How long was your resume?

S.T.A.C.E.Y, LPN · May 4, 2008

One Page.....Keep it short & sweet. Theres not too much more managers are going to want to read, or will have time to read. Plus, with nursing you don't need to explain too much.

For teaching or research jobs, they would probably want a CV.

littlenursey · May 4, 2008

Mine is one page.

Keep it nice, neat, clean, unclustered.

Easy to read and eye catching!

Like S.T.A.C.E.Y said managers generally don't have time or want to read a lengthy resume. Most of the time they just glanced at it. :)

imanedrn · May 4, 2008

ONE PAGE ALWAYS -- unless you're doing a C.V. which you're not yet

I have a looong history of jobs. Your resume is for the MOST important SHOWY stuff. When you fill out the online app, you can include EVERYTHING there.

I have a background in public relations & marketing/advertising. While a resume itself doesn't fit into this category, the LOOK and FEEL does. I learned a LOT about this, so that's where my advice is coming from.

I can send you a copy of mine if you want and explain how it draws attention compared to others. (PM me for my e-mail address.)

Here are some general suggestions:

Do NOT use MS Word templates. The employer will know and think it's tacky.
Remember that appearance is just as important as content. If an employer sees an "ugly" resume, it will get tossed to the "ugly" pile -- just as you do with "ugly" brochures or ANYTHING that comes through the mail that is visually unappealing.
When in doubt, keep it simple. "White space" is something we emphasize a lot in marketing. Sometimes people assume that more is ALWAYS better. It's not. Focus on what's relevant and will get you in the door. The rest you can leave for the interview (or cover letter).
Important parts: heading (name & contact info), objective (there is some debate over this, esp. if you're just going for a staff nurse job. In my case, I stated "To obtain a med/surg RN position at NAME OF HOSPITAL" for the sake of personalizing the resume), skills (BEFORE work experience if you don't have a lot of work experience, esp. if it's NOT relevant to nursing or healthcare -- as was my case), work experience (list your 2 or 3 most recent jobs with your duties bulleted; don't list more than 6 or so because then you're heading into clutter territory; remember: focus on what was most important, not all the tedious junk you did -- unless you didn't do much at the job); organizations (esp. if they can be tied into nursing, i.e., being involved in the Student Nurse Association and Sigma Theta Tau; I also included the organizations I was involved in from my previous degree to illustrate that involvement is important to me; just consider what your aim is); volunteer activities (esp. if you have no healthcare work experience, as was my case; I did a lot of healthcare volunteering, so that was the best tie-in I had).
If you have NO work experience, then highlight your clinical experience.
References: if you need to fill space on your resume, add 2 or 3. Usually, the employer will ask for you to fill out a separate form, though, so (truly) this is just a space-filler on a resume.
Don't get fancy (which goes along with keeping it simple). Use simple fonts and spacing. It's been proven that fonts like Times New Roman are actually easier to read. (I forget what "class" of font they are but -- because of their structure -- it makes them easier on the eyes and, therefore, easier to skim for important info.)
Depending on how much space you need to fill or if you need extra space, use your headings accordingly. Some people prefer standard headings (that are ON TOP OF the section). I have mine on the left side, though, because they stand out more for me. This is a personal preference thing, though. You can use templates for ideas like this. Just make sure to personalize them, so you don't look like you're that unoriginal!

Whatever you choose to do... Good luck! :yeah: