Create the most effective nurse resume - here is how!
Why is resume important?
A resume is the one shot you have at making your employer know you are the best fit for the position. It is crucial to create a resume that stands out from the crowd of applicants. A successful resume gives recruiters and employers concise, relevant information about your work experience, skills, and education. Here are some of the most effective aspects you should include in your resume to create an outstanding medical resume.
Accreditations and qualifications
This is one of the most important sections in your resume for obvious reasons. Describe your medical degrees, licenses, and certifications. This is one of the main sections for recruiters and employers. Your qualifications and education are one of the basic requirements that employers will look at. Be specific about your certificates, always add dates and locations.
Volunteering and internships
Add volunteering and internship experience, preferably, healthcare related. If your volunteering was not exactly healthcare-related, add concrete examples of how you excelled at time management, teamwork, compassion, service, collaboration, or communication. These are some of the soft skills employers and recruiters will look for in potential candidates and employees.
To describe your previous work experience, use a chronological healthcare resume structure. Hiring managers want to know how you advanced from your first entry-level job to where you are now. Add it some proof. Describe major duties and specifics.
Keywords
Keywords are brief phrases or single words on a resume that relate to a specific job. For example, qualifications, talents, personal traits, skills, and competencies. Given that most recruiters and hiring teams often use applicant tracking systems to scan your resume, adding keywords can help you stand out from the rest. Do not go overboard though – that is a red flag!
Simple and easy-to-read format
The easier it is to find the most crucial information, the better. Use bullet points when listing your education and qualifications, job duties, and other information. Make sure you flag your relevant details well and make them easier to overview.
Proofread your resume x3
A hospital will look for a candidate who is precise and has an eye for detail. Show it in your resume. Grammar, spelling errors, typos and no structure will not help you with getting on candidate list Some obvious errors may be an instant ‘turnoff’ to the person looking at your resume. This is because it may leave an impression that you put it together at the last minute. There is just no room for avoidable errors once you enter the medical field!
Contact Information
Add your contact information to the top of your resume. A well-organised contact information section must be clearly visible at the first glance. Your potential employer may want to contact you quickly and effortlessly. Provide your potential employers with various options to contact you.
Basic contact information to add:
- Name
- Email Address
- Address and phone number
- A link to a professional portfolio or a profile if you have one (Personal website or LinkedIn Profile)
A few formatting tips:
- Use the job listing as a guide to tailor your resume
- Create a logical timeline
- Format your resume professionally – stick to written communication etiquette
- Include only relevant work experience
Spend some time and give your resume a very good thought before sending it to a recruiter or employer! Stand out, create a good impression from the very beginning, and increase your chances of being invited for an interview.