Travel Nursing: The Importance of Having a Strong Online Presence

As a travel nurse, it’s important that you take into consideration how your professional brand fares on the Internet. Yes, you’re a nurse. No, you’re not a celebrity. So why is it vital that you nurture or even have an online reputation?

The answer is simply this: more and more employers and recruiters are looking at social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn before hiring potential employees. If you don’t have a positive presence online, you just might lose that much-coveted assignment to someone who does. This isn’t intended to scare travel nurses. Surely hiring managers will look at qualifications more than online presence? Of course. Qualifications trump having a cool Facebook timeline cover image all day long.

But that’s not what having an online reputation is about.

It’s undeniable that the Internet has shaped how the world works. People meet and communicate in virtual space as much as they do in person. Having a good, positive presence online can help you build a network of fellow travel nurses, potential employers, and industry experts who can help direct you to new opportunities and advancements that you wouldn’t be privy to if you didn’t have such a network.

What’s more, social media has been an accepted means for anyone to promote themselves and advance their careers. Whether you’re a new grad, a first-time traveler, a seasoned RN, it makes smart business sense to be visible on the Internet.

Here are some of the benefits of having a strong professional brand online:

1. You can showcase your expertise by publicizing success stories online.
2. Employers often look to services like LinkedIn for recommendations from former employers and co-workers.
3. You can market yourself as a subject matter expert through writing articles and/or books,taking on speaking engagements, etc.
4. Connect with a travel nursing community and build a bottomless resource for future job or business opportunities.
5. You can share your adventures and experiences to a network of like-minded people.