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CAREER CENTER UW1 161

(425) 352-3706CAREERS@UWB.EDU

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Nursing Resumes

Resume Overview

The purpose of a resume is to get an interview Be interesting; make whoever reads your resume view you as valuable

to their cause A resume is a marketing piece

Highlight your strong points Skills & Accomplishments Education Professional or Relevant experience

Customize each resume to the job for which you are applying Read the job descriptions carefully to insert keywords & identify the skills

they are targeting Know your audience – use nursing specific terminology

Demonstrate Value

Employers have in mind: “How can you be valuable to us?” “Value” = skills, accomplishments, education and

experience Successful job seekers understand their unique

combination of skills, education and experience and articulate their value to employers.

It takes on average 10 – 30 seconds to review a resume the first time

Most significant part of the resume is the top half of page – must give evidence of a good “match” to the position

Resume Components

Contact Information Summary of Qualifications Education/Training and Credentials/Licensing

Honors and Awards Professional Experience Research/Internship Experience Professional Association Memberships Leadership and/or Community Service Experience Languages and International Travel

Name and Contact Information

Email & phone number are important, address optional LinkedIn profile address or eportfolio link Contact information can go all on one line to save space and on

each page as a header or footer Use a professional looking email (i.e. not bigsexy@hotmail.com)

Jane Smith 345 Grebhorn Lane. Lookout, WA 98165 | C: 123-543-2121 | E: jsmith@u.washington.edu

Summary of Qualifications

Highlight skills and experience specific to the job description Try not to use skills that everybody has, or that are generally expected

(ex: Hard worker, proficiency in Microsoft Word) Skilled LPN offering expertise in pediatric, geriatric, rehabilitative and post-

operative care. Consistently earned praise from patients, family members and supervising clinical directors for delivering excellent nursing care.

Dedicated registered nurse (RN) with specialty experience in psychiatric/mental health nursing. Developed strong psychiatric-evaluation and treatment-planning skills through recent internship at Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Knowledge of psychotropic medication administration, management and training.

Reliable, ethical healthcare provider with ability to stay calm and intervene during crises, facilitate groups and educational seminars, and collaborate on multidisciplinary teams. Proven ability to build positive relationships with patients, family members, physicians and other medical professionals.

Education, Licensing & Certifications

Your degree and expected graduation date GPA if above 3.5 or if required by company Relevant coursework, projects, awards, deans list, scholarships

Describe in relative detail the process by which you learned a skill Group projects, research and presentations are good to use here, they

can show your demonstrated ability

CURRENT LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION Registered Nurse, Washington Board of Nursing (License No. XXXXX) 2012EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALSBachelor of Nursing, University of Washington, Bothell Washington Expected Graduation June, 2013 Certified Public Health Nurse (PHN) Pediatric Advanced Life Support Provider (PALS) Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Provider (ACLS) Trauma Nurse Core Course Provider (TNCC) Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE)

Skills to focus on in coursework

No matter what you major in, you need excellent writing skills and eloquent speaking skills. The Association of American Colleges and Universities recently asked employers who hire at least 25% of their workforce from two- or four-year colleges what they want institutions to teach. The answers did not suggest a narrow focus. Instead:

89% said they wanted more emphasis on “the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing”

81% asked for better “critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills”

70% were looking for “the ability to innovate and be creative”From Zernike, Making College `Relevant’, The New York Times, 2009

Professional Experience

Relevant (Work) Experience Internships, volunteer, or professional experience

applicable to this position Be specific; “worked at a hospital” doesn’t tell anyone

anything useful Use action verbs Quantify wherever possible;

number of patients served or co-workers managed how often you made a status report % of improved efficiency

