Tag : new graduates

Hello! What Does it Take for a New Grad to get Some Attention Around Here?

 

Dear NP Career Coach: 

 

I am a new grad NP and I am in the process of job search. I am struggling to get even an interview. Could you help me with how to market myself so that I can get the recruiters to look at my resume?

 

Dear New Grad NP:    

 

When crafting your new grad resume keep these points in mind.  
  1. Your resume needs to demonstrate that you have the skills the employer wants.
  2. The only thing that matters is what the employer wants. 
  3. As a new graduate the most marketable experience you have is your clinical rotations. 
    To be successful your resume must contain clear and easy to find information.  You can’t get an interview if the recruiter can’t determine whether or not you meet the requirements.   Your resume will have about 30 seconds to catch the eye of the employer, so it’s important to be sure all the info in your resume is easy to find.  The reader shouldn’t have to strain or work hard to figure out who you are. 
    In today’s market employers are expecting to receive a resume that is tailored to the position.  When creating their first NP resume many new graduates get carried away and include too much extraneous information.  Remember, your resume is just a snapshot to show the employer you are a match – not your entire life history.
    First, you must make it clear to the reader that you possess the appropriate educational preparation.  Place your educational section at the top of your resume. Make sure you have included your degree and the dates it was earned (or will be earned).   You can safely omit elements like your GPA, thesis, or doctoral project.   This simply adds clutter to your resume without increasing your marketability.  I know you worked hard for your GPA, but it doesn’t belong on your resume. 
    Second, clearly indicate your certification.  You will be seen as ineligible for the position if information relating to your certification status is missing. Identify the name your certifying body and note either “current” or the expiration date of your board certification. If you have not yet taken boards note “pending” or your scheduled test date.     Also, be sure you list your RN licenses.  This may seem like a no brainer but it is important that your nursing license(s) be on your resume.
    Next is your experience section.   As a new grad your clinical rotations are your most pertinent and relevant experience.  Take a look at the job posting and find the skills the employer has stated are a requirement.  Then make sure you mention those skills in your student experience section.   Avoid statements that reflect minimum entry levels skills.  It’s a waste of space on your resume to say “manage acute and chronic conditions” or “history and physical exam skills”.  That won’t set you apart.  Give the recruiter some real data about procedures, specific conditions and populations.   You should find this data in your clinical logs. 
    Finally, take care not to focus on your RN experience.  Employers like to see that you had RN experience but they are not interested in your RN duties.   A simple entry indicating the department where you worked in will be sufficient.   You are applying for an NP job and you are a new NP graduate, however, you are competing against candidates who have NP experience.   To put it bluntly, what you did as an RN will not trump actual NP experience so it’s best not to waste the resume space because it won’t make you more marketable.  If the employer wants to hear more about your RN jobs they will ask you about them in an interview. 
    Oh, and a nice cover letter will help you get noticed too. 
    I will send you my cover letter and resume guides via email. 
    Good luck and keep me posted on your job search. 
    ~Renee
     

Employment Contracts and Never Having to Say You Are Sorry

Count contracts among the top things you want to get right, or as close to right, as you can before you sign on the dotted line.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
You should receive a copy of the employment contract either at the same time the offer is extended to you or shortly thereafter.  NEVER, EVER accept an offer until you have had time to fully review the contract.  In my experience, it is not so much that NPs and PAs regret the items they agreed to in their contracts as much as they lament what they neglected to include.

A typical contract is 1-2 pages and commonly uses boilerplate language.  It is sort of a one-size-fits-all form where the employer fills in the proposed pay rate, whether employment is full time or part time and a general description of benefits.  Many may also include a non-compete of some sort.

