6 Useful Tips for Fresh Graduate Nurses

You survived the sleepless nights, the workload, and the board exam, and now the real world is here. It is exciting and a little terrifying. Here are six things to do as you land your first job and build your career.

1. Decide what you actually want

Now is the time to line up your passion with your profession. The field is wide. If you are drawn to newborns, look at neonatal nursing. If you want to build the body of nursing knowledge, look at research. Specializing and continuing your education is worth it, and certifying boards offer voluntary certification across most areas.

2. Volunteer

Volunteering and any related clinical experience pay off. They grow your knowledge of your chosen field, build the contacts that lead to jobs, and sharpen the skills employers look for.

3. Polish your resume

A new grad does not have much to list yet, and that is fine. Start with a clean format and include only skills relevant to healthcare. Your degree already gave you real professional and technical skills: working on a multidisciplinary team, caring for patients and families. Employers also want decision making, problem solving, flexibility, and empathy, so make those visible.

4. Keep applying

The right job rarely comes immediately, and the rejections wear on you. Keep going. New positions usually post first on hospital and agency websites, with more in nursing publications. Search efficiently and you move closer with each application.

5. Take care of yourself

A sick nurse cannot care for sick patients, so protect your health before anything else. Clinical work exposes you to real hazards, so complete your vaccines and screenings early and stay in good physical shape.

6. Rest and reflect

After a hard day, give yourself a break. Step back and notice how far you have come, and appreciate every step, however small. You did the work. Let yourself recover so you can do it again tomorrow.