How to stand out as a new grad nurse

Rionoir, ADN, RN · Nov 4, 2019

I’d add a written Summary of every clinical experience you’ve had. Also do some continuing education courses online they’re pretty quick and inexpensive and good to put on there as well. Any certificates you’ve gotten etc. Also prepare all your answer now, don’t wing it when you get a call for an interview.. and be genuine don’t copy and paste answers from a “how to interview” website.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Nov 5, 2019

You need to emphasize what would make you a good employee. Longevity at a job, organizational skills, time management skills, customer service skills, etc.

References should be work related and preferably a superior. Use your supervisor at work or a nursing school instructor that can attest to your nursing skills.

_Cecilia_, BSN, RN · Dec 31, 2019

It seems that network can really assist you in the job hunt. If you don't have any networks yet, don't worry!

I suggest creating a LinkedIn Profile based on your current resume. After ensuring that the information is accurate and free of errors, begin by showing that you are "open" to job searches.

Feel free to also search the hospital that you're interested in for Talent Acquisition Specialists/Nurse Recruiters. I suggest researching on appropriate ways to reach out and connect to a Recruiter. When you connect, you can speak about your interest in the position/what they're looking for.

You can also used LinkedIn to connect with those who already work at the hospital you're interested in and utilize the same method for Recruiters to connect with employees. They may be able to help send your resume to their manager, if you approach them appropriately.

Good luck!

TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN · Jan 2, 2020

And no matter what you've done for a job before, it can be applied to nursing. Cashiers have to keep an eye on detail with what they're doing handling money to not have any go missing. Janitors have to manage their time, having certain things clean at certain times. Servers rely heavily on communication skills.

Every hiring manager is the same. Instead of telling them why they want to hire you now, you're telling them why they want you on their unit after you're done training. Also, since you don't have experience as an RN, they don't need a full list of all your responsibilities, give a general job description, then you want to list your applicable skills.

Every nursing student worked hard in school, did great in clinical, all their patients loved them, everyone who asked for a recommendation from a teacher got one. Everyone looking for any job at all is reliable, detail oriented, a hard worker, team player... stay away from all the cliches. You're going to bore the person reading your resume and it's just going to be another one on the pile.

A resume and cover letter is a sales pitch. You're a professional offering your service to business. We seem to have forgotten this as employees. Don't go with a generic cover letter that you edit. Take the time to tailor your cover letter to the exact job you're applying to. Make sure your resume highlights your strengths, and responsibilities. Put the ones that you can bring directly into nursing first. USE REPETITION. The idea is it takes 3 times of hearing/reading something for it to stick (pay attention, every commercial says the phone number 3 times, every drug commercial keeps repeating the name of the drug, the Toyota commercial where you can see the cars still keeps saying Toyota over and over. This is all on purpose). If a couple different jobs all offer the same skills that can be translated into nursing, make sure those skills are listed first and on each job on the resume.

As a barista you have to manage time getting the coffee out fast but right. As a cashier you have to manage time getting any other work off of the register done whenever there's any downtime. I'm sure you have another random job that has that time management. So when that hiring manager is reading through your resume and sees that time management listed repeatedly, they're going to see you as someone who can manage time, which is really important in healthcare jobs. And then you've already touched on your time management briefly in your cover letter. And then it's listed in your qualifications on your resume. So they're going to read that you have time management skills 5 times. And that's something that they're going to take away from your resume. Customer service skills are the same way. That's an important skill to have since you're communicating with patients. Don't go overboard with repeating information, but make sure you're going to keep bringing attention to your ability to do everything outside of nursing skills and giving meds (which any idiot can be trained to do). Basically, just highlight your strengths in your cover letter, which should go along with your qualifications for the job on your resume, which should go with all the skills listed from the jobs that you've had.

Take a weekend, and sit in the library and read a book on advertising. That's going to help you in your entire career. Not just for getting good jobs, but also applying for promotions. That's what makes resumes stand out. Listing certifications that every other nurse has does nothing for you. It only shows that you're qualified. You want a resume that when your name comes up, HR knows the exact kind of worker that you are and why they want you.