Am I doing this ALL wrong? Resume critique PLEASE!!!

labordude, BSN, RN · Oct 9, 2014

As someone who has been on both sides (hiring/interviewing candidates and doing my own applying), at first glance I stopped reading about halfway through the objective statement. First, the vast majority of reputable HR experts, recruiters, and resume writers do not recommend you include this section. This is something best served for an actual conversation with a manager. I did finish reading your resume and ended up with more questions than answers. I can almost guarantee that everyone reading this resume wants to know why you left the bedside in July 2013. Beyond that there was a period between Oct 11 -Feb 12 that you were also not working as an RN. Your top two skill highlights, while they may be technically correct, are easily misconstrued as you having direct L&D/PP experience as an RN which I did not glean from the rest of your resume. I would separate out the RN and Nursing Assistant positions as they are technically different jobs. You can list them like this

RN (date-date)

Nursing Assistant (date-date)

XXX-Tonka Bay, MN

That way it shows progression. Your accomplishment list is good. Some people might argue those bullets belong with the associated job (I argue for this). Make sure you can give details about the HOW and WHY. I certainly think you have a place to start, but answering some of the questions I posed can help with how other people perceive your resume which in the end is what matters. I'm happy to help out if you'd like. Just PM me.

queenanneslace, ADN, MSN, APRN, CNM · Oct 12, 2014

Simplify, simplify, simplify.

I agree with removing the objective statement.

Here is how I like resumes organized:

Name, RN, BSN, CLC (one glance, they know you're an RN with a BSN, and lactation counselor)

Education (list chronologically, most recent first)

Work history (list chronologically, 2-3 short bullet lists of job responsibilities)

Skills (what do you know how to do related to the job you are applying for)

- labor support

- lactation counseling

- EMR experience: Epic, Cerner, Obix, etc etc, etc

Certifications and Licenses (list with dates current through)

RN, State of Minnesota, exp 11/2016

ACLS exp 9/2015

IBCLC exp 12/2017

Professional Affiliations (if any, alphabetical)

AWHONN

ILCA

State Nurses Association

Sometime I include trainings and workshops I've completed - it depends - also - remember to customize each resume to each position you apply to. It's fussy, but each application should be specific to each job.

I try to keep a resume to one side of one piece of paper - or one piece of paper front to back. No longer than that. I should be able to sum up my skills and qualifications without writing a book.

I think you have plenty of marketable skills - try to make it easier to find these skills at a glance when looking at your resume.

cayenne06, MSN, CNM · Oct 13, 2014

I would move the accomplishments down to the relevant job and list them as a 1-2 line bullet. I think it would also be helpful to streamline and "declutter" your skills section- no need to list things like "successful tx of acute and chronic conditions." That should be a given, and only serves to water down your actual skill set. In fact, the only skills on your list that I think are worth listing are:

~Certified LC, currently in practice

~Experience with EHR (which type)

~Experienced doula.

NOT to say the other skills aren't important! They just aren't resume-worthy.

Include any other certifications/memberships you have- ACLS, NRP, BLS, AWOHNN membership, etc. And if you are proficient in IV starts, I would list that. If you don't have any other certifications, maybe consider taking NRP, taking an online fetal monitoring course, things like that.

And I would streamline your format a little. I wouldn't do the double column thing.

And a bit off topic- i'd love to hear more about the episiotomy thing! very interested to hear what the starting epis rate was and what you did to reduce the incidence. I've seen. . . one? episiotomy in the 12 years I've been in OB (admittedly, most of that time was in very low volume practice), but I know there are still a lot of scissor-happy providers out there, unfortunately. Depending on how this was actually implemented, it might be worthy of its own little section on your resume. Participating in protocol/policy development looks good to prospective employees!

jujuwah · Oct 14, 2014

First of all, I thank you all for such thoughtful and honest responses. I believe I've been able to use your constructive criticism to better my resume quite a bit. I wanted to address some things first before I post the new and improved version.

First, I left bedside because I was pregnant and had some complications that made it impossible to be on my feet for so long so I started taking private lactation counseling patients. I didn't really know how to address this in the resume.

Second, the gap of RN employment is due to not being able to find an RN job. I quit my previous RN position because it was not offering me any sort of challenge (and the management was awful) but didn't realize how tough the job market was (and maybe my standards were a little high). I really hope that doesn't reflect that poorly on my work history.

Third, unfortunately my top two skill highlights come from my experience as an intern. I didn't have anything else that directly related to the position I'm applying for so I had to use that. I know it's not exactly autonomous RN experience, but it certainly felt like it! I was given my own patients and expected to take on all the responsibilities of the patient. On that note, this is where I was able to help decrease episiotomy rates because as my final project in school, I chose to implement non-invasive techniques and track the influence of said implementation. This is why I don't want to add this skill under the correlated position because it's a huge accomplishment and my intern section is the very last part of my resume. So, if anyone has any advice how to address this, I'm all years.

Lastly, I'm sure you can all tell that I'm still a pretty "green" RN and am just trying to do the best to work with what I've got. I've been involved in the birth community for a long time and live and breathe birth, but don't have the experience to make HR to pay attention.

