The last two weeks of class, we have been very focused on what it means to be a nurse, how to achieve our goals, and how to go about landing our dream jobs out of school! We watched a movie called “NURSES If Florence Could See Us Now.” This movie focused on how nursing has evolved as a profession since the time of Florence Nightingale and what a big impact the nursing profession has on everyone involved in healthcare. The movie had a large impact on my feelings towards the profession I will be a part of very soon. One story that stuck with me in particular was the story of an oncology patient. This patient struggled with cancer for years, but once he was in remission he went back to school and eventually became a nurse practitioner. He described that his desire to do this stemmed from how much of a help the nurses were to him during the time he was sick. I found his story so inspiring and it reinforced the belief that in my career all of my actions will make a difference. That is why as nurses it is so very important to be cognizant of our choices and behaviors when providing patient care.

A career advisor also came to our class to talk about resumes, cover letters, social media presence, and interview strategies. This was an extremely helpful session as it is time to be applying to the careers we want to begin out of school. After listening to this presentation it gave me a lot to think about in regard to how to interview. When asked about my strengths and weaknesses I will be open and honest with evidence to back up my claims. I think it’s important in the interview process not to be afraid of admitting a weakness, but to know how to frame it. The career advisor had a great example that really stuck with me. She said that someone who says they are always late but it doesn’t matter sounds very different from someone who says they are always late so they set their clocks forward in order to be on time. The second option shows a knowledge of weakness with an initiative to fix it and that looks much better than not trying to work with your weaknesses.

I also have learned new ways to set myself apart from other applicants. Researching the hospital to be familiar with their mission statement and specific job responsibilities is a great way to stand out from others. It shows passion for the organization which will show that you want to be hired there because of the organization and what they stand for rather than it just being a job to you. I am excited to take these strategies into the next phase of applying for jobs very soon!