Find out more about how Career Coaching can help with your career, commonly asked questions, and how to book an appointment.

What is Career Coaching?

Career Coaches work with individuals one-to-one, helping them explore where they are now and where they want to be. The role of the coach is to support the individual to gain greater self awareness, and guide them towards the conclusions, decisions, or steps they need to make for themselves. 

What does the RCN offer?

RCN members can access free one-to-one career or interview coaching by phone, with up to three sessions in six months. You can join the RCN to use the service immediately.  

Are you ready for Career Coaching?

Career coaching is suitable for individuals who are prepared to:

• reflect on their career
• carry out their own research
• come prepared with ideas or thoughts
• identify steps to move forward.

Career coaching may sometimes include coaching exercises or even a bit of homework.

For this reason, do consider whether you are able to engage fully.

Limitations

Career coaching takes time and commitment. It's not suitable for those hoping for a quick fix or answer to their problems.

It's important to note that Career Coaches cannot advise you what to do, help you find a job, or carry out research for you.

How do I book career coaching?

Please expand the heading below that best describes your situation to see how to book.

Suitable for career coaching:

We have online advice on interview skills and techniques, as well as sample interview questions and managing interview nerves.

Interview coaching

If you've been shortlisted for an interview, you can book one-to-one interview coaching sessions to help you prepare for your interview.

As there are usually waiting times for appointments, please book as soon as possible to try and secure coaching before your interview date.

How interview coaching could help

• Practicing and rehearsing interview techniques, such as the STAR technique
• Getting feedback on your interview skills, communication skills, etc.
• Exploring which questions might come up, based on your Person Specification.
• Exploring any obstacles (e.g. anxiety, lack of confidence) you fear could hinder your performance, 

Limitations and managing expectations

Please note, our career coaches are not clinical, so they won’t be able to advise on clinical interview questions (e.g. clinical decision making, clinical procedures, clinical standards/best working practice, etc.) For advice on this, please research your clinical field using the internet, AI tools, the RCN library or by speaking to your peers in the RCN forums.

Career coaches cannot give any advice or answer queries on disclosing a disability or requesting reasonable adjustments at interview. If you need support with this you can speak to RCN Direct, your RCN rep, or explore the RCN Peer Support resources on disability / neurodiversity. 

Booking an appointment

If you have been shortlisted for an interview, you can now book an appointment for interview coaching online.

Please visit the interview skills page and scroll down to the "book one to one interview coaching online" heading. You will need your RCN membership number.

When booking for appointment, you will be asked to upload any Person Specification and Job Description for the role. (We only accept PDF or word format.)

 

You may feel it's time for a change in your career. Perhaps you feel stuck, unhappy, disillusioned, and/or under-challenged, but feel unable to move forward.

How Career Coaching could help:

• Coaching exercises to identify your strengths, values, or which environments you thrive in
• Challenging/exploring any obstacles, worries, fears, or self-limiting beliefs 
• Empowering you to take responsibility for problem solving or planning your next steps

Limitations and managing expectations

Remember, Career Coaches can never tell you what to do, suggest "suitable jobs" for you, or recommend which skills, courses or pathways you should explore. 

Preparing for your session 

If you already have some ideas, research up to three roles or pathways that interest you and bring your findings to your session. This will help your coach focus on refining your options and planning next steps.

If you don't know where to start, reflect on what you’ve enjoyed in your career, what energises you, clinical areas or courses that interest you, and jot down some notes. Your first session will focus on coaching exercises to explore your values and strengths, so you can gain clarity and identify roles to research for your next session.

How to book an appointment

Please contact RCN Direct to speak to an adviser. After checking that career coaching is suitable for your needs, the adviser will send you a unique booking link. You will then be able to book a telephone career coaching appointment . 

If you find yourself at a career crossroads due to a change in your health or neurodiversity, you're not alone. The RCN Careers Service speaks to many members who successfully redesign their career around their health, disability, or neurodiversity. 

How Career Coaching could help

• Acting as a sounding board to the ideas you have, and helping you identify your transferable skills
• Coaching exercises to identify your strengths, values, and ideal working environments, and to uncover challenges or obstacles with strategies to overcome them.

Limitations and managing expectations

Career coaching won’t tell you which employers will make adjustments, or which job suits your health. That’s a personal decision based on your preferences and circumstances. Coaches work from the principle that you are the expert on your career; their role is to guide your self-discovery.

Coaches cannot advise on disability discrimination, reasonable adjustments, or redeployment. For this, see the RCN advice guide on disability discrimination and reasonable adjustments, and explore the RCN Peer Support Services, including the Health Ability Passport Guidance which talks about asking for and negotiating reasonable adjustments. 

Before booking coaching

Your first step should be to carry out some research and investigate potential suitable roles or settings. You may want to see our page on Managing your career with ill health and prioritising a work life balance which includes ideas on 9-5 roles, office roles, part time roles, flexible roles, remote roles, etc.

Your ideas don't have to be limited to nursing, and you might want to explore other roles within healthcare, or even outside nursing and healthcare altogether. 

How to book an appointment

Please contact RCN Direct to speak to an adviser. After checking that career coaching is suitable for your needs, the adviser will send you a unique booking link. You will then be able to book a telephone career coaching appointment . 

Resources (within nursing)

• RCN Careers: Managing your career around your health
• RCN Careers: Finding roles with flexible, part time, or 9-5 hours
• RCN Careers: Ideas and Inspiration
• RCN Careers: Navigating a Career Crossroads
• RCN Careers: Blocks and Bridges coaching exercise
• NHS Careers: Career Planning

Resources (outside nursing)

• Prospects.ac.uk: What can you do with your Nursing degree?
• Prospects.ac.uk: career planner - Which job would suit you? 
• National Careers Service: Skills Health Check

Other useful resources

• RCN Advice: Disability Discrimination, the Equality Act and Reasonable Adjustments
• RCN Peer Support Service
• RCN Peer Support Service: Health Ability Passport Guidance
• RCN Counselling Service
• Scope: Access to Work grant scheme (If you do not know what adjustments you need, an Access to Work assessment can help.)

You could find yourself considering leaving nursing or healthcare because of shift patterns, work life balance, or issues at work.

Alternatively, you could be feeling burnt out, stressed, or disillusioned with the profession.  

How Career Coaching could help

• Offering you space to reflect upon your current situation and why you became a nurse/midwife/healthcare professional 
• Exploring the underlying reasons behind any decisions to leave
• Exploring whether it's the profession or current environment that needs change
• Talking through your career ideas, career aspirations. transferable skills, values,or possible next steps

Limitations 

Career Coaches cannot influence your decision, give you advice on what to do, recommend suitable roles, or suggest possible solutions.

Preparing for your coaching session

If you already have some ideas, research up to three roles or pathways that interest you and bring your findings to your session. This will help your coach focus on refining your options and planning next steps.

If you don't know where to start, reflect on what you’ve enjoyed in your career, what energises you, clinical areas or courses that interest you, and jot down some notes. Your first session will focus on coaching exercises to explore your values and strengths, so you can gain clarity and identify roles to research for your next session.

How to book an appointment

Please contact RCN Direct to speak to an adviser. After checking that career coaching is suitable for your needs, the adviser will send you a unique booking link. You will then be able to book a telephone career coaching appointment . 

RCN resources

• RCN Careers: Finding roles with a worklife balance (ideas about roles more likely to be office based, flexible, or with part-time/core hours)
• RCN Careers: Managing your career around ill health
• RCN Careers: Career ideas and inspiration
• RCN Career pathways resource (information about different roles, including case studies, desirable skills, and entry requirements)

External career resources

• What can you do with your Nursing degree?
• Prospects career planner - Which job would suit you? 
• National Careers Service - Explore Careers 
• National Careers Service - Skills Health Check

Our page Applying for jobs following investigation, dismissal, sanction or NMC referral has lots of helpful information and tips including how to make a disclosure with future employers.

What career coaches cannot do

Career coaches cannot tell you what to do, find you a job, or give advice on references, visas, or which employers might hire you. Their role is to guide your thinking, not provide direct answers or legal advice.

Help with CVs and applications

If you want practical support with applying for jobs following your situation, the RCN Careers Service can offer email feedback on your CV, covering letter and/or supporting statement. This includes advice on redesigning and tailoring your CV or application to new jobs. You do not need to book a career coaching appointment for this.

See "I'd like advice on my CV or supporting statement" under our Commonly Asked Questions further down this page.

