Although 2022 has just started, I hope you’re focusing on the many great things that you’re going to achieve this year – including new employment opportunities!
Believe it or not, the beginning of the year is one of the best times to start looking for a new job – most notably in January and February, according to career experts. This is because a lot of companies have backlogged open positions that were paused for the holiday season. Now that employees have returned to work, hiring managers can resume the process with new hiring budgets for the year. This is also the best time of year when all the key decision-makers are present in the office, which usually means a quicker turnaround for the hiring process. For those of you who’re considering new opportunities – especially in corporate nursing – I want to discuss hirability and how to maximize your chances of landing those coveted positions. And if you’re not ready to leave your current role, you can still showcase your value and increase your professional capital while planning your next move.
First, ask yourself, “Would I hire me?”
Grab a sheet of paper and list every pro and con that you bring to your current position in separate columns. This is a personal assignment, so transparency is key. Don’t hold back if you know that there are areas that you need to improve in. Next to each attributor in the pros column, write down how it helps you either achieve, implement or excel within your role. For example, are you working in critical care, and have the natural ability to become a super user with new devices and train other staff members? If so, you’re a resource that your unit needs. Are you an analytical nurse who can pinpoint where the patient care area curtailed waste, reducing costly expenditures by 25%? Is your ability to connect on a personal level beneficial for handling patient and family complaints more effectively? Once you have everything written down, read it aloud and smile because this is your value! When you’re an asset, employers don’t want to lose you. It’s imperative that your value is noted and quantified on your resume.
Next, look at the cons you’ve written down. Next to each detractor in the cons column, write down how it hinders your success within your role. Pick one that you believe is your biggest obstacle to overcome. For example, if you need to work on interpersonal communication, is it because you listen to respond (and not understand), and cut people off in the process? Are you a loner nurse who works in silos around the unit, refusing to speak to anyone until they’ve spoken to you? Are you the negative Ned or Nancy who always complains about ideas and processes, but never offers effective solutions? Do you let negative emotions get the best of you and cloud your decision-making abilities? These are just a few examples of attitudes and behaviors that prohibit people from moving up the ranks within a company. Unless you sign your own checks, you need to immediately reign in these bad habits. I’ve experienced these same detractors at one point in my career. It didn’t serve a purpose and only left me feeling stuck. Back then, I was my own worst enemy. People who wanted to step in and mentor me were leery about offering a helping hand and understandably so. Upon graduating from nursing school, I lost my first-choice specialty in the intensive care unit due to having a negative attitude. Nearly 20 years later, I still wish I had the education to make better decisions back then.
Next, look at the cons you’ve written down. Next to each detractor in the cons column, write down how it hinders your success within your role. Pick one that you believe is your biggest obstacle to overcome. For example, if you need to work on interpersonal communication, is it because you listen to respond (and not understand), and cut people off in the process? Are you a loner nurse who works in silos around the unit, refusing to speak to anyone until they’ve spoken to you? Are you the negative Ned or Nancy who always complains about ideas and processes, but never offers effective solutions? Do you let negative emotions get the best of you and cloud your decision-making abilities? These are just a few examples of attitudes and behaviors that prohibit people from moving up the ranks within a company. Unless you sign your own checks, you need to immediately reign in these bad habits. I’ve experienced these same detractors at one point in my career. It didn’t serve a purpose and only left me feeling stuck. Back then, I was my own worst enemy. People who wanted to step in and mentor me were leery about offering a helping hand and understandably so. Upon graduating from nursing school, I lost my first-choice specialty in the intensive care unit due to having a negative attitude. Nearly 20 years later, I still wish I had the education to make better decisions back then.
Oftentimes, problem areas within our careers are extensions of broader issues in our personal lives, which is why I’m an advocate of therapy. Personally, therapy is a useful tool for processing emotions that arise from having a demanding career. I’ve always worked stressful, high-intensity jobs and therapy assisted me with emotional awareness and decision making. Whatever your biggest obstacle is, create an action plan to resolve the issue as soon as possible. If you need professional assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Until you confront your problem(s), you won’t conquer it.
When it comes to what hiring managers are looking for in potential candidates, dating is the best analogy. Naturally, the person with more pros than cons is more desirable. The person who’s more likable and who represents a common ethos is considered more valuable. Hiring managers, directors and supervisors feel the same way about employees. Businesses exist to make money. Therefore, the person with more cons is a detriment to the company’s bottom line. In the end, a person with 10 pros and two cons who is self-aware, owns it and is working on to improve is someone who’s worth hiring.
Leave a comment and let me know what obstacles you’re currently facing and what you’re doing to improve in that area. Let me know if you’ve tried this exercise and what you learned about yourself.