New Grads and Resumes

[ilovenursing2009]

hi!

anyone up for swapping resumes for constructive criticism?

during my time in school i participated in many seminars to perfect resume writing and interviewing skills; which i am sure you did to! i was also a tutor for nursing students which i helped assist many students write their resumes and cover letters.

i thought this would be a great way to share ideas of what we learned and help each other make our resumes and cover letters stand out!

if you would like to participate pm me and i will give you my email address to swap resumes. please take off all identifying info (name, address, phone number) from your resume. i don't want o be responsible for it!

can't wait to swap resumes!!!!:wink2:

****

admin note:

visit an's nursing career advice forum for resume and landing first job advice.

wondering why you can't get hired or promoted: resume + interview hints! stickie is kept updated, includes links to examples of nursing resumes.

nrskarenrn

an admin team

career advice forum moderator

[Gem0607]

I've started calling myself a recent grad since I graduated May 2009 and still am unemployed. I'm beginning to wonder if it pays to have a professional write your resume. Resume writers advertise on Allnurses. Has anyone ever used a professional resume writer and what was your experience?

Thanks.

I'm wondering the same thing hotflashion. I graduated May 2009 and still no job I really don't know what else to do. I have tried everywhere and everyone says we don't have any position for new grads I'm about to lose it.

[sah abrams]

Here are links to my drafts if anyone wouldn't mind helping me with them. I am willing to do the same, but I feel that I am very novice at this.

My Draft resume

http://docs.google.com/View?id=df2sw7xd_9fdqkkgdf

and

My draft cover letter

http://docs.google.com/View?id=df2sw7xd_8hgtrn8dw

[hotflashion, BSN, RN]

I assume formatting for both the letter and the resume are screwed up b/c of the way you saved them to Google. But you might want to have a reasonably formatted text version of your resume and cover letter just in case you have to submit them in text form.

Anyway, I'm no expert, but I like your letter b/c it sounds genuine.

First thoughts about your resume:

Remove the line at the bottom about references; it is understood that you will provide references when they are requested.

Spell out your school name.

Remove the line about NCLEX status, they can check. In fact anyone can, and I did, you are pending.

I love that you will be the camp nurse AND knitting instructor. I think you can remove the line "The details of my position are presently being discussed."

What you need to do and what I have not done but also need to do is to think about the skills you have that you use in doing your job as a bartender and tutoring, that can be applied/useful in nursing. Also, I'm sure something could be said about your education in cultural anthropology and how that will help you in providing care to a diverse population...

Good luck.

I'm considering paying someone to do my resume...

[sah abrams]

Thanks. Yeah, the NCLEX status is pending, but that is why I put unofficial results, but I guess maybe that is not necessary. Thanks for the compliment on the letter. If you would like me to take a look at yours , I can. BTW, how did you look it up? I thought that I took out the personal info.

[hotflashion, BSN, RN]

sah abrams, I'll post mine as soon as I find an anonymous place to park them online. You didn't take all the identifying information from your documents, there are hints; it didn't take me long to figure out which person was you. We're from different states. :-)

[sah abrams]

I look forward to returning the favor.

[hotflashion, BSN, RN]

I'm going to repost my resume. I've made changes.

[sah abrams]

Nelly hotflashion, I read your resume and it looks very thorough, yet not too long. It is difficult for me to put things down for skills such as critical thinking, nursing process, wound care,etc.... because it seems that all nursing students have had these experiences. I tend to want to list only things that are perhaps more unusual. But most graduates I know and most samples list these activities that I consider "given". Do you have any thoughts on this? Does anyone else?

But I think that your resume really demonstrates leadership qualities, as well as your ability to act as a resource to clients in their search for answers.

The objective sounds a bit casual..... "To be hired as..." But other than that, I found your resume to really provide information about YOU and YOUR skills.

[ShannyRN]

I am in the same boat as you. I graduated from Nursing School in Dec 2002 and just recently passed my boards in Aug 2009. It is so hard getting a job. Now I am starting to wonder if my resume needs tweeking!!

[sah abrams]

There is a 7 year difference between when you graduated and when you got your license?

[ShannyRN]

Yes there is. I failed the board a number of times. Went into a different career (teaching high school) and then buckled down and took the boards again and passed. Nursing is what I REALLY want to do. So there is a gap between when I graduated and passed the boards. A 6.5/7 year gap! But I don't let that deter me from pursuing my goals. It was by persistence that allowed me to pass and I feel it will be my peersistence and tenacity that will land me a job in a hospital!!

[hotflashion, BSN, RN]

Not to be cruel, but if nursing is what you really wanted to do you will have to figure out a way to make this understood in an interview. What you said in the note above doesn't tell me that.

It might help if you took a refresher course to make potential employers think your knowledge is fresh. Despite being able to pass a test, 7 years is a long time to be away.