Resume writing for nurses: How to write a nursing resume that gets you hired
Writing a nursing resume isnt easy, but it doesnt have to be difficult either. The key is to keep in mind the skills and experience youve gained over the years and use those to write an effective resume. When applying for nursing jobs, a simple resume isnt enough to make the cut. You are unique, your experiences are unique and your resume is the best way to portray your skills impressively. In this article, we discuss the tips and tricks to create a perfect resume.
First things first
Tailoring your new resume for every job that you apply for is a must if you want to increase your chances of being invited to an interview. Sending a generic resume is what most job seekers do, with little or no success. Just as you would tailor a cover letter to suit the position you are applying for, your resume should be laser-focused to the job youre applying for. Your resume is a career-marketing tool and should be treated as such.
It is important to ensure you have an understanding of who is reading your document in the first place.
Your resume needs to address the three main types of readers all of whom take different things from it, so it has to be compelling, concise and easy to read for each of these audiences:
HIGH VOLUME / SKIM READERS:such as recruiters who just glance over resumes to check that keywords and selection criteria are addressed.
DETAILED READERS:such as hiring managers and key decision makers who like to drill down into the finer detail of achievements, successes, and value adding a candidate brings, and
APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEMS (ATS) + PARSING SOFTWARE:the software programs that extract information from your documents to assist in determining if you meet the key criteria for a position, and may determine if you document gets read by a human in the first instance.
Both high-volume readers and ATS are the gatekeepers that you need to get through to increase your chances of being shortlisted and invited to interview. And getting through the gatekeepers is the most difficult part of job searching these days. With this in mind, it is also important to ensure that you always view the information contained in your resume through the eyes of a potential employer.
The majority of resumes tend to be overviews of responsibilities, tasks, duties and skills.
Even when top-line summaries are included they rarely do anything but point out thatyou have the same skills required of all candidatesfor the targeted position.
Therefore, it is critical to sell your value to an employer, not just your experience. You must rapidly make it clear why they should consider you over the other similarly qualified candidates, so you can stand out from other candidates who have similar qualifications, while you present as offering different value.
The following will help guide you on how to create an interview-winning resume.