Preparing New Graduate Resume

Aongroup1990, CNA · May 13, 2012

The objective needs to be worked on a bit. It should be a go getter in terms of catching the employer's attention. I think more should be added. Other than that it's very good resume.

Kay_Lynn · May 14, 2012

Thank you very much for responding!

Jolie, BSN · May 14, 2012

Hope I'm not confusing the situation, but I'm going to offer opposite advice.

The objective of a new grad, especially in a tight job market is to get a job. I am of the opinion that stating a job objective on a new grad resume is unnecessary, pointless and a little bit silly, since everyone from the janitor to the CEO knows why you are applying and what you are looking for.

For a new grad, the ony exception I would make is a candidate who is absolutely set on a particular area of practice and unwilling to consider anything else. But that seriously narrows the prospects, and I don't think it's a good idea to limit one's search that way.

IMO, objectives are useful for experienced candidates looking to specialize in a job search beyond the entry level.

For a new grad, they look like space-fillers, and I'd rather read a resume filled with work experience (healthcare or not), volunteering, special projects, school honors, life experiences, etc. Heck, I'd even rather read a resume that clearly states the obvious, "Objective: To find a badly-needed job so that I can move out of my parents' basement, insure my car and begin to pay off my oppressive school loans..." At least I would know that the candidate is realistic, doesn't have an over-inflated opinion of him/herself and has a sense of humor.

Good luck!

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · May 14, 2012

I agree, leave off the objective. That is a very dated format... everyone knows that your objective is to get an RN job. No one is listing objectives on their resumes these days, even experienced nurses. For the most part, this part of the job hunt is spelled out in a cover letter instead.

Most organizations are using automated systems these days... so if you are planning to send pdf or electronic formatted resumes avoid fancy fonts or tricky formatting.... these won't scan well, so your resume will end up being discarded. Bold &/or underline is usually OK because it doesn't cause any problems.

Good Luck!

bigp71 · Dec 7, 2012

i was told by a career counselor that objectives are outdated and was telling me about making a summary instead

TheBlackDogWaits · Dec 25, 2012

This is probably late advice, but good to know for future reference, or new graduates reading this post: bigp and the others are correct in that objective is outdated. What you want to do, and what looks a little more telling about you as an individual, is replacing your "Objective" with a "Professional Summary", where you should state not only your strengths as a RN and employee in general, but also what direction you are interested in taking your career. This can be as broad or as narrow as you see fit. You should keep in mind what previous posters have mentioned, though, meaning if you are too narrow in your career path, it may cost you any opportunities based on your limited interests. On the flip-side, however, ANYTHING paraphrased with language acumen could demonstrate your ambition and make you more likely to get your foot in the door, depending on what a potential employer is looking for.