4 Mistakes Experienced Nurse Practitioners Make in a Job Search
If you’re an experienced nurse practitioner, you’re in luck. Your job search should be much easier than it was as a new grad now that you’ve got some real-life practice hours under your belt. Not to mention, you likely have professional connections to help with your search. Whether you’ve been working as an NP for ten months or ten years, your employment outlook is bright.
While experienced nurse practitioners certainly have an advantage in the job market, there are still a few things you can do to shoot yourself in the proverbial foot when it comes to landing a job. Here are a few common snafus to avoid as you look for employment.
1. The Run-On Resume
If you’ve worked as a nurse or nurse practitioner for years, you want to showcase your experience, right? So, on your resume you list every position you’ve ever held…since 1976. Your resulting resume is 5 pages long bogged down with details from your former life as a telemetry RN.
You should be proud of your robust employment history if you’ve been working for years but resist the urge to include every last detail of your career in your resume. Listing your last 10 years of employment, or perhaps even less, should do. To indicate you have actually been employed prior, include a short line saying something along the lines of “exhaustive employment history available on request”. You can also draw on your past experiences in response to interview questions so your prospective employer is aware of your know-how.
The bottom-line? No one wants to read a 5 page resume. Period.
2. Transition Troubles
Your current employment agreement likely contains language outlining how your job is to end. How much notice must you give your employer when you plan to leave? Does your contract contain a non-compete clause prohibiting you from working for a nearby competitor?
Make sure to review your employment agreement before beginning a job search. Taking a job with a competitor that violates a non-compete clause could land you out of work entirely. Violating the terms of your current agreement is poor form, not to mention it puts you in a legal jam. Make sure to time your job search appropriately to facilitate a smooth transition between employers.
3. Being Set in Your Ways
Most clinics and hospitals make an effort to hire experienced nurse practitioners. A few practices, however prefer less experienced NPs. Why? Some seasoned nurse practitioners are less teachable. They adapt poorly to the culture and protocols of a new practice.
If you have many years of nursing or NP experience, make sure to indicate your affinity for being a team player. Express excitement to continue learning in your career during your interview- even if you aren’t switching specialties. Emphasize your abundance of knowledge balancing this with a desire to grow. This shows employers you will approach the position with an open attitude.
4. Letting Details Slide
Yes, as an experienced NP you are in high demand. But you still need to put time and effort into your job search. If you are relocating to a new state for a position, you must make sure to obtain appropriate licensing. You need to format your resume appropriately and send post-interview thank you notes. Don’t let your job search get sloppy or assume that you’re in such high demand you don’t need to pay attention to details.
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