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As a nurse, you probably don’t think of yourself as a salesperson or a marketer. However, when considering your nursing resume, you must think of your job search as if you are a product you are selling to a potential employer.
The goal of your nursing resume is to get your audience’s interest in a quick amount of time and sell yourself to a potential employer. Since many companies first screen resumes by reading robot before it reaches human hands, you must carefully create your resume for a potential employer.
Wow them with your professionalism, unique skill set, experience, and personality using your nursing resume. This will help you get your foot in the door for an interview where you can seal the deal by impressing them in person.
Let’s discuss nursing resumes further and how to create a stand-out nursing resume.
It is important when you’re doing your nursing job search to research each employer that you are applying for, the better you can form your nursing resume to their requirements the better. Take some time to answer the following questions about each company:
When completing this employer research instead of simply reading a job posting take a few extra steps to research the employer’s online presence:
Researching isn’t just about researching the company; you also need to understand the job description. It is important to understand the difference between required and preferred qualifications as this will help you build a resume for each job.
This is a way to describe qualifications that are mandatory for the job, those who do not have these qualifications will not be considered for the position.
Skills that are desired but are not deal-breakers for the employer. You may still be considered even if you do not possess these. You should include all the required qualifications if you want an employer to consider you as a potential candidate.
If you do not possess some or all the preferred qualifications, you can apply anyway and still be considered. However, including the ones you do possess on your nursing resume is always the best choice.
The resume reading robot is a program known as Applicant Tracking Software. This is ATS. These systems are highly technical but can only do what their program says and are unable to operate to the degree that humans do.
Knowing how ATS systems work can help you write a resume that passes their screening. ATS systems vary greatly in their function and behavior; most of these systems are programmed to screen resumes according to keywords.
However, they can be configured to search and screen resumes based on various other criteria. Some of these systems can’t differentiate between titles or distinguish between terms BLS and Basic Life Support. Because of this, it is important that if you use acronyms and abbreviations make sure to spell out the entire word followed by the shortened version.
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These systems do not read resumes as a human would, they just collect data. They don’t care about aesthetics either. They are programmed by an employer to search for the right keywords, in the right order, on the right part of the resume. These systems can also get confused easily.
An example of this is if the font is too complex or if it comes across as an unrecognizable symbol. It may scan the resume as unqualified and move on to the next resume, it does what it’s programmed to do nothing more.
Although many employers use these systems, there are still employers who rely on human professionals to screen resumes. In these circumstances, a human resource professional usually scans their resumes and invites the most qualified candidates in for an interview.
Whether the employer uses ATS systems or is a human resource professional, the goal of the resume is still to sell yourself in a targeted manner for your specific role. Now it’s time to discuss resume layout.
Before getting started on your resume, it’s important to first decide on a layout. There are three types of resume layouts. Most nursing professionals use a reverse chronological layout for their resume.
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This layout focuses on career history and lists jobs in reverse chronological order. This resume is recommended for nurses and for the majority of healthcare professionals.
This resume layout focuses on skills and emphasizes work history. It does not pass the ATS test well and hiring managers do not prefer it.
It is also not recommended for nursing professionals to use this layout. People who use this format are usually changing careers, have large gaps in employment, or have years of experience in the role in which they are applying.
This layout is a mixture of the reverse chronological and the functional resume. While it places a focus on skill sets, abilities, and accomplishments; it also highlights work history.
This resume is recommended for nursing professionals with certain backgrounds such as nurses with experience in multiple specialties, travel nurses, nurses with multiple small gaps in employment, nurses looking to change specialties, and nurses interested in changing careers.
When considering the nurse resume layout, the first thing you should consider is how well ATS will read it. Layout and design tips that work well with ATS systems are:
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Many individuals believe you can achieve the perfect balance of text to white space in your nursing resume using the following margin settings:
Left alignment is standard since that’s how most people and robots read.
In nursing, length should not be the focus of the resume, although it is recommended there be one to two pages, some nurses may have resumes with three or more pages. Don’t overthink length too much.
If the resume is slightly over the page amount by a few lines; try changing the margin, font style, font size or shortening a statement. The main point that matters is that it looks visually appealing and should include keywords should an ATS system be used.
Since ATS systems scan resumes and locate specific information in the correct sequence, it is suggested to use the following categories to optimize your nursing resume for ATS scanning. The sequence recommended is:
This is the first section of the resume. Your name should be front and center, don’t make the recruiter search for it. Make sure it’s the largest font on the page.
While there are varying opinions on the exact placement of the name, a simple, classic version in the following format is recommended:
Your credentials should directly follow your first and last name on a resume.
