Nursing Career Plan for Sophomores & Juniors
Nursing Career Plan for Sophomores & Juniors is a Villanova Career Center resource that helps nursing students plan for career exploration, networking, applications, and interview preparation during sophomore and junior year. The guide walks students through how to assess their goals, prepare application materials, build a professional network, search for opportunities, and use Villanova career resources.
Step 1: Assess your goals and options
Students are encouraged to explore and research different nursing paths before applying. This includes thinking about:
- Areas of interest such as med/surg, critical care, pediatrics, or labor and delivery
- Geographic locations or work environments of interest
- Specific hospitals or healthcare systems to target
- Culture fit with a hospital or healthcare system’s mission, values, and goals
- Advice from professionals, faculty, and clinical instructors
Step 2: Prepare your materials and build your network
Students should update their resume, learn how to write an effective cover letter, and tailor materials for each role. The guide also recommends establishing a Credentials File with the Career Center to organize letters of recommendation in one central location.
Students are also encouraged to build a professional network through:
- Informational interviews with alumni, family, friends, faculty, clinical instructors, past employers, and healthcare professionals
- In-person and virtual employer events
- Villanova Nursing Career Fair
- LEAD and Society events
- Employer information sessions, coffee chats, and information tables
- Nova Network
- Career Center appointments with a Career Development Counselor or Nursing Industry Advisor
Step 3: Put your plan into action
The guide encourages students to customize their application materials and apply for positions that match their interests. Common summer or part-time nursing-related roles may include:
- Nurse Extern
- Patient Care Tech
- Patient Care Associate
- Nurse Assistant
- Care Aide
- Certified Nurse Assistant
- Unit Secretary
Externship applications often begin opening in late fall and continue through early spring. The guide also reminds students not to wait for postings and encourages them to contact potential employers, use their network, and explore part-time or volunteer roles during the academic year or breaks.
The guide explains that while some students may feel pressure to choose a specialty unit right away, a more generalized unit can provide a strong nursing foundation and transferable experience. Students should pursue areas they are passionate about while also staying open-minded about opportunities that build broad clinical experience.
Top resources to search and apply include:
- Hospital and healthcare system websites
- LiquidCompass
- Handshake
- Career Connections Nursing and Healthcare channel
- NovaNetwork
- Credentials
- Big Interview
- Career Center appointments
- Drop-in hours
Students can use this guide to stay organized, prepare strong materials, build connections, explore nursing opportunities, and take practical steps toward externships, summer roles, part-time roles, and future full-time nursing positions.
