Iman Abuzeid, MD is CEO of Incredible Health, the fastest-growing hiring platform offering employers a new way to hire permanent nurses.
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Nurses are heroes: That’s a story that everyone supports as nurses tirelessly battle a global pandemic — often without proper personal protective equipment. But what is often less recognized is the nursing shortage crisis (the need for registered nurses is expected to grow by 12% from 2018 to 2028) and the challenges nurses face to change hospitals or their facility during this RN labor shortage crisis.
Navigating a career in nursing can be as difficult as in any other industry, if not more so, due to variable employment opportunities, evolving expectations of applicants and never-ending changes to technologies. Difficult, but not impossible. Whether you’re starting your career as a recent graduate or you’re an industry veteran looking to make a change, now is the time for you to take control of your nursing career. Here are three ways for nurses to successfully navigate the job search process.
Prepare For The Job Search
Nurses should first decide which state they would like to work in and determine the state’s specific requirements that need to be met prior to applying to open jobs. You should also ensure that your continuing education units (CEUs) are up to date and catch up on any CEUs that have fallen behind.
Another good thing to do as you’re looking for new jobs is to look at a wide range of healthcare facilities. Start by getting a feel for the facility’s culture and leadership to make sure you will be happy and feel fulfilled at work. If you’re a staff nurse, pay particular attention to and get to know the unit leaders’ communication and leadership style. Research has found that when nurses are more satisfied at work, there is a positive impact on patient satisfaction.
At the beginning of your job search, it’s also wise to consider working with a career coach — someone who understands the demands of the nursing profession as well as the healthcare system. Nurse career coaches are uniquely able to help job-seeking nurses to think outside the box and explore all of their options.
Resume And Interview Must-Haves
When drafting your resume, rather than simply listing out roles and places of employment, make sure you also incorporate a professional summary to better highlight your strengths and important experiences. This should be written in the third person and only three to four sentences long. Nurses should include specialty care and skills, as well as any unique educational background information such as mentorship or volunteer experience to highlight industry passion.
When you make it to the interview, nurses should ask questions about their potential role and the culture of the facility. Again, culture is crucial to happiness and patient outcomes and should be a big deciding factor in where you take a job. Not only will asking questions help you better understand the open role, but asking informed questions will help the interviewer know what is important to you in a job.
Network, Network, Network
The age-old saying “it’s all about who you know” cannot be stated enough. A survey conducted by LinkedIn found that over 70% of people have been hired through their personal connections. Consider joining an online community to network with other nurses, pose questions and hear from nurses who have the experience that you’re interested in to better understand what you’re looking for in a career. Further, reach out to nurses who work in the facilities you’re considering to gain an insider perspective on what your day-to-day job could look like. This could also give you insight into open positions that might not even be posted. If you’re open to meeting in person, workshops and continuing education classes are also a great way to meet other nurses, strengthen your skills and connect with people in your industry.
There has never been a more acute need for nurses as the world battles a pandemic and we face a global nursing shortage, but finding a nursing job should not be an uphill battle. By capitalizing on your unique strengths and finding a healthcare facility that matches your values, it’s possible to find long-term job happiness.
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