5 Job Hunting Tips for New Grad Nurses
You survived nursing school and the NCLEX, and you are officially a new grad nurse!
Now you are ready to start searching for a new grad nurse job that fits your personal and professional goals.
Finding your first new grad nurse job can be both stressful and exciting. Below are five effective tips for successfully landing your first nursing job.
5 Job Hunting Tips For New Grad Nurses
1. Start Preparing Early
Start preparing for your job search before you graduate. Take advantage of your school’s career center, which can help you with everything from resume writing to developing interview skills and more.
In addition, attend job fairs to discover different nursing career paths in which you might have not known existed, such as contract nursing.
2. Create a Hiring Strategy
Landing your first job as a new grad nurse may not be easy. Searching for the right job can often feel like a full-time job.
Creating a strategy for getting hired will help you stay focused and organized. Schedule your time accordingly and plan certain tasks for each day.
Spend the first half of the day, for example, applying to jobs and the later half following up with job leads and reaching back out to recruiters.
3. Perfect Your New Grad Nursing Resume
The first thing the hiring manager will see is your resume. Showcase your clinical experience you obtained in school.
If you are not sure how to create a great resume, hire a job coach or professional resume writer who can help.
Once you land an interview, get prepared. Research common interview questions and practice how you would answer.
4. Join a Nurses Organization
There are hundreds of nurses organizations available to new grad nurses. These professional organizations offer career development resources and materials.
In addition, joining a professional nursing organization helps you network and build connections with other nurses who might be able to help you advance your career.
Consider joining the following professional nursing organizations:
- American Nurses Association
- National Student Nurses’ Association
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
5. Give Yourself a Break
Searching for a new grad nursing job is hard. You are at the beginning of a long, successful nursing career. You can’t possibly learn everything in a day, week, or even the first year.
Create a work-life balance now that you can use for years to come.
Starting your nursing career is exciting! With these 5 tips, you will be off to a great start in your new grad nurse jobs.
Additional Nursing Resources:
- AMN Passport: Our all-in-one nursing app for booking nursing jobs.
- Nursing Salary & Benefits: AMN Healthcare offers our nurses some amazing salaries and benefits. Find out what's in store for your nursing career today.
- Travel Nurse Licensing: Find out about nursing requirements for all 50 states.
- Exclusive Facilities: AMN Healthcare has relationships with the most sought-after healthcare providers.
- Refer-a-Friend: Make up to $2,000 per referral.