I do think I'm going to look into online fetal monitoring classes and I shouuuuuld probably renew my BLS certification (VERY low on cash and was hoping I could get the new employer to pay for my renewal...I know, super pathetic).

Anyway, again I thank you all and will gladly take any sort of critique on my new and (hopefully) improved resume.

P.S. Bronze, consider yourself lucky. We have some very scissor-happy providers. Also, I happen to do my internship at a hospital where the c/s rate was over 50% so there was no real progressive approach to birth going on there. It was actually quite a sad experience. As for my method, I just simply performed very simple doula maneuvers to help aid in the passage of the baby through the birth canal. What my tactics really did was just lessen the time spent in labor, thus not giving the OBs any reason to whip out the scissors. It was very commonplace for an OB to say, "She's not progressing so it's either the scissors or the scalpel." I know...very ******* disturbing.

Aaaaaand...here it is.

NAME, RN, BSN, CLC, CD(DONA)

Email: xxx@

Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX

Skill Highlights

Dedicated and high performance RN with a BSN degree with experience working in both labor/delivery and postpartum units
Current experience as a CLC (certified lactation counselor and CD (certified childbirth doula)
EMR experience: EPIC and Optimus

Education and Training

Bachelor of Science: Nursing, 2011

XYZ College of Nursing, City, State

Associate of Science: Nursing, 2010

XYZ College, City, State

Accomplishments

Increased patient satisfaction by 23% by directing staff training sessions focused on evidence-based techniques to decrease the amount of pain and time spent in labor.

Decreased episiotomy rate by 4% in six months by introducing non-invasive nursing interventions to inhibit the need for episiotomies.

Increased safety levels within the facility by upgrading the new employee orientation training program.
Created and managed weekly conference calls to increase cohesiveness and communication amongst staff and supervisors.

Professional Experience

Certified Lactation Counselor

August 2013 to present

Private Practice – City, State

Construct and maintain conditions that predispose mothers and babies to an uncomplicated breastfeeding experience through counseling, education and support.

Registered Nurse

March 2012 to July 2013

XYZ Health Center – City, State

Conduct screening, diagnostic treatment and rehabilitative and supportive services for medically fragile patients as the primary nurse on a 22 bed unit.
Work collaboratively with the healthcare team in order to implement working care plans.
Create and improve medical protocols/guidelines.

Certified Birth Doula

May 2009 to February 2013

XYZ – City, State

Provide professional and continuous physical, emotional and informational support to mothers before, during and after labor.

Nursing Assistant

June 2007 to July 2010

RN

July 2010 to October 2011

XYZ, Inc. – City, State

Facilitated admissions, discharges, medication reviews, behavioral maintenance and care plans for both new and existing patients.

RN Intern

January 2010 to June 2010

XYZ Hospital – City, State

Triage for patients with pregnancy complications
Maternal and neonatal assessment
Lactation and education counseling

Provided education, teaching and support for the mother

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 14, 2014

Do you know any homebirth midwives in the community?

jujuwah · Oct 14, 2014

Yes, I know (MODERATOR EDIT OF NAME) but she (nor any of the other homebirth midwives) do not use nurses. I'm working on getting into the birth centers as well, but that's quite the task as well.

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 14, 2014

(MODERATOR EDIT OF NAMES) were the midwives for my daughter's birth, 14 years ago. :)

RunBabyRN · Oct 15, 2014

You will NEED your BLS to even apply for many jobs. That's an absolute MUST HAVE.

Next, take your e-mail address, last name, phone number, and names of actual workplaces out of your resume! :) I'm guessing you meant to do this, but if you can't at this point, ask a moderator to help you out.

I would be cautious about putting that you have experience working in L&D and PP when you don't have paid RN experience in those units. I would put that you interned there, something like that, but I think it's kind of misleading when your resume can't back up your claim.

Here's a copy and paste from my own resume (I'm a new grad, but I'll elaborate in a minute):

Ø Fully AHA/AAP Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certified

Ø Independent lactation specialist (2009-present)

Ø Experience educating patients about birth control options, lactation, infant care

Ø Precepted on high-risk mother baby unit

Ø Sharp IV and catheterization skills

While I am a new grad RN, I have about 15 years of healthcare experience, including working in family practice, pediatrics, women's health and health promotion in the Navy. I educated women about birth control and STDs, I did a lot of primary care and patient education there, and performed hundreds of IV insertions. I am also an infusion nurse now. All of my claims in my skills list are backed up in my job descriptions in my resume.

It's important to be able to back up what you claim, and the way it is, even now after your edits, it still seems kind of misleading. I think it's just a matter of wording. The way you have it, it sounds like you've been working on those units as a RN for 10 years, but your resume suggests otherwise. I worked very independently in my preceptorship as well, but I went into that more in the descriptions of responsibilities than in the skills list at the top.

Also, elaborate if you had any experience beyond what you'd see on a low risk unit. I have a deep description about what I did in my preceptorship in high-risk PP, and interviewers love it, because they can see they types of cases I've worked with.

patriotgal181 · Dec 27, 2014

I have a little bit of an off-base question, but how do you become a doula? I'd like to work in L&D, and I'm in RN school, but I was wondering if that was something I could possibly do to gain experience.

Am I doing this ALL wrong? Resume critique PLEASE!!!

Is this an excellent, average or awful resume?