Top Things You MUST Include in Your Nursing Resume

As graduation day nears, it's natural to start anticipating your upcoming job search. With a nursing degree and support from Athena Career Academy, you've already got a leg up on the competition, but every little edge helps. That's why it is so important to put together a resume that helps you stand out from all the other applicants.

For the nursing jobs that are in high demand, human resources departments can be inundated with applications for certain positions. Some are turning to applicant tracking systems, and knowing how to structure your resume is critical. Even for those who still do things the old-fashioned way, having a resume that puts the important information easily at a hiring director's fingertips are preferred.

Be Specific About Your Education

Many nursing jobs are looking for candidates with a specific type of nursing degree. You may know what type of degree you have, and it may match what the employer states they are looking for in the listing, but being explicit about the degree you have earned, and what school you earned it from is important information to share. When there are many applications to choose from, hiring departments aren't going to spend the time trying to track down this information about you, they will just move on to the next candidate.

In addition to school and degree, you should also include the date you began your degree and graduation date. If you are early in your nursing career, it also helps to share your GPA (if it's high), and any other scholarly achievements you may have earned.

Availability

Unlike other careers, nursing is an around-the-clock job. One of the first questions a prospective employer is going to ask you is when you are available, especially if the job you are interviewing for is tied to a specific shift.

Take the guesswork out of it for human resources by letting them know in your resume or cover letter when you are able to work.

Even if you don't get the original job you apply for, letting hiring directors know up front when you are available may lead to another opportunity when one comes up.

Licenses and Certifications

Any application for a nursing position should include details about your nursing license and any certifications.

Some contend that placing your nursing license number on an application is a bad thing, due to privacy concerns. The truth of the matter is, however, that nursing license information is a matter of public record. The information is already out there, and by providing it on your application you may actually give yourself a boost in the eyes of whoever is doing the hiring. 
You should include:

• License or certification type
• Licensing state/body
• Name on license if it differs from what is in your application
• When you received your license and when it expires
• License number

Computer Experience

It may seem secondary to helping care for people, but employers are also going to want to know about your experience with computers. Everything is trending digitally in healthcare, and employers want new recruits to come in knowing as much as possible.

It's important to include on any application your level of experience with Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Electronic Medical Record (EMR). If you have any other experience with using computers, that's important to include as well.

Having a resume that lists a nursing degree from an academically recognized program Athena can also help tip the scales in your favor. Contact us today to get your career in nursing moving forward.