Congratulations on completing your nursing degree! It’s now time to roll up your sleeves and start the job-hunting process. One of the first things you need to accomplish before you find a great job is your resume, which should accurately represent your strengths, skills, and experiences while prioritizing conciseness and readability.
This article contains several important resume-writing tips for new nurses. Armed with these tips, we hope that you’ll create a solid and memorable resume that can help you land your first nursing job.
How to write a nurse resume: Top tips and tricks
Keep it short and tailored to your employer’s requirements
You might be tempted to create a three-page resume that includes all the clubs you’ve joined in college, your hobbies, and even your headshot, but recruiters typically appreciate a one-page resume that provides the most important information about the job applicant. You have to remember that they’re going through hundreds, if not thousands, of resumes per week, so it’s crucial to help them quickly see key information that can help them assess if you’re the right candidate.
Tweak your resume to reflect the employer’s preferences by including applicable keywords from their job postings to your resume. If the employer has special requirements, such as the inclusion of your GPA, career objectives, and a separate references section, ensure that you include that in your resume before submitting.
Put your name and contact information in the header
Ensure that your name and contact information are written in a large, easy-to-read font. This will make it easy for recruiters to spot and remember your CV.
Your first and last names should be followed by your highest educational degree and professional license, such as “First Name Last Name, BSN, RN”. If you have national certifications, you can affix that after your professional license.
In a slightly smaller font size, include the following information:
· City and state information (No need to include your complete address for security purposes)
· Phone numbers (Mobile and if applicable, home phone numbers)
· Email address (Make sure that you create a professional email address for job hunting or work purposes)
· LinkedIn profile (Make sure that your LinkedIn profile is updated and matches the information you’ll include in your resume)
Put the essentials up top
If you’ve just finished your schooling and don’t have work experience to list on your resume, highlight the following information on your resume:
· Educational experience: The highest degree should be written first and should be followed by other degrees. Include the name of the school and the years attended in reverse chronological order.
· Licenses and certifications: Include the licenses and certifications you’ve obtained and their respective license numbers (for the licenses) and expiration dates. Make sure you spell them out at first reference. For example, write down “Basic Life Support (BLS)” or “Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)” instead of just putting the acronyms “BLS” or “NRP”.
· Clinical rotation information: List down the settings, healthcare facilities, semester information, and number of hours spent for each. For example:
Geriatrics Harlem Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation Fall 2024/75 hours
Include your job experiences, even if they’re not related to nursing
If you have work experience in a different field, such as the hospitality or service industry, list them in your work experience section. Most hiring managers and recruiters appreciate seeing your work experience outside of the nursing profession, as it gives them an idea of the skills you’ve gained that you can apply to nursing. For example, suppose you’ve worked in the service industry. In that case, you most likely have developed communication, collaboration, and resilience skills in working in high-stress or fast-paced environments — all of which are essential in healthcare.
If you’ve had extensive experience in other industries, you can just include the three most recent jobs you’ve held.
Add a section for your skills, awards, and affiliations
Don’t forget to include things that can make your resume stand out, such as:
· Languages: Don’t forget to include your level of proficiency for each language you include in your resume (e.g., native, conversational, minimum professional fluency).
· Technical skills: Healthcare system software you’re proficient in or received training on, such as electronic health records (EHR) and electronic medical records (EMR) systems.
· Affiliations: If you’re part of organizations and groups that are relevant to your career goals, list them in your resume. These include organizations such as Sigma Theta Tau and the National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA).
· Awards and recognitions you receive from your school and the organizations you’re part of.
Don’t forget to proofread and spellcheck
A 2023 study found that resumes with five spelling mistakes and grammatical errors have an 18.5% reduced chance of landing an interview with a recruiter compared to error-free resumes. So, make sure that you run your resume through spellcheck and have it proofread by a couple of your trusted friends or have it go through Grammarly.
