7
Certification Q&A;
Every year at this time, thousands of students complete
their NP studies and embark on a new career. This arti-
cle is dedicated to the NP Class of 2015. Best wishes for
success and welcome to the profession!
A
n oft-quoted rule of job hunting is that the more
competitive the employment market and the
more responsible the position, the more you need to
prepare for the job search. With a wider variety of
practice opportunities and increased responsibility
for NPs, new NPs seeking a job must be well-pre-
pared to find or create the right position. In addition,
NPs need to develop sophisticated negotiation skills
to maximize the compensation for their new posi-
tion, as well as effectively leverage the clinical expe-
rience many NPs bring to the workplace. Few NPs,
whether they are new to practice or are long-time
clinicians, feel adequately prepared to take on the
task of high-level employment negotiation. The fol-
lowing information has been developed to help NPs
with this important professional journey.
Before embarking on this next stage of your pro-
fessional journey, set time aside for reflection. You
might be tempted to skip this, believing you do not
have the time; however, you have devoted tremen-
dous energy, resources, and time to becoming an
NP. You owe it to yourself and to those who have
supported you in your professional and personal
development to invest in this. During this time of
reflection, write down your answers to the following
questions. You do not need to share your answers
with anyone, but they can serve as a guide as you
look for the NP position that is the best fit for you.
As you ponder these questions, you might also real-
ize that you have strengths that you have not ap-
preciated.
Before Your NP Employment Search, Take Time
for Reflection
Margaret A. Fitzgerald, DNP, FNP-BC, NP-C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC
Continued on page 9
Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc., May 2015 fhea.com