I just passed the ANP exam and am having trouble finding a job, even though I have more than 20 years of experience. What could be the problem?
Wednesday November 4, 2009
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I graduated from an MSN program in 2008 and passed the ANP exam this August. I have been an RN since 1989. I am seeking work either as a faculty RN educator or an NP, but employers want at least a year of experience. I have been teaching at a home health agency for the past seven years. I was recently interviewed for a per diem position, but my second interview is soon and I am not sure if per diem is financially going to help my family.
Can you recommend someone to review or update my résumé? An outdated résumé may be another reason for not hearing back from employers.
Doris
Even though per diem is not ideal for you, it sounds like a good way to get started while you look for something that suits you better — especially since you feel you are lacking relevant and, I presume, clinical experience.
Have you looked into online education positions? Many colleges and universities have online offerings in which you can teach from your home. They will instruct you on the technical aspects of that. This is something you can do in addition to something else to supplement your income and garner additional teaching experience.
Also, be careful not to make or buy into generalizations such as, "Everyone wants at least one year experience." Every employer is different, so keep at it. You also need to learn to counter objections and effectively sell yourself in a job search. For example, even though you're a new NP, you're not starting from scratch. You are expanding your practice after 20-plus years of diverse experience. It’s all in how you present it.
Regarding your résumé, you can find some career coaches and counselors to help, but if they're not nurses, they will not likely fully appreciate the full scope of nursing practice and may not represent you well on paper. And when you use a résumé service, you tend to get a "canned résumé" — something very formulaic and not necessarily in the most up-to-date format. You'll get great advice, step-by-step instructions, and résumé/CV samples in “The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses” (www.nurse.com/ce/7250).
You also need to be actively networking with your state chapter of the American Nurses Association (www.ana.org) and related advanced practice associations. Networking is well known to be a great way to find and get a job, stay cutting edge with knowledge and information, and create a support system and sense of community in nursing.
My best wishes,
Donna
Donna Cardillo, RN, MA, well-known career guru, is Nursing Spectrum/NurseWeek’s “Dear Donna” and author of “Your First Year as a Nurse: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional” and “The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses: Practical Advice for Thriving at Every Stage of Your Career.” Information about the books is available at www.Nurse.com/CE/7010 and www.Nurse.com/CE/7250, respectively. To ask Donna your question, go to www.Nurse.com/asktheexperts/deardonna. Find a “Dear Donna” seminar near you: Call 800-866-0919 or visit http://events.nursingspectrum.com/Seminar.
