Getting Noticed

Picture the scene: you're applying for a job as a nurse। You've done your training, passed your exams, and hey, you know your stuff. But hang on a minute, so does everyone else. What's going to make YOU stand out from the crowd?

Most employers can't get enough of people with good 'transferable skills.' These are things like the ability to use computers, teamwork and the ability to extract the meaning from a long and (often very dull) section of text (called your cognative skill).

The seven secrets of success
Communicate effectively
Work as part of a team
Find solutions
Use initiative
Be organised
Be adaptable
Add value

Communicating effectively means being able to:

Speak and write clearly and accurately
Listen carefully and understand what other people say
Ask meaningful questions
Cope with different points of view

Express your own opinions persuasively

They'll look at your application form, covering letter and how you come across at interview to see whether you have these skills. If you've done something at school or in a job that shows you're good at listening or persuading others to come round to your point of view, include it! Perhaps you were in the debating society, or maybe you've given presentations or been involved in counselling. If it's relevant - put it in.

Working as part of a team means being able to:

Get on with others
Work well in a situation where you have to share information
Be open to other people's ideas
Support team-mates by doing your fair share
Good proof of your teamwork includes involvement in team sports, school bands or even past jobs. There's very little you ever do completely by yourself. Look for things that show your ability to get on well with different sorts of people.

Finding solutions means being able to:

Work out what the problem is in the first place
Look at problems from different points of view
Learn from mistakes
Feel confident enough to try out new or unusual solutions
Think of times when you've done this; it might be fixing something that's broken or resolving a situation where colleagues or friends didn't get on. If you've ever had to sort out a personal problem or balance time commitments, you'll have used these skills.

Using initiative means being able to:

See what needs doing without being told
Believe in your own abilities
Feel confident about taking on new things
Make decisions on your own
Think of examples at school, work or in your personal life when you took control of a situation and moved things on the way you wanted them to go. Maybe you had to take charge in the absence of your boss? Think of all the new things you've learnt to do off your own back - and be ready to talk about them.

Being organised means being able to:

Plan effectively so that the most important things get done first
Get things done on time
Deal with more than one thing at a time
Think of an example you could talk about that shows you are able to organise yourself. Maybe you've had to meet regular deadlines in the past, or you've helped to organise meetings and events or even social gatherings?

Being adaptable means being able to:

Learn new ways of doing things
Develop new skills
Feel open to new ideas
Not feel panicked when things are changing
Things are always changing and you adapt without noticing you're doing it. An employer will want to see that the unexpected doesn't fluster you and that you're not resistant to change. Remind yourself of how you coped with leaving school, moving away from home, changing jobs, learning a new computer system, etc. Be creative, but be honest.

Adding value means being special in some way:

Think of the things you're most proud of and tell an employer about them. It might be travelling, doing well at a sport, winning a prize, teaching yourself a skill, being fluent in a language or getting involved in voluntary work. The fact that you haven't climbed Everest isn't important. The fact that you can get involved in something and see it through is. This will make you stand out.