Creating a resume with no real experience???

[MiahMSN, MSN, RN]

What would you put on a resume if you have no experience other than your CNA clinicals? Should I include that I start a direct-entry program in August? What about my other professional experience from my career in communications and marketing - should I include some of that - say the last 5 years? Trying to apply for a patient care tech position and need to spruce up my resume, even though I'm inexperienced and a soon-to-be nursing student fulltime. Thanks in advance for the tips.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Include your previous jobs ... previous education ... any honors, awards, promotions, etc. that you have. Just because they are not nursing, does not mean they are not relevant. If you have shown yourself to be reliable, dependable, trustworthy, a hard-worker, pleasant to be around and work with, good at providing customer service ... whatever ... These are skills that speak well fo you and may help you get a job.

I have been reading lots of resumes lately and conducting interviews and have been amazed at the many things the applicants are omitting from their resumes. I am only finding out about them after I ask specifically in the interview. You would think, that with jobs hard to find these days, that people would want to "advertise" their talents and strengths rather than hide them!

[MiahMSN, MSN, RN]

Thanks, llg! Great advice, and you right, resumes are an opportunity to sale yourself and while my previous experience may not be patient-care, a lot of the skills I gained are transferable. Thanks again.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Good luck, Mya!

[kikisan]

i've done volunteer work years ago should i include that too

[llg, PhD, RN]

i've done volunteer work years ago should i include that too

Why wouldn't you? ... particularly if it is relevant in some way ... and if you don't have a lot of other things to say.