How Career Coaching could help

If you're applying for jobs following an investigation, disciplinary, dismissal, NMC referral, or NMC conditions of practice, Career Coaching could help by: 

• Exploring how to disclose your situation to future employers, or practice talking about the incident at interview stage.
• Talking things through with you if you need to look at jobs outside of nursing/healthcare due to restrictions or financial pressures

Limitations and managing expectations

If you're in the middle of an investigation or awaiting contact from the NMC, most employers will need to know an outcome before hiring you. Individuals are often hopeful that Career Coaches can offer advice on how to get around this. Unfortunately Career Coaches cannot help with this or offer any solutions.

Gentle reminder that Career Coaches cannot:

• Tell you which employers might hire you
• Suggest which jobs might be suitable for your circumstances or NMC conditions of practice.
• Offer any advice around your investigation, case, conditions of practice, or references.

Emotional support

Although Career Coaching can touch upon emotions (e.g. fear, anxiety, shame, low confidence) that are hindering your progression, this should not be the primary focus or reason for accessing coaching. If you're feeling particularly overwhelmed or distressed about your situation, we recommend seeking emotional support before you access Career Coaching.

• The Fitness to Practice Careline offers emotional and practical support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, allowing you to contact specially trained counsellors (anonymously if preferred) who are experienced in handling sensitive topics.
• Mind.org has a list of helplines and listening services
• See the RCN counselling service for more helplines, self-help resources, and information about accessing free counselling through the RCN.

Preparing for your appointment

Please read our page on Applying for jobs following investigation, dismissal, sanction or NMC referral. 

If you're booking coaching to explore a career move or career change, see also the "I feel it's time for change or a new challenge" heading above.

If you're exploring roles that aren't patient facing (e.g. office based roles, admin roles, remote roles) see our page on managing a career around your work-life balance for ideas..

Booking an appointment for career coaching

Please contact RCN Direct to speak to an adviser. After checking that career coaching is suitable for your needs, the adviser will send you a unique booking link. You will then be able to book a telephone career coaching appointment. 

Booking an appointment for interview coaching

If you have been shortlisted for an interview, and want to practice making disclosure, you can now book an appointment for interview coaching online.

Please visit the interview skills page and scroll down to the "book one to one interview coaching online" heading. You will need your RCN membership number.

When booking for appointment, you will be asked to upload any Person Specification and Job Description for the role. (We only accept PDF or word format.)

 

Our career resources for student and newly registered nurses include guidance on CV writing (including a CV checking service), job applications, supporting statements, interviews, and what to consider before taking your first job.

You may also want to see the RCN forums, RCN forum Facebook groups, RCN clinical topic pages, and the RCN career pathways resource.

Career coaching

If you aren't sure which path to take, or are finding it hard securing your first role, or , you may benefit from one to one telephone career coaching.

Career coaching could include:

• Giving you a safe space to talk about your current situation and goals
• Exploring any ideas you have or talking through any decisions
• Exploring any fears, doubts, lack of confidence, low self esteem, etc.
• Supporting and empowering you to plan your next steps.

Before booking a career coaching appointment

It’s important to remember that our Career Coaches can’t tell you what to do, advise you which jobs or clinical areas would be suitable for you, or suggest courses/roles/pathways for you.

If you are looking to discuss your career options during your coaching session, your first step should be to carry out some research and gather some ideas. If you don't know where to start, we recommend taking some time out to research up to 3 roles, or having a think about what you really enjoy, or which clinical areas interest you.

You may also want to browse or join the RCN's forums (and forum Facebook groups), clinical topics and career pathways resource for advice and inspiration, or see the "I need information about different roles" FAQ further below.

Booking an appointment

Please contact RCN Direct to speak to an adviser about booking an appointment. (Contact options and telephone numbers can be found towards the bottom of the page.)

Useful resources

• RCN Career resources for student and newly registered nurses
• CV writing for student and newly registered nurses (including a sample CV and CV templates)
• Job applications and supporting statements (including advice, tutorials and samples)
• Interview skills and sample interview questions
• Being job ready (what to consider before taking your first job)
• RCN forums
• RCN clinical topics
• RCN Career pathway resource

Email feedback for CVs and supporting statements

RCN members can get feedback on CVs or supporting statements via e-mail.  Please see the "I'd like advice on my CV, covering letter or supporting statement" FAQ below.

Booking an appointment for interview coaching

If you have been shortlisted for an interview, and want to practice making disclosure, you can now book an appointment for interview coaching online.

