How to land a job after 15 year hiatus

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

If I understand this correctly, you graduated 15 years ago, worked less than a year, and have not worked since.

It will be challenging. As a competitor trying to enter the workforce, you are neither a new nurse eligible for a residency nor an experienced nurse.

From an employer's perspective, with a lack of recent, hands-on experience and skills, you will require extra resources to get up to speed.

Having said that, you've shown initiative by taking a refresher course. Your frustration tells me you need to accept the following points about your situation in order to move forward:

• You're a novice nurse. It takes a minimum of a year to become autonomous in practice. While you've completed a refresher course, it's important to recognize that you're essentially starting fresh in many ways. You're not a new graduate, but you also don't have recent bedside experience, so you're entering the job market as a novice nurse. This means you'll face steep learning curves and need time to gain confidence in your practice.
• Landing a job will be challenging. Without recent experience, it may be harder to land a job. Employers tend to favor candidates with up-to-date skills and recent work history, so expect competition from other nurses who have continuous experience. Be prepared for rejection and understand that the process will take time.
• The first job may not be ideal. Don't expect to jump into your dream job right away. Your first role after a 15-year hiatus may be less than ideal and could involve positions that are underpaid, understaffed, or not in your preferred specialty. Be ready to work your way up, and understand that you may have to take a role that isn't your top choice in order to get your foot back in the door.
• Be ready to explain your 15-year hiatus. Employers will zone in on your extended break from nursing. Be prepared to explain it honestly, but also show how the time away didn't erode your passion for nursing. Emphasize any continuing education or skills you've maintained during the break and be ready to demonstrate your readiness to jump back into practice.

What You Can Do

• Contact your school and inquire about any available job leads. The instructors may have connections in local facilities. Have your classmates found jobs? Contact them.
• Go to job fairs, local educational events, and professional organizational meetings.
• Cast a wide net. Register on Indeed.com or other job board and do not limit your search. For example, be open to sub-acute, acute, and clinics, as well as other settings.
• Your full-time job now is finding a job. Submit applications daily. As a former hiring manager passionate about helping nurses land their first job, I wrote "How to Land Your First Nursing Job...and your next!"  It gives you actionable insider information on how to secure your first job.
• A lot will depend on your applications, resume, and interview skills. They must be exemplary, and you can learn these skills. There is a wealth of information here on allnurses to help you. I'll put some helpful links below.

The key takeaway here is that the road back to nursing may be tough, but as long as you accept that, and are persistent and resilient, you can succeed. 

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

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