Help with a resume! any tips?

GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN · Jan 21, 2009

Make it short and concise, 1 page, leave out any personal interests or hobbies, kids, marriage anything personal. You can throw your GPA in there if beneficial to you, leave out any 'clinical rotations' as experience, of course if you did an externship, include it.

I used totalresume.com and they pretty much very easily walk (or write!) you thru it,sooooo worth the $20, and you can print, email or put it on a file.

MB37 · Jan 22, 2009

I included my clinical rotations as experience, since I had no healthcare work experience. Most hospitals in my area only hire new grads into critical care if they precepted there in school, so I would at least include you preceptorship/leadership/practicum/whatever your school calls it. Otherwise, definitely be concise, one page is good, include a few years of work history but not every job you've ever held if they're not health-care related, and make certain that everything is spelled correctly and that your grammar is perfect (for a resume). Use spellcheck, but then print it out and go over it by hand, and ask someone else to look at it as well.

My version of MS office has sample resumes, if yours does you can look at those for ideas. I also just did a search online, there are tons of sites that can help you out. You can also look into resources at your school - if you have a career office they may be able to help you for free.

jessi1106, BSN, RN · Jan 23, 2009

Yes, go to the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing site....they have resume and interview guides geared soley to RN.

Here is the link: http://www.son.jhmi.edu/resources/career/center/resources/

Good luck! :heartbeat

-Jessi

jmitt · Jan 28, 2009

thanks for the info. i'm going to need all the help i can get; jobs are becoming hard to find! =[

Journey_On, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2009

jmitt, I am getting ready to apply for jobs too! I have a resume, but now I need to modify it to make it more relevant to nursing.

I wanted to share a website that was on our school's career day flyer: http://www.nursezone.com. They help you create a resume. I just registered today, and hopefully it will be useful.

May your job search go well!