Those dark circles under your eyes could tell the tale of how you’ve survived the pressure and pleasure of nursing school. Your first encounter with thick books of Anatomy and Physiology already made you understand that the journey that awaits you would never be easy. And then it happened all at once—endless of sleepless nights, heavy workload, constant deadlines, with just caffeine to force your eyes open. You thought you will never make it alive, but then you did. [no_toc]
You just woke up one day to find that the storm has already passed by.Your dreams are already now your reality, as you look back to your graduation pictures, and remembering the indescribable joy of passing the board exam.
As a fresh graduate, your eagerness to succeed is almost palpable. You believe that you can now conquer the world, only if fear of the unknown isn’t holding you down. Life after college, also known as the “real world” could be really scary. Below are 6 wonderful tips to prepare you to be the best nurse you can be and to land your dream job!
1. Consider What You Really Want for Your Career.
Now is the best time to think whether your passion could meet your profession. You’re young and free to decide what’s really best for you. If your heart tells you that you’re meant to care for neonates, then you might be perfect for Neonatal Nursing! If your goal is to deepen the body of knowledge of your profession, then Research Nursing might suit you best!
Pursuing nursing specialties is now a trend and continuing your education is a good idea. You’d be surprised that there’s a wide range to choose from. Professional organizations or certifying boards issue voluntary certification.
2. Volunteer!
It may not be as exciting as it sounds, but you could reap a lot of benefits through volunteering and applying for any related work experience in a clinical environment. Through this, you could expand your knowledge about your chosen field, and it will allow you to make important contacts. It is a good preparation and could help you a lot in improving the skills that employers look for.
3. Polish Your CV and Resume.
As a fresh graduate, you still don’t have a lot of things to include in your papers. But don’t lose heart! Even the experts of today once started with an almost empty skill set. You must start with a good format, and only include the skills that are related to the medical field.
Remember that you’re a nursing degree holder now, and although you’re just a fresh graduate, your years of studying has already given you professional and technical skills, including the ability to work as a part of a multidisciplinary team and to care for patients and family. Employers are also looking for personal qualities such as decision making and problem-solving skills, flexibility and empathy. Yep, personal qualities that every nurses are born with.
4. Winners Never Quit.
It’s never easy to find the right job almost immediately. There would be a lot of frustrations, and moments that you’re so close to giving up. Just remember that “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and just like you, your wonderful fate as a nurse is still a work in progress. There are always new positions that are usually posted first on hospital or agency websites. Newspapers and nursing publications could also give you what you’re looking for. By hunting efficiently, you’re a step closer to attaining your dream job.
5. Take Care of Yourself.
Never take your health for granted in the process of becoming successful. A sick nurse could never take care of sick patients, that’s why it is important to prioritize your health above all. Clinical duty could expose you to a lot of health threat, and it is best if you complete vaccines and screenings as early as now to keep yourself in a good physical health.
6. Just Do Your Best and God Will Do the Rest.
After a long day of pure hard work, it is never bad to give yourself a break. Take a deep breath and reflect how far you’ve come. Appreciate every step you have taken in pursuit of your career, no matter how small they may seem for you as of now. You’ve done your best, and as you rest at night, it is now God’s time to convert all of your efforts into victory, the way He did back when you were just studying Anatomy and Physiology.
Being fresh out of nursing school could be really frightening and exciting. There are lot things that you still have to discover, more things to learn that were never taught inside the classroom, and of course, sweet potentials for every nurses. This article welcomes you to the wonderful world of nursing, and hopes that you may be the best nurse you can be!