Boost your career trajectory


T e right plan and tools will help you carve out a successful career


I


’m in the big room now, wired for audiovisual. I have four techs for support. My back-to-back sessions may have 1,000 participants. T e demand is high because I’m speaking about how to fi nd the right job for the 15th time at the National Student Nurses’ Association’s annual conference. Attendees are


exceptional nursing students, the kind who come up to me and ask heady questions such as, “How do I become a nursing leader?” But after graduation, it comes down to a question that’s on the mind of nurses throughout their professional lives, “How do I get the right job?”


Assuming you have researched and found what you believe is the job for you, there are things you can do to increase your chance of getting it, regardless of how long you have been a nurse. T e job market is fl ooded with equally qualifi ed candidates, so you need to sell yourself as the one special nurse who is uniquely suited for that position. Remember, organizations that have a job opening have a problem, a vacancy that represents work not being done. If you market yourself as a product that represents the solution, you have a better shot at success. But what makes a good product?


Presentation: Whether we like it or not, many people judge others based on their appearance, so look smart in every professional situation, not just a job interview. When you do get that interview, we have cut- ting-edge tips for acing it from Donna Cardillo, MA, RN, CSP, a well-known career expert, in this career guide.


Content: As nurses, we all have basic education that allowed us to become licensed. However, the most successful job candidates have supplemented their entry-level program with further formal and continu- ing education and certifi cations. Plan for lifelong formal credentialing, and you give yourself a leg up on competing nurses who haven’t. If you don’t have the resources right now to enter graduate school, make sure you’re certifi ed in your specialty. Nurse.com has certifi cation courses that help you prepare for every conceivable specialty examination. You also can count on Nurse.com to stay abreast of emerging specialties.


Reliability: Nurses need to be rock solid in their credentials, experience and expertise. You must be able to deliver on what you say you have, so people can depend on you, whether you are a new or seasoned professional.


Reputation: Fair or not, people evaluate products not only through their own use but also through word of mouth from others. Always do your best and know that others are watching. You need good references, not burnt bridges. You should be mindful of your reputation; it will follow you around like a vengeful devil or a guardian angel. It’s your creation.


Accessibility: Once you have developed yourself into a desirable product, you need to make yourself available. Make sure your email address and phone number are accurate and reliable, and your voice- mail message is polished and professional. Be ready to respond within 24 hours to employer queries. If you’re going away for an extended time, be sure to refl ect that in your email and phone messages.


Methods for nurses seeking a job haven’t changed, but some of the traditional tools have. Tips on resumes, interview techniques, job boards and emerging specialties are all discussed within this career guide, as well as what the nursing job market and salaries look like today. You’ll also fi nd referrals to Nurse.com online sources that can help keep you in charge of your career path. Learn how to apply innovations to enhance your status as that special nurse whom organizations are seeking. Once you have satisfi ed the product basics listed above, you can devote your time to making yourself stand out among your colleagues. In the months ahead, I will be writing the careers blog devoted to just that. Visit Nurse.com/ Blog to read my perspective. For those of you who remember me as the fi rst editor of the Philadelphia/ Tri-State edition of Nursing Spectrum, I’m back! •


ROBERT G HE OBERT G. HESS,, JR 8 Visit us at NURSE.com • 2017 JR.


PhD, RN, FAAN Executive vice president, education programs & credentialing, healthcare


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