The nationwide nursing shortage has opened the doors to plenty of job opportunities for new and experienced nurses. But you need to keep in mind that just because employers are clamoring to fill vacant nursing positions, this does not give you an excuse to be sloppy when you develop your nursing resume. Having a professional looking resume will not only help you get a job, but it will make you a frontrunner for the best positions and promotions. The following tips will help you write a nursing resume that will get you noticed.
Proven Nursing Resume Tips
The very first section of your resume, after your contact information, should be a qualification summary. Remember that the main purpose of a resume is to sell yourself to a prospective employer. By hitting him first with your outstanding qualifications, you are telling him right from the start what benefits you are prepared to bring to the job. You should include a narrative statement of your goals, your level of experience, your area of specialty and any credentials you may possess.
The next section of your nursing resume should be a detailed list of your nursing experience. This will give the hiring manager an excellent idea of how well matched you are for the position you are applying for. This section should include a list of your past employers. Make sure that you include the type of facility, such as long term or acute care. You should also include what your normal caseload was and if you have any areas of specialty.
A great idea for a nursing resume is to add a bulleted list of your proficiencies. Things like ACLS certification, IV certifications, wound care specialist, etc. This bulleted list will give your potential employer the ability to see your capabilities at a glance.
Another section that is important to your nursing resume is a section that highlights your contributions to each of your previous employers. You should mention any boards or committees that you served on. Did you help launch new facilities or services? Did you train or orient new employees? Did you serve as a mentor for college students? Remember that you are selling yourself. Listing your contributions will show your potential employer that you are a committed team player.
When you are developing the education section of your resume, be sure to include academic hours, scholarships and any other types of education that you have had. This includes certifications.
Once you have finished with your resume, it is critical that you proofread it carefully. Look for spelling and grammatical errors. Once you have proofread it yourself and corrected any errors that you have found, have a friend or family member proofread it. A fresh set of eyes can catch mistakes that you have skimmed over. Remember that your resume is a reflection on you. It is your goal to make a good impression by presenting a professional looking, error free resume. Another word of caution, do not try to make your resume stand out by using colored paper or paper with cute logos or pictures on it. You should use professional looking, high quality, white or cream colored paper to print your resumes on. Office supply stores carry high quality resume paper for this purpose.
So there you have some great tips on how to write a good nursing resume. It is a good idea to check out some sample resumes online or you can find books that contain sample resumes at your local library. This will give you ideas on how to format your resume. Keep in mind that your resume is like a first impression. You want to make sure that it is a good one.
The Nursing RN to BSN degree completion program at South University allows registered nurses with associate degrees to complete their bachelor’s degrees. The program is offered at three South University campuses and online. Learn more about South University | Request free info
The Nursing RN to BSN degree completion program at South University allows registered nurses with associate degrees to complete their bachelor’s degrees. The program is offered at three South University campuses and online.
