new grad resumes with no healthcare experience

[NESummers]

What are the most important things to put on a resume for a new RN graduate that has no previous healthcare related work experience. And what should be left out of the resume?

[llg, PhD, RN]

When evaluating a resume from such an applicant, I look for:

1. The school they have attended -- the quality of the school and their performance as a student

2. Any special projects they did as a student that might relate to the job (e.g. did a capstone preceptorship in a unit similar to the one they are applying to)

3. Any volunteer work or previous jobs that indicate that they are a good worker, reliable, pleasant to work with, etc. (even if they are not in health care)

4. Activities that indicate leadership potential, ability to work well with others on a team (sports, students organizations, etc.)

Things I don't want to see:

1. List of clinical rotations incorporated into the resume (put those on a separate piece of paper -- unless they are unusual or relate directly to the job for which you are applying.

2. Anything clinical activity that you do list from school, make sure it is clearly identified as a school activity. Some people try to sneak in a few student activities and are vague about them -- making them easy to mistake for jobs. It makes the applicant look sneaky -- and no one wants to hire a sneaky employee. Be very clear to label student experiences as student experience. Don't try to fool me into thinking more. That's a quick route into the rejection pile.

3. Gushy statements about how caring/wonder/perfect/passionate/etc. you are. Keep it professional.

I hope that helps.

[TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN]

Also, most of your jobs that you've had in the past have some sense of juggling multiple tasks, having to manage time, sometimes delegating, communication is a big part of a lot of jobs.

For resumes when you lack experience, a good trick is instead of listing your responsibilities at your past jobs, list the skills your jobs needed and how they apply to nursing. For example, a server would be experienced in balancing multiple tables, anticipating needs, you'd have to have strong communication skills. So rather than list all of your responsibilities, highlight what skills for that job can be translated into nursing.

[Bonstemps, EMT-P]

You've had great answers - I wanted to pop in and suggest also creating a LinkedIn. This platform allows you to prove yourself through writing, networking, etc., where a resume doesn't usually allow such space.