What It’s Like to Work in the Nursing Field
If you’re committed to helping people, than you have one of the qualities required to be a nurse. You can also expect to work long hours and rotating shifts, especially as a new hire. This isn’t to say that the profession isn’t rewarding. In fact, many nurses enjoy working with patients and putting the skills they learned to practical use. As a nurse, you may find yourself working in settings as diverse and busy as the ER, or a bit calmer in a senior care center. This is why it’s important to tailor your nursing resume based on the type of setting you prefer by emphasizing relevant skills.Benefits of Working in the Nursing Field
Most nursing careers have a projected growth averaging around 18 percent through 2020, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics projections. What this means for you is that there are plenty of prime career opportunities within this field, especially for specialized nurses. Specialized certifications along with the right training, experience, and education can lead to salaries ranging from approximately $40,000 to in excess of $100k annually. While certified nurse anesthetists have the highest earnings potential, many employers, both public and private, provide extensive benefits coupled with room for advancement into management and supervisory positions offering a substantial salary bump.Why You Need a Resume
The American Association of Critical-Care estimates that there are more than half-a-million high acuity and critical care nurses working in the U.S. right now, and that doesn’t even include other specialties. While there are plenty of nursing jobs available, a well-designed nursing resume helps you land the right nursing job for you. According to one estimate, HR staff spends less than 5 minutes on each resume, which means potential employers need to quickly see a reason to hire you, or at least set our resume aside for further consideration. Take a moment to browse the nursing resume examples on Resume-Now to get started with your own nursing resume.
Nursing Resume Questions
How do you make a nursing resume?
To create a nursing resume that packs a punch, study our helpful nursing resume sample for good ideas about what to include. Most resumes have the following sections: contact information, summary statement, qualifications or skills, experience, and education. You also need to list any professional licensing and certifications you have earned so hiring managers can see that you are legally able to do the job. If there is room at the bottom of the resume, and if they are relevant, you can add a section of extracurricular activities.How do you list education on a nursing resume?
The education section is typically the last section on the document, unless there are certifications or hobbies and interests. List your education in reverse chronological order with your most recent degree first. Put the name of the degree, the name and location of the college or university, and honors you received, such as magna cum laude. You may add the year you received the degree, particularly if you are a recent graduate. However, it’s not necessary. Our nursing resume sample has a good example of an education section for your perusal.What’s the best length for a nursing resume?
If you are new to the nursing profession and this is your first resume, or if you have been a nurse for aboutWhat if you’ve never held a nursing job before, how do you make a nursing resume?
Making a first resume is daunting for many people, but it doesn’t have to be. Start with your contact information, as with any resume, but put your education next. List your college degree first, followed by high school. Next is the qualifications section. Include skills such as the ability to work well with patients, organizational skills, computer skills, communication skills, etc. Then comes relevant activities and leadership roles. For example, were you president of Future Nurses of America? If so, put it down. Finally, you can add your work experience in reverse chronological order. It’s fine to have high school summer jobs included here. These jobs show hiring managers you have a good work ethic. Still wondering how to format your first resume? Study our nursing resume sample or use our resume builder for step-by-step instructions.What’s the best resume template to use for a nursing resume?
As you can see in our nursing resume sample, you can utilize a few different templates as long as they look professional. The standard chronological template is a good choice, as it is easy to scan quickly. The best resume template and basic resume template are simple, clean selections that help you stand out. The more creative formats are usually best left to the artistic professions.
How to write a Nursing Resume
List your accomplishments
On a piece of scratch paper, write down all of your amazing accomplishments and career highlights.Find a strong Nursing resume sample to use as a resource
Check out our [job title] resume samples to gain insight into the process.Create an eye-catching header for the top of your Nursing resume
Your header should include your name, phone number, email address, and personal website (if you have one). Make it professional, but attractive.Create a compelling summary statement
Set up a summary statement that encompasses your skills, accomplishments, and a general sense of your professional identity. Review the job description to make sure that you address the company’s needs as well.Detail your skills in a qualifications or areas of expertise section
Read the Nursing job description carefully. Note the preferred and required skills. If you have any of the appointed abilities, include them in this section.Spell out your experience in a work history section on your Nursing resume
Detail the Nursing jobs you’ve previously held. Be sure to include the position you held, the company’s name, and the dates you worked.Take a deep dive into your Nursing work history
Under each entry, write a bulleted explanation of your responsibilities and accomplishments at those jobs. Review the job description and the list you made in step one as you do so.Present your education
Put your degree on your Nursing resume. Write the date, degree obtained, and institution where you received your highest degree. If you don’t have a degree, include a diploma and any relevant certifications.