Please visit the interview skills page and scroll down to the "book one to one interview coaching online" heading. You will need your RCN membership number.

When booking for appointment, you will be asked to upload any Person Specification and Job Description for the role. (We only accept PDF or word format.)

 

Not suitable for career coaching: 

Members are often hopeful that career coaches can help with the following queries below. 

Instead of booking a coaching appointment for these concerns, we recommend that you look at the information resources provided to see how the RCN or other organisations can help.

If you have booked a Career Coaching session, or are looking to book one, please ensure you research any roles you're interested in before your session.

Career Coaches will not be able to give advice on roles, pathways or answer queries such as "How do I become a Practice Nurse," or "What courses do Advanced Nurse Practitioners need?"

RCN Career pathway resource

The RCN’s Nursing career resource has information about different roles and career pathways, including transferable skills, entry requirements, useful qualifications, case studies, videos, and more.

If you're a nurse, examples of roles covered include Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Practice Nurse, Practice Educator, Nurse lecturer, Research Nurse, District Nurse, Specialist Nurse, School Nurse, Telehealth Nurse, Continuing Healthcare Assessor, Care Home Manager, Ward Manager, and more.

If you're a nursing support worker, the resource covers roles like Assistant Practitioner, Nursing Associate, Research Practitioner, Cancer Navigator, Education Practitioner, Nurse Apprenticeship schemes and more.

RCN Forum Facebook groups

Each of our RCN forums relate to a different clinical area or specialism within healthcare, and are packed with useful information and resources.

Every forum also has its own dedicated Facebook group, where you can connect, share, and chat to your peers working in that particular field or specialism, or ask for tips, insight, advice, recommendations etc. They may be able to advise you on skills needed, recommended courses, what the role is like, current job market, etc.

Ideas and inspiration

We have ideas on working within clinical roles, education roles, research roles and leadership roles too. Our page on work life balance has some ideas of more non-conventional nursing roles, roles with core hours, office based roles, and more.

Investigating Person Specifications 

To find out what kind of experience, skills, or qualifications are essential/desirable for a particular role, you can search for jobs and vacancies on websites such as NHS jobs, and examine the Selection Criteria and Person Specification for the roles you're interested in. This will tell you about the type of essential criteria or desirable criteria employers are asking for, and you will get an idea of what types of experience, skills, courses, or qualifications are expected.

It's important to note that criteria can vary from employer to employer so try and compare as many as you can to get a good, all round picture. For example one Practice Nurse vacancy may ask for a qualification in prescribing and experience in family planning, whereas another Practice Nurse vacancy may just ask for NMC registration and a willingness to nurse. 

General resources

• NHS Health Careers (Includes information and advice on different nursing roles and support roles)
• RCN Clinical topics: (Information and resources on several different clinical areas, including Public Health, Advanced Nursing, Mental health, Learning Disabilities, etc.)
• RCN Library (Our library staff may be able to assist you in your research)
• Prospects.ac.uk: What can you do with your Nursing degree? 

Country Specific resources:

• NIPEC (Career pathways and career planning for those in Northern Ireland)
• NHS Scotland NHS Careers (Scotland)
• Advanced Practice (Scotland)
• Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) : Careers (Wales)

If you need more help

If you get stuck, contact the RCN Careers Service for support, and we'll do our best to assist.

The RCN Careers Service offers feedback and tailored advice on CVs, covering letters or supporting statements via email. 

RCN members can access feedback twice within a year.  The guidance can be applied to future roles.  

CV writing

Advice on writing a CV can be found on our CV writing page, along with sample CVs, template CVs, and guidance on writing covering letters.

If you would like feedback on your CV, please ensure you have followed the advice on writing a CV. Then you can send your CV to career.service@rcn.org.uk to receive feedback via email within 10 working days. Please include:

• your RCN membership number (or postcode)
• a brief explanation of your situation and what your career goal is
• any deadlines involved (we will try our best to accommodate)

Documents should be in a PDF or word format.  Photos will not be accepted.  

Job applications and supporting statements

Advice on how to complete Job Applications and write Supporting Statements can be found on our Job Applications advice page, including a step by step video tutorial and a sample supporting statement.

If you would like feedback on your supporting statement, please ensure you have followed the advice on writing a supporting statement first (e.g. making sure your statement has headings and aligns with the person specification criteria). Send your statement to career.service@rcn.org.uk to receive feedback via email within 10 working days.  

