Knowing if you should accept a job offer is potentially the hardest part about job searching. You did the work, you got the offer, but how do you know if it’s a good fit? The following are key questions to ask yourself while navigating your way through job offers to know if you should take the job!
Can I Picture Myself Working Here?
If your response to this is no, then there’s your answer. There’s probably a reason why you can’t picture yourself working there. Maybe it’s because you’re thinking about working someplace else?
Do I Like What I’m Seeing as I Look Around?
Does the hospital or clinic look well kept? Do visitors look happy with their family members care? Does it look like patients are getting the care they deserve? Is the hospital or clinic doing a good job serving its surrounding community?
Do the Nurses Look Happy? Are They Enjoying Their Job?
A tell-tale sign of a positive productive workplace is the expression on the employees faces. Of course not all of them are going to be having the best day ever, but this should be a good gauge of their overall job satisfaction. If they look frustrated, put out, or exhausted this could be a sign of overworked and possibly underpaid employees. Usually not somewhere you’d want to work.
Does This Job Require a Two-Year Contract?
If an employer is requiring a two-year contract, it typically translates into them having a high nurse turnover rate. The questions here is why are their nurses leaving?
Are they not happy with their jobs? Are they leaving the hospital all together or simply transferring units? Do all the nurses look young, like new grads? Are there any veteran nurses? If not, this is probably because they left shortly after starting, which isn’t a good sign.
If this is the case, I would recommend looking elsewhere. See Where to Search for Your Dream Job for more ideas.
Are They Paying Me Well?
Pay is always such an unknown as a new grad. You don’t have any other nursing experience to compare it to so if you’re ever asked what you want to be making per hour, the truth is you really don’t know. The best way to figure this out is by totaling your typical monthly expenses, any student loans, rent, etc. Now go online and figure out what the average new grad nurse with your specific education makes in your area.
Another great resource is to look at what other hospitals base pay is in the area. You can even go on LinkedIn to see if similar jobs have an hourly pay rate posted. If right off the bat you know you wouldn’t be able to pay rent and/or start paying off those student loans with a lower hourly rate, then you know you should probably look elsewhere or think about picking up a side gig.
What Does the Surrounding Community Look Like?
Patient satisfaction is a huge indicator on how the hospital is doing as a whole. Does the hospital have good patient satisfaction rates? Do they respect the hospital? Or are the members of the community more likely to go to a hospital in a neighboring county?
Am I Excited About Working Here?
If you aren’t excited about working there now, on your third twelve-hour shift in a row where you’ve been peed on and cussed at, you’re certainly not going to be excited about working there then.
But if you’re excited about the possibilities this facility will provide and the growth you’ll be making as a new nurse, then even on your worst days you’ll see the silver lining. And that is what makes nursing all worth it.
Have more questions to know if you should take the job? Comment below!
Still in nursing school? Visit Top 10 Best jobs for Students in Nursing School for more info!
Be sure to check out:
- 10 Amazon Must Haves for New Grad Nurses
- What Do Night Shift Nurses Do? An Hourly Survival Guide
- Adjusting to Night Shift
- What to Expect Out of Nursing: Expectations Versus Reality
Unsure what specialty to go into? Visit the Specialty Nursing Series:
- What Makes a Good Med Surg Nurse?
- What Makes a Good ICU Nurse?
- What Makes a Good Peds Nurse?
- What Makes a Good ED Nurse?
- What Makes a Good OR Nurse?
- What Makes a Good NICU Nurse?
- What Makes a Good Labor and Delivery Nurse?
- What Makes a Good Psych Nurse?
- What Makes a Good PICU Nurse?
- What Makes a Good Onc Nurse?
- What Makes a Good School Nurse?
- What Makes a Good Home Health Nurse?
- And head over to their matching Specialty Nurse Interview!