuclear medicine field or nursing. Around here that's about the only hospital jobs I see open.