Where do you see yourself in your nursing career in ten years?
This question is essential for the interviewer, as they are asking it to determine the career path you intend to pursue within the nursing profession. If you eventually want to pursue a career as a nurse anesthetist, they may not want to hire you for a position at a family medicine clinic. The interviewer is asking this question to ensure the opportunities available at their organization match your career goals. To effectively answer this question, you should be honest about how you would like to see your nursing career unfold and not merely tailor your answer to what you think the interviewer wants to hear.
"Since I enjoyed caring for the elderly patients at the nursing home while working as a Certified Nursing Assistant, I would eventually like to pursue a career as a geriatric nurse practitioner. However, I will need to obtain several years of experience in bedside nursing before I can do so. I hope to be able to go back to nursing school for my master's degree in about five years, but until then, I am looking forward to working on your geriatric unit as a floor nurse."
"Since I am technically inclined, I hope to one day get involved in nursing informatics or quality improvement, even if it is just at the level of my unit. While I look forward to gaining entry-level nursing experience over the next few years, I hope that I will eventually be able to expand my practice to working with data and quality improvement projects."
"I have always enjoyed teaching people, like when I taught swim lessons in high school. In ten years, I would love to be a nurse educator, working with nursing students as they start their careers. To get to that point, I will need lots of clinical experience as a bedside nurse. In five or so years, I want to return to school to obtain my Master's degree in nursing to work toward my goal of being a nursing instructor."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I see myself having gained experience as a nurse. I hope to be a very confident and competent nurse continuing my education through certifications and growing in my role. One day I hope to move into a manager or leadership role on the unit.
Marcie's Feedback
It's great that you mention continuing your education through certifications and gaining more real-life experience. Nice job! You might also consider talking about specific nursing specializations or populations that interest you and that you might want to pursue down the road like pediatric, neurology, cardiology, maternal, or neonatal intensive care nursing.
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