As a registered nurse, you know your skills are in demand, but competition is stiff for the most desirable positions. There are specific skills and traits that recruiters look for in the RNs they recruit. Make sure the following abilities are up to par and increase your chance of landing the job you want.

Adaptability. Nurses work with all kinds of people, in all kinds of places. A nurse’s job varies from day to day. Healthcare recruiters want candidates who can deal with a lot of unpredictability on the job.

Technical skills. Increasingly, medical care relies on technology. From room and diagnostic equipment to electronic charting, nurses must be adept and able to keep up with constant changes and upgrades.

Team oriented. There is virtually no environment in which nursing is a solo act. Demonstrating that you can perform effectively in a team environment (and get along with people) makes you infinitely easier to place.

Passion. Recruiters love people who love the work. Entering the nursing field because the occupational outlook is strong is a recipe for burnout. You’ve got to love people, solving problems and be capable of empathy.

Intelligence. The most caring person in the world still needs a lot of education to be a registered nurse. When you’re in nursing school, memorizing for a test might work, but once you’re in the field, you’ve got to know your stuff ­– and be willing to continue your education.

Resilience. Every day you’ll lose patients, be disrespected and get yelled at. Yet every day, you have to come back and do it again. Having effective stress management measures in place is essential to handling this extremely difficult job.

Physical fitness. We’re not talking about looks here. No one’s going to ask you to model a bikini. But nursing is a physically demanding profession. You’re on your feet all day; you’re bending, stretching, reaching. You’re lifting patients or allowing them to lean on you. You need a baseline level of fitness to avoid injury.

Decisiveness. Your education, experience and ability to work as a part of a team all roll into your ability to make decisions or act on orders quickly. When you’re in life-or-death situations, there’s no time to ruminate.

Confidence. Whether you’re dealing with patients, doctors or insurance companies, you’ve got to be confident in your abilities and decisions. It’s reassuring to patients and their families, and it encourages people to give you the respect you deserve.

If you’re ready for your next Registered Nurse position, you can be confident in the healthcare recruiters at Team1Medical. We work with RNs and other healthcare professionals to find rewarding opportunities throughout the Gulf Coast. Contact Team1Medical today to learn more about our RN jobs in Houston and the greater Gulf Coast region.