How do I get that first elusive acute care job?

Dear Nurse Beth, I am a recent BSN grad/second career RN, looking for that elusive first acute care position. I have no interest in working in pediatrics or ED. Should I get PALS certified to help my search? I do have ACLS, and of course, BLS.

Updated: Apr 7, 2020

How do I get that first elusive acute care job?

Getting your PALS will not directly help you to land a non-ED, non-Peds position in acute care. Actually, while most new grads amass certificates, the are helpful only in that they show initiative, not subject mastery.

Hospitals provide PALS, ACLS and other training and certificates required for the job.

What will help far more is to craft a resume that will help you to land interviews, and to prepare for your interviews. Here are some resume tips I hope will help.

Resume

Resumes are not about you. They are about the employer and showing the employer that your skill sets and qualifications meet their needs. Do some research so that you can target your resume to the employer.

For example, are they faith-based or for profit? Magnet status or seeking magnet status? Perhaps they are growing a service line, such as oncology services.

These things are good to know going into an interview, but also when composing your resume. It gives you an idea of what they are about and how to show that you are a good fit for them.

Resumes should be visually appealing, blending white space and text. Avoid dense blocks of text. Use a standard 12 pt font in Arial or Tahoma which works across all computer systems, nothing artsy.

Make sure your layout is pleasing to the eye. Headers should be uniform and help the reader navigate.

Your resume should be one-two pages in length, and error free.

Hiring managers assume that if your resume contains careless errors, you may be a careless worker. Yesterday I read a resume stating "In response to your job posting of July 30, 2025". Proof your resume once and then twice.

Then have someone else proof it, because your eyes may not see your own errors. Until you hit "Send", that is.

Avoid over-used terms such as "detail-oriented", team player"
Avoid listing basic nursing skills and lengthy descriptions of clinical rotations. They do not serve to set you apart from every other candidate
Use keywords from the job posting
Use bullet lists for emphasis and interest

Be sure your email address is professional (firstname.lastname@gmail.com; No princessleah or 1coolchick@aol.com).

Highlight previous work or volunteer experiences that showcase skills the employer needs. For example, did you exceed in customer service as a waitress or bartender? Include an example in your resume, as examples are remembered.

Once you land an interview, you're on your way! Now you can WOW!! them in person. Be sure to read these articles for some great interview tips.

Uncensored Thoughts of a Nurse Interviewer

How to Answer "Tell Us About Yourself"

How to Answer "What's Your Greatest Weakness?"