Five Tips On How To Earn Your First Practical Nursing Position

After all of the time spent to figure out what you wanted to do with your life, you landed on practical nursing. You worked hard in school and now you have graduated and are ready to begin a long and successful career as a practical nurse. No need to worry, because these five simple tips are all you need to land the job you've been dreaming about ever since you decided to become a practical nurse.

1. Prepare Your Resume

The first, and probably most obvious thing that you need to do in order to begin your search for your first job as a practical nurse, is to prepare your resume. If you do not have any actual healthcare experience that you can include, be sure to list relevant work experience that will showcase your talents and strengths. Be sure to include your education and any academic accomplishments you've made as well to build yourself up a bit. Finally, be sure that you follow the correct format and try to keep your resume to a single page.

2. Develop Your Professional Profile

These days everything is done online. Many employers seek job candidates online through job boards and professional networking sites. LinkedIn is among the most common and offers you a substantial opportunity to market yourself as a passionate and prepared practical nurse in need of a new position. If you do not already have a LinkedIn Profile, you will need to create one. Make a point of using the many tools and resources that LinkedIn has to offer for job seekers once you have fully developed your personal profile.

3. Collect Your Recommendations

One of the best ways to stand out among the other candidates is to supplement your resume and cover letter with valuable letters of recommendation. This can be exceptionally valuable if you are just starting out in the healthcare industry and are looking for someone to take a chance on a recent graduate. Ask your professors, anyone you have volunteered with, or anyone within the healthcare industry to provide you with a letter of recommendation and be sure to include it with every resume that you send out. It will make it much easier for a hiring manager to feel comfortable giving you a chance if so many people were willing to brag about how awesome you are.

4. Hone Your Interview Skills

Some candidates shine on paper but fall flat when they are called in for an interview. Don't fall prey to this. Developing your interview skills is easily done with extensive practice, research, and preparation. Research popular interview questions that are asked of a practical nurse and rehearse your answers to them. Ask a friend or family member to role-play with you so that you can practice even further. When the day comes for your interview, you will be confident because you will be prepared. Additionally, it never hurts to research the company and come prepared with questions of your own.

5. Take Initiative In Your Search

Some people think that they can send out a few resumes and then just sit back and wait for the phone to ring. The truth is, that's just not how people find jobs. Hiring managers for practical nurse jobs are bombarded with hundreds or thousands of resumes when they post a job opening. You need to be aggressive by following up with additional emails, phone calls, and if possible in-person visits. Show them just how badly you really want to come work for them.