It’s a tough job market today. Shocker? I think not. Job opportunities are few and far between, with layoffs and budget cuts more prevalent than ever. Scary part is, the health industry is no exception; I’m talking to you, nurses. You can get through the crisis, though! If you have the right qualifications and can get yourself noticed, then you have a better chance at landing the job you want. In other words, you need a GREAT resume. And here’s how to make yours stand out from the rest!
Cover Letters ARE Important:
Yup, it’s the good old cover letter. Seems simple, huh? Yet you wouldn’t believe how many people send in resumes without a cover letter. This is your first impression, so to speak. It tells the potential employer why he/she should even take time out of his/her precious schedule to look through your resume. If you can draw them in, you already have an advantage.
What Are Your Qualifications?:
Tell them about yourself. Tell them why they should give you the position over the next applicant. This is the goal in summarizing your qualifications. And give it your all; from your educational and professional background, to your short and long term objectives. You have to make them want YOU! Having a new set of nursing scrubs hanging in your closet waiting for your first day of work just won’t cut it.
Be YOU:
Yes, you may have patched up a friend while on vacation out in who knows where. Guess what, though? That absolutely does not count as international nursing experience. (I know, I know…you wish it did.) You don’t want to mislead anyone by twisting the truth even just a teeny, tiny bit. Nursing is serious business and whatever you put on your resume has got to be real! Bottom line is: be YOU, and just play up and highlight the skills you know for a fact you have.
Flow Is Everything:
Applying for a job, particularly one as serious as a nursing job, is in essence a competition. Which means you’ve got to be on top of your game. Make sure your resume is neat, organized, chronologically correct, and understandable. If it’s not, it’ll be chucked to the side and the potential employer will move on to the next one.
Research As Much As You Can:
It’s not one resume fits all. Find out about your potential employer, and see what he/she is looking for in an applicant. Like this you’ll know if it’s important to highlight certain areas over others, or whether to leave out certain information.
No one said it will be easy. You’ll probably have to keep a few different versions of your resume. Once you land that coveted job, though, and can proudly flaunt your spanking, new medical scrubs, you’ll realize that all the resume hassle was well worth it. Sending love to all you job hunting nurses!
