How To Find A Nursing Job - 8 Tips To Take Some Of The Headache
Out Of Your Search
Do you have your nursing degree and are ready to take the
medical industry by storm? Are you an experienced nurse looking
for an exciting new challenge? Regardless of the level of your
nursing experience, looking for a new job can be a
time-consuming and frequently frustrating process. A big part of
the job search process is knowing where to look for nursing
positions.
The following tips and tricks are designed to take some of the
headache out of your search, by giving you some guidelines on
steps you can take to land your ideal nursing position.
1. Visit the recruiting departments of local hospitals, medical
centers, and doctor's offices to inquire about available
positions. If there are no current vacancies, ask if you can
submit your resume to remain on file should future openings
match what you are seeking.
2. Contact recruitment and contract employment agencies.
Aligning yourself with a recruiter can give you access to jobs
that are often not advertised to the public. The great thing
about recruiting agencies is that allow you to "apply" for
positions at multiple companies simultaneously with a single
resume submittal, since most recruiters will shop your resume
around to all of the available openings.
3. Use the internet to your advantage. Searching for "nurse" or
"nursing" on major job boards such as Monster.com and
Hotjobs.com will unearth hundreds of available openings - just
be aware that competition for these positions is stiff since
hundreds of other nurses are looking at and applying for the
exact same jobs.
4. Don't be adverse to accepting a contract or "training"
position. This are often a great way to get you foot in the door
in the medical profession. It also gives you a chance to
evaluate an organization and department to ensure it is a match
before fully committing yourself to a long-term full-time
position.
5. Colleges and universities that offer nursing degrees often
have a database of available positions in the school's Career
Center. Career Center advisors are also excellent sources of
information on how to network in the industry and get your foot
in the door. Many schools limit Career Center resource access to
current students or alumni, though, so you may be limited to
your Alma Matar.
6. Network, network, network! Let friends, family, and casual
acquaintances know that you are on the market for a new
position. Since most companies are much more willing to
interview (and potentially hire) candidates who have already
been vouched for, it's important to get the word out that you
are available and seeking a new opportunity.
7. Don't forgot to investigate often-overlooked nursing avenues
such as:
o School nurses (contact the local School Board for openings) o
Health Department Openings (both local/county and state offices)
o Health insurance companies o Assisted living facilities and
retirement homes o Universities and colleges seeking teachers
for nursing school programs o Mentorship programs o Traveling
nurse programs that place you on short assignments at different
locations around the country
8. Searching nursing-specific job boards for available
opportunities is a great way to target only those jobs that
require your degree and background. For example, internet sites
http://www.NursingJobs.org and http://www.NurseOptions.com offer
free access to a wide range of nursing positions nationwide.
There are many other excellent on-line resources for nursing job
information.