Please give me some feedback on my resume so I can apply for my dream job!

Peanut&Buttercup · Jul 20, 2014

I'm not a nurse yet, so take my comments with a grain of salt.

Objective: get rid of it. You want to tell the employer what YOU can do for THEM. Not the other way around. I'm not sure about nursing resumes, but I think objectives are not really used anymore

References Available Upon Request: unnecessary. They know you'll give them references if they ask. This statement is unnecessary.

As for the rest, you need to tell them why they should hire you. What skills did you learn during your clinical rotations (esp. L&D skills)? Are you fabulous at something? Great customer service skills -- even at your non-nursing jobs. What makes you stand out from the pack?

If you look at the ad for your dream job, it'll list skills they are looking for. Take the exact wording from the ad (sometimes computers sift through resumes to look for the best matches) and explain why you have that skill.

Good luck!

duskyjewel · Jul 20, 2014

Putting Who's Who on your resume is embarrassing. That's a well-known scam where anyone can buy said "award."

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Jul 20, 2014

Putting Who's Who on your resume is embarrassing. That's a well-known scam where anyone can buy said "award."

Objective is redundant and unnecessary. References available is not needed as it's understood. Who 's who is also not recommended as it's become a pay to be listed for the honor yet wasn't decades ago

All new grads have clinical rotations. Unless you had a unique or a rotation at the facility where you are applying and made a great impression it's just a space filler.

What did you major in for your associates

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Jul 21, 2014

I would get rid of the "Who's who" line. Isn't that an "honor" you buy for yourself?

mrsmommyx4RN · Jul 21, 2014

Thanks for all of your advice, I have made the suggested changes. As for the who's who reference, I've never paid for an honor, so I'm not sure what that's about. It was announced at our pinning ceremony, we were given a certificate, there were only 5 students from my class nominated, and like I said, I didn't pay anybody anything. I've taken it off of my resume, though. Thanks again!

mommy_endeavor · Jul 21, 2014

It would be great if you could add volunteer experience relevant to nursing. I know there is a debate about resume length, but if possible you can squeeze it in. It will show your interests.

Use your cover letter to show your individual skills and why you would be an asset. That's where you can insert all the job qualifications described in the ad.

icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2014

I am not officially in a hiring position but if I were looking at new grad resumes and profiles I would want to see what skills you bring to the table. We really don't like to hand hold a new nurse. Define what you did in school: "successful with peripheral IV starts, foley catheter insertion, familiar with protocols for pre term labor and tocolytic agents, (and any other OB/NICU skills you can list truthfully). Familiarity with Epic charting (or whatever you were trained on). typing speed.

Then they will know that you have a clue as to what the job entails. The ATS will score you for the position based on the use of certain key words for each position. Go to bluepipes.com and read the article about tailoring your resume for the ATS. Length and number of pages does not matter anymore. Your resume is initially being read by a computer program and accepted or rejected.

Under previous work experience note that you provided prompt and professional customer service.

icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2014

The ATS will interpret weird fonts bullets and headers as gibberrish. I made that mistake myself five years ago. I agree with eliminating the objective.

NursePallasFNP2b · Aug 4, 2014

The ATS will interpret weird fonts bullets and headers as gibberrish. I made that mistake myself five years ago. I agree with eliminating the objective.

See the resume professional at my school said bullets and headers were fine. *sigh* I am so confused on all of this

icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN · Aug 5, 2014

You need to have two resumes, one a paper copy for interviews and job fairs, the other is your electronic resume which is optimized for the ATS.