How to Find the Best Nursing Job

With the healthcare industry growing fast, plenty of nursing jobs are available. But how does a new grad just out of nursing school find one?

An entry-level nursing job is how new graduates start their careers. Right now, an entry-level nurse can start at around $27,000 annually and earn up to $81,000 as a senior-level nurse. Of course, salaries depend on the nursing degree and the area of the country you live in. Salaries are higher in metropolitan areas, for example, and much lower in rural communities and small towns.

To start your nursing career, you’ll need the right degree for the job. Licensed practical nurses can be licensed with a year of coursework in an accredited program plus direct experience. Depending on your state, a registered nurse requires a two- or four-year degree, an RN license, and different types of training. Nurses in a specialty area like mental health or neonatal critical care may hold master’s degrees, and all types of nursing require passing appropriate exams.

Getting hired in an entry-level nursing job can be nerve-racking, but by following our five steps to find the best nursing job, it will be easier.

How to Find the Best Nursing Job in Five Steps

For a successful nursing career, a solid educational background is necessary. So we hope you already have your academic knowledge. But if you don’t and you’re still in school, you’re on the right track. It’s great to know what to do ahead of time. Make it even easier with these five tips.

1. Take part in internships or externships
2. Develop a professional network
3. Create a well-crafted resume
4. Prepare a LinkedIn profile
5. Start your job hunt

1. Do Internships or Externships

• The first step for a successful job search is doing internships or externships. Especially in the healthcare field, these might be more beneficial than you think.
• Real-time work experience is compulsory for the medical world. Most nursing schools provide some of this experience, but an internship is the best way to go. And if you can handle one while studying, all the better.
• But if that’s not possible, volunteer work in nursing homes or in a hospital setting can be just as good. In fact, many high school and college students are hospital volunteers (previously known as “candy stripers”). It’s a great way at any age to see if you’re truly interested in a medical career and get the experience you need.
• Have a look at nursing externships, too, and get detailed information like benefits, credits, career opportunities, and work required.

2. Build a Professional Network

• When it comes to finding a good job, people like to say, “It’s all about who you know.” And to an extent, that’s true. So why not get to know some of those people you need to know? Start building your professional network with similarly interested people. Don’t forget your fellow students, professors, and even nurses at your own doctor’s office. Most will be happy to answer questions you have and follow you on social media platforms like LinkedIn (below).
• Consider sharing your interests by maintaining a blog that focuses on nursing. Share your ideas, new things you’ve learned, or discoveries you’ve made and share with similar people. Invite them to follow you on social media (as long as it’s professional, not personal). Building a professional network will improve your job opportunities. You just never know when someone knows the person you need to know.
• While building a network with professionals, don’t hesitate to ask for advice on how to get a job, specific skills, or career path selection. By asking these kinds of questions, they see your enthusiasm and won’t forget you. And when someone asks, “Do you know of any good candidates for this nursing position?” you’ll come to mind right away.
• You just never know who will help you or how you can help someone else. So start building your network.

3. Prepare a LinkedIn Profile

• Building a LinkedIn profile is important, as you probably know. As anyone might tell you, LinkedIn is great when it comes to job searches and getting an entry-level nursing job quickly.
• Be sure to list all your experiences, skills, knowledge, areas of expertise and interests in your profile. Remember that recruiters and human resources (HR) managers go through LinkedIn profiles looking for candidates for their open positions. And if you have a particularly inviting profile, who knows? You might get an invitation to apply.
• You’ll also notice that the platform asks questions like what kind of job you’re looking for and the area you prefer. This is a great help for recruiters and you since you probably won’t attract recruiters searching outside of your preferred areas.

4. Build a Well-crafted Resume

• After graduation, you expect to find your fascinating job in the ideal company of your dreams. But to land that job, you must appeal to recruiters and hiring managers with the best resume possible.
• In generally, recruiters expect a one- to two-page resume from entry-level nursing job seekers. As a recent graduate, your experience and accomplishments might only fill one page, and that’s fine. There’s no reason to fill in space with irrelevant details. Nursing recruiters don’t need to know how you bandaged your dog or gave her pills when you were 10 years old. During an interview, it might be a good way to answer the question, “What started your interest in nursing?” But nobody cares about that for now.
• Remember, most recruiters spend less than 30 seconds on your resume. Be sure they see good reasons to hire you in the first 5–10 seconds and hope they spend 30 seconds on the rest. Have a look at which resumes get viewed by a recruiter. This will help you craft your resume for results.

5. Start Your Job Hunt

• It’s better to start your job hunt before graduating. Even if you don’t find the perfect job right away, you’ll be ready to search full-time as soon as you graduate.
• You can find the latest entry-level nursing jobs right here at GradSiren. Stand out from the rest by creating a free profile with GradSiren. Search all the jobs from LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, Naukri, and more in one friendly place.

We hope our five steps to finding an entry-level nursing job land you the job of your dreams! Do you think this article is helpful? if yes,  don’t forget to share this article with your friends and fellow nursing students or graduates on social media.