Nurses are in great demand, so, depending on what type of nurse you are, and what type of nursing job you are seeking, the job market is likely in your favor as a nurse candidate.

However, even though you do have an advantage, thanks to supply being relatively low, and demand being high, you still need to make sure that your resume is composed accurately and effectively. The purpose of a resume is to get the attention of the hiring manager enough to give you a call for at least a phone interview, if not an on-site interview.

There is no one single format your nursing resume must absolutely follow, but here are a few key principles and pointers to keep in mind when creating or updating your resume or CV for your next nursing job search.

Contact Information and Title:

Your name and contact information should be clearly posted at the top of the document so that they easily stand out. You may even choose to include a title or titles underneath the name, above the contact information, that summarize your role, sort of like a headline. This is helpful especially if you have dual roles or if there are multiple roles that could be attached to your name. As a former recruiter, I like to be able to glance at the name and see, in just a split second, who you are professionally. Think of it as a summary in just a few words. For example:

Mary Smith, R.N.

Pediatrics | Primary Care | Nurse Educator 

This way, when the recruiter quickly glances at your name, he or she will also get an idea of what you've done, and who you are professionally, even before they get any further into your resume'.

Note: The words in your "headline" or title should match the job for which you are applying. If all of your experience is in primary care, but you are applying for a nursing job in a specialty other than primary care, you may want to consider leaving off the descriptive title or headline words, which could pigeonhole you into your current or previous specialty.

Summary or Objective: 

This is optional, and the current trend leans more towards including a summary than a career objective. If you have a lot of experience to tie together in a theme, a brief summary can be helpful for establishing a brand. 

The challenge with objectives is that you can limit yourself or rule yourself out of consideration if your objective isn't a perfect match with the nursing job for which you are applying, 

Education, Licenses, and Certifications:

There are two different schools of thought regarding where to put this section containing your degrees, licenses, and certifications. Some say to include it first, underneath your name and contact information (and summary/objective, if you have one).

As a former healthcare recruiter, my recommendation is to include your education towards the top if you are a recent graduate with little experience, or if you hold advanced degrees above and beyond what much of the candidate pool has. If your education includes a unique degree that is highly sought after in the market, then putting it near the top is a good idea. Otherwise, I'd include this information later in your resume or CV, after you list out your experience. 

Be sure to include any state licenses, certifications, and registrations in this section to show that you have actively maintained your eligibility to practice nursing.

Experience:

Work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order, meaning that the current or most recent position held should be listed first.

Often, people will list the name of a facility or employer without any identifying information. Even if you are at a well-renowned hospital or medical center, it's helpful to include one sentence summarizing a few key characteristics about your employer. This helps give the recruiter or hiring manager a better illustration of the type of setting in which you have worked. For example, size (number of beds, average patient census, etc.), what the facility is known for or what sets it apart, etc. Or, if your employer is a medical practice, include a brief description - number of providers, number of patients served, type of services provided, what sets it apart.

When describing each nursing position held, a common mistake is to include a list of adjectives and adverbs in a long, detailed description of your role. Instead, use action words (verbs) to describe what you actually did, achieved, and accomplished in your role. What actions did you take? How many patients did you treat? What tasks did you complete that went above and beyond the call of duty (if any)?

If possible, provide metrics that can help to quantify and qualify your performance. Don't just list the work you did - show how well you did your work by including results achieved. This can be a challenge for some nursing roles. But if you keep track of this while you're employed, it can be a bit easier. If you, your team, or your facility received any awards or recognition for quality of care, or exemplary performance, be sure to note that for each role.

Awards and Recognition:

This section outlines any awards you received based on your professional performance. Be sure to include the year it was awarded, what the award was based upon, and, you may even want to include how many people were eligible for the award, if there were many (to show that you surpassed and out-performed a great deal of competition.)

Volunteer Experience:

This is somewhat self-explanatory. This section is important especially if your volunteer experience is in the medical field, and can perhaps round out your clinical or healthcare experience and add to your paid work experience. Even if your volunteer experience is outside of the healthcare field, it illustrates altruism and compassion for others, as well as adding additional skills to your experience base.

 

Related Reading:

All About Nursing Careers

Top 3 Highest Paying Nursing Careers

CV Tips for Medical Jobs

What is a Registered Nurse (RN)?