What was your major at CI? What was the month and year of your graduation?:
I majored in Nursing and graduated in May 2015.
What is your job title and the name of the company where you are employed?:
I am a Staff Nurse at Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center.
What particular skills or talents are most essential to be effective in your job?:
Time management, customer service, and interpersonal communication skills are essential for this job.
Why did this type of work interest you, and how did you get started?:
I got interested in nursing after a personal family experience that involved medical care; after reviewing the prerequisites for the nursing program, I started volunteering at two hospitals and took the appropriate courses to get enough points to be considered. Throughout the program, I found that I enjoyed the work that I did, and decided to continue on and work in a hospital after I graduated.
How well did your college experience prepare you for this job?:
I think it prepared me pretty well for this job, especially on the clinical end of things. The knowledge learned from lectures is helpful, but it’s the clinical experience that really teaches you how to be a nurse.
Did you utilize Career Development Services (CDS) during your time at CI? If so, please describe how engaging in programs and services (e.g., Career & Internship Fair, CI Connection Luncheon, Drop-In Career Counseling) offered through CDS contributed to your career development:
I did; I worked for CDS during my time at CSUCI (Jan. 2013 - May 2014), and continued to utilize its services during my senior year. The most helpful events were the career fair and the mock interviews.
Do you have any advice (job hunting or otherwise) for CI students?:
Network as much as you can as soon as you can, and maintain those connections throughout your college career. It can help you land a job during college and even after you graduate, so it’s very important to do so, especially in nursing. Hospitals will hire based on what you know, but many prefer to hire based on referrals too.
Would you be willing to connect with current CI students who have questions for you on LinkedIn? If so, please include your LinkedIn url.