Resume writing can be quite a puzzle, but when we break it down, it's actually exciting and interesting to do. Showcasing your clinical experience, matching a particular job description, landing a specific job - especially the job of your dreams. These are what the new graduates of nursing mostly aspire to do, be, and have. If you're already registered as an RPN or RN, and you're bound to embark on your first job hunt, then the first thing you should accomplish is building your resume.
In this article, we will discuss the steps on how to write a new grad nurse's resume, including the necessary nursing skills that employers would want to see on your resume, like patient care, basic life support, and other relevant skills. We will also tackle what you should put in the resume objective, education section, and work experience section, including technical skills, top nursing role, expertise in your nursing experience, and the like, as well as relevant coursework and even extracurricular activities—all to catch your hiring manager's attention and pique the interest of your potential employers.
Getting the hiring manager's attention requires skill and planning. It's important to perfect the art of resume writing—from using the right action verbs to selecting keywords to making a good resume summary—so that you establish your competence and make a good first impression. To create an effective new graduate nurse resume, you need to make sure to include these:
A good new grad nurse resume starts with an attractive header. Let your employer know who you are with your name and your current position or desired title. You may also use a title that broadly covers many possible roles in nursing. Make sure your contact information is also visible, like your phone number and email, so that you're easily accessible by your recruiters and you can secure your nursing position faster.
Also known as a career summary or objective statement, the brief summary is a concise section at the beginning of a resume. It serves as a snapshot of your professional background, giving potential employers a quick glimpse into your skills and expertise. In this part, you can simply try to answer, "Who am I as a healthcare worker, and what do I want to achieve?" and go from there. You can briefly include your work history, essential skills, and long-term goals in this portion.
This is the main section of your resume. In this section, you must include relevant internships and practicum experiences, especially if you're a new graduate who doesn't have much relevant experience as a registered nurse except for clinical rotations required in your university's curriculum.
Your list of professional experience should also include the name of the healthcare organization that you worked for, location, dates of employment, and job title for each position held. Make sure to also provide a brief description of your roles and responsibilities in each role, highlighting key accomplishments and achievements.
Quantify your successes with specific metrics wherever possible to demonstrate the impact you had in previous roles. Include any relevant skills or certifications gained during each position that are applicable to the job you are seeking. For example, you can put your skills and responsibilities such as CPR, IVS and medication administration, or taking charge of electronic health records and the like, if another designated section would make your resume too long.
After your relevant work experience, include your extensive academic background, starting from high school and going all the way to college (e.g., Bachelor of Science in Nursing and your university/nursing school). If applicable, you may also include postgraduate academic credentials, including every healthcare-related course, training, or type of certification you have done apart from your degree. You should also include your GPA here. This section provides hiring managers with valuable insights into the candidate's level of education and expertise in a particular field.
A strong educational background is especially important for new graduates without much clinical experience. Graduating from top nursing schools in Canada, especially with academic distinction, sets candidates apart from other applicants by demonstrating their dedication to learning and professional development.
Highlight the specific abilities that demonstrate your suitability for the position you seek in this section. For this one, include the soft skills that you developed in and out of nursing school, including during internships, volunteering opportunities, and engagement in organizational work. Some specific skills you may add in this section include:
This also helps set you apart from other candidates, as it's always expected that nurses possess a certain level of proficiency in hard skills necessary in performing their jobs, such as patient assessment and creating treatment plans.
So now that you've been introduced to the content of your resume that hiring managers typically look into, you may again have another question—"How should I do it?" along with other follow-up questions. Below are tips you may find useful in curating your resume for your target company.
When crafting a professional resume, you should follow a structured approach that effectively highlights your qualifications and experiences.
As discussed above, organize your contact information at the top of the page, followed by a brief summary or objective statement that showcases your career goals and skills. List your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position, emphasizing key accomplishments and responsibilities for each role.
Continue by outlining your education, certifications, and relevant skills to demonstrate your expertise in the field. Make sure to also include any additional sections or additional descriptions within the previous sections to highlight volunteer work, professional memberships, or honours/awards to further enhance your resume. Remember to proofread carefully for errors and tailor each resume to match the specific job requirements you are applying for.
One page is enough. Unless they're asking for a CV, don't make your resume longer than it should be. Keeping your resume short and straightforward is crucial in presenting yourself effectively to potential employers. It allows recruiters to quickly scan through your qualifications, skills, and experiences, making it easier for them to evaluate your suitability for a role. By eliminating unnecessary information and focusing on key details, you can highlight your most relevant accomplishments and credentials.
Furthermore, a streamlined resume shows that you are able to communicate concisely and efficiently, a valued skill in the professional world. Lengthy resumes can be overwhelming and may result in important details getting lost in the mix. So when you keep your resume succinct and to the point, you demonstrate professionalism, clarity, and respect for the recruiter's time while increasing your chances of standing out amongst a pool of applicants.
