Introduction

Stripped down and struck dumb in the waiting room, the two New Millennium-model graduate nurses would have appeared to be identical job candidates. But, upon interview, Jenn was loaded for bear, while Nancy was ready to be a major food group for one.

Eyes glued to the floor, Nancy shuffled into the office, wearing a weathered, going-to-church dress like prison grab. She slumped into a chair, played with her fingers, and twitched under the recruiter’s questions like a pinned bug. The interview was short and stiff because Nancy had little to say. She made slight palm contact with the interviewer, waved a little goodbye, and shot out the door, happy that the ordeal was over. Christine, the ever-sympathetic recruiter, believed that she should recommend Nancy to the employee assistance program for counseling. Then she remembered that Nancy wasn’t an employee — thank God, she thought.

Then Jenn burst into the interview room like a sunrise waiting to light up the skies with a brand new day. Her firm handshake, direct eye contact, and perfect posture broadcast her intent to get right down to business, but it was her energy and intellect that vibrated the room and drew the recruiter to the edge of her seat. Jenn presented herself as a bright, compassionate new nurse with goals and vision. Christine thoroughly enjoyed her conversation with this nurse, who eventually turned the table to interview the interviewer. When Jenn left, the room grew a little dimmer. Christine resolved to find a job for this nurse somewhere in the organization because she was convinced that it couldn’t survive without her.

Jenn and Nancy are hypothetical cases. The real people are like you, new nurses looking for first jobs along with many, older experienced nurses who are hoping to continue their careers as familiar employment ground quakes and quivers.

For example, take the case of Thelma, a 52-year-old, associate-degree-prepared nurse. She’s working harder than ever in a hospital with a tradition of gearing up for potential business by paring down. Recently, to enhance its marketing, the hospital changed policy to mandate that nurses become certified in their specialties and complete continuing education hours just to keep their jobs; administrators have also announced that future hires must have BSNs; finally, everyone is being forced to rotate shifts, regardless of seniority, and day-shift Thelma is beginning to feel pretty senior.

Thelma, a nurse of 30 years, feels victimized by all of this and is starting to think that maybe, with her kids grown and gone and her husband still making pretty good money, she’ll just throw in the towel and start that arts and crafta store she’s always thought about.

Louise, Thelma’s coworker, has a different conflict. She’s worked much of her career alongside Thelma, but Louise is a single parent and can’t afford not to work. She’s always managed to hold on to her job through numerous downsizings and reengineerings, but always with a persistent, gnawing feeling that she’ll be the next one to get the boot. And despite her experience, skills, and expertise, she doesn’t have a clue how to get another job, even in the midst of one of the nation’s worst nursing shortages.

The healthcare world that Thelma and Louise entered more than 25 years ago was a measured, serene terrain with comfortable choices. Now the land in which they continue their careers and Nancy and Jenn start theirs is frenetic and supercharged — a retooled, cyber-enhanced frontier that has blasted nursing out of complacency to create new opportunities that are not even clear to our own leaders.

But one thing hasn’t changed. The special jobs — the ones that bristle with potential, excitement, and the future — continue to go to the chosen few nurses who possess the best job-seeking skills and the most fit careers. And just like a program of physical fitness, Career Fitness® is the product of constant maintenance, practice, and refinement. The modules in the following pages review the sophisticated skills nurses need for their job hunt.

We at Nursing Spectrum know that job hunting is just that — a hunt. So practice your skills and know the terrain. Wear the right clothes, carry the right ammunition, and keep your eyes on the target. We can assure you that the future will not be a boring ride in the country, but a shotgun journey thrashing with excitement and opportunity. Welcome to the Millennium and new demands for good marketing and Career Fitness®.

Robert G. Hess, Jr., RN, PhD
Vice President of Continuing Education
Nursing Spectrum

The goal of this program is to refine nurses’ ability to maintain a thriving professional career in a volatile healthcare environment. After you study the information presented here, you will be able to —

• Recall the components of an effective mentoring relationship.
• Identify how to build and maintain an effective network.
• Describe steps to formulate and update an effective resume.
• Recount how to prepare and participate in a job interview.
• Identify and manage stress.
• List essential steps in planning and delivering professional presentations.