How can I beef up my resume over the next year?

[ephiemarie]

Hello and happy holidays! I have just completed my first year of the ADN program. The nursing jobs in this area (western WI/Twin Cities) have all but disappeared, and I'm starting to get nervous about finding an RN position this time next year. I currently work a .8 position as a CNA in a wonderful hospital, and I would ideally like to work there as an RN when I'm through with school. The problem is that I'll be graduating at the same time as 4 other current employees. I'd like to use this next year to find ways to beef up my current resume, so that I'll be the "stand out" applicant in the event that a new grad position opens up at my workplace. I actually posed this question to my unit's Nurse Manager, and she told me that she tends to look for people with strong communication and conflict resolution skills. I'm wondering what other Nurse Managers look for in the candidates they interview. Should I start volunteering somewhere? Should I try to work casual call at another hospital, just to get my foot in a different institution? I just don't know what to do!

Here's a brief synopsis of my background, to give you an idea of what my resume looks like right now:

* B.S. in Elementary/Middle education (graduated summa cum laude '02) with 4 years teaching experience

* current GPA is 4.0 (and hopefully it'll stay that way!)

* will have 4 years experience as a CNA in the MICU/resource team by the time I'm done with school

* have never had anything less than an "exceptional" rating during performance evaluations at work

* involved in my station's Unit Council for 3 years; also have served on the HUC/CNA contract committee for 3 years

* I will be taking a seminar in the spring called, "How to Deal with Difficult People"

What else can I do to make myself stand out? Will it help that I have a degree in another field? I've been surprised by the similarities between teaching and nursing, so hopefully that will help.

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

Stephanie

[Blackheartednurse]

I think you should become more humble.

[chelynn]

Blackheart no need to be so rude we are here to help each other. To OP so far what you have listed sounds exceptional. Try to find any and all continuing we that you can take over the year.

[ephiemarie]

Ouch! Although having re-read my original post, I can sort see what you're saying. However, isn't a resume supposed to be a list of experience and achievements? I certainly was not bragging in my original post; rather, I was simply asking for advice.

[Spiderella]

I would suggest getting your BLS.

And getting your ACLS if needed for the field you are in. That should give you a leg up.

[ephiemarie]

I already have BLS (required at my workplace). I asked a few ICU nurses whether they thought I should get ACLS certification before I graduate, and they all said it wouldn't be worth the expense, because a new grad wouldn't be put in a position to use it anyhow. I'm still up in the air on that one I guess.

Thanks for the advice! :loveya:

[GM2RN]

Your resume/experience looks fine the way it is. I doubt your competition has as much. I wouldn't bother with ACLS on your own. New grads will typically be given 6 months to 1 year to get it done if needed, and it won't be at your expense.

[**All Heart RN**]

I'm a new grad and just survived a panel interview for a RN Internship/Residency program. The interviewers told me that they love to meet candidates that have sought out additional learning opportunities. One of the interviewers was really impressed with the Cardiovascular conferences I attended (on my own time, not as a requirement) b/c my preference is to work in a Cardiac Stepdown unit.

They were also impressed with my volunteer experiences, particularly because each experience required crisis intervention skills.

So, that would be my advice to you: Attend conferences that relate to the unit or specialty that you want to work in, seek out volunteer experiences that may hone your crisis intervention skills or critical thinking skills (I was a volunteer as a Rape Crisis Advocate and also volunteered for a Crisis Hotline for a few yrs).

[IHeartPeds87]

I agree with what the previous poster stated. Find things related to the specialty of your interest. You'd be suprised at some of the connections people have made.

I posted awhile back on things I can do during nursing school (i'm still a prenursing student!) to help my resume land me a NICU job. Some ideas people gave me included:

- volunteering at a ronald mcdonald house : helps you connect with families with sick kids in the hospital, a very important skill to have in the NICU

- becoming a lactation counselor : there is a three day certification for the entry level that would be helpful to learn more about breast feeding

- volunteering at a local YMCA in the "baby" room. Obviousely any experience with babies help

Basically, there are lots of things that a person can do that don't have "obvious" connections but can really help. Focus on the specialty(ies) you are interested in working in. As an overall CNA, looks like you've been doing great and have more experience than many.

Good luck to you :)

[IHeartPeds87]

Oh I forgot to add....you could always learn a new language. If you live in a densely populated hispanic region, spanish is always a plus. If you plan on working in rehab, sign language could help.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I'd be careful about spreading yourself too thin. Be careful that you don't try to do so many different things that the quality of the things you do suffers. Invest most of your time and energy into doing a great job at school and then using whatever time/energy you have left to make some connections and get a little experience directly related to the fields that interest you most.

You also might want to explore opportunities in your student role to do a project that relates directly to the area that interests you most. Sometimes it is possilbe to tailor a required school project to your particular interest -- and doing so can show your interest in the topic and show that you have focused a little education on the topic.

When I hire people, I like to see applicants with varied experience -- but I don't like to see people who have such varied experience that it is all superficial. I look for depth as well as breadth. I want to see that the person is truly interested in my area and that they have focused on that -- rather than spread themselves so thin that they have only a superficial knowledge of my area.

That's a difference between being a student and being hired. As a student, you are encouraged to explore a lot of varied areas to find out what you like and what you are good at. But an employer often wants to hire someone who has FOUND what they like and what they are good at -- and who has started to focus on that particular area.