[SingDanceRunLife]

To preface this: I'm a nursing student.

...I have a job dilemma:

There's a summer job that I've wanted for almost 3 years now...a "city host" position with a Christian organization (CSM) doing missions work in the inner city...and then there's camp nursing, a job that I've always thought I would apply for/take the summer after my junior year in college (I'm a sophomore), mostly because I didn't know that camps hired students...

So, I'm pretty far into the process with CSM...I've filled out the application, done the phone interview, and am trying to schedule the last part, the site visit, and I've also applied at various summer camps that hire students, and have a bite from one...a BIG BITE!...as in, less than a week has passed since I put my profile on a site for camp nurses, and this camp has already emailed me, called me, and said that "maybe we could tie this up in the next couple of days."

I can't do both, as they're both summer long positions...but I don't know which I'd prefer because they both have their pros and cons. CSM doesn't make their decision til around March...but if I get an offer from the camp within the next couple of weeks, I'll have to make a decision without knowing about CSM...

CSM Pros:

* Organization does great work
* Good experience in community (I want to do community health nursing or pediatrics)
* Get to live in a city for the summer, hopefully LA

CSM Cons:

* Long days
* Shared residence
* Gone for the entire summer
* Much less pay than the camp

Camp Pros:

* Nursing experience
* Some independence
* Get to work with kids full time
* Only 2 months of the summer
* Amazing pay

Camp Cons:

* Limited experience
* Stuck at camp all summer
* Would be a major minority there (I'm black and a Christian, and most people who attend the camp, and even work there are Jews)

I feel like I can make a really good argument for either job, though as of right now, it's easier to say why I should take the camp job...

Camp job argument:

It's pretty much in the bag, it's much better pay (more money for less weeks worked, and probably less hours worked per week as well), it starts later in the summer so I could have a real vacation beforehand, it'll give me experience in nursing (and in peds which is great because I'm thinking about that as a career, and my peds class is next year), networking (I'll be working with one other nurse -- 3 if you count the two nurses at the other camp that's connected, and 4 doctors), I love working with kids, it would be closer to home, and summer camp is fun!

However...my argument for CSM goes something like this:

It's a job I've wanted for years, this is the only year it really makes sense (next year I'll be a graduate nurse and will be taking the NCLEX during the summer and will be able to work either as a GN or RN, and the year after that, I'll be done with college and needing to find a permanent job), I'm almost guaranteed to love it, I'll never get bored, I'll be in a city, I'll get leadership and community experience, networking for community organizations (I also have an interest in community health)...

HELP!!!

[PleaseHelp]

WOW. That is a big decision to make. However the only one to make it is you. I like the way you have listed everything out. Here is my opinion: if you say no to the camp job, do you know for certain that you will get the CSM job? It sounds like you need the job for the experience and either job would give you the experience. I wish you the best of luck in deciding which job to chose. Please keep us updated.

[SingDanceRunLife]

There is no guarantee that I'll get the CSM job...at all! I don't know how many people apply each year, but I know that CSM has 9 cities to staff, and each city gets between 5 and 8 hosts (what I applied to be), and that LA gets 8.

Experience is important to me because I am very future oriented, and I know that the more experience you have, the more likely it is for you to get a job, especially a job you want. Since CSM is very community focused, that's great for my desire to go into community health nursing, but the summer camp has kids 6-16 which is great for my desire to go into pediatrics.

[splitimage]

Wow - what a tough decision. I like how you've listed the pros and cons of each.

If it were me, I'd take the camp job if it was offered.

Here's my thinking - getting any job in this economy is difficult so to get one that pays well, will give you relevant experience in an area you hope to get into, and allows you to network is a bonus.

As for being as you put it "A serious minority". That experience could actually work to your advantage when it comes time to find a full time job when you graduate. You can legitimately say that you've had experience working with a very different culture and you learned x from it which make you more sensative to Y. I just got hired by a hospital, in finance not as a nurse, and part of the mandatory training I have to complete in my first 2 weeks on the job, is diversity training.

As for getting community nursing experience, I'd think you could get that through volunteering if your school schedule allows. Volunteer at a low income or free health clinic or something like that.

That way you meet both objectives.

Good luck in making a decision.

splitimage

[SingDanceRunLife]

CSM would be better for the diversity thing, in terms of having worked with different cultures...

But here's what I'm thinking:

I'll call the camp tomorrow and see what happens...and if I'm offered the job, I'll say that I'll get back to them within x amount of time so it gives me time to contact and discuss with CSM.