You’ve taken all your courses and passed your final exams. You’ve finished your clinical rotations. You’ve passed your licensure exam, and now you’re ready to get out into the world of nursing and make a difference.
If you’re wondering how to find a nursing job, you’re not alone. Newly minted nurses every year go through the same uncertainties. But there’s a nursing job out there that’s right for you — you just need to track it down.
You may be glad to hear that nursing is one of the occupations expected to grow the most through the year 2028. For registered nurses (RNs), in particular, the job market is projected to grow by about 12% in that time, much faster than the average occupational growth of about 5%. And for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), the outlook is similar, with the job market projected to expand by 11%.
Still, looking for a nursing job, especially your first one, can feel daunting — so where do you start? Below, we’ll offer some advice on searching for potential jobs, interviewing for nursing jobs, and how to land that first nursing job. Following some of these tips will help making your dream job a reality.
To find the right type of nursing position for your skills and goals, take a look at different employment settings:
The long-term and senior care career path may seem less exciting at first than acute care nursing. But consider the significant advantages of working as a nurse in such communities:
Unlike an emergency room or hospital setting, a long-term care setting allows precious bonds to form over months or even years. Working with residents in a long-term setting enables you to know them on a personal level, in addition to providing the clinical services they need. And working with extended family members, keeping them informed, and seeing their love for your patient in action can be rewarding as well.
In addition to providing high-quality care, you’ll also have an impact on respect, dignity and quality of life for your residents. No one chooses willingly to undergo physical and cognitive decline during the later years of life. However, respectful, compassionate, top-quality nursing care can greatly enhance well-being by making senior and long-term residents feel both healthier and cared about.
Health care professionals who work with the older population tend to be patient and compassionate individuals, forming close-knit teams. And working with others who share your values is a major benefit in any job. Having coworkers who demonstrate values of generosity, care and warmth is an inspiring experience that can make you love to come to work and strive to give the best of yourself each day.
At a long-term or senior-care community, you’ll work as part of an interdisciplinary team of physicians, speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, wellness specialists, activity professionals, dietitians and people from many other departments. Collaborating closely with people from across a range of disciplines can help expand your knowledge base and open your mind to different approaches within the medical community. Being part of a collaborative, interdisciplinary team is the perfect way to foster growth both personally and professionally.
Another way to experience personal growth through nursing in a long-term setting is to learn from your residents. As a nurse, you provide invaluable services to your patients regardless of where you work. But at a long-term facility, you also learn something in return through your residents’ life experiences and life lessons. The relationships you form with residents will likely lead them to open up to you about their personal experiences and share years’ worth of wisdom and advice.
After you’ve narrowed down the type of nursing job you’d like to look for, you have a few different tools at your disposal. You can search for job openings using online and in-person methods:
Once you have an interview or two lined up, be sure to put effort into preparing. Thinking about how best to market yourself as a professional will help you impress your interviewer and potentially pay huge dividends in the form of a job offer.
The job market can be tricky to navigate, and it’s natural to make some mistakes, especially on your first time through. Knowing these common mistakes that new nurses make will help you avoid them and instead impress your potential employers with your professionalism.
Although there are no guarantees of success in any job, following these tips will put you on the road toward a successful first nursing position:
Now that you’ve read our tips for getting a nursing job, it’s time to get out there and find the right one.
For a rewarding career that helps you use your professional skills and make a difference in the lives of senior adults, consider a nursing career at Cross Keys Village. We’re not just a caregiving facility — we’re a home as well, and the enriching, meaningful relationships that form here between residents and staff are a testament to that value.
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