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LinkedIn is something that I never realised the power of until I stepped into the world of recruitment. As a nurse, I never had to look very far to get my next job offer as nursing jobs were plentiful when I first qualified. There was no scrambling and competing to get the dream job and I very much felt in demand. Eager, hardworking and with a university degree under my belt, I thought I had the healthcare world at my feet. Therefore, I never needed to use LinkedIn to build a solid network-or at least I didn’t think I did! However, now I see LinkedIn in a completely different light and realise the advantage of harnessing its networking potential as a nurse.
LinkedIn is so much more than a social networking platform. It’s a place you can truly showcase yourself to the people who matter to your career. It’s an outstanding mechanism for connecting with the people who could play a role in your nursing career path. Here are some other benefits of utilising LinkedIn as a nurse:
Think of LinkedIn as a ‘digital resume’. Essentially, it’s your CV polished up on a platter for the world to see (or at least those you want to see it). Remember you can always set your profile to ‘private’. When you are creating your nursing profile, consider the things you want to showcase such as your experience, your education and your licensure. If you have any special awards or accreditations, LinkedIn is your go to place. Write a little about each experience, highlighting the skills you may have utilised or nursing knowledge gained from the experience.
By connecting with other nursing professionals such as Clinical Nurse Managers and Assistant Directors of Nursing, you might find yourself getting more positive exposure. If you are looking for a job in a particular field such as a Clinical Nurse Specialist role or community nursing, why not reach out to CNS’s and community nurses on LinkedIn and ask them about their experiences? It might feel a bit uncomfortable at first connecting and sending a message but the great thing about LinkedIn is that people can be quite open to the networking aspect of it. Provided you have the right attitude and remain professional at all times, you can only gain from it.
Linkedin is your one stop shop for nursing jobs. There are countless recruiters on LinkedIn advertising jobs on a daily basis who might personally reach out to you if you have the right profile for their jobs. Instead of you chasing them, they make it easy for you by reaching out to you instead. You can even set your profile to ‘Open to Work’ and get notifications when particular nursing jobs are available.
This is especially great if you have a specialised area in nursing such as tissue viability nursing, for example. Often in these nursing specialties, you might only work with one or two other nurses in the hospital in the same field. LinkedIn is a fantastic means of gaining knowledge from other like minded professionals who might specialise in the same area. There might also be networks or groups you can follow that can educate you on the latest developments in your field and answer queries you might have.
By forming strong links with other nursing professionals, and having an up-to-date CV at all times, you can form credibility within your nursing niche. Credibility is one of the highest accolades in any industry and LinkedIn can help build your confidence as a nursing professional as you watch your profile grow. You can also ask former nursing managers on LinkedIn for positive ‘recommendations’ which look wonderful on your profile. In nursing, there is no doubt that some units can be more challenging to work on than others and at times this can eat away at a nurse’s confidence. Sometimes to the point that they may forget their worth as a skilled professional. Having a strong LinkedIn profile to reflect on, gives a greater perspective on your overall potential and just how valued and needed you really are. A good nurse is worth their weight in gold!
LinkedIn ‘Do’s’ and ‘Don’ts’ as a Nurse
Be professional at all times. This is not Instagram or Facebook and nobody needs to know about your night out in Coppers! Everything you put on LinkedIn needs to be ‘interview appropriate’. If you are putting something personal up, make sure it still has a professional and respectful tone to it.
Complete your entire profile. Try to include a professional picture if you have one as your profile picture. Don’t leave out any of your experience if you can avoid it.
Be deliberate about building your nursing network. Think in terms of where you might envision yourself in a future nursing career. Who do you need to connect with now?
Write emails in a formal manner and be courteous.
Use it as a means of complaining about your career or venting about your bad days. It’s not a diary but remember this is your ‘digital CV’.
Make spelling mistakes on your profile. Spell check what you put up and get someone to proofread it for accuracy if you need to.
Say anything negative about an employer or colleague. Nursing is a small world and you never know who knows someone. Even if you don’t name them, it looks unprofessional and at worst it could lose you your job!
If you have any questions or need more tips on filling out your LinkedIn profile as an agency nurse please get in touch with me on [email protected]
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