5 Myths That Are Crippling Your Job Search

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First of all you both sound like smart ladies. There are alot of stumbling Blocks for Newly graduated Surgical Technologists. I graduated with honors from a degree program and have lost track of how many CNA's are also filling this role by inhouse training. They have no chance of being certified, and as a CNA, and Phlebotomist. I know how frustrating it is knowing that someone with far less skills is filling a role due to budgetary issues. Unforunately for all of us with government cuts and unemployment, the job market is competitive. I have also noticed several jobs that keep getting posted and not filled thus skewing the number of healthcare providers needed. I live in Florida and you think it would be easy but it isn't. Good luck to the 2 unemployed nurses you both sound qualified, and intelligent.

Kevin Keane CST,CPT,CNA of FL 8:22AM July 21, 2010

A grad degree does mean something, especially in this job market, just look at the jobs available and most are now filtering out folks without the grad degree or you will need an additional 4 years of experience. Now granted you make maoney as you gain experience, but to say the additional degree is not something to go for is a mistake.
Yes grad school is expensive but working at a job not in your field doesn't pad your future resume, but a grad degree will. Let's get real

paul of CA 8:28PM July 20, 2010

With the nursing shortage you would think that there would be more jobs for LPN's but the healthcare field is all capital oriented so they only ask for CNA's or MA's. The field isn't customer first it's the budget first. The ones that are let go are the nurses and employees working with them. But there is always room for a few more administraters and corporate leaders. I have been lookig for something since the middle of March and it's all on line. I haven't heard from anyone and the applications are still on file and the jobs are still posted online.
It is a world of no face to face anymore only computer. It really doesn't make for good impression of the person and their experiences. Having been an LPN for 40 years now and with experience in many medical fields I think that I am an asset to any institution and with more knowledge than either of the other CNA's or Ma's. We are capable of working very well under the guidance of the RN.

Patricia E Mullen of HI 5:19PM July 20, 2010

I have been a nurse for 45 years. Last August 2009 I was working at a nursing home for 9 days, a Cna told me something, I replied with the correct answer but a husband of a patient who was on hospice and dying over heard, did not like it and reported me. I was discharged on the 9th day of employed . I do not know if I can do this again. any suggestions? Mary Boven RN BS Nutrition and Naturology

mary boven of CO 2:38PM July 20, 2010

LOL! Please keep your two cents!
I have staff from India on a H-1B visa who will work for just one Cent,
So Thomas G. of MA, you MUST learn to Compete, Compete, Compete, Compete,
Compete Globally, Globally, Globally, Globally.

Susan Chesterfield of NY 2:56PM July 19, 2010

The bottomline is, GIVEN ANY FIELD, You have to start at the bottom. Nowadays, most companies are revamping their designations so as to make them more attractive. For eg: the B/FI sector, where there are designations such as Financial Services Consultant (FSC). Technically speaking, a 'consultant' is someone who has accumulated a wealth of experience over time and can now be considered as a reliable source for 'consultations' over the subject matter at hand. However, the FSC, on the other hand is an entry-level position. So, this way the employers are trying to make the designation levels more lucrative, but the fact still prevails that the positions are front-line/entry-level ones.

Aditya 11:05AM July 19, 2010

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blake of NV 5:12PM July 16, 2010

Myth: I have my degree, so I don't need to start at the bottom.
I'm acquainted with a recent humanities college grad from a top school. Decided he would move to the Big City and apply for jobs with many of the fine nonprofits here. Problem was, he didn't think he should shoot for anything lower than a management position because he graduated from a big-name school and had lots of "personal experience" related to the issues addressed by the organizations he was looking at. Humanities grad. Minimal real-world work experience. Adamantly refusing entry-level nonprofit work that could have laddered him into a program manager position within 3-5 years, especially if he decided to pursue a Master's degree. Instead, he's moving back home. I wish him luck, but is no one TELLING these new grads what the job market is?

jobgrrl of IL 10:35PM July 15, 2010

As someone who recently interviewed 17 candidates for ONE position and was mildly impressed with only one of them, I can attest that being human in an interview is critical. People must keep in mind that at some point, you will sit in front of and talk to potential colleagues thus they want to get a feel for how you will fit into the environment. If you have NO personality or even worse, an arrogance about yourself, no one will want to work with you. Be professional but be human!

FLy11 (Fashionizehaus.com) of MO 4:59PM July 15, 2010

RE: "When employers require a degree, it's often not because the degree itself prepares you for advanced level work; rather, it shows that you meet some baseline minimum qualifications for the entry-level jobs."
Actually, the work one does at a more rigorous institution (not all curricula are created equal) over-qualifies for some of the "entry-level" jobs out there. Depends on the job.
More often than not, there's a record that you accomplished something (you made dean's list, you served on student government, you maintained an acceptable GPA, etc.), and that you may repeat the process in the paid world of work.
"To get to the more interesting jobs, you'll generally need to add work experience on top of the degree."
And even the current market is TOUGH for those with advanced education coupled with work experience. It's a nightmare out there post-recession.
Don't knock grad school, unless, of course, the student is going to borrow a bundle for it and end up in a non-related line of work. If going into the same field later on (as in, at least that's your plan), it could pay off if one gets into a decent tier graduate school. Look at PhD placements from the top schools, sometime, and even post-recession, many from the top tiers are still getting good academic jobs. Some of my favorite grad student instructors are in tenure track jobs at prestigious private or top-ranked state schools.
Depends on the program, but some of those PhD's are, indeed, getting offers at the end of that lonnnnnnnng tunnel. They're seeing the light, finally.
And tenure = JOB SECURITY.
Going to grad school? Pick a top school. That's the ticket to payoff later on.

Not in grad school, but not knocking it of IL 7:29PM July 13, 2010