Experts Weigh In On Current Job Market Trends
January 10, 2021
Given the change of course that has happened in the world, we wanted to provide expert opinions on what aspiring graduates can do to start off their careers in an uncertain economic climate. We wanted to know what skills will be more important, where the economy is doing relatively well, and if there will be any lasting effects on the job market.
Companies are looking for candidates that can handle the new responsibilities of the job market. Recent graduates actually have an advantage because they are comfortable using newer technologies and have been communicating virtually their whole lives. They can take what they've learned and apply it immediately.
We spoke to professors and experts from several universities and companies to get their opinions on where the job market for recent graduates is heading, as well as how young graduates entering the industry can be adequately prepared. Here are their thoughts.
Our Panel of Experts
Angelo State University
Weber State University
Saginaw Valley State University
Idaho State University
California State University
Missouri Western State University
Cedar Crest College
The University of Texas at Austin
University of Minnesota
Illinois Wesleyan University
Missouri Baptist University
Eastern Michigan University
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Wrennah Gabbert Ph.D.: Major trends affecting the nursing profession are the presence of a recurring nursing "shortage" and the impending loss of experienced registered nurses (primarily in the baby boomer generation) due to retirement or death. The coronavirus pandemic has magnified the current shortage. It has also created a climate of ongoing change and an increasingly urgent need for nurses. The new graduate needs to be aware that very active recruitment activities have been put into place in order to answer the current, and impending, nursing shortage. Self-awareness and identification of their personal comfort levels and health (physical, mental, ethically and morally) are behaviors and strategies that have become survival issues in today's health care world. Resources are available, with more being developed and offered by national organizations and employers on a daily basis.
If a graduate needs to take a gap year, what skills would you recommend they try to enhance and how should they go about doing it?
Wrennah Gabbert Ph.D.: -Timeline for taking their licensure exam - Create a specific plan to take the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Data indicates the NCLEX-RN exam needs to be taken as soon as possible after graduation as the retention of the nursing core knowledge declines with an extended period of time. Success on the exam is improved if taken shortly after graduating their nursing program/studies. If a review course was not offered before graduation, the new graduate needs to consider investing in one. If they are unable to attend a review course, they need to dig into their previous study materials. A thorough review activity not only builds confidence and comfort with the mastery of the nursing knowledge base, but also helps identify any "weak" areas so they can seek out additional information and resources. A quick internet search will reveal the numerous excellent NCLEX-RN review courses available. Be aware many medical centers and hospitals will not employ new graduate RNs until they pass their NCLEX-RN examination.
-Taking Care of Yourself so YOU Can Take Care of Others - (i.e., Advocacy by Careful Self Assessment Process - Spend time carefully assessing your impending career and make an initial plan. Ask yourself, where do you want to work? Which areas during your clinicals did you particularly enjoy? What do you want to be doing in five to ten years? This activity helps identify your career goals, along with the nursing area/specialty you want to work in and the type of patients you want to care for. The time spent with this activity may prevent you from accepting and leaving a position within the first few months or year.
-Prepare for "Being Recruited" and the initial and follow-up interviews - Assess your confidence and comfort with "interviewing" and professionally asking questions. Inquire about resources and retention efforts (continuing education, orientation, scheduling, number of vacancies on the unit and why?). You are gathering information to determine if this position is a good fit for you.
What general advice would you give to a graduate beginning their career?
Wrennah Gabbert Ph.D.: -NCLEX-RN - Take your NCLEX-RN licensure examination as soon as possible after graduation. Be aware that some employers will not hire new graduates until they successfully pass their exam.
-Vital Skills - Along with careful self-assessment, communication skills are going to be a necessary skill that you must consciously work on. Reflect on your comfort level and confidence in a variety of clinical situations and conversations. Assessing a situation and knowing what to say and when to say it is vital and a major therapeutic intervention. Always remember that the ability to convey compassion in a professional manner with your words, actions, and, at the same time, not be too "familiar" is an art, and can make the difference in the outcome(s) for your patient and their family.
