Résumés

and
Cover Letters
 Composing an
Effective Résumé
 Qualities of a Successful
Nursing Résumé
 Organized, easy to follow format
 Provides all required information
 Audience centered
 Targeted toward a specific position
 Free of errors


Writing Style
 Use consistent formatting--dates, spacing, etc.
 Begin each bullet with an action verb
 Be consistent with periods at the end of lines
 Use numerals (1,2,3) rather than writing out numbers
 Keep lists to fewer than 3 bullets (avoid sub-bullets)
 Use strong descriptive statements
» Do not use first person pronouns (I, me, myself)
Required Information

 Contact information
 Education
 Clinical experience
 Certifications
 Header
 Include a line to divide header from body
 Make the information stand out
» Larger size, bolding, use of capitalization, etc.

 Place your name at the very top

 Provide one street address, phone number, and email
» Do not title them (email, phone, address)

 Email address should be professional

» Remove hyperlink from email address
Objective
 If you're applying for a specific position,
consider adding an objective at the top
 States the position you are applying for
» Includes job title and position number
 Uses specific keywords
Objective
 If you include an objective, use strong, specific words
» Good: New graduate seeking a position and hands-on
experience in quality patient care.
» Better: Responsible and compassionate new graduate
with hands-on clinical experience and exceptional
interpersonal skills seeking an RN position at Children's
Hospital to provide the highest quality of patient care.
Summary/Profile
 Describes how you match the required
qualifications
» Tailor to the job posting
» Avoid first person pronouns (I, me, myself)
 Includes industry-specific keywords
 Uses strong, descriptive statements and verbs
Summary/Profile
» Good: Committed, patient-centered, and fast-paced RN who
excels at quickly identifying patient needs through astute
assessments, prioritizing based on acuity, and vigilantly
monitoring for adverse reactions. Bilingual: communication skills
in English and Japanese. Demonstrated strong clinical skills
including blood draws and transfusions, cardiac meds, IV
therapy and drips, 12-lead EKG interpretation, charting, and
airway management in ICU and ER. Developed equal
proficiency in nursing administration, admissions, discharge, and
patient education.
Summary/Profile
Better:
 Committed, patient-centered, and fast-paced RN who excels at
quickly identifying patient needs through astute assessments,
prioritizing based on acuity, and vigilantly monitoring for adverse
reactions.
 Bilingual: communication skills in English and Spanish.
 Demonstrated strong clinical skills including blood draws and
transfusions, cardiac meds, IV therapy and drips, 12-lead EKG
interpretation, charting, and airway management in ICU and ER.
 Developed equal proficiency in nursing administration,
admissions, discharge, and patient education.
Education
 List education first (with some exceptions)
 List in reverse chronological order
 Be consistent with dates
» May 28, 2012 or 5/28/12
 Be consistent with degree
» Bachelor of Science, B.S., or BS
» High school is not relevant
Healthcare Experience
 Company/organization
» City and state
» Job title with months and years

 Clinical Rotations
» Include senior level rotations--Practicum, Public Health, MedSurg I & II.
Include place (hospital/faculty), Unit, # of hours (on and off campus, simulation
lab), and (if seeking specialty) include any rotations with that specialty
» Consider creating a chart for Clinical Rotations

 Volunteer/apprenticeship experience, if relevant

Other Sections
 Certifications
 Additional Experience
» Includes work you've done that may not be healthcare related
» Use bullets and strong verbs to describe transferable skills
 Honors or Awards
» Merit-based and discipline specific scholarships, fellowships,
or recognitions
Helpful hints:
1. Keep language professional
» Good: Good at helping others
» Better: Excellent interpersonal skills with a focus on patient-centered care

2. Be concise and direct

» Good: Able to help patients and communicate with other healthcare staff
to ensure quality care and well-being for patients
» Better: Communicate with patients and providers to ensure quality patient
care
Helpful hints (cont.):
3. Be specific
» Good: Provide quality patient care
» Better: Provide primary care to 6-7 pediatric, orthopedic and post-surgery
patients

4. Avoid using templates for your resume as they may not

translate to the employer’s software program. Use .pdf or
.docx format
5. No two resumes are alike – choose the style that fits you!
Composing
an
Effective
Cover Letter
Business Letter Format
 Be professional
 Use an identical header to your résumé
 Include date, name, and title of the hiring agent, the company,
and the company’s address
 Use block format
 Single-spaced
 After the closing, skip four lines before your name
 List enclosures (résumé, writing sample, portfolio)
Write with Your Audience in Mind
 Express how you will be an asset to them
» Only include information relevant to the position
 Demonstrate you have the qualifications they
require or value
 Research the hospital/facility and demonstrate
your knowledge and interest in your letter
Power Positions and Specifics
 Research shows reader will scan the letter in 30
seconds or less
 Power Positions
» Introduction
» First and last sentences of paragraphs

 Specifics
» To the hospital, department, organization
» Demonstrate your research/knowledge
Organization
 Approximately 4-5 paragraphs
»Introduction (1)
»Body Paragraphs (2-3)
»Conclusion (1)
Introduction
 What are the hospital’s key
strengths/characteristics and why/how can you
support them?
» Express your interest in the specific position
» State how/why you are qualified for the position
 Forecast what you will discuss in the rest of the
letter
Body Paragraphs
 Claim
» A distinct qualification you want to prove about yourself
 Do not put your résumé in paragraph form
 Evidence
» Support claim with examples that include a situation, action, and
result
 Connection
» Connect to hospital’s or employer’s values and needs
Conclusion
 Mention any enclosures or attachments
» Or list enclosures at the bottom of the page
 Express interest in an interview, if
appropriate
 Offer to provide further information
 Thank the reader for his/her consideration
Evidence
 Back up your claims with evidence and examples
 Establish yourself as an unique candidate
» SAR
 Situation
 Action
 Result
Situation, Action, Result
While a nursing student at Manila Hospital, I demonstrated exceptional
communication skills working with the nurses and the physicians. My initial clinical site
was in the ICU department, where I worked under Dr. Peterson. After about two
S weeks of observing, I was tasked with discussing the overnight progress of two
patients with the charge nurse and reporting in detail their mental and physical
statuses to the doctor on staff each day. Shortly after being given this assignment, the

A overnight charge nurse informed me that one of my patients had spent most of the
night in extreme emotional distress. The next morning, I reported this to Dr. Peterson,
and she informed the mental health team and the patient’s family. My communication
needed to be accurate and efficient in order to inform the doctor of the patient’s
R current state. With my information, the doctor was able to make the appropriate
diagnoses. My ability to communicate effectively will continue to help facilitate
interaction between both nurses and physicians in order achieve the best possible
outcomes for patients at Manila Hospital.
Review
In this, we covered
Organizing successful nursing résumés
Formatting and writing style
Tailoring for a specific position
Building audience awareness
Organizing cover letters
Using evidence to back up claims
 28

Online Resources
 http://www.bc.edu/offices/careers/jobs/resumes.html
Boston College Career Center website. Provides great link to list of action
verbs.
 www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/nursing/resume.html
Excellent resource from U Penn. Click on 'Online Resume Workshop'
under the 'Resume Guidelines for Undergraduates' tab for a voice-over
presentation with PowerPoint slides regarding creating a resume. Also
click on the 'Samples' link to find sample resumes from the UPenn School
of Nursing.