New grad nursing jobs are coveted and require an edge to ensure they secure both an interview and the position. Nursing expert, Beth Hawkes, has curated hear years of experience helping and mentoring nurses into an incredible resource that is a must-have for any new nurse graduate. We caught up with her.
The Ultimate Guide to Landing New Grad Nursing Jobs
What made you decide to write a book on the ultimate guide to landing new grad nursing jobs?
As a nurse leader with extensive hiring experience, I see new grads (and experienced nurses) applying for jobs in ways almost guaranteed to make sure their resume will not be read or that they will fail to impress during their interview.
Not because they aren’t going to make wonderful nurses- it’s because they have not been taught the basics and are making key mistakes throughout the job searching process.
In many areas, competition for desirable jobs in acute care is very high. But some new grad will land a job- and it’s the new grad who is savvy about their job search. I want to help applicants stand out by giving them the necessary skills along with insider tips learned over years of experience.
That’s why the book is called “Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job”. I honestly think these skills should be taught in nursing school.
At heart I’m a mentor and a huge fan of enthusiastic, smart and heartfelt new grad nurses who just need these tips and strategies to get started in their careers.
[easy-tweet tweet=”Learn how to compose a winning cover letter, and an eye-catching resume, and more.” url=”https://wp.me/p1mMzJ-3F2″]
What kind of key mistakes do you mean?
So many! And at every step in the process. Here’s just a few:
- Listing long descriptions of clinical hours on your resume. Find out why this is counter-effective and does not help you to stand out. I show how to write a resume that does makes you stand out-even when you have no experience!
- Giving cookie cutter responses during interviews, such as answering “I’m a perfectionist” when asked “What’s Your Greatest Weakness?” Learn why you should not do this and see examples of compelling responses that will make the interviewers put little stars in their notes next to your name.
- Not knowing how best to answer “Tell Us About Yourself”. What do they really want to hear? You will learn a recommended three step answer to this question and how to confidently answer all behavioral and situational interview questions- because I know what they are looking for!
- Ineffective interview prepping for an interview- spending time prepping on the wrong things. I show you what nurse managers are really seeking in a candidate- and how to prep accordingly.
- Thinking HR holds the real power in hiring- it’s not HR. You will find out who it is and how to make a winning impression.
What will I learn?
As a job applicant, you will learn how to compose a winning cover letter, and an eye-catching resume; how to interview, where to apply, what not to do, creative strategies to make you more competitive and much, much more- all of it doable and extremely practical.
Filled with real life examples and testimonials, “Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job” truly is the ultimate guide to landing new grad nursing jobs or any nursing job!
Best wishes as you land the job of your dreams!
Nurse Beth (Beth Hawkes, MSN, RN-BC), is a nursing professional development specialist in acute care and blogs at nursecode.com
For more information on new grad nursing jobs check out:
Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job: The ultimate guide to landing your first nursing job…and your next !
Nurses, Jobs and Resumes: Resume Revisions for RNs From the New Grad RN to the Experienced RNNursing Resume: A Job Guide for NursesNew Graduate Nursing Jobs: Secrets of the VIP-Reserved Interview-getting Resume Revealed – How To Use The 4 Gold Keys Of Influential Communication To Force Hiring Managers To Call You For InterviewsResume 101
this is a very valuable information for me as i want to become a nurse in the close future and this is very good to know.
Med surg job vs. psych job as new grad. I am graduating in May and I have many options on where to go after graduation already. I am really struggling because everyone is saying go to a med surg floor for a year, but after 2 years of clinical on a med surg floor I’m not sure it’s for me. I love psych and I just got a tech position at a psych facility do I take a med surg job for the experience or go to psych?
Belle, for some reason many are big believers that all new grad nurses should spend some time in med surg for at least a couple of years after graduation. But why? If you have already done your clinicals on a med surg floor and are not sure that you love it, then I would never suggest you take it. If your passion lies in psych and you have an offer, than go with what you love. I’ve talked about this very thing in my Best Nursing Specialty for a New Grad post.