Dr. Sally Cantwell Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of Annie Taylor Dee School of NursingWeber State University
Annie Taylor Dee School of Nursing
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Sally Cantwell Ph.D.: If I am understanding this question correctly, I believe the biggest trends you'll see in the job market will be work in critical care and mental health nursing positions for registered nurses and psych/mental health and gerontology in advanced practice roles.
What skills stand out on resumes?
Dr. Sally Cantwell Ph.D.: Honestly, a list of task-based skills and experience is always important (including certifications, IV skills, a degree from an accredited institution, etc.), but what stands out are leadership experiences, participation in volunteer work, experience showing strong communication skills, and the ability to work in difficult circumstances and with sometimes challenging individuals. Resilience and active coping skills are a real thing!
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Dr. Sally Cantwell Ph.D.: The workforce is wide open for registered nurse jobs. The nursing profession needs compassionate, educated individuals who have a strong work ethic and the ability to critically think and clinically reason. Flexibility is a must. Take the time to research the nursing program you want to attend to evaluate the quality of your potential alma mater. You will be able to find a job anywhere in the United States if you graduate from a quality nursing program and have the qualities listed above.
Dr. Karen Brown-Fackler
Associate Professor and Nursing Department ChairpersonSaginaw Valley State University
Department of Nursing
WebsiteIn your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Karen Brown-Fackler: Nurses are in even greater demand than they were before. Job security, pay, and variety of positions have never been better.
What skills stand out on resumes?
Dr. Karen Brown-Fackler: Skills are not important on resumes for nurse graduates, other than being good employees with outstanding attendance. If they graduated from an accredited nursing program, the program (associate's degree or bachelor's degree) defines their skills. Employers don't have time for reading long resumes. I was a director of nursing for fifteen years at a large hospital. I hate getting long resumes. Stick to the facts. I like to see they have been employed previously and for how long in each position.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Dr. Karen Brown-Fackler: There are nursing jobs everywhere. Truthfully, new graduates don't need help finding them. They are everywhere.
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Susan Belliston Ph.D.: It is my experience that during times of economic instability, jobs that require a foundational education, either a college degree or specialty certification, are more stable. I expect this trend to continue through the pandemic. The majority of jobs in health care require additional education. This fact, combined with the high demand for health care related to the pandemic, should result in a favorable job market for graduating health care providers. Other essential services, such as law enforcement, public safety, energy, water safety, and food production, will continue to be in demand.
What skills stand out on resumes?
Susan Belliston Ph.D.: The best skills for a stand out resume:
-Evidence of critical thinking skills - the ability to solve complex problems.
-Customer service skills - experience working with the public and dealing with difficult people.
Helpful on a resume or in interviews:
-Enthusiasm - Evidence of interest in the job and in the company for which the person is applying.
-Humility - Even if you are the best student, you do not know everything. As a new graduate, you are just entering a new profession. You have a good foundation, but you look forward to improving by gaining experience and working with other professionals.
-Evidence of stability or a plan for stability - No one wants to hear that you only plan to work here for a year or two.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Susan Belliston Ph.D.: Good places in the U.S. to find work in healthcare:
Rural facilities often find it hard to fill positions for Registered Nurses. Nurses in rural areas will have the opportunity to treat many different types of patients, from a laboring mother to a multiple-trauma patient or a dying elder. The skills required of a rural nurse are very broad, so the experience gained is also broad.
Facilities in the center of major cities also often find it difficult to staff registered nurse positions. Medical or surgical nursing is a great place to establish a solid foundation for nursing skills. However, facilities with nursing shortages may be willing to hire new graduates for emergency departments, operating rooms, or intensive care units.
Underserved populations have an ongoing need for health service providers. This may include the elderly, such as those in long term care facilities. It may also include Native American health services. Veteran services, particularly those in rural areas, need skilled health providers.
Cinthya Sotelo
Director of NP Programs, FNP Option CoordinatorCalifornia State University
Patricia A. Chin School of Nursing
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Cinthya Sotelo: I believe that there will be an increased demand for nurses in the workforce. We don't know where this pandemic is going to lead us or how it is going to affect us all in the future. Nurses will continue to be needed to take care of patients who are ill with chronic conditions as well as more acute conditions, including Covid-19.
