Knowing Oneself

The choice of a first nursing position deserves careful study. For some, the opportunities seem to be a smorgasbord of possibilities, all of them attractive. The neophyte nurse should carefully explore any job under consideration and its responsibilities in light of his or her own personal qualities. Some students find it helpful to consult an instructor, job counselor, or a trusted nursing mentor for objective input and perspective. An experienced nurse can see the pros and cons that may not be visible to a new nurse. A thoughtful review of general interests, abilities, and strengths (especially those pointed out by clinical instructors) as well as awareness of the types of patients who have provided the greatest emotional reward are essential.

Other important considerations are one’s physical and emotional stamina, energy level, and responsibilities to others—spouse, children, and other family members; volunteer commitments; and social activities—all of which make legitimate demands on one’s schedule. Long-term goals must be factored into the first job choice as well. Is the first job a stepping stone to an advanced degree, to a narrowly specialized area of nursing, to a traveling nurse position, or to a management role? Selection of a position that fits the nurse’s abilities, lifestyle, and career aspirations will affect job satisfaction, career advancement, and overall sense of success and happiness.

Finding the right practice environment is essential to long-term success and job satisfaction. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) developed a white paper titled Hallmarks of the Professional Practice Environment, which can be accessed at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/hallmarks.pdfBased on this paper, a brochure for nursing school graduates was developed, titled “What Every Nursing Student Should Know When Seeking Employment.” This brochure identifies eight key characteristics or hallmarks of the professional practice setting and suggests that applicants ask the following questions about the employer they are considering. Does the potential employer:

Box 27-1 provides other statistics and information to request from a potential employer. The numbers of hospitals seeking and receiving Magnet hospital credentialing are growing, and where these work environments are available, the nurse may wish to consider these organizations. Generally, hospitals with Magnet status have demonstrated excellence in areas such as low RN turnover rates, adherence to standards of nursing care as defined by the American Nurses Association (ANA), and mechanisms in place for staff participation in decision making. A recent study by Kelly and colleagues (2011) found that Magnet hospitals had a more positive nurse work environment and outcomes, were more likely to have specialty certified nurses, and a higher percentage of baccalaureate prepared nurses. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) lists all Magnet hospitals on its website at www.nursingworld.org/ancc/magnet/getall.cfm.

Many graduate nurses have discovered that working in an environment that did not match well with their personal attributes and long-term goals not only made them miserable but also damaged their future employment options. Poor job fits lead to frequent job changes, which could lead to poor references and the attachment of the label “job hopper.”

Appropriate job choice is critically important and can be costly to the new graduate. Accordingly, an ineffective hiring decision can also be expensive for the employer. Some estimate the cost of recruiting, placing, and orienting a new nurse to be from two to two and one half times the average RN salary—but the costs are more than financial (Donna Herrin-Griffith, personal communication, 2012). Critical to effective selection is high-level nurse leader competency in resource management processes and attention to creation of an effective healthful practice environment. A great decision on the part of the new graduate and the nurse leader will have better outcomes for the individual nurse in areas of job satisfaction and retention and overall organizational outcomes, employee engagement and retention, and patient outcomes.

Networking

The investigative process of researching potential employers begins with networking at school, in the community, and within student nurse organizations. One may question other nurses, employees, and former employees, especially alumni of one’s own school, who have worked in various settings. Faculty will have pertinent observations based on their experiences with clinical sites in the community. It is also valuable to listen to neighbors, friends, and family members who have been patients.

Employment sections of newspapers, particularly Sunday editions, contain advertisements for job openings and provide names to contact for further information. Some employers now offer “phone-a-thons” inviting nurses to speak directly with recruiters or nursing department supervisors. Websites, open houses, health care job fairs and virtual online career events are great places to pick up information about institutions. Recruitment materials and brochures often contain interesting facts about the organization, such as the mission, vision, and values statements and goals, available services, and information about associate benefits.

The Internet offers links to actual jobs and information on career planning. Most hospital and large health care systems maintain websites to post their employment needs and invite applications online. The Internet is a cost-effective recruiting method, and larger health care systems expect early communications to take place by fax and e-mail. Applicants who use this method to follow-up on a job posting should pay particular attention to the application and résumé that is sent electronically, making sure there are no errors before submitting materials online. If there is no response to Internet inquiries within a week, applicants should follow up with a telephone call. Examples of Internet sites that are helpful in exploring job opportunities, writing résumés, and preparing for employment interviews are included in Box 27-2.

