Advice for Resume to apply for Nurse Extern Program

twarlik · Oct 22, 2003

There is a similar program available at a hospital near me. Hoping to apply after December.

We were required to put together a nursing resume for one of my classes. I've worked professionally for about five years, so it was pretty easy for me. We were told to include all clinical experience, sort of like it was a job we held. List the semester, location and what you did while there. You should also list any certfications that you may have (CPR, etc.) and volunteer work. Personally, I wouldn't list coursework or check-offs. If the hospital is requiring that your first semester is completed, they are probably assuming that you will have certain skills.

Perhaps someone will have more to offer, but this is just my opinion. Good luck!

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 22, 2003

Col,

I coordinate the Extern Program at my hospital and oversee the selection process. Of course, everyone and every place is different, but here are my thoughts/recommendations.

Since they require that you have completed at least a year of nursing school, they are going to know that you have done the standard courses, clinicals, etc. EVERYBODY has done them. It's a given. The fact that you took A&P does not make you stand out from the crowd in any way. Therefore, I would not "clutter up" my resume with that sort of stuff. It's a waste of time for the expert nurses who will be reading it to see list after list of standard classes and clinical skills.

As you know, you want to make yourself shine and stand out as they look over your resume -- so help them out by making it easy to read. List your jobs, the dates, etc. and a statement or two about what each job entailed, your accomplishments, skills demonstrated, etc. You probably developed a lot of valuable "people skills" in your previous work, so don't be shy about saying that.

In your resume, you should include any other activities/experiences that contribute to your skill set and/or that brought you to a nursing career -- major extra-curricular activities, volunteer work, etc. Try to particularly highlight anything that relates to nursing and/or the particular specialty you are most interested in.

Don't forget to highlight any time of leadership experience you have or any type of awards, honors, or merit-based scholarships. Such things show that you are a high-achiever and a strong performer -- EVEN IF THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH NURSING! :-) Your application may be stronger than you think.

If you are applying for a particular type of unit or specialty, it would be helpful if your background included some experience with that specialty. For example, I work in a children's hospital, so it's a plus (but not required) if an applicant has had some real-life exposure to children. If you have no experience leading you to a certain specialty, perhaps you can address the reasons for your preference in your cover letter.

Your cover letter would be a good place to state briefly why you switched into nursing and what you hope to get out of the Extern Program. You want to show that you are a "good match" for what they have to offer.

Finally ... back to the nursing coursework and clinical skills. We require that applicants list thier completed coursework and clinical rotations on a separate form as part of the application. If your perspective employer does not require this, I would do it anyway -- but on a separate sheet, not muddling up the basic resume. Be brief as there is no need to give detailed explanations of what courses called "Anatomy & Physiology" or "Pharmacology" are. People know what they are. Explain only what is not obvious and make all explanations brief. We use that type of information to verify that the applicant is a legitimate nursing student -- not so much to separate the strongest applicants from the weaker ones.

If you are proud of your grades, list them with your course list. If not, don't list them. If you are proud of your GPA from either your nursing school or your previous schools, list that on your resume where you list the schools you attended.

About listing specific clinical skills practiced, it's probably not a bad idea to include them on a separate sheet -- but if you decide to do it, keep it brief. Simply list them, fairly small font, etc.

I hope that helps. Good luck!

llg

Petite06 · Nov 2, 2003

I am currently in the last half of my first semester and provided that I pass this flex, will enter the extern program in Dec.My background does not include any clinical healthcare experience.I filled out the regular job application online (which allows me the option of not submitting a resume),submitted my faculty rec and listing of areas of interest.I was upfront about when I was expected to complete the prerequisite (of 1 clinical semester) both on my app and in a later interview.I imagine each place is different,but most schools are very similiar in the skills you learn and when you learn them.So,I assume the hospital has a general idea already.In addition,if you have the extern packet provided from that facility,they probably (or could create) a skills matrix that indicates what skills they assume you will have going into their program.So,it would probably be a good idea to abbreviate your skills to minimize the length of your resume (so they're likely to read it in the first place) and leave the rest to the phone inquiry or interview.I wish you the best of luck! Look into that skills matrix!

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Nov 3, 2003

llg -- Good post. Thanks!

colleen10 · Nov 3, 2003

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to thank everyone for their advice, especially Ilg.

On my resume I submitted an Objective - listed interest in their extern program, and an abreviated work history - so they know my background, etc.

I then listed my past volunteer exp. and a Course Description for Therapeutic Horse back Riding that I took during my undergrad, I then listed (but did not go into detail) of all of the pre, co-requisites and nursing classes I currently have completed, since I have completed everything except the actual nursing clinicals.

I submitted it on a Monday and received a message from the nurse recruiter the following Thursday to set up an interview. Unfortunately, though, she is out of the office til later this week so I just left a message letting her know I received her message, am very interested, and will call her when she gets back into the office.

I am very excited about this opportunity and can't wait for an interview.

So, does anyone have advice on types of interview questions she may ask? I imagine this type of interview is very similar to a regular interview for a job.

Thank you again for all of your advice and support!

Col

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 3, 2003

I would expect the standard questions such as "why you want to be a nurse," "why you want to be an extern," why you are applying at this particular hospital," etc. Have solid answers prepared for standard questions such as these. If you don't, it will look as if you haven't thought about it much and might not be well-prepared for what the job entails.

You might also get some questions that ask you to discuss your strengths and weaknesses. While I recommend thinking about these things ahead of time, I recommend AGAINST giving an answer that sounds too prepared, too pat, of too "cutesy." Saying something like, "My biggest weakness is that I am so perfect" can come across as obnoxious and demonstrates an unwillingness to admit to actual weaknesses that need to be worked on. You want to sound thoughtful, self-aware, and truly willing to learn new behaviors -- not in denial or afraid to admit to having any learning needs. When I hear answers during interviews that I know are bull****, that tells me that I can't fully trust this candidate to be honest.

You may also get some questions that ask you to describe situations that your have experienced and how you reponded to them. "Tell me about your most challenging experience in nursing school. How did you handle it?" etc. I always recommend pausing a minute before answering such a question, organize your thoughts and then answer as honestly and thoughtfully as you can. Again, you want to demonstrate that you are able to solve problems, help others, cope with stress, etc. in a caring way.

Finally, make sure that your answers and comments are consistent with the type of hospital/unit you are applying for. I work in a children's hospital and it always amazes me when people apply for jobs but then say they don't really want to work with children for a career long-term. No employer wants to invest in employees who really doesn't want to do the type of work required by the job.

Good luck,

llg

classof2009 · Dec 19, 2008

Hi everyone....i just finished my 2nd semester of nursing school.....I am looking forward to start an extern program in summer of next year....I still have to make my resume and start applying.....I really appreciate all of you posting these threads.....thanks a lot....this will help me a lot through the process

jdm10 · Jan 29, 2009

thanks ilg, really helpful post!