What skills stand out on resumes?
Cinthya Sotelo: Prior experience with patients, such as nursing assistant, EMT, etc. It is important for new graduate nurses to place the number of clinical hours on their resume to show what experiences they had during nursing school. Being bilingual will also stand out on a resume.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Cinthya Sotelo: Nurses are needed all over the country. Hiring trends may differ slightly, but nurses can find work almost anywhere. Rural areas are always in need of nurses.
Dr. Jacklyn Gentry
Chair, Assistant ProfessorMissouri Western State University
Department of Nursing
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Jacklyn Gentry: In the U.S., prior to the pandemic, we were already experiencing a nursing shortage, and I expect this to continue to grow due to the pandemic. The pandemic has created an unprecedented need for nurses to care for the large volumes of patients requiring hospitalized care, which when coupled with the existing nursing shortage we may see an increasing gap in the availability of nurses. In order to meet this need nurses are being required to work more hours and are caring for sicker patients, both of which put them at higher risk for burnout.
If a graduate needs to take a gap year, what skills would you recommend they try to enhance and how should they go about doing it?
Dr. Jacklyn Gentry: A gap year is highly discouraged for nursing graduates as they are more likely to successfully pass the NCLEX-RN exam on their first attempt when the exam is taken as close to graduation as possible. If a gap year is unavoidable, I would recommend the graduate seek out hospital internships to maintain and continue to grow their clinical skills, critical thinking, and clinical judgment.
What general advice would you give to a graduate beginning their career?
Dr. Jacklyn Gentry: New graduate nurses are highly encouraged to take the NCLEX-RN exam as close to graduation as possible and to seek employment in an organization that offers a nurse residency program. Nurse residency programs provide the newly-licensed nurse with additional support as they transition into their first year of practice as a professional nurse. The programs are designed to support the new nurse to decrease turnover, reduce stress, improve decision-making skills, develop leadership skills, and incorporate research-based evidence into nursing practice.
Wendy Robb Ph.D.
Dean & Professor, School of Nursing, Hazel and Walter May Nursing Endowed Chair for Excellence in NursingCedar Crest College
School of Nursing
WebsiteWill there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates?
Wendy Robb Ph.D.: A resounding, YES, there will be an enduring impact on the coronavirus pandemic on new nursing graduates! Many graduates likely missed out on components of their nursing education, whether it was experiences in the simulation labs, unit restrictions in the hospitals, or specific experiences that were eliminated as a result of the pandemic. Their nursing education was changed forever and they will not make up that lost time. They will grow and develop from it in different ways building collateral knowledge from experiences that are not often taught in nursing school. But they most certainly will be inexplicably changed by their pandemic entrance into the profession of nursing!
New graduates may have been denied the traditional period of transition from expert student nurse to novice registered nurse. This phase of adaptation is complex and difficult during the best of times. New nurses who are entering the profession during a pandemic are faced with stressful conditions, feelings of unpreparedness, absent or minimalized preceptorship, and general chaos. As new nurses enter the profession they are typically consumed with becoming acclimated to the responsibilities of the role. With the pandemic, these new nurses are experiencing the constant flux of treatment protocols, fear of contamination, long hours and physical fatigue, all while managing high patient morbidity and mortality as surrogate family member and professional nurse.
What type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Wendy Robb Ph.D.: First and foremost, our newest crop of professional nurses will need resiliency - the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties - toughness!! (Oxford dictionary) These nurses will need mental toughness and will be asked to flex further than they've ever flexed before. As health care professionals we need to support their mental health and professional development as new nurses. Encourage meditation, relaxation, exercise, walks in nature, etc. New graduates entering the current healthcare system may be questioning their choice of profession and their decision to become a nurse, particularly with the overlay of politicism with the pandemic. It is our responsibility to help them through and prepare them, equip them for short-term and long-term successes. We don't know exactly how they will fair, but it is our essential duty to nurture them. They will be a special breed, a group of new nurses who entered the profession during a full-blown pandemic in the Year of the Nurse and Midwife (2020). I wonder what Florence Nightingale would think? I am sure she would be proud and expect nothing less than our best!
