when job hunting N By Keith Carlson, BSN, RN, NC-BC


urses once combed classified ads in the newspaper to find a job, but 21st-century job seekers use the inter- net to connect with salient positions and employers. Job boards have changed for the better over the years in


terms of navigability and user interface; most are fairly easy to use, and available positions can be found through filters, including location, specialty, type of facility and other criteria.


Niche sites Niche job boards may be particularly useful to those in certain specialties, such as travel nursing. Since traveling is an idiosyncratic type of nursing with its own peculiari- ties, finding those jobs is best accomplished through niched


seekers posting a profile on a job board should understand how that board functions and whether keywords are salient to recruiters’ searches. If so, profiles should be seeded with keywords that will make the candidate attractive to the right employers. Language is important, and job board users should put


as much thought into their job board profiles as they do for their resumes and cover letters.


Beyond boards No matter how robust and comprehensive job boards are, nurses should have a multi-pronged job search strategy that includes networking with other healthcare professionals,


Language is important, and the job board user should put as much thought into their job board profiles as they do for their resumes and cover letters.


platforms. Travel sites may be sponsored by a specific travel company and only publish positions under that company’s purview. But some sites feature multiple travel companies, all under the same digital roof. Many generalized job boards exist for nurses seeking a


variety of positions. Tese sites often allow the applicant to create an online profile that acts as an ersatz resume. On some sites, recruiters and potential employers can peruse user profiles, contacting nurses who appear to have the skills or experience they’re seeking. Some job boards are not specific to nursing, but have a


robust nursing presence. If perusing a non-nursing job board, you may have to dig slightly deeper to find what you’re looking for; then again, such sites tend to be relatively user-friendly and most have simple user interfaces and navigability.


Strategizing Some recruiters and organizations seek potential candi- dates on job boards by using search terms and keywords. Job


22 Visit us at NURSE.com • 2017


both online and face to face. In-person networking oppor- tunities include career fairs, local and regional nursing organization gatherings and meetups (both formal and informal), conferences, and other places where healthcare professionals gather. Meanwhile, nurses can use online networking platforms


and social media for meeting other like-minded nurses and healthcare professionals, as well as influential members of particular organizations and companies. Te earnest nurse job seeker also can request informa-


tional interviews with nurse managers, CNOs and other nurse leaders to learn details and insider information about a particular employer or area of specialization. •


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CHECK OUT the Nurse.com job board at Jobs.Nurse.com.


READ MORE about informational interviewing at Nurse.com/Article/Informational-Interviewing.


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