Updating Your Nursing Resume

Updating Your Nursing Resume    

If you have not done so already, get your resume updated and formatted to handle the electronic recruiting tools now used by human resource departments everywhere.  A resume is best at one page long regardless of your time in the nursing profession. The resume describes your education, work history, and other relevant experience in bullet points. Many large employers now have computers that scan resumes for keywords, and these computers do the screening of the numerous applicants before an actual person even sees the resumes.

 Most positions require online applications or electronic submission of a resume. In order to keep your resume from being rejected by screening software, it must be one page long, with a lot of "white space".  Use only plain sans serif font, no bold, italics or underlining.

Here is a Web site for samples. http://www.nursing.umich.edu/about-our-school/computing-technology/electronic-portfolios/nursing-resumes-portfolios  Look at the overall template in these examples, but be sure to use plain font in your own resume.

Begin the resume with a one sentence statement of your career goal for a position. Next, develop a table of 3 or 4 columns and 2-3 rows that lists all of your skills, especially those related to the position for which you are applying. Work experience should be next. List your employer, position, and time frame in that position. Then, using bullet points, list your accomplishments during that position. The listing of accomplishments is different than listing job responsibilities so be sure to focus on what awards, projects, etc. occurred while in the position. If the accomplishment was basic patient care, try to include things like patient satisfaction scores related to the care provided. Next, list education, and include GPA if appropriate.  For example, 3.74/4.0 tells prospective employers your grade point average out of the school maximum GPA.  Finally, list your nursing license(s) including the number for easy verification. Keep in mind that a resume is different that a curricula vita which can be longer to reflect more scholarly activity. More on CV’s in a later blog.

Dr. Maggie

Online Masters in Nursing Portfolio Development

Creating a portfolio of your accomplishments is something every Masters in Nursing student should know how to do. A portfolio is a collection of accomplishments to help demonstrate various skills for potential employers. Think about what accomplishments have occurred in your work place. For instance, you should document any awards you received. Collecting all of your work done at a past employer or from your education is a good way to show future employer’s your work ethic, quality of work produced, and critical thinking skills.  Portfolios can be “hard copy” or electronic.

An excellent free option for ePortfolios is Google sites. You need to create a “Google” account with a user name and password.  Be sure to write these down where you will remember them. Go to the URL below:
 

https://sites.google.com/site/unmcnursingportfolio/

The electronic nurse portfolio template will appear. Go to the upper right corner of the page and click on the blue rectangle: “Use Template”. Remember you need to create a Google account first before using the portfolio website.  Once you have created your portfolio page, you will be given a unique web address or URL. You can edit your content at any time by logging into the site with your Google account log- in credentials.

Things to include in the ePortfolio are a personal statement of professional goals, current resume, nursing license  along with any school assignments and presentations where you did well and received high marks. Some specific school /work examples are care plans, brochures, outlines of training sessions, manuals, spreadsheets, memos, etc., that you created yourself or as part of a team. You can even include a copy of your school transcripts if you have already graduated. 

Electronic portfolio formats include web pages, PDF documents, and even PowerPoint files. Remember to include all professional and educational related accomplishments in your ePortfolio. The portfolio is a way to showcase your experience and talents a “brag book” of sorts.  

Dr. Maggie

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July Holiday to all the Online Masters in Nursing students out there!

Dr.Maggie