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10 tips on finding your perfect job

Stressed Out Nurses Weekly, March 17, 2008

By Kathleen Blair-Harmon, RN, clinical educator

Graduation time is right around the corner, and passing the NCLEX exam is No. 1 on your list of priorities. No. 2 should be to start thinking about finding your perfect job.

As a new graduate, you will be anxious to enter your chosen specialty directly after graduation. You will have a multitude of opportunities open to you, but be careful to fully evaluate each job opportunity to determine the best one for you. As you begin to seek permanent employment, remember to keep an open mind. Look to the Internet, local newspapers, nursing journals, nursing instructors, and friends to identify employment possibilities. If you know what to look for, you will find yourself in the exact position you want. The key is to know what to ask and how to decipher the answer. Let's look at the questions you should be asking yourself-and your potential employer:

1. Do you have a specialty in mind? How many hospitals in your community offer this specialty? Who is offering training for this position? The more unique your special interest, the more restricted you are when seeking a position. This may not make a difference if there is a great need in the area, but it may also mean you will have to relocate.
2. Look carefully at the description of training classes. Is the program both classroom and clinical? Is it strictly working with a nurse trained in the specialty? How long does the program last? What is your commitment to the hospital when you sign up in this program? Ask to see the program objectives and scheduling in writing.
3. What type of continuing education is available? Is it available on all shifts? Is there enough to meet your state's requirements?
4. What is the hospital's standing in the community? Do you hear others talk positively or negatively about the patient care offered? If you or a friend had clinicals in the institution, were you positively or negatively impressed?
5. Newer is not necessarily better. A new facility with huge rooms and modern architecture may be very alluring, but don't judge a book by its cover. Take note of the cleanliness, equipment availability, and organization of a facility. These attributes are more important.

For more of this story (plus a whole lot more!), please visit our site.

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