| Recent labor studies have predicted that nursing | | | | cardiology, oncology) and any pertinent nursing |
| positions will continue to grow faster than the | | | | skills, such as JCAHO standards/compliance or |
| national average for at least the next five | | | | medication administration, that will enhance your |
| years. Though this trend is good news for | | | | resume presentation. |
| nurses on the job market, it does not diminish the | | | | If you have several years of nursing experience, |
| fact that competition will remain tough for the | | | | it may beneficial to list your years of experience |
| most desirable nursing positions. Nurses need to | | | | in each area. |
| pay close attention to the presentation of their | | | | Entry-level nurses and nurses with limited |
| credentials, as detailed in their resume, in order to | | | | experience should also include this section in their |
| ensure that they can compete in the tough | | | | resume, highlighting those areas and schools |
| medical profession. | | | | acquired from schooling, clinical rotations, and |
| To write a solid resume tailored specifically to the | | | | nursing mentorships. |
| nursing profession, consider the following guidelines: | | | | Detail Your Nursing Experience |
| Highlight your Educational and Licensure | | | | Since most manager hire nurses based on their |
| Qualifications | | | | previous experience in (or knowledge of if you |
| In addition to including the details of your nursing | | | | are a new nurse) a particular area of nursing, |
| degree (school name, when you graduated, your | | | | employers need to know the details of your |
| degree), you should mention any academic | | | | nursing experience. |
| honors, grants, scholarships, or fellowships | | | | If you are an experienced nurse, you should detail |
| awarded during the course of your studies. | | | | your specialization, the type of facility you work in |
| If you are an experienced nurse, you may wish | | | | (acute care, outpatient, rehabilitation), and your |
| to make reference to any completed clinical | | | | average caseload for each of your previous |
| rotations in this section. This tactic is especially | | | | employers. |
| beneficial if one or more of these rotations is in | | | | If you are an entry-level nurse just out of school |
| line with your current career objective. | | | | or a nurse with limited work experience, you |
| If you are a newer nursing graduate or have | | | | should detail any clinical rotations, mentorships, or |
| limited nursing experience, a list of related courses | | | | other unpaid work you were involved in during |
| and clinical rotations will provide detail of your | | | | your schooling. |
| medical knowledge to prospective employers. | | | | Demonstrate You're a Top Performer |
| Graduates who completed their degree with an | | | | Employers love to hire top performers. Your |
| impressive grade point average should highlight | | | | resume will be more memorable and better |
| this fact by including their GPA in the Educational | | | | received if you can detail specific contributions |
| section of their resume. | | | | you made to each of your previous employers. |
| All nurses who have completed the process to | | | | What have you done that was above and beyond |
| get licensed will need to provide details of their | | | | your basic responsibilities? How have you |
| license(s) in this section. Include the state(s) in | | | | helped make a positive impact on your patients |
| which you are licensed and the date that your | | | | and their families, your co-workers, your |
| license went in effect. Since your employer will | | | | employer, or even your community? |
| ask for a copy of your license once you are | | | | Consider your possible involvement |
| made an offer, you do not include your licensing | | | | in:oCommittees or review boardsoPatient or |
| number on your resume. | | | | family health educationoMentorship |
| Emphasize your Nursing Expertise and Key Skills | | | | programsoTraining of coworkers on advanced |
| A quick 10-second scan of your resume should | | | | topics of interest to nursingoThe launch of a new |
| reveal important keywords that summarize your | | | | facility or programoCommunity health |
| nursing experience and give managers an | | | | screensoOutside education |
| overview of your qualifications. The most | | | | The more details you can provide about your |
| effective way to do this is to incorporate a | | | | involvement in the medical community and your |
| section of your resume dedicated to nursing | | | | accomplishments, the better job you will do at |
| expertise and key skills. Include a bulleted list of | | | | impressing your value as a team member to |
| your nursing specializations (such as pediatrics, | | | | potential employers. |