no jobs for rad techs

Hello, I am currently a junior pursuing a Bachelor's in Biology. I was thinking about being a cytotechnologist. But with all the negativity about being a techy, I am unsure. I still have time to really think about what I want to do with my life. It would mean a lot to me if anyone could give me any good ideas about professions pertaining to biology, zoology, environmentalism, etc. that pay fairly well(not ridiculous, like a doctor's salary), are somewhat enjoyable, and have good employment rates.

If anyone could share their experiences with pursuing a career that is Biology-related(throughout a wide spectrum of interests, not just technologist positions), I would greatly appreciate it! I feel very lost

i graduated this past june w/ my bachelor's degree in radiography. i had THE hardest time finding a job (cleveland, OH). i finally landed one and it's full time, but all i will be doing is taking portable chests. i guess i can't complain b/c it's a good paying job. i just know i'm going to forget how to x-ray everything else :(

i really want to get certified in something else...i just can't decide on WHAT!

R in Lorain, Ohio said: i graduated this past june w/ my bachelor's degree in radiography. i had THE hardest time finding a job (cleveland, OH). i finally landed one and it's full time, but all i will be doing is taking portable chests. i guess i can't complain b/c it's a good paying job. i just know i'm going to forget how to x-ray everything else :(

i really want to get certified in something else...i just can't decide on WHAT!

R,
How did you find your job? Was it by applying for an online listing? It seems that's the only way nowadays. You can't walk in and talk to a manager to hand them a resume. I just graduated and have not found anything. I'm just applying online when there's a job listing. Is there a better way?

yes, i applied via an online application. i looked at indeed.com A LOT! i also subjected myself to craigslist, haha. i also must have walked into at least 10 different places to hand them my resume and heard NOTHING back from anyone. you either have to have GOOD connections or just get lucky.

Lori in Columbia, South Carolina said: I seem to be having the same issues as most of you guys. I graduated in August, 2007. I've landed several interviews but all of the employers here seem to be looking for "experience". I am forunate enough to have a well paying job for the state (my background is law enforcement) that I've had since starting x-ray school. But I've spend alot of money, sleepless nights, and tears to earn my degree and I'd like to use it. Besides, the patients are my favorite part of the job!! I have considered volunteering just to gain more experience and exposure. If any of you guys have any recommendations or suggestions I'm definitely open!! Thanks

hi lori i just wanted to know if you have found a job or not? i'm thinking about going into rad tech but dont know if i should. could you offer me any advice thanks.

I'm in the same boat! Think I've applied to about 70 jobs...

How disencouraging it was to read all this! I'm a new grad (May 2008), live in Chicago where there are a hundred hospitals and believe me I've applied to them ALL, and still not even an interview! I got desperate one day and looked up X-ray in the yellow pages and called every listing. I finally got a bite from a company that does portable xrays at nursing homes here and in the surrounding towns. It's per diem and only weekends. I won't complain because at least it's some work and I'm getting experience and keeping some of my skills fresh. However, being that I had to sacrifice so much to get my degree, I was really ready to start making some real money! All I can say to you guys is to be encouraged. Xray school is not easy and God wouldn't have brought us this far to leave us. Things are going to look up soon. If we put Obama in office and universal healthcare passes, there will be a ton of new jobs in healthcare :) (I know, shameless plug.)

Has anyone here ever done the traveling tech thing? I've seen it online and got a call from a company that told me to call them when I get more experience. I heard it's all expense paid and pays well. Anybody ever done it?

I personally haven't done the travelling gig, but I have heard of some techs who have. It is a great opportunity if you are able to get in! I know that most agencies require at least a year of experience minimum. They pay for your housing and travel to the facility. You get daily food stipends and a car allowance. Plus you get paid incredible wages!

what entails a travelling tech exactly? I've never heard of that and it sounds interesting...what kind of technician do you need to be and do you just travel around to different states doing your job?

sara marsico in blacksburg, Virginia said: what entails a travelling tech exactly? I've never heard of that and it sounds interesting...what kind of technician do you need to be and do you just travel around to different states doing your job?

