Resume, Cover Letter, Interview Help

[BarefootNurse3, BSN, RN]

I keep getting rejected from hospital jobs, even new grad jobs! I'm getting very discouraged. The only RN job I've held is at a SNF in the short term unit but I'm really eager to leave. Sadly, SNF experience isn't acute care experience so it doesn't count when I try to apply for a non-new grad hospital position. I live in California and the job markets competitive.

I will have my BSN by August first, but I'm wondering if that will offer much benefit without acute care experience. I'm wondering if I should remove my previous jobs (teacher/medical assistant) and my second associates degree to make room for more information about my current RN job or add in clinical experience from nursing school? I did my senior preceptorship on a med-surg/telemetry unit.

Lastly, I've tried to edit the summary as I feel it is weak but I've read conflicting information. I've read that some people don't even believe a summary/objective line is necessary since everyones objective is obtaining a job. I'm unsure what to put for the summary and how to change the bullet points of skills.

Also, I've looked at various resources for practice interview questions to keep myself prepared. If anybody has any nurse pages with common interview questions I would really appreciate that!

Any help would be greatly appreciated! ? I'm going to start looking at hospital jobs in different states because I don't think I can stay in a SNF. If anyone knows of any states that hire new grads, I've been looking at Colorado because I heard Arizona is seeing a lot of COVID patients right now.

Resume Blank.pdf

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[scribblz, BSN, CNA, LPN]

All the things you are asking about have full articles/ threads on this forum. ?

Look up which states have the least nursing schools. Their job market will be the least saturated. You will probably be ineligible for new grad residencies so focus on places that will offer a good orientation, decent retention and have supporting ancillary staff ie. Nurse educators.

best of luck to you!

[llg, PhD, RN]

Yes, do a search and you will find lots of threads that include relevant information for you.

Off the top of my head ... yes, you need to tighten up and beef up your resume. Get rid of the summary to make room for more information on your nursing experience. (But keep the list of your jobs on there -- just shorten the details about those non-nurse jobs. You need more meat, not fluff.)

Same with the cover letter. It needs less to be less generic bs and more focused on each job you are applying for. Each cover letter should be different -- not generic -- tailored for the specific institution and job you are applying for. Why are you interested in that particular facility? That particular patient population? etc.

You want to stand out as being a better choice than the other applicants -- not generic in any way.

[TriciaJ, RN]

I agree with llg. Leave off the summary/objective. I always put it on there because it was recommended back then, and always felt stupid for doing so. Objective? Pay the rent and buy groceries.

I agree with leaving all your jobs on there and paring down the excess details of your non-nursing jobs. Be specific about the skills you acquired in your SNF job. Include soft skills such as dealing with very involved, but anxious families. (They'll know you mean "difficult" families but you'll be too nice to call them that.)

Do not list nursing school rotations on your resume; it comes across as obvious padding. If you do have a pertinent experience, mention it in your cover letter as a rotation where you learned a lot and would like to work in a similar area.

Research what locales are particularly hurting for nurses. It might be the best experience you ever get.