Dara Ann O’Malley provides some helpful hints for applying for nursing and midwifery jobs in today’s tough market
Whether it’s vying for a job at home or abroad, candidates will have a better chance at success with these useful tips for applications and interviews.
Curriculum vitae
Always attach a cover letter to your CV.
This helps to set you apart from other candidates
and shows that you have invested
time and thought into your application.
The letter should outline why you want
the role and the characteristics, qualities
and experience that would make you the
ideal candidate for the position.
Your CV should always start with your contact information and include your email address. It should be easy to read so that potential employers can quickly locate the information they are seeking.
Don’t overload it with too much text, select an easy-to-read font such as Calibri, and use a font size between 12 and 14 points for general text. Highlight important information, such as your name and qualifications, with larger font or bold text.
Ideally, your CV should be two pages. If it is any longer, employers may not take the time to read it properly. If called for an interview, you can expand on any area of your CV. You do not need to include a section on hobbies and interests unless you have a particular interest that relates to nursing or midwifery, or an unusual hobby that could be used as a talking point during an interview.
If there is a gap in your employment history because you went travelling or pursued other interests, include details of what you did during that time in your CV.
Get permission from your referees’ before including them on your CV. Your referees should be aware that you are applying for a job or attending an interview, and they should be prepared to receive an enquiry about you.
Dress code
Business dress is essential for interviews.
For example, do not wear jeans.
Although nurses and midwives do
not require business attire on the
wards, wearing smart business dress
for an interview is essential in creating
a good impression.
It’s a good idea to wear smart shoes that you can walk in comfortably. Try to keep jewellery and make-up to a minimum and tie long hair back as this can all distract the interviewer. The primary aim in an interview is to convey a clear sense of who you are, how you work and how you would deal with particular work-related situations.
Research
If you are applying to a hospital, make
sure you have researched the hospital
and are aware of its ethos or mission
statement. Check the hospital website for
information, including the different specialties
it covers, or if you know someone
working there, ask them for advice before
the interview. Interviewers will expect you
to have basic knowledge about the hospital
you are applying to work in.
Nursing in Ireland
We are currently experiencing a very
difficult time in Ireland due to the economic
situation and government cuts to
healthcare spending. However, there are
available vacancies in public Irish hospitals
for specialist nurses for areas such
as intensive care, critical care, theatre,
emergency departments, oncology and
clinical nurse manager and director of
nursing posts.
Nursing in the UK If you are interviewing for an NHS hospital it is essential that you know about:
Registering with the NMC
NMC stands for the Nursing and
Midwifery Counsel which is the UK’s
equivalent of The Nursing and Midwifery
Board of Ireland (formerly known as An
Bord Altranais).
Registering with the NMC is a long and lengthy process but a nursing recruitment agency can assist with the NMC application. Applications will be reviewed before they are sent to the NMC in order to avoid delays in the application process.
Accommodation
Nursing recruitment agencies also
provide a meet and greet service for applicants
for when they arrive off the plane.
They organise transport to the hospital and
assist in finding accommodation to make
moving to the UK as easy as possible.
Prospects and coming home
Working in the UK offers nurses and
midwives the opportunity to work in a
specialist area for up to two years and
then return home with greater experience
and improved employment prospects.
Dara Ann O’Malley is a former student and new graduate officer of the INMO and now works as a health recruitment consultant
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Job seeking - Tips for success |