Job advice for graduates from the Sac State nursing department

For associate professor Bridget Parsh, experience is the most important factor when attempting to stand out on a résumé. Finding outlets to gain that experience is the difficult part. 

She strongly recommends applying for internships and externships. The difference between the two, put simply, is that internships are long-term, and externships could be a weekend or even a day. 

Internships and jobs were difficult to find as hospitals found themselves short of money to hire people at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. More opportunities will likely pop up for graduate nurses looking for work as more people get their vaccines and hospitals resume operation under normal conditions. 

If you’re a prospective or current nursing student, Parsh also heavily recommends visiting the Career Center at Sac State either online or in-person when safe. The Career Center offers several opportunities for students to feel better prepared when entering the job market such as help filling out a résumé, practice for interviews and lessons about career-browsing tools such as Handshake.