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Searching for your first roles as newly registered nurse
Contents
Finding the right nursing opportunity for you
Health and care organisations need dedicated nurses to support patients and families across all healthcare settings.
Your education has prepared you well for this diverse profession, and employers recognise the value that newly qualified nurses bring to their teams. Whether you've qualified in adult, children's, mental health or learning disability nursing, your expertise is needed across many different specialisms united under one profession.
Nursing careers offer endless opportunities - no two nursing careers follow the same path. This guide will help you navigate finding job opportunities with confidence and locate the right role to start your nursing journey.
Nursing job search: frequently asked question
We have gathered questions you have been asking about your first registered nurse role and responded to them on the nursing job search: frequently asked questions webpage, which covers additional guidance for finding your first nursing job, in addition to this student hub and signposted guidance and resources.
How to find nursing job opportunities
If you are a nursing apprentice
Discuss with your line manager
Talk to your direct line manager about opportunities within your current team as you approach qualification. Training to be a nurse is a brilliant way of finding out where you want to work when qualified. Having practice placement opportunities outside of your 'home' environment enhances your experience of different places, types of care and patient groups.
Throughout this time, it's vital for you to remain in close touch and collaborate with your line manager, who can help you identify what opportunities exist within your team and across the wider organisation. They understand your development, strengths, and interests, making them well-placed to guide your career decisions.
Contact your organisation's apprenticeship lead
They will know about progression routes and job opportunities for apprentices becoming qualified nurse.
Explore different departments
Consider whether you want to stay in your current area or move to a different service within your organisation.
Through your nursing placement providers
Talk to your placement supervisors
Self-funded nursing students can secure their first job through organisations where they completed placements. Speak to your practice supervisors and practice assessors about upcoming opportunities.
Express your interest early
Let placement providers know you are interested in working for them after qualification.
Network during placements
Build positive relationships with nursing teams during your clinical experience. They may recommend you for positions or inform you about vacancies.
Online nursing job search platforms
Government job search services
Find a Job (gov.uk) – the government's official job search service covers jobs across a range of sectors including social care, forensics, NHS, and many other public sector organisations.
You might need to be specific in your search terms, for example roles or including the settings like:
Healthcare settings
- community nursing
- mental health services
- learning disability support
- general practice and health centres
Specialist services
- neonatal services
- substance misuse services
- rehabilitation centres
- rare disease services
- transplant services
Care settings
- social care
- care homes
- supported living
- domiciliary care
- hospice care
Non-traditional settings
- schools
- forensic and justice care
- armed forces
- research institutions
Independent and charitable sectors
- private hospitals and clinics
- occupational health services
- health charities
- international aid organisations
- digital health and telehealth services
NHS and healthcare platforms
NHS Jobs website – the main place to find NHS nursing positions across England. Set up job alerts for nursing roles in your preferred locations.
NHS Professionals – NHS bank and temporary staffing agency that offers flexible nursing work. This can be a good way to gain experience across different trusts and potentially lead to permanent positions.
Social care sectors
Skills for care: careers in social care – information about nursing careers and jobs in social care settings.
Independent and charity healthcare providers
Independent healthcare providers network – a good place to find these employers is by visiting the independent healthcare providers network members page. They have over 100 independent healthcare providers registered with them, but there are many more across the country delivering healthcare and are needing nurses.
National voices: member directory – a good place to find charitable healthcare employers. national voices represents over 160 health and care charities across england, but there are many more charitable organisations across the country delivering healthcare and needing nurses.
Mitie careers – major provider of justice healthcare services.
Other forensic roles – metropolitan police and individual police forces, crown prosecution service and court healthcare services often advertise healthcare roles on their websites.
Armed Forces nursing opportunities
RAF Recruitment Registered Nurse (Adult) Royal Air Force – nursing roles in the Royal Air Force
Provide Care as an Army Nurse: Medical Service Army Jobs – military nursing opportunities
Naval Nurse (Qualified) Royal Navy Jobs Surface Fleet – Royal Navy nursing positions
Professional networking and specialist platforms
RCNi job search - nursing-specific job platform.
Royal College of Nursing - How to search for jobs - careers resources and job search guidance.
Professional networks and support for newly qualified nurses
University careers services
Your university may have partnerships with local services and can help connect you with employers actively recruiting newly qualified nurse.
Royal College of Nursing
Join the RCN to access their job board, networking events, and career support services specifically for nursing and nursing associate professionals.
Professional networks
Connect with qualified nursing through professional events, social media groups, LinkedIn and local nursing networks for job opportunities and advice.
Health Careers
Visit NHS Health Careers website and live events for career planning support.
Making the most of your search for a nursing job
Important note for apprentices
If you're completing a nursing apprenticeship, you may have contractual obligations to your current employer after qualification. Check your apprenticeship contract carefully and discuss any obligations with your line manager and HR team before actively searching for external opportunities.
Start early
Begin looking for opportunities 3-6 months before you qualify. Some organisations recruit newly qualified nurses in cohorts.
Consider different sectors
Look at NHS, independent healthcare providers, and social care organisations to find the best opportunities.
Be flexible with location
Consider roles in different areas or organisations to increase your opportunities and gain diverse experience.
Consider different settings
Look at hospital, community, primary care and social care roles.
Use multiple sources
Don't rely on just one method of job searching. Use a combination of approaches to find the best opportunities.
Types of roles to consider
Newly qualified nursing programmes (preceptorships)
Many organisations should offer structured preceptorship programmes specifically for newly qualified nurses which should offer enhanced support.
NHS roles
Hospital, community, and primary care positions across adult, children's, mental health and learning disability services.
Social care settings
Care homes, residential homes and community social care organisations provide valuable experience working with vulnerable populations.
Independent and charity healthcare
Hospitals, clinics, and healthcare providers across the independent and charity sector often offer competitive packages and structured career development.
Bank work
Flexible positions through NHS Professionals or organisation banks can provide valuable experience and may lead to permanent roles.
Ready to apply?
Once you have found opportunities that interest you, the next step is creating strong applications that showcase your nursing training and passion for supporting patients and families across all healthcare settings.
How to apply for nursing jobs – get guidance on writing effective CVs, personal statements, and application forms for nursing positions.
Take your time to explore different opportunities across NHS, independent providers, and social care settings, and find roles where you can learn, grow and develop your nursing skills with good support and mentorship across the four fields of nursing.