Jewelry Artist / NP : Can I retain my business and grow in my profession?

Career Columnist / Author · Jul 8, 2015

Dear Nurse Beth,

I'm a new graduate from a MSN program and have been a RN for 10 years. For the past 3 years - to help put me through school - I've also run a rather successful side-business designing and creating jewelry. I have a strong online presence as far as my jewelry business is concerned, but I'm worried that this may adversely affect my job hunt for a NP position as social media pages affiliated with my business are the first to come up if someone searches for my name.

I don't want potential employers to be put-off by seeing that - from an online standpoint - I may appear to be a jewelry artist first and foremost when I actually adore nursing and have wanted for years to be a NP. But, at the same time, I'm proud of the success of my jewelry business, would love to keep running it part-time if I'm able to once I start working as a NP, and I don't want to delete all of my webpages and history associated with my achievements in that regard.

Do you have any advice for me in regards to how I can advance professionally as a NP while still continuing as a professional jewelry artist?

Thanks for your help.

Dear Jewelry Nurse Practitioner,

I think it's fantastic. I don't see why an employer would see owning a successful business as not being professional. It's not off-putting, it's impressive. I'm impressed.

You are creative and well-rounded. Not to mention resourceful. You are right, though, it really is important to be aware of your online presence. Michael Heuninckx wrote a popular article here on allnurses titled 7 Social Media Posts That Will Destroy Your Nursing Career Before it Gets Startedâ€ that talks about this very thing.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

P.S. It's interesting how sometimes we nurses think we aren't creative or artistic, because we're scientific. As though it has to be either/or. My sister is a successful nurse and manager and a talented jewelry artist. She just made me this beautiful necklace for my birthday, what do you think? :)