While most nurses didn’t get into this position to market their skills, it’s still the most secure job hunting method for new grads, whether they’re already working or seeking employment. To cultivate and develop a rock-solid network, try the following things.
Join a Professional Network Website, Group, or Event
Joining a nursing network requires joining a club or website and making an effort to attend. Networking events play a crucial role in the field, and most of these group events will occur in a hospital, nurse meeting, or sponsored event. It’s possible to find a network of nurses on job websites, like LinkedIn, who are familiar with each other and want to help you succeed.
Nailing the Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch provides a summary to the person you’re networking with. In 20-30 seconds, you’re expected to include a snapshot of who you are, what you offer, your skills, and how you’re different from others. Finally, you’ll complete the pitch with a call-to-action.
Example: Traveling Nurse
A traveling nurse is a nurse that takes on short-term roles at clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. Becoming a traveling nurse lets you experience multiple perks like the chance to explore new places, see different places, and make new friends. Competitive pay, free housing, and excellent health benefits are other fantastic reasons to try out this role.
If you want to find a job as a traveling nurse, try this elevator pitch example:
“As a nurse for McQueens Hospital, I talk to hundreds of patients per day from multiple backgrounds. And 99% of them mention my kindness. With my passion for compassion, I think I’m the best nursing fit for helping improve your patient’s outlook and livelihood.”
This elevator pitch works because the speaker mentioned they had emotional intelligence, can work with people from multiple backgrounds, and are interested in improving lives. All three of these aspects are necessary for nursing.
Valuable Tips for Networking in Nursing
Your networking abilities will improve with time. With patience and practice, you can start building connections, but these tips can make networking easier and more effective.
- Arrive on Time: Go to the networking event early, so you have enough time to scope out who you want to talk to. Arriving late will make it challenging to experience a one-on-one conversation with a potential employer.
- Hold a Conversation After the Pitch: Don’t just pitch, exchange business cards, and leave the event because people are less likely to remember you. Share your passions, strengths, and hobbies with others, and stay enthusiastic about the potential opportunity.
- Ask Questions: Everyone likes to talk about what they do, so ask questions at every opportunity. It’s crucial to stay strategic with which questions you ask because you want to understand what this person needs so you can offer a solution.
- Be Pleasant: Keep smiling throughout the conversation and remain positive. You’ll be remembered if you crack a joke or stay optimistic.
- Get Their Contact Information: Following up after a networking conversation is incredibly important and a sure way to seal the deal. If they mention a job opening, state your interest and highlight that you enjoyed your time together.
The main point of networking is to make a long-lasting impression. You’ll double your likelihood of getting a callback if you seem interested in the person you’re speaking with.
How to Make a Good First Impression
It’s important to make an excellent first impression with the person you’re speaking with because it’s hard to correct a negative association with your character. Don’t be afraid of flubbing a word or mixing up details; as long as you can recover with a joke or stay vigilant, the person you’re networking with will understand. Job recruiters understand why you’re nervous.
However, if you don’t dress appropriately, bring a business card, or seem genuinely interested in what the job recruiter is saying, that will be difficult to recover from. The listener might lose interest if you ramble on too much or take up too much of their time. Stay concise and focus on building rapport rather than overloading the listener with information about the nursing industry.
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