Dear Student Thinking About Future Employment, This is a great time to be gearing up for your first nursing job. There are several things you can do to boost your marketability and employability upon graduation.
Start by having a business card made. You only to need to include your name, any credentials you might already have, a phone number and email address. You can have cards made easily and inexpensively at any local print shop or stationary store. Professional people network and exchange contact information with business cards. Carry the cards with you wherever you go. You never know who you’ll meet who could be a good job contact. Everything happens through networking. It’s never too soon to start building your network. If not already a member, join and get active in the National Student Nurses Association (www.nsna.org). NSNA members are often viewed as the cream of the crop in the student and new nurse population. It shows you are already involved in professional development. It also provides leadership and other opportunities to enhance your professional package, not to mention your confidence and emotional intelligence, which are traits sought after by today’s employers. If you are interested in a particular specialty, such as medical-surgical nursing, also consider joining the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nursing (www.amsn.org) or other specialty association, as a student member. The dues are typically nominal and you’ll get access to members-only features on their website. When you do go to look for a job in med/surg, as an example, the fact you’re already a member of the related professional association helps you stand out from other job applicants.
