Tips on Finding the Perfect Nursing Job
You just finished nursing school and now you’re eager to land a job practicing what you’ve learned. You start to look for the perfect place to work with and you might be tempted to take the first job offer. But before you do that, there are several things you need to consider in choosing the perfect place to work. Don’t just choose the first offer because you might end up regretting it.
Here are some tips you can follow:
- Take an offer that excites you. It’s not just a job. You must be excited and passionate about it so when the going gets tough, you can still stick with your work.
- Check for continued learning and development. Learning doesn’t stop the moment you graduate. It continues at work. Find an employer that encourages and motivates you towards continued learning.
- Ask about the perks and benefits. You work because it’s meaningful and gives you value. However, bonuses come a long way to motivating one to work well.
- Try to find the turnover rate. You don’t want to join a company where there was a recent mass exodus. It might imply some underlying dissatisfaction. Also you want to join a company with a healthy mix of old timers and new timers. That way you get to learn a lot from the veterans.
- Is work-life balance promoted? Recognize that there is life outside work. The employer must value your right to have a life outside the workplace and in fact must encourage it. They must not stop you from pursuing hobbies that are outside work.
- Take note of teamwork, respect and friendliness. When you visit the workplace check how the other employees make you feel. They must make you feel comfortable and welcome. Remember that you’ll spend a huge portion of your time – and probably life – with these people. You must feel at ease being with them to begin with.
- Review the mission vision of the company. Do they align with your values? Their strategic plan must be something that you believe in. If it doesn’t sit well with your heart, then the work isn’t probably for you. Remember that once you become an employee, you will be required to live the vision mission by heart.
- Check your gut feel. Most of the time you’ll have a general good feeling about the job even before you sign up. If you do and everything seems to just fall into place then you are most probably on the right track. However, if you feel something is amiss, even if the pay appears high, then don’t go in there. You might end up regretting your decision and find yourself thinking of what could have been. Remember that no matter how high the compensation is, if the job is not right for you, then you’ll find yourself quitting too soon.
It’s exciting to land your first job. It’s exciting to finally be out in the real world and get all those theories you learned into practice. However, choosing the right job is not something that should be rushed. Take into consideration not just the pay but the overall feeling the work gives you. Remember, most of the time, your choice of workplace becomes a lifetime choice. If you find the perfect one to work with at the start then you’ll grow with the company. And once you do, you’ll find lifetime fulfilment working at a job you love.
Published at: 06/08/2015
