Finding your first nursing role after uni can feel overwhelming – applications, interviews, and the pressure to have it all figured out. For some students there are extra layers to navigate, but one thing stays the same: getting the right support and putting yourself out there can make all the difference. 

In this Q&A, we chat with Natalie Nguyen, a UTS nursing graduate who landed her dream nursing role in the ICU at St Vincent’s Private Hospital after attending events, connecting with employers, and using UTS Careers’ support along the way. As an international student, she also had to navigate a few extra challenges – but the advice she shares is just as relevant for domestic students who’re building confidence, gaining clarity, and figuring out their next move. 

If you’re a nursing student wondering how to go from almost ready to job offer secured, this one’s for you. 

Let’s meet Natalie 

Originally from Vietnam, Natalie completed high school overseas before making the move to Australia to study a Bachelor of Nursing. In just over three years, she’s built her entire clinical and professional experience here – learning the Australian healthcare system, gaining confidence along the way, and figuring out how to turn uni experiences into real career opportunities. 

With that journey in mind, I sat down with Natalie to talk about how she navigated studying nursing in Australia, built her confidence along the way, and turned career events into real opportunities.  

What did you study at UTS? 

I studied a Bachelor of Nursing – Standard Entry (3 years full-time) 

Where did you complete your Nursing placements while at university?  

I was lucky enough to complete my placements at a number of public and private hospitals across the Sydney Metropolitan Area, including: Prince of Wales Hospital (both Public & Private), Royal North Shore Hospital, St George Hospital and the Professor Marie Bashir Centre. 

Did you work part-time while you were at university? 

Yes. During my second year of nursing I worked part-time in Prince of Wales Hospital ICU as an Assistant in Nursing. In fact, during uni, I juggled multiple jobs to diversify my work experience and income, one of which includes working as a Student Partner under the Students as Partners Project Grants program at UTS.  

What did you do while you were at university to ensure you built your job seeking skills?  

I attended both the UTS Careers Nursing Fair and Mock Interviews, as well as an online resume and selection criteria workshop which was specifically tailored to nursing students who were applying for graduate positions. That workshop provided a very specific guideline for creating my resume for my graduate job applications.  

Before I was made aware of these events, I contacted recruiters across various Local Health Districts for any graduate program-related enquiries, which gave me additional information supplementing what I’ve learned from the UTS Careers events.   

What was most useful about the 2025 Nursing Careers Fair? How was your experience at this event? 

The most helpful part of attending the 2025 Nursing Careers Fair was getting to talk to recruiters – the same people who were organising and conducting interviews for their respective organisation’s nurse graduate programs – and to “pick their brains”. More specifically, I learnt what they expect and value in a prospective employee, as well as if there were any specific hiring policies regarding visa-holding applicants like myself. This information was crucial in determining my “chances” and priorities when it comes to organising my own graduate applications. 

What was most useful about the 2025 Nursing Mock Interviews? What did you learn?  

The most useful part of the Nursing Mock Interview was that I could get real-time feedback on how I might come across in an interview. As I am naturally a fast speaker, a tiny bit of subconscious anxiety can cause me to speak even faster. This can sometimes cause me to omit key points or backtrack mid-way through a sentence, which gets me flustered.  Thanks to my mock interviewer. I came out of that room having more tools to be self-aware of when my speaking pace is quickening and tools to mitigate it, both of which are crucial skills to have in an interview.  

For me, it was definitely as much about getting very good tips on the technical responses as it was about honing my delivery skills. I also appreciated that there was another student attending the same Mock Interview session with me, so we both could learn from one another.  

Did you face any challenges being an international student? 

Being placed as second priority on all NSW public hospitals’ hiring lists is one major disadvantage that us international students face, as our chances for the already competitive graduate nurse positions are now further dwindled purely due to our visa status, not merit.  

How did these challenges make you stronger/more determined? 

Being made aware of those challenges made me a lot more conscious of how I should strategise my applications from the get-go.  

How did you land your position with St Vincent’s Private Hospital? 

I applied just like everyone else and managed to be one of the 23 who got accepted into the Graduate Nurse Program at this hospital, out of 600+ applicants. I was also especially fortunate that I got offered a position in the Intensive Care Unit of this hospital, as that was my preference based on my background in this environment. All of this was honestly beyond my expectations, knowing how competitive it is to get into this program.  

In retrospect, perhaps it is precisely because I didn’t expect too much out of the interview outcome at this hospital that got me to where I am now. I went into this specific one quite relaxed and with a rather “I don’t have much to lose” mentality, despite still doing my best like I would for any job interview. 

Do you have any advice for current UTS Nursing students who may want to follow in your footsteps? 

• Do your research extensively into all organisations that offer a nurse graduate program. 

• I’d also recommend you consider doing at least 1 rural clinical placement to have a feel of what it might look like for your graduate year. For instance, my own rural placement experience certainly informed me enough to put a regional NSW hospital as my 1st preference for the NSW Health GradStart program, and I would have gone there for my graduate year had St Vincent’s Private not offered me the graduate position first. Rural placements are not as scary as they sound once you have that hands-on experience out there. 

• Assess the competitiveness level of each graduate program from all hospitals/facilities that you are considering (and thus your chances of landing a position there).  

• If you’re an international student, this step is especially important in learning if the facilities that you are interested in have any specific hiring policy for visa-holding applicants (such as NSW Health). 

• Create a personal tier list on what you consider to be “safe” options versus “ideal” options. For me, my “safe” options were my applications to rural/regional hospitals, and my “ideal” options were any hospitals in Metropolitan Sydney. 

• Keep track of different graduate programs in an Excel spreadsheet so you don’t miss your key dates or deadlines.  

• Make a long list of your potential referees and start contacting them in advance to obtain their consent to help you out – you will need to rotate between them if you don’t want to bombard the same 2-3 people with being your referee for 50+ applications 

If you could tell your first-year self anything, what would you say?  

You will be okay –  it is tough out there, but you will find a place for yourself if you’re willing to cast a wide net (though I can appreciate that it’s hard to believe any of this until you have had that lived experience). You will survive the coming 3 years of nursing, and in fact, you can juggle so many more responsibilities the further into your degree you are. Most importantly: NEVER put all of your eggs in one basket when it comes to applying for nurse graduate applications.  

And lastly, don’t forget to check out the Nursing Careers Fair and attend your Mock Interviews 😉 

Conclusion 

Natalie’s journey shows that there’s no one “right” path into your first nursing role. Whether you’re a domestic or international student, it’s often the small things –  attending an event, asking a question, starting a conversation –  that end up making the biggest difference. 

The challenges might look different for everyone, but the key takeaway is the same: you don’t need to be perfectly prepared to take the next step. Getting involved, staying curious, and using the support around you can open doors you didn’t even realise were there. 

If you’re studying nursing and feeling unsure about what comes next, take this as a reminder that opportunities are out there and you don’t have to navigate them alone. In fact, the 2026 Nursing Careers Fair and Mock Interviews are coming up soon. Find out more information uts.ac/nursingcareersfair.