Traveling tech agencies do xray, mri, ultrasound, everything. I think they service areas that have tech shortages mostly. From my understanding they give you an assignment somewhere, you move there and work until the assignment is over. I hear it pays 2-3 times as much as a hospitals. And they cover your expenses.

I looked into it and think I would really like it. Get paid good and be able to live in different places. It sounds like a great deal for someone who doesn't need to stay in one place with family or such. But all the places I called said they require at least one year of experience and some of them require two years. A co-worker of mine called one of the agencies and they only had a few jobs available.

TOTTI in Los Angeles, California said: I am used to feel what you all guys are just feeling , i graduated in 2004 and after a year i got a job as RT here in california , but a year later i was laid off. after that i have applied many places but none offered anything, finally i moved to DUPAI-UAE and i have got a good paying job as RT and everything is easy right here they pay me more than how much they used to pay me back in home. so think about it.

HI,
it is good to notice your creativity by working somewhere in order to get a descent income. I am going to graduate next year May 2009. Is there anyway that I can follow your step to DUBAI, UAE. Please advice thanks

Hi everyone...

I can sympathize with what everyone is going through..it is rough. I got my ARRT (xray) license in 1999 but was laid off from my job last year. Since that time it has been absolute torture trying to find another job. One would think that living in the Philadelphia area it would be easy to "bounce back", but it is not.. Have traveled to places with in two hours from my home--It is not right..the way some HR departments treat potential candidates...experience means nothing (mobile, working in two trauma centers and two orthopedic offices), people discriminate based on my address. All of this rejection gets depressing.

For the new graduates..best of luck.

have been reading alot of these comments-i have been looking online at jobs for about 2 yrs now-i am employed part time. it seems ALL that is there , and that is very little, is prn.
employers do not want to make a committment to new employees-it all comes down to the dollar. yes the programs are graduating far to many techs in a market with a tech glut!i love what i do, but ia hate to say i would not recommend the field to anyone right now due to the lack of employment.

I just graduated with my RT in July. I have worked for a hospital as a lab tech for 18years prior to this and gave up full time with benefits to get my degree. I just this week finally got a call from the supervisor at the hospital I work at. They offered me part time Xray tech job. I'm praying that I will get more hours than they are budgeting me.. the sad part is a tech died.. thats the only reason I got a job. I went to school for this because the department head kept telling me "go get your degree and we'll place you" well up til now he pretty much avoided me. I love Xray but if someone is thinking of going into this field... my advice is to re consider.. I feel lucky to even be offered this part time because a lot of my classmates still aren't working at all.

:( in Omaha, Nebraska said: I'm in the same boat! Think I've applied to about 70 jobs...

It isn't any better here in Chicago. I just finally landed a part time xray job at a hospital I've been with for 18years. at least its something. I also have applied for MANY other positions. Even the hospital I work at wasn't going to place me until a tech suddenly passed away....

I graduated this summer,I work part time in a orthopedic office and I also have another part time job so I can survive.I am looking for a full time job but is so hard to find in the Dallas Fort Worth are.I will like a job where I can cross train in CT and maybe MRI. oti_dvolosen@yahoo.com

I just wanted you guys to know that there are NO RT jobs in the US. Find another career if you can!! The only positions you can possibly find, are in the upper northeast in crowded cities and unless you have 2 paychecks coming in, you can not make it on the income they are willing to pay, even the ones that say they pay well. Believe me, I have looked and that is it! In a nutshell.

Jean in Macon, Georgia said: Hey! I've also had a difficult time finding work. I've been employed at an urgent care outpatient center for 18 months. But we had to also do lab, include venipuncture. I didn't care for the lab so I'm now looking for x-ray position. I'd love to be able to be trained in CT, Mammo, or Ultra sound. If anyone can help hook me up I'd REALLY appreciate it.

Dream on, there is NOTHING in Georgia!! Because you are not required to have a license in this state, most urgent care facilities are now letting the office help do the x-rays now!! Hang on to your job now! It may not be there tomorrow!

Stormy in Chicago said: Has anyone here ever done the traveling tech thing? I've seen it online and got a call from a company that told me to call them when I get more experience. I heard it's all expense paid and pays well. Anybody ever done it?

