Your nursing career is your business. And no one is going to do a
better job packaging, marketing, and selling you than... you. To
compete effectively in today's marketplace, you need to be able
to react quickly and positively to changes in the healthcare
industry and take control of your career.
Do You Have What It
Takes?
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses is key to finding a job
that suits you—that can give you the skills you lack while
showcasing the talents you already have. Nurses who can compete
most effectively combine their professional experience with their
personal characteristics to show how they are uniquely qualified
for jobs, promotions, and projects.
Some of the professional experiences you can highlight include
showing progressive, cumulative work experience as a generalist
and a specialist. In your resume, interview, or job review,
articulate examples of "value-added" work experience. You should
also show that you are aware of, are able to support, and can
contribute to patient-focused care in a consumer-oriented
business environment.
Show how you have transferable skills, have been
cross-trained, and perhaps that you seek continuing education
that has to do with your nursing career goals. Being computer
literate and Internet savvy is increasingly a requirement for
nurses. And highlight any board certifications you possess.
Don't worry if you don't have all these skills right now.
Employers aren't expecting a superhero for their jobs. But being
self-aware means knowing what you want and knowing how to get it
over the long-term. Many of these professional qualifications
only come about after years on the job. But managing your career
means having your eye on your goal even if you have quite a way
to go.
Personal Characteristics
Personal characteristics that will help you gain your career
goals include being flexible, adaptive, assertive, and confident.
While these might seem like mutually exclusive descriptions,
successful businesspeople know that being flexible does not mean
being a pushover. Be aware of what is absolutely necessary for
the job and what can be compromised.
In order to be effective, you should also be self-directed and
team-oriented, and strive to be an innovative problem solver.
Taking responsibility for your own actions and decisions is the
mark of a leader. Be willing to take risks and don't accept
status quo. But make sure to learn from your mistakes and be able
to think critically—both about a given situation and about
yourself.
One of the most important attributes you should have is the
ability to resolve conflicts productively and to network
effectively. Knowing how to work with people is the most
important part of any job. It makes life in the workplace a lot
more pleasant, productive, and fun.
Don't forget—no one expects you to have all these skills
instantaneously. But working on both professional goals and
personal characteristics over time will pay off
exponentially.
This article was adapted from:
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Your Career in
Nursing
$18.00
Take control of your nursing career and effectively manage it
in today's ever-changing healthcare industry.
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