What experience really stands out on resumes?
Wendy Robb Ph.D.: The quality that I would be looking for on a resume is balance. Nurses need to protect themselves and their long-term mental health. This happens through self-care. Investment in self is one way to demonstrate self-care. Whether this is through hobbies, extra-curricular interests, volunteering and service, activities outside of nursing are an important indicator of self-care.
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Cara Young Ph.D.: Not a job market expert, but I believe the trend will be for increased hiring of family nurse practitioners to work within urgent care settings doing telemedicine for acute/episodic care. The companies that have been able to pivot to telemed platforms quickly have more patients than they know what to do with and are scrambling to find qualified providers.
What skills stand out on resumes?
Dr. Cara Young Ph.D.: More than skills, it is what school/program the student is graduating from and the types of clinical experiences they have had while in school, and the number of hours spent in those clinical settings.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Dr. Cara Young Ph.D.: Family nurse practitioners are highly qualified primary care providers. States where NPs have full practice authority afford much more opportunities than states (such as Texas) where NP practice is restricted. The WHO designated 2020 as 'the International Year of the Nurse," and they have recently announced extending this into 2021. The WHO Director-General stated, "Nurses and midwives are the backbones of every health system: in 2020, we're calling on all counties to invest in nurses and midwives ". Nurses can always find a job; I think the major issue impacting the public's access to quality primary health care services is the unhelpful NP practice restrictions in many states across the nation.
Karen Monsen Ph.D. RN, FAMIA, FNAP, FAAN
ProfessorUniversity of Minnesota
School of Nursing
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates?
Karen Monsen Ph.D. RN, FAMIA, FNAP, FAAN: The pandemic has launched all of society into a virtual world, where everyone must rely on information systems in new and important ways. This has already caused exponential growth in information systems and other tech innovations and applications in new fields, especially healthcare, education, and social spaces. These innovations have gone beyond proof-of-concept and have broken old patterns and conceptions of reality. They will endure and will provide a platform for further innovations in the future.
What type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Karen Monsen Ph.D. RN, FAMIA, FNAP, FAAN: The future of information systems will expand into self-learning systems through automated data analytics or artificial intelligence. To get there, we will need young graduates who can program, manage, and analyze data to produce meaningful output for decision-makers. These are different skill sets that rely on having some content expertise -- an awareness of healthcare terminologies and clinical contexts. Teamwork skills are essential because of these diverse perspectives required to create a true data-driven project; success depends on interprofessional collaboration - great listening - willingness to learn and adapt to meet the needs arising in an evolving world.
What experience really stands out on resumes?
Karen Monsen Ph.D. RN, FAMIA, FNAP, FAAN: Hands-on experience means more than training, even though the training is essential. Volunteer to create, from the ground up, something that is innovative or practical. Participate in teams that develop or enhance a tech solution. Provide links to your successful projects. Show that you can do what you're trained to do.
Dr. Brenda S. Lessen Knoll PhD, RN
Associate ProfessorIllinois Wesleyan University
Department of of Nursing
WebsiteWill there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates?
Dr. Brenda S. Lessen Knoll PhD, RN: Yes, of course. However, the enduring impact falls in both the positive and negative categories. The negative impact will certainly be a risk for disillusionment in entering the workforce under these crisis conditions that include understaffing, high patient loads, mandatory overtime, etc. New graduates who may have had their clinical experiences cut short in Spring when COVID first ramped up feel a lack of confidence in their hands-on skills, despite still receiving all the theory and virtual training possible. Agencies hiring the nation's "COVID grads" will need to plan more orientation and skills evaluations when onboarding. And that takes more time, so right now, we are caught in a catch 22 with needing more nurses immediately, yet getting more nurses who may not feel prepared to jump in that fast to this environment.
