Changing Jobs: Tips For Finding A Job You Want

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Happy Wednesday everyone!

We have been a little sporadic with our posts because both Sara and I are going though some changes. One of which is: I'm moving!

This will be my first time actually trying to find a job as a nurse that is outside the hospital I practically grew up in. It has been a time of growth and some growing pains. There is little information on job hunting for nurses specifically, so I wanted to share some tips that I have used.

• Make a resume that stands out

This may sound obvious, but I don't just mean the information should stand out. The visual impact of the resume or cover letter should be appealing. I used a website called Canva to make mine with great results. It is clean and professional with the information clearly displayed and organized. For bonus points, make your color scheme the same as the hospital or clinic's. It shows you actually put in some effort to get to know the company and your documents are already mirroring the hospitals. On a psychological level, it will also make you more favorable to the recruiter or manager too.

• Use job sites

Go ahead and post your resume on sites such as Glassdoor, Monster, or Indeed, etc. Recruiters are constantly crawling these sites. You can set up alerts to be notified when something you are interested in gets posted as well. Don't limit yourself to just jobs sites though!

• Use word of mouth

Talk to people who live and work in the area you are interested in. They can give you the scoop on which facilities are good to be employed with. Even people who are not medical are good to speak with. They can give you some outside perspective of how patients and their families feel about the facility and the care it provides.

• Apply through the facilities' website

You can often search by specialty and once you fill out one application on their site its a breeze to apply for others since they have most of your information and experience already. I applied for 7 jobs in one day with the same hospital. It was very easy. You also can get some specific information about the facility and it will help you with your application.

• Read the facilities' website

Do not blindly apply to jobs! Read the company website, look at their mission, what does their values statement say? You are going to be working for them and representing their company. You need to communicate in your interview that you know what this company is representing. Make notes and put these values in your cover letter or make it a talking point in your interview.

• Keep organized

This may be obvious, but keep track of where are you applying and who you are speaking to. Follow up on your emails and phone calls.

• Be honest

If you don't want a job just tell them you're not interested. You have goals and specialties that you are interested in. Stick to those! Unless you are coming under the wire and need a job. There will always be jobs, just be patient and believe in your abilities to stand up for the position you want.

I'm sure there are other tips to landing a call to interview with them, but these are the highlights for me. If anyone has suggestions or questions, please let us know!

As always, please continue to monitor...

- David RN