Second job resume - new grad still?

joanna73, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2013

First, you should remove the clinical skills section because all new grads learn those skills. There is nothing there that makes you stand out. Employers expect that you've learned most of those skills. I would also omit your secondary school education. Employers usually don't care about anything other than where your degree/ diploma was obtained.

The objective statement is not widely used anymore and takes up space. I would leave that off as well.

And your last two clinical placements, the ones you completed in your final year could be included, but years 1-3 are not important as far as employment is concerned.

Your previous experiences as a PSW and PCA should be included, and a couple of volunteer activities.

Google nursing resumes to get an idea of various acceptable formats. Ideally, your resume should not exceed 2 pages. Any post RN courses you took should be included, as well as your licensure and CPR.

I hope that helps.

Joanna

sampan · Mar 16, 2013

Thank you for your feedback! How would you suggest I order the resume?

Currently it is like this, should I keep it?

Highlights of Qualifications (if I have more room, can I elaborate on this section? My school encouraged us to use this section extensively to draw attention to our skills)

Work Experience

Clinical Experience

Education

Additional Qualifications

Volunteer

Also, if I remove the "clinical skills" section, how detailed should each of my job descriptions be? I've been told before that it isn't necessary to do much here because like you said, most employers know the general tasks of a PSW/PCA and RPN position.

Thanks again.

BolBol · Mar 16, 2013

NAME

Street Address ▪ City, State ▪ Phone Number ▪ Professional Email

OBJECTIVE

To obtain a Registered Nurse position at (hospital) on the (floor/unit).

--- Only include an objective if it is specific to a certain hospital and unit; otherwise leave it out.

QUALIFICATION SUMMARY

You really need to edit this section. What you have written is very general. This section should be concise and specific to your qualifications: “More than ___ years of experience in a certain setting working with a certain client population...”

*** Get rid of the Clinical Skills section. ***

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Partners in Community Nursing, Durham Region, ON, October 2012 – Present

Registered Practical Nurse, Pediatric Program

Provide care for pediatric clients within the home setting.
These job descriptions should also be concise.

ParaMed Home Health Care, Durham Region, ON, June 2011 – October 2012

Personal Support Worker

Provided personal care for adult and older adult clients in the community setting.

Private Clients, Whitby, ON, January – June 2011

Personal Support Worker

Provided home management care including hygiene and grooming, feeding, intermittent female catherization, and medication administration.

Alliance Youth Services Inc., Toronto, ON, September 2008 – November 2010

Youth Support Worker

Supported younger adult clients with various physical and psychiatric illnesses such as…
Provided home management and assistance with daily living.

BayShore Home Health, Halifax, NS, September 2009 – May 2010

Patient Attendant

Supervised clients in a hospital setting specifically adults on psychiatric units.

*** Include your clinical experience if you’re applying to one of those sites. ***

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

Community/Public Health: Good Neighbors Club, Toronto, ON, Winter 2013
Acute Medicine: Markham Stouffville Hospital, Markham, ON, Fall 2012
Acute Medicine: Rouge Valley Health System – Centenary Site, Scarborough, ON, Fall 2011
Family Medicine: Pasua Hospital and Massai Village Clinic, Moshi, Tanzania, Summer 2012
Palliative Care: Southlake Regional Health Centre, Newmarket, ON, Winter 2012
Complex Continuing Care: Toronto Grace Hospital, Toronto, ON, Winter 2011

EDUCATION

Ryerson University, Toronto, ON

Post-Diploma Bachelor of Science in Nursing, expected September 2013

Centennial College, Scarborough, ON

RPN Bridging to University Nursing, September 2012 – April 2013

Practical Nursing Diploma, April 2012

Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS

Science, April 2010

*** You need to edit your education. Write the name of the institution, the exact name of the degree you obtained, and when you obtained that degree. You have a degree in Science???***

Here are examples:

John Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD

Master of Science in Nursing, expected May 2013

Boston University, Baltimore, MD

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, May 2010

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Are you a member of anything?

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATIONS

Nursing license: #: expires (date)
Canadian Red Cross CPR/AED Level HCP and Standard First Aid: expires (date)

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

BolBol · Mar 16, 2013

Use this to work on your resume:

Career Center Online Resources | School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins University

Remember to keep it concise and only add information that pertains to nursing (including education).

Hope I was able to help!

BolBol · Mar 16, 2013

Also watch your headings. Look at how I worded them and at how you worded them.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2013

Employers receive many applications, and managers generally scan quickly and move on. Your Highlights of Qualifications should be brief as well. I wouldn't elaborate it. You want people to continue reading your resume. Two to three brief bullets maximum there. It's too long.

Since you are a recent grad, and you're enrolled in a bridging program for your RN, I would do this:

Highlights of Qualifications

Education

Work Experience

Clinical Experience

Volunteer

Your most recent jobs could be 4 bullet points, the rest of them maybe 3 bullets as you have it now. Again, employers need to have an idea of your skills, but the rest you can elaborate on in the interview.

Your resume looks good, but you just need to shorten and tweak it a bit.

sampan · Mar 16, 2013

Thanks both of you, this is all very helpful. I actually stumbled on the JHU site a few minutes ago and really like the resume guide.

Joanna - for skills, like for example in my current paediatric home care job, I deal mostly with congenital disorders, and the majority of what I do is feeding tubes, tracheostomies, and assessments. Would you recommend that I get that specific?

Bolbol - for the education section, I do not have a degree in Science, but I did do a year of general science courses. It's not exactly nursing but I have found that it had been a topic of conversation at interviews and served both as a foundation and major factor in my decision to pursue nursing.

Thanks again :)

Sam

joanna73, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2013

I would leave out that year of general science courses. It isn't really relevant now. You have your RPN education, post nursing courses and you're currently in a bridging program. That's sufficient. Many people take a year of general health courses prior to nursing school. Use that space for something else.

For the peds job, you still need to be concise and brief. A resume is meant to capture who you are, but it shouldn't be a whole list of things that are common knowledge. Every nursing position involves assessing someone. Leave that out. In a couple of bullets, explain the key areas of your work.

I hope this helps.

nedumphil · Feb 28, 2014

Hi, I just posted something on all nurses but everything is misaligned. how do I fix it so that I can repost.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Feb 28, 2014

Hi, I just posted something on all nurses but everything is misaligned. how do I fix it so that I can repost.

Try reporting your post (little yellow triangle) or contacting the admin help desk & linking to post & question. If you cut & pasted something with color or formatting from another document that is likely the issue. Try converting to a text/.txt format before pastjng