Get the Nursing Job You Really Want

You’ve finished nursing school, passed the NCLEX, and now you are ready for your next move – getting a job. There are several things to consider to help boost your chance of landing your dream nursing career.

Fine-tune Your Nursing Skills:

It is essential to start practicing your skills every chance you get. Even before you graduate, take advantage of your school’s skills lab and seek out opportunities during clinicals to practice and deepen skills. As you gain nursing experience, be sure to highlight the nursing skills you perform in your job on your resume.

Make Your Resume Sparkle:

Having a nicely polished resume will help get you to the interview process. Stand out from the rest of the applicants by having a resume that grabs the reader’s attention. Adding a summary to your resume is a great way to highlight your achievements, skills, and experience. Summaries are not always necessary, though. If you lack relative experience or achievements to spotlight, don’t feel that you have to write one.

Proofreading your resume is essential. Have several other people proofread it and give you feedback. They may find grammatical errors that you missed or have other suggestions.

Nail Your Interview:

Your resume caught their attention, and you’ve been asked to interview. This is when making a great first impression is vital. Impress the recruiter with the following tips:

  • Dress appropriately in professional or business attire.
  • Fully educate yourself about the job you are applying for by studying the company website, job description, and requirements.
  • Be prepared to answer common interview questions, such as describing situations you have been in and how you reacted to them. Other commonly asked questions often include attributes you would bring to the team and how others may describe you.
  • Always remember to smile, respond positively, and be friendly. The interview is your chance to show them that you would be a great addition to their team.
  • After the interview, follow up with a thank-you email. Besides showing respect for their time, you can use this as an opportunity to highlight certain parts of the interview and reiterate your desire to be hired for the position.

Continue Your Nursing Education:

By continuing your education or seeking an advanced nursing degree, you will open doors to new career opportunities. There are many different programs available, and many hospitals and organizations offer scholarships or tuition assistance to employees. One popular career advancement for nurses with a bachelor’s degree is the nurse practitioner route, which was ranked the #1 Best Health Care Job according to U.S. News and World Report.

Job Hunting Made Easy:

There will always be a need for more nurses. As the baby boomer generation ages, the demand for medical treatments and health-related services continues to increase. The need for nurses is projected to increase by 9% in the upcoming years. A convenient service available to nurses is job placement through recruitment companies, such as All Med Search, to help you find your dream job – hassle-free.

 

About the Author:

April Rowe, RN has over fifteen years of experience as a Registered Nurse in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), Pediatrics, Home Health/Hospice/Palliative Care. By combining her passion for nursing with her love of writing, April creates content through articles, blog posts, educational materials, etc. She lives in South Carolina with her husband, children, and three dogs.