7 Tips on How to Land Your Dream Nursing Job

After all the effort to finish your degree and get your nursing license, the next big step is landing the job you want. Nursing is a diverse career with plenty of opportunities in many different medical facilities working with all types of patients. To get the best nursing jobs, follow these tips on creating a resume, searching for a position, applying, and interviewing.

Top 7 Tips for Landing a Great Job in Nursing

Before you can get hired for the best nursing jobs, you need a great game plan. These tips can help you find the right opportunity.

1. Choose the Type of Workplace That Fits

One of the great benefits of nursing is the versatility in potential workplaces to get a job. Nurses are in demand in many different clinical and healthcare facilities. The places you choose to apply will affect things like schedule, patients you see, or whether you work directly with patients at all. 

There are career opportunities for nurses with:

• Hospitals
• Outpatient medical clinics
• Long-term care facilities (rehabilitation centers, nursing homes)
• Home health care agencies
• State or county health departments
• Health insurance providers

Traveling positions are another option where nurses are in high demand. These positions could be short-term (a month or less) or long-term positions that last several months. Many healthcare facilities have a nursing shortage and hire temporary nurses as they look to hire someone new or when there is a surge in patient volume—such as a busy summer season in a vacation destination. Traveling nurse jobs are ideal for someone who is flexible and can move around to wherever they are needed.

Read More: Top 8 Considerations When Exploring Travel Nurse Positions

You can also search for workplaces that meet specific needs, like the best nursing job for new grads or the best nursing jobs for moms to find something that matches your current life situation and career goals.

2. Create a Great Resume

Your resume is an essential tool to help you stand out among other applicants with similar educational backgrounds and qualifications. There are plenty of “how-to” articles on creating a professional resume. Still, the important things potential employers are looking for when applying for a nursing job can differ from office jobs.

Make sure your nursing resume includes:

• A summary of credentials, education, and professional goals
• Your degree program (associate’s or bachelor’s in nursing)
• Credentials, including any specialty certifications like Registered Nurse
• Experience, including clinical hours, internships, or other real-world work
• Volunteer experience, especially if it’s healthcare-related

Other things that can help you stand out are awards and honors, recognition from school or past work, and things like bilingual skills. If you belong to a professional (or student) nursing association, include that information as well.

If you are changing careers or have non-nursing work experience before school, you can include that (as long as it’s within the past ten years). But keep it brief since it’s not as applicable to your current job search. Format your resume in a way that’s easy to scan with plenty of white space, bullets, and headers. Before submitting your resume, proofread carefully—a single typo or error can sink any application.

3. Know Where to Start Your Search

There are plenty of places for you to job hunt. Many schools have career services that will help you look for available positions in your local area (and some can help you find positions farther away).

You can also look for jobs on:

• Professional networking sites (LinkedIn)
• Online job boards (Indeed, ZipRecruiter)
• Professional nursing organization websites (American Nurses Association)
• Nursing-specific websites or online publications (Nurse.org, American Journal of Nursing)
• Employer websites (hospitals, clinics, insurance companies).

4. Consider Internships or Volunteer Work to Gain Experience

Many nursing jobs require experience, which can be difficult for nursing school graduates. But there are a few things you can do to gain real-world experience. Instead of looking for a job immediately after graduation, look for internships that will provide an opportunity to apply what you learned in a real-world clinical setting. 

You can also look for volunteer opportunities with organizations like the American Red Cross, international medical missions, nursing homes, or other community health nonprofits. Sometimes the best health professional jobs to gain experience are ones you do as a volunteer. 

5. Do Some Research Before You Apply

Every organization is different, and not every job will be the right one for you. Before applying for a job, research the position, the work environment, schedules, and other factors that could influence job satisfaction. If you know someone who works there already, they would be a great resource. 

Reading reviews online using websites like Glassdoor or Salary can help you understand the workplace environment. Assessments can provide insight into the application and interview process. Some websites have information about how many interview rounds you will go through, what questions to expect, and similar information that can prepare you for what’s coming.

6. Practice for Your Interview

Resumes are the way to get your foot in the door, but the interview is your time to shine. Typical questions you might get during your interview include:

• Why do you want to become a nurse?
• What do you know about our healthcare facility?
• What are your career goals?
• Why did you choose this nursing specialty?
• Give us an example of how you handled a situation with a difficult patient.
• What are some of the personality traits that make you a good nurse?
• How do you stay organized when you have several tasks to complete?
• How do you handle stress in your work or school life?

Every workplace may ask unique questions, so be prepared to discuss your experience in nursing, your educational background, and your strengths. Make a list of your most important qualifications before the interview and get those across in the interview.

Read More: 20 Nursing Interview Questions from Indeed

7. Stay Flexible and Open-Minded

Nursing positions are critically important, and there are many different types of nurses and jobs available. Being flexible on job location and hours can help you land a great job quickly. Many hospital facilities have nursing jobs with 12-hour or overnight shifts, which are harder to fill and generally more available. 

Nursing positions in rural communities are also in high demand, so if you can travel or are willing to move, you can get great experience in a place where your skills are in demand.

Now Celebrate and Prepare for an Amazing Nursing Career

When you get the job offer for that perfect position, the last thing you should do—after celebrating, of course—is to start preparing for your first day. You can find tips on being ready for your upcoming job on the Scrubs & Beyond blog and shop for all the scrubs and accessories to stay comfortable and productive in your new position.