How to Land Your First Nurse Practitioner Job: Advice from Two Chief Nursing Officers

One of the biggest mistakes students make is waiting until after graduation to begin thinking about employment.

Debbi Honey encourages MSN students to begin exploring potential employers during their final semester, using clinical experiences and shadowing opportunities to learn about different practice settings and organizational cultures. Researching prospective employers, understanding their mission, and reflecting on your own strengths can help you approach interviews with confidence.

Both nursing leaders emphasized that preparation matters.

Before walking into an interview, take time to understand:

Interviewers notice candidates who demonstrate genuine interest and have taken the time to learn about the organization.

One of the most valuable lessons from the conversation was that choosing the “right” nursing specialty isn’t about prestige—it’s about fit. Similar to your path to RN, your choices for the right MSN pathway are unique to you and what you want to do.

Emergency departments, intensive care units, labor and delivery, office care, and medical-surgical units all require different personalities, strengths, and work styles. Shadowing different departments during clinical experiences can help students better understand where they are most likely to thrive.

April Mount echoed this advice, encouraging students to keep an open mind. Although she initially planned to spend her career in labor and delivery, she ultimately found her passion in another specialty after gaining experience.

Many new nurses worry that accepting the “wrong” first job will define their careers. More importantly, applying that freshly-earned Master’s specialty but maybe finding out its not right for you is always a worry.

Fortunately, both leaders explained that healthcare organizations recognize that finding the right fit sometimes takes time.

Rather than viewing a change in specialty as a failure, they encourage nurses to advocate for themselves and work with leaders to find the environment where they can be most successful.

South College also has an option for those who already have MSN degrees in a different specialty to obtain a Post-Master’s Certificate which is designed for students who are ready for to switch it up.  For example, already an FNP  but ready to go into Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner? We can help you with that.

Strong clinical skills are important, but professionalism can make just as much of an impression during the hiring process.

Debbi Honey’s advice includes:

Preparation builds confidence—and confidence often shows during interviews.

One of April Mount’s strongest messages centered on career growth.

She encouraged nurses to communicate their goals, volunteer for projects, become preceptors, participate in education opportunities, and let leaders know they are interested in advancement.

Growth often begins by stating your intentions rather than waiting for someone else to notice your potential.

Landing your first nurse practitioner job after graduate school isn’t simply about submitting applications, it’s about preparing yourself to become the type of professional healthcare organizations want to hire, promote and invest in for future opportunities.

Research employers. Explore different specialties. Build relationships. Stay curious. Be open to learning. Most importantly, remember that your first nurse practitioner role is the beginning of a journey but not your final destination.