Resume Question...confused

[WildcatFanRN, BSN, RN]

I have another question. Its about resumes. Do you have to list every job you have ever had on it? I have 13 years experience as an LPN and I'm now trying to get a job as an RN. I starting fresh, and my LPN resume leaves little to be desired. I had a spate of 4 years with a lot of job changes and it makes me look like I job hopped at best, unreliable at worse. How do I downplay this, without looking like I'm hiding something. If I list everything my resume is three pages. I managed to get it down to one, but that was by consolodating all my LPN experience down to a few simple sentences, without listing where I was employed. My employment history is on my actual applications.....is this ok? I feel this is the reason I haven't gotten very many interviews, no one wants to give me a chance to prove I can be a reliable employee. That and when I'm asked about why I left an employer, I'm honest about it.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I think condensing the LPN jobs into one entry and offering to provide the details if the employer would like to see them is a good choice.

Be prepared to discuss your 4-year period of "job hopping" in case you are asked about it.

[nightmare, RN]

Have a look at your 'job hopping' and try to get something positive out of each 'hop',more experience,wider variety, etc etc.Then put this into your expanded resume so that it is there if you are asked that question.

[WildcatFanRN, BSN, RN]

How do you explain a questionable termination? Or do you even have to mention the exact reason you left a job? I have an interview on Tuesday and I really want to give a good impression and not totally sink my chances.

[puggy232]

Most employers want ten years history-as for the questionable termination if it happened awhile back they may not even address it, if they do say it wasn't a good fit for you and that it was learning experience-whatever you do don't bash the previous employer! Be enthused to start a new career and let the nurse manager who interviews see that- good luck.

[WildcatFanRN, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the help. Its really confusing writing a resume, revising said resume, then re-re-re-revising said resume. And don't get me started on a cover letter. Oh for the days of just filling out a simple application.

[colladoa]

if you had so much job switches, then a one page resume may not be able to explain all that. use as much pages as you need, but be sure to prepare yourself for explanations as to why you had a lot of changes in your employment. good luck!