Are You Marketable?

In nursing school we are taught ways to become a well-rounded nurse and we learn a wide facet of skills to cover every dynamic field within nursing. But how are we outside of the classroom? As I sneak closer to my graduation date every day, I have come to ask myself the question, "Am I marketable?" Sure, I get good grades in class but is that all that it takes anymore?

In the current state of our country, where more and more hospitals are placing hiring freezes and more nurses are staying put, I have found that the job market is not near as friendly as we were hoping it would be by the time we graduate. This means that is so important to not just be a student nurse with great grades and an okay resume, it is now the time to be an incredible student nurse that can't be turned away.

So how do we do this? By speaking with several recent graduates from my school and several recruiters from my area, I have come up with several great ways to add to your repertoire and make you stand out.

The first thing that I would recommend is to be active in your school. This means becoming a class representative, joining the Student Nurses Association or maybe starting a new club that might serve your school well. This will show initiative and enable you to show concrete ways that you are a facilitator.

The second thing that I would recommend is to become active in your community. This could mean either joining the American Red Cross, working with a local food bank, organizing blood drives, etc. There is no end to the multiple ways that you can help your local community. Not only will this give you great memories and make you feel great, but it will also add to your skills of becoming a compassionate nurse and giving member of society.

The third thing on my list is doing an internship or externship at a hospital. Usually these take place over the summer before you graduate and can be a great way to add to your skills as a nurse and help prepare you for the NCLEX. If you plan on working at the hospital you accept an internship with this can also help get your name and face out there and you may even become friendly with the people that may someday interview you for a job. Some hospitals are now offering internships after you graduate. This may also provide many of the same benefits and give you a foot in the door at a specific hospital or field you may have your eyes set on.

The last thing is to be excellent at your job. If you are one of the many unfortunate ones that have to work during nursing school make sure that you are doing it as well as you would if you were finally a nurse. This shows great work ethic and time management. I was fortunate enough to become the employee of the quarter. Not only did this make me feel great, but it told me that even though it is very hard to juggle school and work, it is not impossible to succeed and do well at both. I believe that my future employer will also take this into consideration.

If you do not work, make whatever you do a success. If this means being an excellent parent, getting straight As, writing a blog, or enjoying your hobbies - do it with the intention of being great.

I know there are many other things that I could add to this list that would make you a more marketable graduate, but these are just a few ideas to get you started. Of course not everyone can do all of these and be successful, but pick and choose among them to become a well-rounded student and someone an employer would be honored to hire.