For several reasons, it's vital to ensure that only relevant information is included in your resume.
Firstly, a concise and targeted resume increases your chances of catching the attention of potential employers and recruiters, who often have limited time to review each application. Including only relevant information also allows you to showcase your specific skills, qualifications, and experience that are directly related to the job requirements, demonstrating your suitability for the position.
Keeping irrelevant details out helps to maintain professionalism and focus on what matters most - your ability to provide quality care and contribute effectively to a healthcare team. In a competitive job market like healthcare, ensuring that your resume is tailored and pertinent can make all the difference in securing interviews and ultimately landing your desired role.
It's essential to meticulously check your healthcare resume for spelling and grammatical errors for several reasons. Firstly, a resume with errors can make a negative impression on potential employers, as it suggests sloppiness and a lack of attention to detail—traits that are highly undesirable in healthcare professionals who are expected to provide accurate and precise care.
Clear and error-free communication is crucial in healthcare settings where even a small mistake could have serious consequences for the health of your patients. Furthermore, checking for spelling and grammatical errors demonstrates professionalism and dedication to your craft, showcasing your commitment to excellence in all aspects of your work.
Ultimately, taking the time to carefully proofread your resume not only ensures that you present yourself in the best possible light but also reflects your integrity and competence as a healthcare professional.
When crafting a resume, paying attention to the size and colours you use is crucial in making a strong professional impression. The size of your text should be consistent and easy to read, with headings and subheadings clearly demarcated. Use standard font sizes such as 10-12 point for body text and slightly larger for headings. In terms of colours, it is important to strike a balance between creativity and professionalism.
Opt for neutral tones like black, navy blue, or dark gray for the main body of text, while using a pop of colour sparingly to draw attention to key information such as headers or job titles. Avoid overly bright or distracting colours that can detract from your content. By carefully considering the size and colours in your resume, you can create a visually appealing yet polished document that will impress potential employers and help you stand out amongst other candidates.
Once you have filled out all of the sections and followed the tips mentioned above, we also recommend you to write a "resume base," which you can easily edit and customize for each role you apply to, especially if you're doing it manually. This makes your resume more tailor-fit for the role you're applying for and, therefore, helpful to employers in gauging and assessing that you're what they are looking for.
But while this is effective when seeking employment, the process can take longer and exhaust you with constant editing and rewriting. Fortunately, with the recent technological improvements, you now have several more innovative and efficient options—enter our resume builder and the concept of video resumes.
For new graduate nurses who have decided to make their job search process faster, we have great news for you. Not only won't you have to worry about making your resume more targeted—like writing a cover letter for every single position you want to apply to—but you also speed up the overall process while still keeping your resume personalized. You can leave the work to us or, more specifically, to our resume builder.
The Caring Support Resume Builder offers free healthcare resume templates that allow you to choose your preferred colours, sections of content, and much more. The result will be a full, professional-looking resume that is quick and easy to create in just a few clicks.
The best part? You can use this new tool right on our platform with information from your user profile, which will automatically turn it into your new resume. We hope you find it helpful in your first job hunt and employment process. Try our intuitive Resume Builder today.
Video resumes are becoming increasingly popular among job seekers, and for good reason. The Caring Support platform allows candidates to add video resumes to their profiles, which provides a more personal and innovative touch to their job applications.
By submitting a video resume, candidates have the opportunity to showcase their personalities, communication skills, and passion for the position in a way that cannot be captured on a traditional paper resume. This format allows applicants to stand out from the competition and make a memorable first impression on potential employers.
In today's digital age, where visual content is king, a well-crafted video resume demonstrates your tech-savvy skills and ability to adapt to modern communication methods - qualities that are highly valued in the professional world. Video resumes also provide a more comprehensive overview of your qualifications and experiences, giving hiring managers a better sense of who they are considering for the role.
All in all, using a video resume enhances your chances of landing your dream healthcare job by effectively showcasing your strengths in a dynamic and engaging format.
Caring Support offers numerous benefits to both job seekers and employers in the healthcare industry. With Caring Support, job seekers can gain access to a wide range of job opportunities from various healthcare employers, as it allows them to easily browse and apply for positions that align with their skills and interests. Additionally, Caring Support provides valuable resources such as resume-building tools, interview tips, video resume tools, and industry news to help applicants succeed in their job search.
For employers, Caring Support streamlines the recruitment process by offering targeted job postings, applicant tracking systems, and tools for efficiently managing candidates. This not only saves time and money but also ensures that employers are able to attract top talent in the competitive healthcare market. Overall, Caring Support is essential for both job seekers and employers looking to navigate the complex world of healthcare hiring with ease and efficiency. Create an account with us or log in if you have an account already.
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