Best Resume Tips for RN Graduates

Now that you've completed nursing school, passed the NCLEX-RN exam, and earned your Registered Nurse (RN) license, it's time to start your job search. While the nursing field offers ample opportunities, competition is intense for the most desirable positions. RNs who take the time to craft strong resumes often gain an edge in the hiring process. Here are valuable tips to help you create an irresistible RN resume:

1. Summarize Your Core Strengths

Start your resume with a concise introductory paragraph that highlights your key qualifications. Use a compelling narrative style to capture the attention of potential employers and outline your specialty areas, educational achievements, and current career aspirations.

2. Present Your Areas of Expertise

As a new RN graduate, you may not have prior nursing positions to draw upon for this section. However, you can showcase areas where you excelled in nursing school and emphasize skills that naturally align with your RN role. Present this information in a bulleted list format.

3. Elaborate on Your Clinical Training

While seeking your first nursing job, this section might seem challenging. However, during your education, you engaged in clinical training. Highlight aspects of those experiences that showcase your abilities. Mention the types of healthcare facilities where you trained and the number of beds they served. This is also an opportunity to highlight unpaid or volunteer work experiences that demonstrate your commitment to the nursing profession.

4. Specify Your Availability

If you have a flexible schedule, indicate this. Otherwise, clearly state the types of shifts you prefer to work. For example, do you prefer eight-hour, ten-hour, or twelve-hour shifts? Are you available for overnight, weekend, afternoon, or midday shifts? Providing this information saves time for everyone involved in the hiring process.

5. Emphasize Your Achievements

This is not the time to be modest. Describe the various ways in which you went above and beyond during your nursing training or volunteer work experiences. For instance, did you actively participate in patient education and support? Did you receive special assignments due to the excellence of your work? Provide concrete examples of your contributions.

6. Showcase Academic Excellence and Licensing Information

Discuss your educational accomplishments, including any fellowships, scholarships, or academic honors you received. If you graduated with a high GPA, include that information as well. Additionally, provide details of your nursing license, including the license number. As this information is publicly available, there's no harm in including it.

7. Highlight Computer Proficiency

The healthcare field has transitioned into the digital age. If you have experience with electronic health records (EHRs) or electronic medical records (EMRs), mention it explicitly. Emphasize your proficiency with billing codes as well. Employers appreciate knowing they won't need to invest valuable time training new RNs on computer-related aspects of their jobs.

8. Share Your Professional Affiliations

As a newly licensed RN, you may not have extensive professional affiliations yet. However, if you recently joined a nursing organization, include it on your resume. This demonstrates to potential employers your commitment to the nursing profession and your desire to stay updated in your field.

9. Seek Feedback and Revisions

Remember, crafting a compelling RN resume is an iterative process. Utilize feedback from mentors, career counselors, or even professional resume writers to refine your resume and ensure it accurately reflects your skills and experience.

Conclusion

While following these tips won't guarantee you the dream job, it will significantly increase your chances of being considered for more prestigious and potentially more lucrative RN positions. If your initial resume doesn't seem to be getting you the desired results, don't hesitate to make adjustments or seek professional editing services to further enhance your application.