“Is my resume good enough?”
If you have to ask that question — then it really isn’t.
Here is the bigger picture.
I review nursing resumes all the time. They are typically written the way it has been taught in college, and that is…
- A sea of bullets.
- Certifications.
- Education.
- Employment.
- Name and contact information.
Done.
The problem with the above is that things have changed. They have changed so much that simply listing data is not going to net you the best nursing job you could capture. Never mind that you need keywords to make it past a computer sorting system. More importantly, once you make it through — what are you sharing that would help you rise above the noise?
What Your Nursing Resume Should Convey
Why you?
Who are you?
Why should we call you in when we have hundreds of applicants to meet?
Why are you the nurse that will help us succeed in improving our unit?
Do you understand our mission?
Are your contributions worth this salary?
Will you stay with us?
Are you culturally competent?
Do you understand the disease pathologies you will come across in this unit?
How will you provide patient care?
What are your thoughts on family dynamics?
The job search landscape has changed. In addition to ensuring your voice and nursing philosophy jumps off the page, you need to make sure your presence online is synchronized with the person they see on the resume. Therefore, the question is not is your resume good enough, but is it enough? Nowadays, sometimes it isn’t and why so many nursing and healthcare professionals are migrating their presence online (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.).
So, do you need help writing your resume? I would say you cannot afford not to! You cannot afford not to put your best clinical foot forward because your resume is the first impression you are going to make. Don’t you want it to be the best it can be?
Here Are Some Tips to Help You Spruce Up Your Nursing Resume
- Cut down and just summarize your past career life (before nursing). Don’t make this the focus of your resume. You need to paint a healthcare image.
- Translate your job description into value. So you nurse patients. I get it, but what was your legacy and reputation at work? Paint that picture.
- Cut down the bullets. If you tell your story well, you don’t need a sea of boring bullets.
- Give your resume some personality. What color are you in nursing? Design does matter.
- Get specific. Use jargon, buzz, and keywords that show them you KNOW that specialty.
- What drives you? Connect emotionally with your reader. Make them smile when they read your resume, because they realized they found the ideal nurse to join their care team.
Happy Writing.
If you need a bit more help, please check out our e-guide.
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