Yes, I did it. You stay in crappy hotels that some don't have running water, with little or no sleep, work 0 to 77 hours a week, drive 20 hours more and do it all over again. If they can not work you those hours, then they send you all the way home for a day and then make you drive all the way back the next. It is not worth IT!!!

shavon said: hi lori i just wanted to know if you have found a job or not? i'm thinking about going into rad tech but dont know if i should. could you offer me any advice thanks.

By all means, read the posts!!

Yes, I have finally found a job! It took me 3 months but I got a full time position at a hospital and I am excited. It was a clinical site of mine that thought about me when a job came open so I got really lucky. Unfortunatly there are MANY of my fellow students that still have not found anything. I know of one that is already going back to school for ultrasound because she cant find a job. Even though I have found a job I really would suggest another field. It is a good job but the career has been pretty much destroyed by all of these schools pumping out techs. If I was to do it all over again I would have went another route, maybe nursing if it all interest you. I know that nurses are getting pretty much anything they want and there are tons of nursing jobs open. I would not go into radiology at this time, if it is so hard to get a job now imagine what it is going to be like in two years, the schools arent slowing down so that future is not so bright for future or current students.

I wish I could have a pool of applicants to fill my jobs up here in Maryland. I would suggest hiring a U-HAUL and moving to the D.C./Maryland/VA area. I would be shocked if you could not find a job up here that pays well.

I'm live in Maryland. I've been laid off and I'm having a terrible time trying to find another job. If anyone knows anyone who is hiring in the DC Metropolitan Area please let me know.

I checked into one of those Maryland positions some time back. The job was PRN, part-time at most (reads no benefits to me.) Not financially feasible to move cross-country for chicken scratch, HOWEVER, if you already live in Maryland, go for it. Stops the bleeding until something else comes along.

PART-TIME PRN POSITIONS WITH NO BENEFITS ARE THE ONLY TYPES OF JOBS AVAILABLE WHERE I LIVE.

I have two very part time jobs here in Chicago.. Trying to find a job with full time hours is almost impossible. I'm just praying that eventually one of my jobs will turn into full time or at least more hours... from what I hear, about half my graduating class still do not have jobs. I'm thankful I at least found something.

Would you consider a position in Greenbelt.

Nick, Now I see why you are jobless.

I have actually decided to take my own x-rays. (less headaches)

BTW- I am not a headhunter.

You might have a point though, the most rad techs I have interviewed do not have what it takes.

Dr. W, with all due respect, I would not want xrays taken on me or my loved ones by a physician who is not a radiologist. In my 20+ years working as an ARRT registered tech, I have not seen a physician yet who can take an xray of diagnostic quality unless he/she is a radiologist. For the most part, a radiologist is limited to a fluoroscopy unit.

There are different areas of study and one cannot be adept in all of them. What do you think it takes to be a competent tech?

Department of Diagnostic Imaging

The diagnostic imaging sequence is designed to provide the student with the skills and knowledge to utilize diagnostic imaging appropriately in chiropractic practice. The role of imaging technology in diagnostic decision-making is covered in a carefully constructed sequence of courses beginning with normal radiographic anatomy and culminating with specialized courses covering all aspects of the chiropractic imaging sciences.

With 4000 total hours, I can take, read and analyze x-rays.

Not an M.D. I suspected as much. Some of the absolute WORST films I've seen have come from chirpractors' offices.

'nuff said....

Dr. W in Severna Park, Maryland said: Would you consider a position in Greenbelt.

I would love to work in Greenbelt.

This is starting to get very very entertaining.

Why is a Chiro in this forum anyway???? Is he looking for Rad Tech to work or just here to rub in the fact that jobs are short because he'd rather use med assistant or himself to do a job they are not fully qualifed to do. . I don't know... I sure wouldn't want a x ray tech manipulating my spine.... or a obgyn doing ortho surgery...