 
THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT
Upon receipt and review of the contract you can either 1. accept it, 2. reject it, or 3. negotiate the terms.  Life is easy if you just sign it, which is what the employer is hoping.  And to be honest, quite a few of us feel just a little intimidated and so we close our eyes, hope for the best and comply.  Why? One reason is because we lack the training on employment contracts.  This is especially true for the new graduate NPor PA who has no prior experience in contracting and feels unsure about what is appropriate or how to respond.  It can also be a little intoxicating to receive that first job offer. I often compare it to a marriage proposal in which we are so flattered that we just say “yes” before thinking it fully through.
COUNTER OFFERS
Contracts needn’t be “standardized”. It’s your prerogative to negotiate and you can choose to include anything that is important to you.  In addition a wise NP or PA will clarify any points that they find to be murky or lead to possible confusion down the line.  So, rather than just signing as is use the option to add or delete information and send the edited the contract back.  That’s called negotiation.
*Note – etiquette dictates that you submit a counter offer only once. Employers have little appetite for a prolonged back and forth so you need to carefully think through your response.  In other words, you don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you are countering your counter.  Know your bottom line and leave it at that. 
WHAT TO INCLUDE
Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a handy checklist of items so you could more fully evaluate a proposed employment contract?  I want to share with you a reference that is the most comprehensive list for contract negotiation that I have come across.   It is identified as a “sample NP contract” but would work nicely for a PA as well. Click here 
The only thing I disagree with in this sample contract is the term length.  The sample utilizes a term of 5 years.  That’s an awful long time to commit to a new relationship!  I suggest a shorter term of 1-2 years.  Healthcare is changing rapidly and a shorter term gives you the chance to renegotiate sooner.
If you need more explanation on how healthcare changes can impact your employment please read my article “Contracts:Avoiding the Wrong Regrets”

 

5 Steps for an Effective New Grad NP Job Search

Hello New Grads!

Abe Lincoln once advised “If I had 8 hours to chop down a tree, I would spend 7 sharpening my axe”.


Don’t get worried, I don’t actually want you to chop anything down! My point is that I want you to be well prepared before you begin your NP job search.

In my last column for Advance for NPs & PAs I outlined 5 essential steps to include in your job search plan.

In my column you will find advice on

  • Applying too soon (yes, you can apply too soon)
  • Finding and choosing the proper references
  • How to sell yourself and your skills
  • Handling the dreaded “strength and weakness” interview question.

Click here to read more

New Grad Class of 2013 – this blog is for YOU

Graduation is exciting but also a little stressful. New grads (or maybe I should call them “soon-to-be-grads”) spend almost as much of their last semester worrying about getting their first job as they do studying.

Well, I personally have never seen any value to worry. It’s far better to spend your time preparing instead of worrying.  And luckily for new grads there is some good advice out there.

Advance for NPs and PAs puts out a great “Guide for NP & PA New Grads” every year and it is chock full of both practical and valuable advice.

This year 2013 the guide has gone digital and you will find 4 extremely helpful articles.

The first (which just happens to be written by me!) is Salary Tips for the New Grad.  I discuss realistic salary expectations as well as the proper time to negotiate.  You might be surprised at what I have to say.  Read more

There is also a nice article on Building a Better Resume. This piece includes some nice tips on social media, keywords and paper resumes.  As your trusted NP Career Coach I can say without reservation that the advice is spot on and will help you be more successful in landing that job interview.

Speaking of interviews, did you know that the new trend is to do your interview via Skype?  Check out the handy tips in Get Psyched to Skype.  You will be glad you did.

And finally, read Networking Know-How and find out how to make the most out of your networking.

Access the entire guide HERE 

 

HAPPY GRADUATION CLASS OF 2013!

 

Attention: Dallas-Fort Worth area NPs!

I haven’t done this before but judging by the number of emails I get from NPs who are looking for work I thought I might post a job opening.

I just spoke with an employer who is hiring for an innovative and intriguing nurse practitioner job in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in Texas. Reliant Health House Calls is looking for several NPs to join their team seeing patients in their homes. This is a FULL-TIME opportunity with benefits. They are also willing to hire NEW GRADS.

Salary: $80,000 – 106,000

If you want to learn more contact G.S. Reddy at 817-808-3443 or [email protected]

Be sure to tell them I sent you!
Renee