It is not required for you to list your home address on a resume. Most employers don’t need this information and it is recommended not to include it on your resume as a security precaution. Please only include your city and state in the contact information of your nursing resume.
Make sure to indicate if your phone number is a cell phone or a landline. This is also a great time to make sure your voicemail message states your full name and is professional sounding and easy to hear.
It is essential to provide a professional e-mail address that does not reveal your age. Your e-mail address should include a variation of your name and some numbers if needed.
If you have a LinkedIn profile, you should include this. Even if you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, now is the time to create one as you could be missing out on job opportunities.
Your summary should be eye-catching to a potential employer and use a professional objective. This can either be a short paragraph or a bullet list listing your qualifications and providing a brief glimpse of your career thus far.
Think of your resume summary as an attention-grabbing, loaded statement that encourages your reader to continue reading. This summary is unique to you and should be targeted to a certain role.
Your nursing skills and areas of expertise should be mentioned in the top half of the resume, there should not be a generic list of skills but a specific list. If you are a newer nurse or making a specialty change you may not have as many skills to include.
Ensure that you list your license titles in your resume and be sure not to leave out the expiration dates. This is important because employers need to know that you are ready to start working as soon as possible.
They will be relieved to know they don’t have to wait for the licensing process. The employer will likely be verifying your nursing license online anyway since this is all public information, so you might as well include it in your resume.
Let employers know what you can do for them. What is the employer looking for? Do your best not to be vague with constructing your work history on your resume, this can be particularly frustrating to employers.
If you have a lengthy employment history, you may consider only including the most recent 10 to 15 years of experience. This will shorten your resume and limit the chances that you’ll encounter age discrimination. Going back too far in time doesn’t speak to your recent nursing experience because an employer’s main focus is what you can do for them now.
Adding your work history in a logical format can help your nursing resume get around the ATS systems and impress recruiters. It is recommended to use the following format:
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You should list your relevant degrees in chronological order. It is recommended that you list the degree or certification title first and then where you received the degree. You are not required to include your college or high school graduation dates on your nursing resume as it could reveal your age.
Nurses also do not need to include their high school diplomas on their resumes. The nursing profession requires completion of higher education and because of this, your nursing degree overrides your diploma from high school.
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It’s not required to list these on your resume, but they will help you stand out. If you have these, it will explain who you are as a nurse to the employer. Examples of this would be if you achieved the Daisy Award, Employer of the Month, or Nursing Excellence Award.
If you belong to any professional memberships or are affiliated with a specific group related to nursing or health care add this as well. Also, note If you’ve completed any volunteer work if it relates to nursing.
A resume aims to briefly summarize your work history and qualifications. A cover letter can be a bit more personal and further explain your interest in the company and why you would like to work for them.
The cover letter aims to complement the resume. Many job searchers forget about the cover letter, but the cover letter can increase your chances of getting an interview if you take the time to create one.
If you work as a freelance nurse writer or are self-employed as a nurse in another manner, provide a summary of the services you offer. Describe the work you perform as a freelancer.
If you have worked for multiple employers as a freelancer, you can mention how you completed projects for them and what you completed. If you are a nurse writer, you may offer examples of your published work known as a portfolio for a potential employer to view.
This is another way LinkedIn can be helpful as it serves as a self-promotion tool where you can list your qualifications and experience, including the use of keywords.
You can also add published work. Doing so, will assist employers who are looking for nurses with your skillset and experience in finding you.
Although technology has dramatically advanced in regard to job searching, my experience has shown me many employers still value and appreciate the old-fashioned way of things.
For example, I still print out copies of my resume and cover letters on linen paper and personally hand them to potential employers at interviews. I have been told on several occasions this was helpful, as employers get busy and do not always remember or have time to print your resume and cover letter prior to the interview.
I have also been complimented on my use of linen paper as this shows attention to detail, which is a quality most employers of all types appreciate in a potential employee. It also showcases professionalism, another sought-after quality in a potential employee.
Another aspect of writing a resume I have learned is the more descriptive you can be about your previous job duties, the better. The employer needs to know what kind of nursing experience you have, so do not be shy to include it!
Be proud of this experience and showcase it. What may seem like a minor detail to you, may be a major detail to an employer.
In conclusion, writing a nursing resume can be overwhelming and complex, especially if you are a new nurse or don’t yet have a lot of nursing experience. Rest assured, there are numerous tools out there to help you if you are willing to do the research.
The key points to remember when creating a stand-out nursing resume are that it showcases and highlights your personality, qualifications, and experience in a professional manner that is attention-grabbing. This will aid you in landing that job interview for the nursing job you desire the most and assist in setting you apart from other qualified candidates.
After reading this article, you should feel more comfortable with writing a nurse resume. Happy job hunting!
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