Being a registered nurse is one of the greatest achievements one can have. After years of med school and diplomas, you put yourself through it is often overwhelming to choose among the emerging nursing opportunities. Initially, as a nurse, everyone is a licensed patient care facilitator. However, there are many paths you can explore with the right techniques while looking for an opportunity.
Once you start exploring the job opportunities you will realize that the one you’ve been dreaming about requires a couple of years of experience, alas! Experience is important when you work in such a delicate field but that shouldn’t stop you from taking the path to your dream job.
Below are a few tips that every newly registered nurse should follow to secure a nursing job without experience and take your first step into the nursing career.
The Right Place for You:
Everyone learns the same thing in medical school but by the time every nurse graduates they have different aspirations. The right time to practice this aspiration comes after you have received your registered license.
As an RN you can practice nursing in multiple types such as residence, clinics, and hospitals. Once you have received your registered nurse license you will have to pick one specific role or direction you want to take the start with. Following are a few destinations you can work as an RN:
- You can work in a hospital setting.
- You can care for the elderly as a private nurse at residential care providers, or rehabilitation centers.
- You work in an elderly nursing home.
- You can work as a school nurse.
- You can work as a nurse at any local health care facility or clinic.
- You can even work as a travel nurse.
- You can work for local government agencies.
Choosing the nurse category that is most admirable for you helps set your career on course, build motivation even at the slow progress, and more importantly, you will enjoy the role you play.
Career Networking:
In the current century, we are several steps ahead of the traditional job hunt method of circling every advertisement in the newspaper. Yes, using newspapers to hunt a nurse position is still conventional; however, you can practice a few more different methods simultaneously to increase the chance.
If you haven’t checked with your school for nursing position opportunities, that should be your first stop. Many schools have career partnership programs with the local health facilities, which help the new graduates secure a position without any experience and you are likely to work as an intern.
If you want to advertise your skills and you don’t have a position yet then the best way to advertise is through networking. Networking helps increase your social network with people relevant to your career. Through networking, you can at least intellectually offer an overview of what capabilities you have. Networking can help you secure an unadvertised position and most importantly, you can get an on-call position easily.
You can network with a group of batch mates, in seminars, organizational events, charity events, etc.
Build a Resume:
License is not the only golden key to top nursing positions because you still need to impress your potential employers. Even without experience, it is important that you create an awe-inspiring resume. Cover letters work like a charm on resumes with no experience so don’t forget that.
Electronic resume layouts and fonts should be kept simple while you can go for a fancier look if you are handing the resume in print.
Electronically you should also know the logistics so you can survive any company filter. One technique is to add the relevant keyword in your resume through analyzing the job description as what is essential to the employer.
Don’t Think You Are Overqualified:
Several RN misses out on job opportunities because they think the current position doesn’t diminish their capabilities. Don’t believe in the notion that you are overqualified for a position because it may hurt your career and delay you from getting any position.
Initially, you will have to work very hard to secure any positions so it is best to grab any suitable one you find even if you have more qualifications than the job required. Even these minor positions can help you network your skills. Such positions also provide you with a higher chance of finding a job shadowing program.
A job-shadowing program is when you get an opportunity to gain experience and expertise in an additional area of the organization. These areas are often revenant or connected to your area as well. It helps gain insight and better performance.
Target Specific Jobs:
Even if you like to keep your experience diverse you need to start by targeting one specific job. Filtering your job search to one position helps well in securing a position and staying determined. By targeting a specific job you can use relevant words in your resume without having to change it continuously. You can use the job title filter on all the job researching boards.
Referring to your resume to the nursing agency georgia such as that of Bonaspm Nurses is one of the best ways to explore opportunities. A nurse staffing agency gives you the opportunity to explore positions away from your town, or in flexible shifts. If you want to grow with diverse experience nurse staffing agencies is the best shot.
Know the Answers:
Once your resume has passed the filters and the analysis of HR, you will need to ace the in-person interview. Today most faculties take two interviews. The first one is on call or through video to judge the basic ethics and potential for the position. Once you clear that you will be invited to the table for the in-person interview.
Interviews can be tricky but each employer assessments is different however one thing that is common is the few following questions:
- What are your career goals and why did you become a nurse?
- What are our strengths and weaknesses?
- Describe a challenge you overcame as a nurse or as an individual
The words may change but the essence of the question remains the same.
Pair up these basic specific target job search and networking techniques with patience and determination. Give your best to not miss an opportunity no matter how insignificant it might appear to you. Each position will bring you experience and better insight into your dream job.