Hi All!
I’ve been listening to your feedback — and you’re ready for more than just inspiration.
You want actionable career advice.
So that’s exactly what we’re adding.
You’ll still get a monthly spotlight, along with a growing library of nontraditional roles on the website. But we’ll also be adding a mid-month Career Moves edition focused on giving you practical, actionable advice to help you navigate your job search.
The Nontraditional Nurse -Career MOVES
A Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to LinkedIn
LinkedIn might not be the first place nurses think to go when job hunting — but if you’re exploring nontraditional roles, it’s one of the most powerful tools you can use. Trust me: mine sat dormant for years before I finally realized its potential (and remembered how to log in). 🙃
LinkedIn is wildly underutilized in healthcare — which is exactly why it can help you stand out.
No matter what your next (or first) step is as a nurse, having a polished and active LinkedIn profile helps recruiters find you, builds credibility, and can connect you with roles you didn’t even know existed.
This guide breaks down exactly how to build a standout profile, grow your network, and use LinkedIn to open doors — even if you’ve never used it before.
1. Optimize Your Profile Photo and Banner
Your profile photo is your first impression. I can’t stress how important it is to have a profile photo. Choose a clear, friendly headshot that reflects your personality while staying professional. Make sure the lighting is good, your face is centered, and you’re not cropping someone else out of the picture. Remember that we have insane cameras built into our cellphones, so don’t stress if you don’t want to pay for a headshot, it’s not necessary!
Want bonus points? Add a banner image that reflects your interests or your work. Canva is a great tool you can use to create a custom banner that includes your title or a few keywords about what you do. This is a lot of free real estate on your profile to gain a good first impression. A perfectly sized banner image for LinkedIn is 1584×396 and should be saved as a PNG or JPG. Keep in mind that your profile photo will cover part of the banner photo as seen with the examples below, so you may want to align your text to the right of the banner.
2. Write a Headline That Says More Than ‘Registered Nurse’
Your headline doesn’t have to be your current job title — and honestly, it shouldn’t be. It’s one of the few things people see before clicking into your profile, so this is your chance to make them want to learn more.
Instead of something generic like:
“Registered Nurse at XYZ Hospital”
Try something more dynamic, like:
“RN | Quality Improvement | Helping Healthcare Teams Improve Outcomes”
or
“Remote Nurse | Chronic Care Management | Focused on Preventative Health & Patient Education”
Want to show a little personality? Go for it. A headline doesn’t have to be stiff. If you know who you help and how you help them, say it.
👉 “Nurse turned Data Nerd | Translating Clinical Experience into Healthcare Innovation”
Remember, LinkedIn allows up to 220 characters, but only about 100–120 characters are visible on desktop and mobile previews so 100-120 would be your target character length here!
And make it easy to read — short paragraphs, line breaks, and white space are your friends.
Feel free to peruse other nurses about sections that are in the industry you want to be in and get some inspiration!
Below is an example I made for a nurse who wants to transition from bedside to case management.
3. Craft an “About” section that tells your story
This is your chance to tell your story: why you became a nurse, what you’re passionate about now, and what direction you want your career to go next. Keep it conversational (yes, first-person is okay!), and don’t be afraid to let your personality come through.
Start with a strong hook describing who you are and what you do. You don’t need to rehash your entire resume here, you also have an experience section to fill out. Instead, highlight where you are now, what you’re great at, and what types of roles or opportunities you’re exploring next. If you’ve only ever worked bedside, this is the perfect spot to show how your experience translates into something new. For example, maybe your ability to triage complex situations makes you a natural fit for utilization review — or your patient education skills would shine in a medical device role.
Be sure to include a few keywords that match the kinds of roles you’re targeting — like “remote nurse,” “healthcare quality,” or “case management” — so recruiters and hiring managers can actually find you.
Wrap it up with a soft call to action, like:
I’m always open to connecting with other nurses exploring what’s next. Feel free to reach out!
Below is an example about section for a nurse who wants to transition from bedside to case management.
4. Use Your Experience Section to Highlight Impact
Instead of copying and pasting your job description, use this section to highlight what really matters: your impact and the skills you want to take with you into your next role.
Stick to this simple structure:
- Your role (title + timeframe)
- What you focused on
- A key result, impact, or skill developed
Example:
RN, Cardiac Stepdown Unit | 2016–2022
Cared for post-op heart and lung transplant patients. Served as charge nurse and preceptor, and led a unit-based committee focused on fall prevention initiatives that reduced quarterly falls on the unit by over 20%.
Even if your experience doesn’t seem to “match” where you’re headed next, you still have plenty to highlight. Focus on transferable skills like:
- Patient education
- Care coordination
- Critical thinking
- EMR documentation
- Multidisciplinary collaboration
- Time-sensitive decision making
All of these are gold in nontraditional roles like utilization review, quality, case management, and more.
5. Add Skills That Match the Roles You Want
As we touched on above, your Skills section shouldn’t just reflect where you’ve been — it should reflect where you’re going.
Add relevant skills that are commonly required in the types of roles you’re targeting. (Make sure you are prepared to back up these skills in an interview!) Think:
- Leadership
- Healthcare Technology
- Process Improvement
- Care Coordination
- Utilization Review
- Population Health
- Quality Improvement
💡 Use job descriptions as a guide. If a posting mentions certain skills or keywords and you have experience in them — add them to your profile. These keywords help recruiters find you and help hiring managers quickly understand your value.
Endorsements from colleagues can also add credibility. If you’re looking to get endorsed for key skills, try endorsing others first — most people are happy to return the favor. A genuine endorsement shows appreciation and can encourage your peers to recognize your strengths in return.
Your first few skills will be the easiest to see in your about section with the ability to expand to see more and view endorsements as pictured below.
6. Build Credibility Through Content (Even If You’re Not Ready to Post Yet)
Posting on LinkedIn can feel intimidating. I was a lurker for a long time before I ever hit “Post.” But sharing your perspective (whether it’s on a recent healthcare policy, an industry trend, or your own career reflections) helps build credibility and shows people what you’re about.
Not ready to post yet? Start in the comments:
• Follow people in the roles or fields you’re interested in
• Engage with their posts when you have something to add
• Ask thoughtful questions or share a quick insight from your own experience
Comments can travel just as far as posts — and you’d be surprised how many connections (and opportunities) can come from simply joining the conversation.
This can lead to some powerful networking, a topic SO important that we will need to dedicate an entire blog post to it in the future!
