How to Find an Aesthetic Nurse Internship

Author

Dr. Stephen Cosentino

If you want to increase your chances of finding a career-oriented job as an aesthetic nurse, you need to get certified as one.

The Plastic Surgical Nursing Certification Board offers aesthetic nursing certification for registered nurses, NPs, and PAs. This certification makes you much more attractive to potential employers, even if you’re already a licensed esthetician.

But before you can get your aesthetic nurse certification, you need to acquire enough practical experience in the field. And your best chance at doing that is to find an aesthetic nurse internship in a medical spa, plastic surgery office, or other type of practice that offers aesthetic services.

Here’s how to find and secure an aesthetic nurse internship.

Finding Aesthetic Nurse Internship Opportunities in Your Area

No matter where you live, you can find aesthetic nursing opportunities within commuting distance. But since you’re not the only aspiring aesthetic nurse looking for them, you need a plan to find them and apply for them when you’re ready.

Do the following:

Search job boards for local aesthetic nursing internships. The best place to find aesthetic nursing opportunities is on major job boards like Indeed and ZipRecruiter. At any given time, these boards host thousands upon thousands of health-care job postings, including for specialized roles like aesthetic nursing. Use search terms tailored to your specific specialty areas or areas of interest, as well as your local geography. (Unless you’re willing to move for the right role.)

Set aesthetic nursing job alerts. If you don’t find the right opportunities right away, set job alerts so that you’ll find them as soon as they’re posted. The sooner you apply, the higher your chances of catching an employer’s attention.

Reach out to aesthetic providers directly. Direct networking is the best way to get noticed by aesthetic practices seeking entry-level nurses and interns. There’s no shame in reaching out to a provider or practice manager on LinkedIn or even cold-sending your resume by email. Just be prepared to hear “no” (or nothing at all) a lot.

Attend conferences and seminars. Network in-person if your schedule and budget allows. Many employers want to put names to faces, and they’ll be more likely to consider your application or reach out when an opportunity arises if they remember you.

Strengthening Your Candidate Profile

If you’re having trouble securing an aesthetic nurse internship or aren’t satisfied with the type of opportunities you’re getting, you may need to strengthen your candidate profile.

You can:

Take continuing education courses in aesthetics. Strengthen your credentials by taking relevant continuing education courses in aesthetic disciplines, such as dermal filler and Botox® injections.

Network with other aesthetic professionals. Network with peers, not just potential employers. Even if it doesn’t feel like it’ll lead directly to an internship opportunity, it could get your foot in the door somewhere.

Work on your personal mission statement. Aesthetic employers love candidates who exude passion about the work. Think about why you want to be an aesthetic nurse and put it in a written or video statement.

Raise your professional visibility online. Update your LinkedIn profile and start interacting more with potential employers and colleagues on it. Early on, simply following influencers and “liking” posts is enough.