Opinions on summary

dishes, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2017

Yes, it is deceitful to write 'LPN with 8 years of experience' you need to make it clear that you do not have experience as a LPN. It is fraud to try to represent yourself as an experienced LPN when you did not hold a license during that 8 year time period.

muggs · Oct 29, 2017

I'm not saying I have 8 years of experience as an LPN. I am saying that I am an LPN(which I am) and have 8 years experience passing meds etc.(which I do). Is this any better?:

Caring and compassionate LPN. I am newly licensed but I have 8 years experience in medication administration, physical assessment and patient teaching from previous jobs. I Consistently earn praise from patients and family members for excellent care.

dishes, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2017

Before you say what patient care skills you have work experience with, you need to clarify what your past positions were and what were your qualifications for those positions were. Were you a med tech? cna? Also, what type of physical assessments were you doing? The way you have written it, it is ambiguous and employers may wonder if you were doing skills that you were not qualified to do.

muggs · Oct 29, 2017

how long is too long though? I thought the summary was just supposed to be a quick blurb to highlight your best features, like a sales pitch, highlight the good stuff go over the details later.

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Oct 30, 2017

Just my 2 cents, but I've always been taught that 'summaries' are unnecessary, and I think they're kind of redundant and pointless.

If it were me, I'd scrap the 'summary section' and from the resume, and elaborate on all of the experiences you've just described in your cover letter (and yes, even if the cover letter is optional, I'd always recommend including a solid cover letter).

The experiences that you've highlighted in your summary (CNA/med tech/whatever) should be clearly expressed as entries in the resume already.

I agree with dishes' initial concerns about your wording (accidentally implying you have 8 years of LPN experience), and her concerns about overstating your role in those positions. If you were a med tech or CNA, assessment definitely wouldn't have fallen within your scope (and teaching probably wouldn't have, either). If I were a hiring manager, that might send me some red flags.

If you feel strongly about keeping the summary, maybe try:

Caring and compassionate new graduate LPN with 8 years of relevant healthcare experience as a [CNA/med tech/whatever].

Best of luck.

kaylee. · Oct 30, 2017

If you are going to do a summary, it should focus on nursing. It comes off like you are downplaying the fact that you are a new grad. That is how it read to me. The other jobs gave you applicable skills but putting them as your summary of who you are is a bad idea.

Even knowing what you were implying, it comes off as deceptive. Because who u are is a new nurse. this may be good in a cover letter, but not at the top of your resume.

I also think one of the reasons the objective statement is not really standard on resumes anymore is because most tend to sound manufactured and do not sell much because anyone can say those things ... they want the concrete details in the resume...starting with a fluffy statemtent is kindof a turnoff.

Look at some resume sites and see what they recommend.

Career Columnist / Author · Oct 31, 2017

I just got licensed as an LPN but I have 8 years experience in med admin, assessments and patient teaching through jobs where I took care of people with developmental disabilities and I'm trying to figure out what to put for my summary. I know I want it to stand out and all so at a quick glance it gets the employers attention but I don't want it to come across as i was being deceptive. Well anyway here is what I have to start:
"Caring and compassionate LPN with 8 years experience in medication administration, physical assessment and patient teaching. Consistently earning praise from patients and family members for excellent care."

now my questions for everyone is: Is this fine, proper resume edict? Is this being deceitful or no? Should I stick with this or put in that I am newly licensed, which they will obviously see when they look at the rest of the resume? Should I put it in at the beginning or the end?

Under Credentials or similarly named header near the top of your resume, clearly indicate when you received your LPN license (and congrats!!)

Under Work History list your jobs and briefly include responsibilities. To stand out, use an example. "Voted Employee of the Month", "Received excellent performance evaluations", "Perfect attendance", "Selected to orient new employees", etc.

Examples catch the reader's eye and stick with the reader more effectively than commonly used adjectives such as "caring and compassionate".

Objectives are self-evident (applying for a position), and usually are extra words that don't add value.

Summaries are more suitable for experienced applicants with a long history in the field, such as "18 years of progressive nursing leadership experience"

I have a ton more tips, examples and insight for you in my book "Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job...and your next!" I really hope you will check it out! Best wishes.

muggs · Nov 1, 2017

Thanks everyone. Maybe I'll just scrap the summary and stick with just the resume.