Published May 4, 2023
Tips for Your Nurse Practitioner Job Search
As a nurse practitioner, finding the right job can be a challenge. With so many different opportunities available, it can be difficult to know where to start your search. However, by following a few key tips, you can increase your chances of finding the perfect job for your skills, interests, and location.
Before we discuss tips to land the right NP job, I wanted to share a great piece of advice to help frame your search. Benjamin Woodard, DNP, NP-C, FAWM, is one of the 19 faculty members of Primary Care Bootcamp for NPs and PAs, a comprehensive on-demand curriculum for NPs and PAs who are entering or in their first year of practice. In a panel discussion presented in Track 1 of the curriculum, Woodard reminds APPs that your first year of practice is like your intern year. “This is your chance to learn the way you want to practice well the first time.” Woodard goes on to discuss the added pressure we as APPs must “show we know our stuff” and reminds early-career clinicians to be gentle with themselves as they begin practicing.
As you read through the below tips, remember that you’re not looking for any position, you’re looking for the position that is going to be right for you.
Get Clear: What Type of Role Do You Want?
Before you even start searching for jobs or brushing up your résumé, it’s important to get clear about what type of role you’re looking for. Consider your skills, interests, and long-term career goals. You may want to reflect on what your personal priorities are in terms of your schedule, what type of patient population you prefer, as well as what the demographics are of your community. Additionally, are you looking for a clinical role, a leadership position, or something else entirely? By getting clear about what you're looking for, you can focus your job search and avoid wasting time on opportunities that are not a good fit.
Get Your Documents Ready
The next step to finding the right NP job is to create a winning resume and cover letter. These documents are often the first impression you will make on a potential employer, so it's important to make them stand out. Highlight your most relevant skills and experiences, and tailor your resume and cover letter to each job you apply for. This will show the employer that you are serious about the position and have taken the time to research their organization.
Diversify Your Job Search
While online job postings can be a great resource, they should not be your only source of job leads. It's important to diversify your job search and explore other avenues for finding the right NP job. Attend job fairs, network with other healthcare professionals, and reach out to professional organizations and recruiters. By casting a wider net, you increase your chances of finding the right opportunity. Another helpful method can be “cold calling,” which means reaching out by phone or email to clinics or organizations that you know would be a great fit, but maybe don’t have any public job postings. This will hopefully be easy, since you have already got clear about what a good fit would look like for you in the first step, above!
Networking Is Important
Networking is an important aspect of any job search, but it's particularly important for nurse practitioners. Reach out to colleagues, mentors, and former classmates for advice and guidance. Attend professional conferences and events to meet new people and learn about job opportunities. By building a strong network, you can tap into a wealth of knowledge and resources that can help you find the right job.
Interviews Are a Two-Way Street
It's important to remember that interviewing is a two-way street. While the employer is interviewing you to see if you're a good fit for the job, you should also be interviewing them to see if they're a good fit for you. Prepare a list of questions to ask during the interview, and pay attention to the organization's culture, mission, and values. This will help you determine if the job is a good fit for you.
The panel discussion from Track 1 of Primary Care Bootcamp for NPs and PAs with Adam Katz, PA-C, Jillian Joseph, MPAS, PA-C, and Benjamin Woodard, DNP, NP-C, FAWM focuses on the interview being a chance for you to interview the practice. Woodard shares,
“There’s this misconception that you’re going in to see if you’re the perfect fit for the job, and I would actually challenge all of the new graduates out there to really flip that around and make sure that it’s a fit for you culturally. Personally, that the hours fit, etc. You’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you.”
They go on to share some questions that you can ask the hiring manager to better understand the culture and expectations of the practice. You can check out a portion of the panel below.
Finding the right NP job takes time and effort, but by following these tips, you can increase your chances of success. By approaching your job search with a clear strategy and a positive attitude, you can find the right NP job for your skills and interests.
To learn more about navigating the challenges you might face as an NP early in your career, check out Primary Care Bootcamp for NPs and PAs.
Amanda Guarniere is an Ivy-league educated Nurse Practitioner, Keynote Speaker and Career Mentor who helps nursing professionals find and land their dream job. She founded The Résumé Rx in 2018 and since then has grown the community to over 40,000 nursing students and professionals worldwide. Amanda works clinically in primary care and aesthetics and lives in Connecticut with her husband and three girls.