What do you reach for when you have a minor medical emergency? Most people would likely say a first aid kit. This box or bag full of medical supplies helps bring relief to cuts, scrapes, bee stings and more. The bigger and more stocked the first aid kit, the better chance you’ll have the right tools to solve the problem.
If you are a nursing student preparing to look for a job, or a registered nurse searching for one, a nursing first aid kit may be just the relief you need. Even if you are a nurse looking to transition your skills into a new career, a nursing kit can help prepare you with the right tools for job hunting.
Job prospects may depend on the size and amount of “stuff” in your nursing first aid kit, so it’s important to keep it updated and filled with many different tools. What should be in your first aid kit?
Here are some suggestions:
An Updated Résumé
You should make an effort to review and update your résumé every 6-8 months, even if you find yourself employed at a job you really love. There are a couple good reasons for this: 1) downsizing and budget cuts can happen suddenly and 2) should you ever want to apply for a promotion or be assigned to a special work project, your résumé will most likely be required. Maintaining a résumé can also allow you to add new skills and work experiences right away, when they are most fresh in your mind.
This applies to nursing students as well. If you know the nursing field you’d like to enter, start your search 3-4 months prior to graduation, and stay in touch with nurse recruiters, supervisors and other healthcare employers. Starting early also may give you the opportunity to hone your résumé to the desired job position, and build relationships with other nursing professionals and organizations.
A Prepared Cover Letter
It’s also beneficial to keep a basic cover letter template ready so you can update and personalize it for each résumé you send. Depending on how many job positions you apply for, it may be difficult to write a cover letter for each new job. Having a cover letter template prepared in your nursing first aid kit allows you to adapt the cover letter based on the specific job position. Job hunting can be stressful and time consuming. The more prepared you are, the faster you may be able to send out résumés to potential employers.
A Professional Online Nursing Profile
Creating a professional profile on a trusted website such as LinkedIn, is another way to support your online nursing presence, build connections and highlight your skills, education and personality traits. Here are a couple things to remember when creating a professional online profile:
Keep it professional
This shouldn’t be used as a social media platform, like Facebook and Twitter. Use a professional photo and don’t post anything that could be construed as negative. Your profile should act as an extension of your résumé. Keep it clean, concise and accurate and update it frequently.
Be thorough
A professional profile allows you to create a detailed summary of your skills, accomplishments, work experiences, awards, contributions and personal attributes – all of which may help boost your professional network and get you on the radar of potential employers. Some employers and job recruiters are now focusing more on online network profiles, rather than résumés and online applications, so maintaining a detailed online profile may be just as beneficial as sending out multiple résumés.
Business Card
Whether or not you have a job right now, it’s a good idea to have a couple business cards on hand, in case new opportunities arise. Don’t worry, you don’t need something extravagant. It just needs to have your name, contact information (e-mail, phone number) and a customized URL to your online professional profile (preferably, your LinkedIn account).
In addition, if you haven’t already, it’s usually a smart play to create a separate e-mail account for business purposes only. That way, if your personal e-mail sounds unprofessional (like iheartsushi@yahoo.com, for instance), it won’t hurt your credibility among potential employers and/or job recruiters.
A business card can help grow your professional network, meet new clients or employers and build relationships with a variety of business professionals.
A Strong Professional Network
Maintaining a proficient résumé, creating a cover letter template and developing an online professional profile all work toward building a strong professional network. A robust professional network of nursing and non-nursing professionals is one of the most important things to include in your first aid kit.
Generally, your professional network should consist of former and current colleagues, related professionals, LinkedIn connections, as well as friends and family. Building a strong network of business professionals is important because as unfortunate as it sounds, jobs sometimes come down to “who you know” rather than “what you know.”
Be Ready
It doesn’t matter where you are in your nursing career path, remember to keep your nursing first aid kit updated and stocked with the latest tools and techniques. Your first aid kit has no limits. Increase your skills and qualifications and take the steps toward planning for your future career.