New grads may be asked to shift to ICU training faster than they planned as well. And the experienced ICU Nurses who will be training them are already pushed to their limits. The challenges are endless. However, on the positive side, this PandemicPandemic is providing a historic opportunity to teach pandemic science, epidemiology, and how to follow constantly evolving data in the science of a novel disease. Nursing Schools use the actual data as clinical case studies and developing learning modules on the impact of coronavirus-19 on each field of study; obstetrics, intensive care, neurology, pediatrics, etc. It has provided us with the best "real world" learning while preparing them to launch their careers in the middle of it. One new graduate shared with me that the newer nurses may have an advantage over the more seasoned staff because new grads entering the field during COVID have never known different. I found this very interesting as we watch old and new nurses showing signs of PTSD, not unlike soldiers in a war who watch those responsible for dying alone in their arms.
What type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Dr. Brenda S. Lessen Knoll PhD, RN: Knowledge about COVID-19 is the obvious one, but the others might not be what people expect. An astute employer will look for graduates who have demonstrated incredible critical thinking for novel situations and the attitude needed to move through this PandemicPandemic. Tenacity. Vigilance. Proactiveness. Problem Solver. Positivity. Compassion. Team player. Out of the box thinking. Flexibility will be a key attribute as positions that new grads were hired for disappearing, and they get shifted to units where they are needed more. From the perspective of a graduate entering the workforce during a pandemic, they will have to understand the need for self-care and seek out support, or we won't have a nursing workforce left.
What experience really stands out on resumes?
Dr. Brenda S. Lessen Knoll PhD, RN:
Our newer graduates already in the workforce who now have direct COVID experience are including that on their resumes. COVID and PandemicPandemic may very well be keywords that recruiters are looking for to inform employers on not only skills with direct patient care experience with COVID pathologies and PPE, but for experience in screening and policy development. These skills represent epidemiological and public health arenas, where nurses are key players.
For new graduates who have not yet entered the workforce, an internship or additional clinical time spent in a critical care setting would be a valuable addition to anyone's toolkit. Experiences that showcase professional agility will also be important, as nurses are now being required to transition to other units to meet the demands of the increased census and care for patients that may fall outside their established expertise.
Ashley Bell MSN, RN, OCN, CNE
Assistant ProfessorMissouri Baptist University
School of Nursing
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates?
Ashley Bell MSN, RN, OCN, CNE: Yes, there will be an enduring impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on graduates. We have already seen that our students have reported abbreviated or virtual orientations. The first year of nursing has historically been a time when we see the burnout of young nurses. However, the stressors have tremendously increased due to the pandemic and strain that it has placed on the healthcare system as a whole. Graduates are reporting increased patient loads and a lack of adequate support services to aid in orientation to the competent nurse role. Despite these very real challenges, our graduates have shown extreme resiliency and perseverance, even in these tough times.
What type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Ashley Bell MSN, RN, OCN, CNE: In addition to critical thinking and clinical judgment skills, students should have skills sets in resiliency and emotional intelligence.
What experience really stands out on resumes?
Ashley Bell MSN, RN, OCN, CNE: Experiences that stand out on resumes include internships and externships, where students are able to operate in a capacity similar to the registered nurse role under the direction of an RN. Also, working as unlicensed assistive personnel, like patient care technicians, is a valuable experience. Involvement in professional nursing organizations is also another area that would make a new graduate stand out.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates?
Frank Schaller DNP, APRN, FNP-C: As we recognize the Year of the Nurse, we not only celebrate the nurses on the front line of this crisis but the nursing students who were determined to find ways to continue their education and persevere during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing graduates will be more resilient and noble than ever.
What type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Frank Schaller DNP, APRN, FNP-C: The mission for nurses is not a simple task. Nurses have a mission to provide safe and quality care for the more than 8,000,000 Americans in need each day. During a single shift, a nurse will, on average, walk over 4.5 miles, safely lift over 1.8 tons, and care for nearly eight patients. Physical strength, emotional strength, and mental strength are all needed in order to be a nurse.
What experience really stands out on resumes?
Frank Schaller DNP, APRN, FNP-C: A resume should include unique experiences and other leadership/professional development items in order to stand out. It is key to include items that all of the other applicants might not have, such as internships, externships, healthcare-related experience outside of clinical rotations, and membership to and participation in organizations.
