Nursing Resume Format

Nurses, I want you to get hired. Trust me, I am emotionally invested in seeing you land at the hospital of your dreams. The way your resume is written is the first step to landing that job, and if it does not tell your story, you won't even get the chance to say yours to the hiring manager.

Here is the resume format that hospital leaders are looking for to if you are nurse or a nursing leader.

1. Header and Professional Title: KISS it.

Huh?!

Keep it simple, silly.

Do your name, contact info, and a concise professional summary. Do not drone on and on, just do 3-4 sentences on what your passion is and your specialization breakdown.

2. Work History: Painting by the Numbers.

Now is the time to get down to the nitty gritty; bullet point the breakdown of the size of the hospital you are at, how many beds in the unit, average daily census, and all of the other numbers affiliated with the hospital. That tells the hiring manager how large or small of an organization you are part of. If you don't detail this info, they will not be able to differentiate between a leader from a critical access hospital or a level one trauma. These details are IMPORTANT!

3. Consistent Flow of Info; Relevancy Only!

Keep to the same format as below with all relevant information...but keep your resume to a maximum of four pages TOTAL, otherwise people will NOT read it. Trust me. You got about 22 seconds of someone's time before they read the next resume on their desk.

4. Wrap It Up Nicely; List Education and Awards

List your education and awards that are relevant to the position. People want to know you go above and beyond, and what organizations you are affiliated with.

That's it? That's it! This format will showcase the numbers that differentiate you from your competition, clearly lay out your accomplishments, and detail your history in the hospital. It's great to be kind and great leader, but no one hires based on manners alone.

Everyone else is saying that they are a "detail oriented, compassionate nurse," so how about you stand out from the crowd and let your resume tell hospitals why YOU are the best at patient care and the expert in your specialization.

Good luck, and I'm rooting for you!!