Most nurses change jobs 3 times during their first 7
years of working. That is a good
indication that you need to keep your resume up to date. The first thing to keep in mind: Anything you
achieve at your current job that is special or out of the ordinary should be
documented and remembered. Keep a file
of certificates, seminars attended, and awards--anything that makes you stand
out from other applicants.
Organizing
Prior to sending out resumes, organize your
accomplishments, and combine them with the job responsibilities that you
currently have. Be sure to include
projects that you have assisted on, or unusual cases you have worked with. The general rule of thumb is, if you have
been out of school less than 10 years, include a short paragraph of school
accomplishments. You always want to
include your school and degree, however if you have been out of school over 10
years, just list the school and degree.
Organize your information, starting from the most current, going
back. If you are unsure of your resume
writing capabilities, it may be advisable to hire a professional to prepare
your resume. There are numerous programs
and apps to help guide you through, so in most cases preparing it yourself
should be just fine. Be sure to do a
spell check and grammar check, that is the number one cause of rejection of
resumes. Once prepared, it’s advisable
to send 5-7 resumes out at a time, waiting 1 week for results. If no response comes, send the next set. Because nurses are in such demand, if you
don’t get a response with the second set of resumes, it’s time to have someone
go over the resume with you and make sure it is adequate.
Preparing for the Interview
When called for an interview, if possible go with the
interviewer’s schedule, as you want to be accommodating to them. Make sure you prepare for the day of the
interview, allow plenty of time to get ready, and locate where you are
going. It is no longer necessary for
women to wear skirts, it’s now appropriate for anyone to wear a blazer, and
pants with a nice shirt--male or female.
Take a few copies of your resume with you just in case the person
speaking with you does not have it on hand, or would like a copy for someone
else.
Related: How
to Ace a Nursing Job Interview
During the Interview
First impressions are everything, and if you don’t
adhere to that, you will soon realize you have made a mistake. Greet your interviewer with a smile and a
firm handshake, be sure to hold any bags in your left hand, leaving your right
hand free to shake. Let the interviewer
take the lead, however expect them to leave an open area to describe your
goals, where you see yourself in 5 years, etc.
Have those answers prepared ahead of time so you can offer precise and
quick answers. When they ask if you have
questions, try to think of at least one, they appreciate you showing an
interest. Before you visit this
facility, do a little research, and that can come from you in the form of a
comment, such as “I know that this is the busiest hospital in this
region”. It is fairly common today to
have at least two people conducting interviews.
If this is the case, be sure to address both parties equally. At the end of the interview, thank the
interviewer or interviewers for their time.
If the job is one you have an interest in, follow up with a small thank
you card saying you appreciate their time.
Job Offers
You may not get any calls for a while, then all at once
you have 4 job offers on the table.
Ideally, you should ask if you can consider the offer, and then do some
very involved research on the facility.
How happy are the employees, check the reviews online, however keep in
mind employees that are terminated may not give accurate reviews to a place
that let them go. Check multiple reviews
and sites, then average them out. Compare
salary, and don’t overlook benefits which is a huge portion of salary in itself.
When you decide which job
to take, be respectful of the ones you turned down. Call the person that offered the job, and
thank them kindly for the offer, letting them know that you have decided to
accept another position. This not only
is the polite thing to do, but it also it keeps the doors open in case the job
you accept does not work out.
Related: List
of nursing organizations
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