The demand for nurses is growing rapidly. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, one-third of the current nursing workforce is nearing typical retirement age, and many of the educational requirements for nursing jobs and their specialties have increased over the years.
With the need for nurses higher than ever before, there has been a steady growth in the number of people obtaining RN-to-BSN degrees – or even more advanced education such as a BSN-to-MSN degree – to enter the workforce. This has led to a sharp increase in competition for jobs.
On top of all this is the fact that technology has made it very easy for healthcare employers and recruiters to review hundreds of prospective job candidates with just a few clicks of a button. As competition and demand for nursing positions continues to grow, the need for a strong résumé is essential.
Here are 10 suggestions for constructing a nursing résumé that can stand out from the rest, and may help secure you a coveted position in the nursing field.
Write a Customized Cover Letter
While a résumé can highlight your experiences and qualifications, including a customized cover letter can help create a connection between you and the hiring manager, and show them aspects of yourself that may not be present in your résumé. A cover letter can help introduce your personality traits to the hiring manager and show them why you are a good fit for the position.
Be Short and Concise and Use Bullet Points
The people responsible for hiring are often extremely busy and have little time or patience to spend a lot of time reading résumés with large chunks of narrative text. Hiring managers should be able to skim your résumé and quickly determine whether it warrants an interview invitation. One good way to summarize your professional knowledge and experience is by using a bullet list to highlight your achievements.
Make it Relevant to the Particular Job Description
Another good tip is to tailor your résumé to the particular functions and prerequisites of the job you are applying for. Most job openings list out a brief description of the responsibilities and experience required, so it’s recommended to use this to your advantage.
For instance, if the job description requires at least a nursing degree and two years of clinical experience in a nursing home setting, make sure you highlight your relevant experience. Also, be sure to refer to yourself using any specific language used in the job description. If the hiring manager is looking for a candidate who has “high energy and is compassionate,” make sure to use those words to describe yourself.
Write a Professional Profile
Candidates have a couple of different options when creating a résumé – writing a professional profile or an objective statement. While there are no rules as to which method is more effective, in general, a professional profile is recommended because it can help illustrate the value you can bring to the job, while briefly summarizing your areas of expertise. Hiring managers may also prefer a professional profile because it is often more detailed than writing one objective sentence about yourself.
Focus on Accomplishments – Not Duties
In the advertising world, marketers entice consumers by listing a product’s benefits, not its features. People often care less if a car has more than 300 horse power. Typically, they want to know that the car will keep their occupants safe. Job candidates should follow this philosophy. Tailor your résumé to focus on the benefits of hiring you, rather than just listing off your previous duties.
Make it Keyword-Friendly
Because hiring agencies and human resource departments are often inundated with résumés, many now rely on software programs to search for specific keywords in order to find qualified job candidates. In order to determine the right keywords to use, it’s important to carefully read the job description to find words and phrases, then use variations in your résumé. For instance, if you are applying for a registered nurse position, you may want to use words such as “registered nurse” and “RN” throughout your résumé.
Length Should Reflect Experience
Résumés can be different lengths, as long as those lengths accurately reflect the experience of the candidate. Recent graduates should typically have a one page résumé, while a seasoned professional may require two full pages. Just be careful that you don’t fill up your résumé with so much information that it reads like a book.
Include Honors and Awards
Also make sure to include any awards or honors you have received. Perhaps you received honors in school or in volunteer work, or received an award for outstanding effort at a previous job. Adding your awards and accomplishments is a small part of constructing a strong résumé, but it can help separate you from other candidates with similar backgrounds.
Include Your Specific Nursing Education Details
If you have earned any type of degree – nursing or other – it is important candidates include this on the résumé. Many hiring managers look at professional education before anything else on a résumé, and may decide whether they like a candidate based upon their education. This is why obtaining a nursing degree is imperative. Common degrees include:
- Associate of Science in Nursing (ADN)
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- RN-to-BSN
Aside from listing your education accomplishments, it may be wise to list any pertinent continuing education courses, as they may be relevant to the specific job description.
List Relevant Previous Experiences
One objective of a résumé is telling a prospective employer important information about yourself in as few words as possible. One way to do this is to include previous work experiences, as long as they pertain to the desired job. For instance, if you are applying for a clinical nurse position, you don’t have to mention that your first job was a grocery store clerk. If the previous work experience aligns with the desired job, then it’s often a good idea to list your job duties and skills acquired. This can give hiring managers an idea of your previous work experience in just a few words.
