No matter what your healthcare specialty or skill set, you can set yourself up for career growth with the ShiftKey app, which lets you run your career as an independent professional from anywhere. Here are seven ways to leverage the app to build your network, diversify your skills and develop as an independent healthcare professional so you can find success wherever your nursing career may take you.
1. Maintain a high Reliability Score
Facilities value reliability. With a high Reliability Score, you’ll be more likely to have your shift requests accepted, which means more opportunities to expand your network and more options for when and where you work.
2. Work at different facilities
The more facilities you provide services to, the more people you meet. The more people you meet, the bigger your professional network becomes, and, according to Keith Ferrazzi, the New York Times bestselling author of “Competing in the New World of Work,” relationships are everything when it comes to your career.
3. Build connections with other professionals
Building relationships takes more than simply showing up for your shift; it requires making a positive impact on those you care for and the team you’re a part of. Ferrazzi says that connecting with others is hard-wired, but the kind of relationships you develop are, in some part, up to you. As he mentions in an early TED talk, we all make assumptions about others — and assuming the good goes a long way in creating strong relationships.
4. Enhance your profile
Showcase your skills by uploading all your professional certifications to your profile. Make sure to upload “Facility Required Documents,” too. They’re not required to use the ShiftKey app, but you won’t be able to request shifts from some facilities unless you have them.
5. Consider higher education
Did you know that the RN shortage is expected to get worse as the years go by, and that the need for nurse practitioners will rise even more sharply? Be in demand for the long haul by gaining the skills hospitals and long-term care centers need to run smoothly while keeping patient and resident care high. You can use the ShiftKey app to gain the flexibility you need to complete your coursework.
6. Gain additional qualifications
If traditional degree programs are out of reach for you, round out your skill set with the various specialized qualifications available for CNAs and LPNs.
7. Keep burnout at bay
Burnout is a career killer: Our recent “Solutions to Healthcare Burnout Report” found that 62% of healthcare professionals are burned out now, and 49% have considered leaving the industry altogether. Even though burnout is an industry-wide problem, there are things you can do to preserve your mental and physical health as a CNA or RN. Using the ShiftKey app to create your own schedule is one of those things.
Set yourself up for future career growth
Due to a rapidly retiring workforce and aging population, healthcare professionals will be needed in increasingly higher numbers in the coming years. Whether you want to advance your clinical skills or move into administration, you can use the ShiftKey app to gain the flexibility and autonomy you need to make strides in your career.
“ShiftKey is amazing. You make your own schedule. You get daily pay or weekly. And they always respond when you need them.”
References
Ferrazzi, Keith (2024).
Association of Colleges of Nursing (2024). Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024). Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024). Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses.
