Nursevillage.com - Career Resources : Career Tools : Resume

It’s no secret: There’s a nursing shortage. Hospitals nationwide are actively recruiting qualified staff by offering sign-on bonuses, conducting countless job fairs, and in some cases, increasing base salaries. It seems to be an employees’ market, so do you need to concern yourself with the look of your résumé?

Résumé Tips:

> Use action verbs (e.g., directed, managed, supervised).

> Highlight teaching responsibilities or managerial experience.

> List your software skills and level of ability with each program.

> List knowledge of any advanced technological or diagnostic procedures that increase your autonomy or are unique to other specialists or physicians.

> Note relevant military or volunteer experience, including organizing community events.

> Save other pertinent information for your cover letter or face-to-face interview.

> Put your references on a separate sheet—not on your résumé—and provide them to nurse managers who request them. Let your references know in advance you’re using their names (and don’t forget to thank them).

The layout and format are up to you, but every résumé should include these elements:

> Contact information: your name, address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address

> Experience: job titles, employers' names/cities/states, dates of employment, description and scope of jobs (Recent grads: Highlight professional nursing practice experience that showcases your ability to work in expanded roles.)

> Education: names and locations of schools attended, degrees awarded and dates graduated, and current licensure and certification information

> Complementary: memberships in professional and community associations, awards received, published manuscripts, completed research, or written grants

Absolutely. In any job market it’s important to put your best foot forward. The current shortage of nurses offers an ideal opportunity to seek out exactly the kind of position, benefits, and working environment you want. But the more impressive your résumé, the more negotiating power you’ll have when you walk through the nursing recruiter’s door.

What’s your style?
If you want to write a résumé that will knock the socks off your prospective employer, consider the following: First of all, what’s your objective? (Are you trying to move into a new specialty area? Making a lateral move?) Next, consider the job that interests you. Based on that, what’s the most important information you can share about yourself with your prospective employer? Armed with that knowledge, tailor the style of your résumé and the information on it to your needs. Various résumé styles are acceptable.

For instance, the traditional style that lists work experience chronologically might be best if you’re trying to advance to a higher position and want to show the progression of increased responsibility.

If you don’t have much work experience, or if you want to move into a new specialty area, or if you’ve been working for so many years your résumé could easily be a 10-page document, flip the traditional format on its head. Instead of listing everything you’ve ever done, showcase the experience and qualifications that are most relevant to your desired position. Highlight your career objective, skills, qualifications, and certifications up front—each one carefully chosen to quickly show the recruiter why you are the best candidate for the position. After that, list the work experience that’s most relevant to the job description.

Designed for success
Whatever format you choose, don’t be afraid to move beyond the old typewriter-style layout. Use your computer skills (or the design skills of a friend) to play with fonts and the overall look of your résumé, but don’t go overboard with a busy design that overwhelms the reader. Try for an eye-catching, easy-to-read layout that draws the recruiter’s attention to the most important information. If you need ideas, take a look at these different styles—chronological, functional, combination—or explore one of the general career-search sites, such as Monster.com.

If you’re applying for positions in different specialties or career areas, it makes sense to have a few versions of your résumé. One résumé might emphasize your critical-care experience, and another might demonstrate your pediatric-nursing qualifications.

Presentation is important, too. Print your résumé on quality bond paper.

And don’t forget to proofread. The smallest typo or misspelled word can make even the most experienced nurse look unprofessional. Take time to make sure you look as good on paper as you do in practice.

Give nurse managers what they want
Your résumé should illustrate that you understand the changing needs of your field. The best way to accomplish this is by quantifying. In today’s cost-focused medical system, nursing managers like to see measurable accomplishments. Don’t just say you assisted in patient care in the ICU unit; tell how many beds there were and how many staff members you oversaw. Did you develop more effective compliance standards? Describe how much money this saved the organization.

Don’t be afraid to use buzz words that demonstrate your in-depth knowledge in the area you are pursuing. Check out nursing publications and want ads to see what key words are used often by other professionals. Even if you’re inexperienced in a given area, using the right lingo will show that you’ve done your homework.

Finally, introduce your résumé with a well-written cover letter that highlights skills that are key to the job. This will help the reader understand why you are exactly the right person for the position. Most of all, remember that a strong résumé simply gets you to the next step: landing the interview.

With the need for qualified nurses at an all-time high, this is an excellent time to pursue new opportunities. Good luck, and happy job hunting!