#1 - What do hospitals want when hiring new nurses?
Do you have a dream job or employer in mind for after nursing school? Do you wonder what you can do now to make yourself a "shoe-in" candidate? Let me tell you a story about Lindsay...
Lindsay graduated last December and immediately landed her dream job in the Emergency room of a Level 1 Trauma Center. I was not surprised when Lindsay was offered this highly competitive position. Sarah, another graduating nursing student had also applied, but like the employer,
I noticed a key difference between Lindsay and Sarah that would make Lindsay the preferred choice for this position.
Both applicants were qualified, competent and caring. Both Lindsay and Sarah had good customer service skills (non-verbal and verbal communication, friendly). Both had experience working with patients as a nurse tech. However, Lindsay offered something unique compared to Sarah.
What was unique about Lindsay, is that she had a knack for anticipating needs (her own and the needs of others).
In school, this meant she met with her professors at the beginning of the semester to discuss ways to be successful. She looked for ways to be helpful to classmates, being a team player and an encourager. When class morale was low after an exam, she inspired classmates to stay focused and continue to do their best.
In the clinical setting, this meant she didn’t wait for patients or coworkers to ask for help, she looked for ways to be helpful. She was attuned to the needs around her and was proactive.
Her new employer recognized that in addition to all of Lindsay’s strengths, being able to anticipate what a patient needs has the potential to improve patient outcomes and prevent complications.
Lindsay is really enjoying working in the ER and has even volunteered to be part of a new committee to evaluate measures for improving patient satisfaction. Her employer considers her an extremely valuable part of the team and is pleased in their decision to hire her.
Whether you are just beginning a nursing program or near the end, it is not too late to begin thinking about how to prepare yourself for getting your dream job after graduation.
Take a minute and ask yourself,
What can I be doing now to develop positive attributes and strengthen my job opportunities in the future?
Which attributes do I have that may help me land my dream job?
Qualified
Competent
Caring
Compassionate
Resilient
Humility
Friendly
Strong verbal skills (confident, clear, articulate)
Strong non-verbal skills (eye contact, smile, active listener, warm and non-abrasive body language)
Responds well to criticism
Confidence in career choice
Able to anticipate the needs of others
Maybe you have a friend that is also wondering how he or she can prepare themselves to get his or her dream job after graduation, please pass this on!