Professional Experience Example

Registered Nurse, Simmons In-Home Nursing Service, 2011 - 2012 Wound Dressing & Care | Ventilator & Tracheostomy Suctioning/Care | G-Tube Feedings & Care | Respiratory Treatments & Assessments | IV Therapy | Patient Bathing & Hygiene Assistance | Glucose Checks & Blood Pressure Monitoring | Rehabilitation TherapyTraveled throughout 40-mile territory to provide home-healthcare services to pediatric, adult and elderly patients diagnosed with chronic/terminal conditions, convalescing from surgical procedures or recovering from serious illnessesFollowed rehabilitation and treatment plans to accelerate patient recovery; minimize pain, discomfort, infections and complications; and optimize patient outcomes.Assessed, monitored and documented patient progress, symptoms and vital signs on each visitEducated clients and their families on the safe treatment of injuries, illnesses and conditions

Resume Format

First impressions are important Use professional consistent styles, punctuation

and fonts Chronological, Functional and Combination

resumes Resume “real estate” and page layout -

centering/lining up parts of the resume Utilize bullets in order of importance 1 –2 pages at most

Importance of Keywords

• Skills keywords would be: • computer skills, management, bilingual/Spanish,

multitasking, public speaking, teaching, organizational skills, leadership, training, and counseling.

• Credentials/experience keywords: • RN, BSN, nurse practitioner, critical care, I.V. certified, CPR

certified, pediatrics, quality improvement, ventilator management, chemotherapy administration, oncology, trauma, clinical research, case management, phlebotomy, managed care or project management.

Cardillo, Donna, RN, Keywords are Key to Getting Your Online Resume Read, NurseLink

Getting Started

Personal data Brief sentence or paragraph describing your skills* - Ask yourself: what is

your caregiver or nurse practitioner philosophy? Education, Certification and Licensure Honors & Awards Laundry list of professional experience and accomplishments Use industry and job description keywords

Resume Checklist Make your resume visually appealing, easy to read, and consistent in

resume style and format. Don’t make the employer guess on your reasoning or your meaning. Example: If you put dates for one job, put them in for all. Don’t use acronyms unless you explain them first.

Maximize the space on your resume. Don’t waste an entire line on your page for one to three words.

Keep it to one page (two pages dependent on professional level relevant to the position).

Choose a resume style for your particular skill level/work history. For suggestions on what style to choose, view outlines and sample resumes on the UW Bothell Career Center website.

Spell and grammar check. Keep the correct verb tense. Use past tense for previous jobs and present tense for current jobs. Don’t use personal pronouns.

Resume Checklist continued…

Immediately impress the reader – be job specific, customize. State up front in your objective and the job for which you are

applying. Include keywords from the job description. In choosing what character traits, skills, accomplishments, academic

knowledge and employment history you are going to highlight, focus on the employer’s needs and job requirements.

In your bullets, not only communicate your job responsibilities; but also make sure to include the abilities and skills that made you successful in performing those. Stress your productivity in terms of your potential for solving employer’s problems. Quantify whenever possible. Numbers help to draw the eye and stand out.

Sample Resumes

https://www.uwb.edu/getattachment/careers/job-search-tools/resumes/website-nursing.pdf

http://www.udel.edu/CSC/pdfs/NurseResumes.pdf

Cover Letters

Explain why you are sending a resume Tell specifically how you learned about the position or

the organization Convince the reader to look at your resume. Call attention to elements of your background relevant

to the position. Be specific, use examples Reflect your attitude and interest in the position Provide or refer to any information specifically

requested Indicate what you will do to follow-up

References

Choose the Right Reference A good reference: A professor in whose class you earned a good grade or an employer

who has commented positively about your work. A great reference: In addition to the above, they can comment on your personality and

passions. Academic Reference…. Consider any Professor:

who has seen your best academic work that you engaged with in a quarter-long special topics or research project

Work Reference… Consider any Employer: where you received promotions where you completed any special projects where you can qualify or quantify your contribution to the organization that you left the organization on good terms with whom you still communicate

RESUMES

Career CenterUW1 161(425) 352-3706careers@uwb.edu