Need help with updating my resume

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Since the yr 2002, I have been working a combination of per diem agencies and travel contracts. Sometimes doing both at the same time. I need to update my resume and unsure how to do it. Should I group together the travel contracts separately from the per diem agency or just list them in chronologically order? Should I list the hospitals or the agencies or both-I have worked in over 20 hospitals-some long term as per diem agency nurse and some as travel contracts. Altogether I have worked with 4 agencies. Also how far back should I go in listing assignments? I know a NM does not have the time to read through pages of resume so I need to make it as concise as possible. Thanks in advance for your suggestions. Hope my post is not too confusing.

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Specializes in Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care.

I would not list all 20 hospitals. Instead, I would list the agency, and maybe a bullet sentence saying "various area hospitals", and then a couple of bullet statements under each agency detailing your responsibilities. You are correct in that no one wants to read a novel...

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Also be sure to include a statement saying further details available on request and have your info organized to hand over- just in case ;)

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Resumes are more like an art than a algorithm. And it depends on what you need it for. If it is for agency and you have a lot of experience, effectively it is not much more than a work history. Will the hospital see the resume? For the most part, agencies will just create their own format of a work history and submit that. Either way, the agency names are really not important, agencies do not supervise or observe your work, and generally there is no enhanced professional status because you worked for some reputable agency (even if the manager might know which are better agencies).

Personally, I would list your permanent jobs and travel assignments hospitals, each on one line with dates worked. Then list time frames you worked per diem and list those hospitals, perhaps two to a line with the city.

This will allow you to format a resume easily on one page, which does make it easier for a NM to scan if they actually see your resume. The actual hospital names will impress the manager, and demonstrate your skills at being able to work at such a wide variety of hospitals.

About the only use for agency names is one more place to do an employment verification. I don't think they belong on a resume at all.

PanTravelers has some sample resumes for travelers in their resources, and there are resume examples for lots of experience, and less experience. I'm not sure if either one has per diem listed, but the strategy for listing them would depend on several factors. If you worked three days per diem 10 years ago for example, I wouldn't bother at all with listing that experience.

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Thank You very much. Now I have a much clearer idea on how to write this resume. I am also going to check PanTravelers to see examples of travelers resume.

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