Discussion 1: Job Search, Application, and Interview Processes
Throughout your program of study, you have been encouraged to think about your strengths, values, and professional aspirations, as well as the opportunities you have to create positive impact as a nurse leader-manager or nurse informaticist.
How would you most like to leverage your knowledge and expertise going forward? What types of professional positions could you see yourself in, now and further along in your career? What steps could you take to identify a job that appeals to you and to secure a position that you find intellectually challenging and rewarding?
In this Discussion, you examine strategies for conducting an effective job search and assess how you could convey your qualifications for a position of interest to you.
To prepare:
- Reflect on your strengths, values, and professional aspirations. How will these inform the next stage of your career?
- Consider what you have learned through your experiences in the practicum about professional roles and functions in your specialty area.
- Review the information in the Learning Resources, and think about the process of conducting a job search. If possible, speak with individuals in your practicum setting as well as other nursing professionals about how they have identified positions that align with their needs and ambitions. Ask for advice about conducting a successful job search.
- Search postings of open positions that appeal to you, and identify one for which you would like to apply. If you have difficulty finding such a position, for the purposes of this Discussion you may select one that has already been filled or is in a different region. (Note: If you are not interested in finding a new position, please approach this activity as an opportunity to explore the field. If you are interested in changing positions, please use this activity for that purpose.)
- What steps would you take to apply for and secure an interview for this position? Write a cover letter and target your résumé or Curriculum Vitae (CV) to this position. (Note: You are not required to complete the job application for this Discussion.)
- How would you prepare for an interview for this position? What questions do you think would be posed, and what information would you like to learn about the position and the organization? Ask a colleague or friend to conduct a practice interview with you.
- Consider how you might use your Professional Portfolio (submitted this week) to demonstrate your capabilities during the interview process.
Post on or before Day 3 an explanation of how you would conduct a job search for a position of interest to you, including the resources you would use (and did use to identify the position for this Discussion). Include a brief description of the position you identified. Share an application and interview plan for that position, noting how you would convey your qualifications for this position.