If a new graduate is seeking a position in a large community with multiple job choices available, this informal research will help to narrow the list to the best place to begin the job application process. Later in the interview, the applicant may wish to describe to the recruiter how his or her search resulted in this employer being the number-one choice over others for the graduate’s first job. This process of researching potential employers will continue through the interview process. Assessing the climate of the work environment is a valuable tool in “finding a match” and is discussed more thoroughly later in this chapter.

How to Write a Cover Letter

The cover letter (Box 27-3) is a chance to sell oneself and make the recruiter look forward to meeting an attractive candidate. A convincing cover letter will show how this candidate is different and convey to the recruiter why he or she is the best fit for the position. The letter should also address why this institution is the applicant’s first choice.

A cover letter should reflect the nurse’s own style of writing, should never appear to have been copied from a book, and should be tailored to the particular job. Like any business document it should be clean, direct, and letter perfect. It should be attractive and effortless to read. There must be no obvious erasures, no typing errors, and no grammar or spelling mistakes. Everything should fit on a single page of 8½ by 11-inch white heavyweight bond paper with ample margins on the top, bottom, and sides.

The letter should be addressed to a specific person. If the person’s name or title is unknown, refer to a marketing brochure or call the recruitment office to ask for correct title and spelling of the appropriate person’s first and last names.

If spelling is not your strength, use the spell-check tool on the computer, but do not depend on its accuracy. Using a dictionary and asking a competent friend to proofread the final copy is also a good idea. Poor typists would be well served to pay someone to type for them. A sloppy letter will cast doubt on one’s abilities to practice as a professional.

The body of the letter should be single-spaced, three or four block paragraphs long, with a blank line between paragraphs, and organized as follows:

The letter should be proofread carefully, signed, and copied; and the copy filed. If the nurse has chosen to use different approaches with different institutions, it would be wise to review the cover letter before the interview.

One week later the writer should follow up by telephone to be sure the letter was received. This attention to detail and follow-through will impress the recruiter or personnel office and improve chances of getting an interview soon. These telephone calls usually become mini-interviews, and the applicant should be extra courteous, aware that it usually is the secretary who controls the interview schedule. By keeping a written list of all contacts made, the new graduate will be able to add the flattering personal touch of acknowledging previous telephone contacts when meeting them for the first time during the interview process.

The cover letter serves as the foundation on which all other follow-up is built: résumé, call for appointment, and interview. What is presented in the letter should prompt the person responsible for hiring to take a close look at the enclosed résumé.

How to Prepare a Résumé

A résumé is a short account of one’s career or professional life (Box 27-4). The résumé is different from a curriculum vitae (CV), which is a chronologic account of one’s entire educational and professional work experience, usually required by academic institutions for educator positions. The résumé is the most appropriate format for the new graduate and will complement the cover letter by filling in important details about educational and work experiences. An effective résumé should compress education and employment history into an attractive, easy-to-read one-page summary. A wealth of valuable information can be communicated simply and straightforwardly by saying more with less. The key is writing concisely. For example, “BSN with high honors” speaks for itself. Citing exact grade point average or “dean’s list” standing adds little. Succinct ways to convey a message will be found by experimenting with phrases and word choices. Avoid pompous language and use of the passive voice. Instead use active verbs, such as improved, established, trained, administered, prepared, wrote, and evaluated. Pepper the résumé with such words, and it will read easily.

BOX 27-4   RéSUMé

Bonnie McCray Pino

416 Melody Avenue

Bristol, TN 37620

555-912-3120 (Home)

555-200-9999 (Cell)

E-mail: bpino@xyz.com

Professional objective:	Staff nurse position (cardiology)
Licensure:	Eligible to take NCLEX® examination after June 6, 2013
	Anticipated date of NCLEX®: July 2013
Education:
2006 to 2010	Smith College School of Nursing
	Bristol, TN
	BSN, June 6, 2013
2003 to 2006	Oakview High School
	Nashville, TN
	Diploma, June 2006

Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Related posts:

1. Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
2. Ethical and Bioethical Issues in Nursing and Health Care
3. Workforce Advocacy and the Nursing Shortage
4. Budgeting Basics for Nurses

Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel

Join