Nursing Resume For New Graduates
When you’re just out of nursing school, it can be hard to know what to put on your resume. Sure, you’ve had clinical experience with patients and their families, but how do you translate that into a resume?
Here are some tips for how to write a nursing resume as an entry-level professional:
Nursing Resume For New Graduates
1 A nursing resume objective is no longer a favorite of hiring managers.
- The hiring manager is looking for a summary of your skills and experience.
- The hiring manager is looking for a summary that shows that you know what you want to do.
- The nursing resume objective is no longer a favorite of hiring managers.
2 You need to show your clinical rotation experience.
Your clinical rotation experience is an absolute must, and you should make sure to include it on your nursing resume.
- List the name of each facility where you received clinical training.
- Include dates for when your rotations took place (this is helpful for employers who want to know if they can call in a reference or if someone has been recently employed with them).
- If possible, list the names of supervisors from whom you received supervision or mentoring during these rotations.
You can mention your clinical experience in one solid block or through bullet points; whichever method works best for you will depend on how many clinical rotations there are for each type of care (for example: acute care versus pediatrics versus psychiatric care) as well as how much information is pertinent to share about them (for example: did they include overnight shifts?).
3 Nail the skills section of your nursing resume.
The most important section of your nursing resume is the skills section. This is where you list the skills that make you a great candidate for the job.
- List all of the skills that you have learned in school, from work, from volunteering, from hobbies and life experience. If there are any gaps in your education or work history include it here as well. You want to make sure everything about yourself is clear and concise for hiring managers who may be reviewing hundreds of resumes at once!
4 Mention certifications, licenses, and awards.
- Mention certifications, licenses, and awards.
- Mention relevant certifications, licenses, and awards.
- If you have certifications or licenses from school or the military, include them in the education section of your nursing resume.
5 Include patient care experience on a nursing resume.
A nursing resume for a new graduate should include the following:
- A list of clinical rotations and the dates you worked in each rotation. This can include volunteer work, preceptorship experiences and other related training that helped prepare you for your career as a nurse.
- A list of the hospitals or clinics you worked at during your clinical rotations. Include information about departments as well as patient populations cared for during these rotations.
- A list of procedures performed by the student nurse and any formal education received by him/her (including high school courses).
6 Add leadership and volunteer work too.
You should also consider including leadership and volunteer work in your resume. If you held a leadership role, include the name of the organization you led, as well as the number of hours you volunteered. If you did not hold a leadership position, simply state that you were an active member of your community.
You could also choose to list additional skills or accomplishments that aren’t directly related to nursing school—such as being an Eagle Scout or completing CPR training—because they show character traits that employers look for in potential employees: dependability, commitment, dedication and willingness to go above and beyond what is expected.
7 Avoid common mistakes in your new nurse resume.
Your resume should be a reflection of your skills and experience, but it should also be an accurate representation of who you are. To make sure your nurse resume shows off the best parts of you, follow these tips:
- Avoid spelling and grammatical errors. There’s nothing more unprofessional than a resume riddled with them! Proofread carefully before submitting your paperwork.
- Don’t use the same resume for every job or position. Tailor each document to fit the needs of each employer (or position). For example, when applying for hospital positions, include information about where you worked during clinical rotations in addition to what was taught in school about specific procedures or conditions (such as diabetes management).
- Avoid using jargon unless specifically required by an employer. Employers want to know what makes YOU valuable; not just how much training someone else has given you!
8 Your resume could make or break your chances at that RN job you want. Make sure it is done right!
Your resume could make or break your chances at that RN job you want. Make sure it is done right! Here’s what you need to know about writing a nursing resume for new graduates:
- Your resume should be well-written and professional. You may think that because you have little experience, it’s okay for your resume not to be at its best. However, if you don’t take the time and effort necessary to present yourself in the most favorable light possible, then why would an employer hire someone who couldn’t even bother with their application materials? Your resume should be clear and concise; it should contain as much information as possible while still being readable by anyone who might read it (even if they aren’t familiar with all of the acronyms).
- Your resume should be easy to read. It’s tempting to include every last detail of everything you’ve ever done—and there’s nothing wrong with including everything—but remember that hiring managers looking through hundreds of applications probably won’t take long before deciding whether or not yours deserves further consideration based on its appearance alone; therefore, make sure your formatting stands out from all the rest! If there are any questions about formatting from potential employers when considering hiring someone else down the road (which will happen often), don’t hesitate: Contact us today!
Closing
As you can see, there are many different ways to approach your nursing resume. It’s important to remember that you should tailor it to the job description and format of each application. The key is presenting yourself in a way that shows an employer that you have what they need!