Healthcare experts have been talking about the registered nurse (RN) shortage for many, many years. It is old hat for nurses who find themselves working longer hours under less than ideal circumstances. And yet, finding a new job is not as easy as it might sound. Even in the midst of a verifiable shortage, medical facilities are very choosy about who they hire.
Perhaps this explains why some nurses might be reluctant to leave an employer they are not so fond of in search of greener pastures elsewhere. RN jobs are out there but finding a better job than one currently has is not a given. It takes work.
If you are an RN looking for a fresh start, Health Jobs Nationwide has some suggestions. In addition to the five below, they recommend making good use of online jobs boards.
1. Review Your Resume
Your resume represents your first opportunity to make a good impression. The same rule that has applied for the last decade is still in force: hiring managers do not have time to go through multi-page resumes in detail. This is not to say that your resume shouldn’t be that long. Rather, it is to suggest that the first page should highlight those things that are most important to this particular job search.
A strong resume highlights strengths, relevant experience, and any specialty care and skills the nurse might possess. Continuing education achievements should also be listed in the summary if they are relevant.
2. Target Specific Regions
Nurses looking for RN jobs in other states can do themselves a big favor by targeting specific regions. Licensing and continuing education requirements differ state by state, so targeting specific regions will help avoid some of the confusion and chaos that comes with trying to make sure requirements are up to date.
3. Research Job Descriptions
It is not unreasonable to assume nurses looking for a change of pace would consider a different type of work environment. You might have a nurse that has spent the last 20 years providing renal care in a hospital ICU. Now she is thinking of switching to general dialysis. The two work environments are considerably different. Researching what a dialysis nurse’s typical day is like can be a big help during interviews.
4. Research Employer Facilities
Hiring managers have certain expectations of the candidates they recruit. Among them is a working knowledge of the facilities themselves. In other words, hiring managers expect job candidates to know a little bit about their facilities before they come in for scheduled interviews. Independent research shows initiative. It also demonstrates that a job candidate knows at least a little bit of what she is getting herself into.
In light of that, researching employer facilities is critical to having the necessary confidence at interview time. Candidates should learn as much about a given facility as possible in order to facilitate intelligent conversations with hiring managers.
5. Make New Connections
Finally, the old adage of knowing the right people holds true in the healthcare arena. Candidates stand a far better chance of landing their dream RN jobs if they know people who can put in a good word or pull a few strings. This suggests taking the time to make new connections in the midst of a job search.
RN jobs are out there. That said, hiring managers are very discriminating in who they hire. They want the right balance of experience, knowledge, and temperament. Job seekers offering the right balance are like gold. Those that also approach the job search with confidence are in the driver’s seat.