Please include:

• your RCN membership number (or postcode)
• a brief of summary of your situation and what your career goal is
• the Person Specification and Job Description in a PDF or Word format only. (Photos/images will not be accepted.)
• any deadlines involved (we will try our best to accommodate)

Useful resources

• CV writing for nurses, midwives and nursing support workers (including CV templates and CV samples)
• CV writing for Student or Newly Qualified Nurses (including CV templates and CV samples)
• Covering letters
• How to write job applications and supporting statements (with sample supporting statements)

Career Coaches cannot give any advice on which courses or qualifications you need, so it would be your responsibility to research and investigate this.

See the RCN Careers advice on searching for courses. This includes how and where to look for courses, course search engines, CPD and learning opportunities, free courses, e-learning, and more.

There is also advice on second registration, top up degrees, APEL, and Returning to Practice.

Course finder checklist

1. Contact universities to ask for advice and information on courses, modules, and meeting your learning needs.
2. Speak to your employer. You may also have an RCN Learning rep, Practice Development team, or Education Lead in your workplace.
3. Each RCN forum has its own private Facebook group where you could ask your peers for advice, insight, and recommendations. Every forum also has its own RCN Professional Lead who you can contact for advice.
4. Use your contacts and network to get insight and recommendations. 
5. See the RCN's Clinical Topics which may have information about qualifications, courses, and frameworks.
6. See our page on searching for courses.

HEE resources (England only)

• HEE (Health Education England) has information on over 100 programmes from planning and commissioning, to recruiting and developing healthcare staff in a range of healthcare and community settings, (e.g., apprenticeships, NHS 111, end of life care, occupational health, practice nursing, mental health, education, etc.). where you can find frameworks, initiatives, programmes, resources, contacts, and more.
• Contact your regional HEE team
• For primary care roles, contact your local HEE training hub  

Researching Person Specifications

If you want to know which course or qualifications to take in order to further your career, start examining job adverts for the type of roles you want, and look at the Essential Criteria/Desirable Criteria in the Person Specification.

Criteria can vary from employer to employer so try and compare as many as possible to get a good, all round picture of what you need.

Contact prospective employers

Don't be afraid to contact prospective employers to arrange informal chats or informal visits, and ask about the types of courses or qualifications that are desirable for your target role. 

 

Career Coaches cannot offer any advice or answer any queries on funding.  There are lots of resources online that can help you however: 

• GOV.UK guidance on student finance
• GOV.UK guidance on funding postgraduate study
• Scholarships and bursaries
• RCN Foundation grants 

Alternatively, check whether your employer offers any support. 

Career Coaches cannot offer any information or advice on reference issues. Please refer to the RCN advice guide on references. This includes instructions on how to contact RCN Direct if you have a dispute regarding a reference. 

If you are seeking courses or ways to refresh your skills, a Career Coach cannot offer any advice on this. 

Still have an active registration?

• If you have an active nursing registration but are not currently working in clinical practice, you can access the "Back to the Floor" training programme on the eLearning for Health platform to help you gain confidence before returning to the workplace.
• Contact Universities directly to see if you can pick up any modules
• Contact Practice Development teams to see if there are any initiatives running for refresher training in specific fields
• If you're in England, Find your local integrated care board (ICB) and contact directly - and NHS Wales health boards and trusts if you're in Wales.
• If you're in Scotland please see the National Education for Scotland (NES) website

Could Career Coaching help?

You may have already found some training, but have lost some confidence or feeling nervous about returning.

Our career coaches can help talk through making your transition back into work and nursing, help you to identify your strengths and values, and encourage you to make an action plan.

Career Coaches cannot offer any advice or answer any queries on disability discrimination, disclosing a disability, reasonable adjustments, or redeployment. For advice on this, please see the RCN advice guide on disability and reasonable adjustments. 

The RCN Peer Support Service

We recommend looking at the RCN Peer Support Service resources.

This includes the Health Ability Passport Guidance to help you manage and negotiate reasonable adjustments with your employer, and a peer to peer support network.

They also have specific advice for individuals with a Long Term Condition.

Other advice on reasonable adjustments

You can get advice on reasonable adjustments from the Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) at your local Jobcentre Plus office.

You can apply for Access to Work if you need extra help. Disability charity Scope UK has some helpful information on the Access to Work grant scheme.