Despite the economically tumultuous times we live in, the job market remains fairly stable for practicing nurses. This is a professional perk nurses have always enjoyed. However, the nurse burnout rate is significant and many nurses look for ways to stay in nursing and still balance their work and family lives. This often means job hunting in areas outside of the hospital environment. There are nursing positions in a wide variety of unique areas including, education, publication, case management, staff development & training, telehealth, computer training, legal consulting, pharmaceutical and medical sales, health insurance, research, occupational health, school nursing, home health nursing and much, much more! How can you find these nursing positions? Here are a few job hunting tips…

1. Search for health care-related companies that hire nurses. Many companies hire nurses for a variety of positions. For example, GE and Phillips hire nurses to teach hospital personnel how to use their equipment and computer software. Large cities frequently hire nurses to work in departments of health and aging. Some positions even allow nurses to work from home while monitoring patients via the computer and/or phone.

2. Click on links to other websites within health care-related companies. Be sure to review the links to other sites within a company you are interested in. Often, these links will lead to job opportunities that you probably did not even consider.

3. Contact health care recruiters. Although nursing positions can be easy to locate. Health care recruiters are frequently aware of “alternative” nursing positions that are not advertised. Plus, these recruiters are typically free and will work to find a position that will match your needs.

4. Send a “cold” cover letter and resume to companies of interest. If there is a type of nursing position you are interested in, send a cover letter and resume to that company, even if there are no positions available. Sometimes employers will call weeks or months later to request an interview with you. This technique works well with smaller companies. However, BEWARE! Many large companies do not accept cover letters and resumes that are not for a specific position.

5. Talk to colleagues. We all know that positions are often obtained through networking. So, email and call all of your nursing friends about potential nursing positions. Post to nursing forums and ask about nursing positions and job websites.

6. Attend nursing conferences. This is a great way to network for nursing positions, to stay current in your area of nursing practice, and to learn about new areas of nursing.

7. Attend job fairs. Jobs fairs often have representatives from health care organizations who are ready to interview you on the spot. So, be prepared.

8. Post your resume on CareerBuilder.com and other career websites. By posting your resume on these sites, you may be noticed by employers and recruiters looking for nurses to work in non-traditional capacities. Plus, resume postings are generally free!

9. Be creative in your search. Don’t just search one set of keywords. Try multiple keyword sets like, jobs for nurses, companies hiring nurses, remote nursing jobs, nursing jobs, telehealth jobs, nursing sales positions, etc. The key to finding a job that meets your needs is to perform creative internet searches.

Nurses no longer have to rely solely on the hospital environment for employment, and can frequently find positions in some of the most appealing places that offer challenging opportunities and flexible schedules. Finding these positions is simply a matter of unique job hunting.