Stormy in Chicago said: How disencouraging it was to read all this! I'm a new grad (May 2008), live in Chicago where there are a hundred hospitals and believe me I've applied to them ALL, and still not even an interview! I got desperate one day and looked up X-ray in the yellow pages and called every listing. I finally got a bite from a company that does portable xrays at nursing homes here and in the surrounding towns. It's per diem and only weekends. I won't complain because at least it's some work and I'm getting experience and keeping some of my skills fresh. However, being that I had to sacrifice so much to get my degree, I was really ready to start making some real money! All I can say to you guys is to be encouraged. Xray school is not easy and God wouldn't have brought us this far to leave us. Things are going to look up soon. If we put Obama in office and universal healthcare passes, there will be a ton of new jobs in healthcare :) (I know, shameless plug.)

I sure hope your right about that!!!

"Healthcare" has a life of its own in South Florida. I hear what you are saying.

I understand your concerns. It is MUCH different how things work there. Please do not generalize the rest of the county works the same way. It is not fair.

Wow..the anger in you. Keep on your path it seems to be working for you :)

First of all...their is no such thing as a "Basic X-Ray License" here.

In Florida you can go for 6 months and shoot x-rays, not here.

I can understand down there they can be hurting you. UP HERE THEY MUST COMPLETED A 2 YEAR PROGRAM and can do a lot more. They must be AART registered.

As I said before Florida is unique.

I would love to find another Rad Tech to shoot my spinal x-rays.

By the remarks I have received their seems to me an attitude issue here.

I know a Rad Tech could take better x-rays. The issue is finding one that has a positive attitude and enjoys their work.

It seems that most are bitter about the profession they picked.

My last tech was awesome, she loved what we did.

I am duly licensed to take and analyze spinal x-rays.

Sorry to burst your bubble. :)

Look..there is something called National Boards and State Boards. I have been and so has every chiropractor licensed in that state passed both. We are tested to READ x-rays of the spine. If there is any question regarding a film it is sent out for review to a radiologist.

I will be happy to stand toe-to-toe with you and reading a spinal x-ray for pathology.

your issues with "hooking up" with lawyers etc..that is one segment of our community that makes their living that way. Florida is the land of $10,000 PIP. Maybe those that take insurance might want to focus on that segment of care instead of taking care of those who are binded to a "fee schedule" or no reimbursement.

Dr. Michael in Washington, District of Columbia said: I would love to find another Rad Tech to shoot my spinal x-rays.

By the remarks I have received their seems to me an attitude issue here.

I know a Rad Tech could take better x-rays. The issue is finding one that has a positive attitude and enjoys their work.

It seems that most are bitter about the profession they picked.

My last tech was awesome, she loved what we did.

I live in Montgomery County and I have three yrs experience. How about me.

contact me at gardencogrower@hotmail.com

Just so long as you are not looking to leave when and if Shady Grove, Adventist or any other hospital calls you.

gardencogrower@hotmail.com

I too am an x-ray tech that cannot find work. I graduated in May. I have been too many job fairs, phone interviews, unemployment advisers, and no luck.

I understand hospitals want more experience. I tried to explain I do have experience, working 8 hour shifts, 3-4 times a week of hard work should account for something. I don't know what to do. If anyone can help even just a little advice, I welcome it.

Although I can not help you I feel your pain. I also graduated in May and had a terrible time finding work. Even now I'm working two very part time jobs that even still with hours added together come nowhere close to full time. I've been through the same here in Chicago. All the openings that are out there require experience, but no body will look at the long hours we put in for clinicals during school. It's very frustrating. Good luck to you in your job search. I hope things work for you. We put in so much time and effort for this degree. I just hope all the work eventually pays off.

I suggest finding a portable imaging company to work for. I too graduated in May, I kept getting turned down for lack of experience or wasn't getting called at all. In desparation, I looked in the yellow pages under xray and called all of the clinics and mobile xray companies to see if they were looking for techs. I got several immediate interviews and worked for one company part-time over the summer and just started with another this month full time with benefits . These companies provide you with a company vehicle to travel in your area doing portable xrays at nursing homes and some private homes. You process the images right in the truck/van and send them through PACS wirelessly. The pay is decent and there is a lot of freedom because you can some days set your own hours. You must love to drive! You spend most of your time in the vehicle. I like it so far. It's not my dream job but it's income and it's not hard work.

Trish, the mobile comapny I just started with will be looking for techs soon. Do you want me to keep you posted?