While all the resumes require a certain level of efficiency when writing, nursing resumes have an additional layer to work on. Nurses have to consider many professional and general resume tips. Although you might have a qualified education in nursing along with an experienced background, you will not be able to succeed unless you are first able to sell yourself. An employer spends only about a minute or two on your resume. You will have to stand out from the crowd with proper planning and refinement of your resume. It is especially important when considering the small mistakes in a nursing resume. Avoiding common errors can keep you ahead in the race to landing a great job.
In this blog, we will discuss a few common errors seen in a nursing resume so that you can avoid them to make your resume stand out;
Optimisation
Optimization is a tricky process of matching your content with the job requirements or qualifications. The right content for a nurse’s resume includes contact information, education, certification, licenses, professional affiliations, employment history, accomplishments, and honors. Today, many employers use an applicant tracking system to filter out candidates that may not match the job description. Adding your hobbies or personal information not related to the job is not preferred and may take up a lot of space.
Scripted Text
No matter what job a person is applying to, using a scripted text or a functional resume is probably one of the most frowned upon mistakes that people continue. While using a functional resume sounds simpler and less time-consuming, it can have many negative effects in the long run. A resume needs to be customized based on a job description that is why using a scripted text cannot personalize it according to the job requirements.
Poor Execution/Description
When employers look at a resume, they expect to get a decent idea about your experiences and adeptness. To perfect any resume, using the correct action words and keywords is a must. A simple trick is to include the action words from the job description that you are applying for. Do not be vague and deliver your description prescription such that your potential employer can get a clear idea of you and your experiences.
General Resume
Most professionals in any field generally tend to make a big mistake of using one general resume for all. It is a mistake that nurses cannot afford to make. One of the biggest reasons is because of the uniqueness of any job requirements. The job description can vary strongly even within the same hospital, let alone in a big pool of job applications. Different departments might use varied equipment or different computer charting systems. Optimizing a resume is not enough, but being able to optimize specific resumes based on individual jobs is crucial.
Reviewing and Formatting
Many people in different professions generally tend to forget this particular step. While this tip is not just limited to nursing, it can have many negative implications that can make your resume look bad.
- Grammar and Spelling: There are always small mistakes and errors that you might come across. Spell-check can never be enough since you are bound to miss things like “an” with “and” and “form” with “from.” These errors are not even caught by spell-check software.
- Dates: When describing your experience, you have to make sure the date format is correct. A way to combat this is to list items based on importance. Whatever you do, make sure not to list the dates first.
- Bullets instead of paragraphs: Bullets are always the best way to list anything when it comes to resume. A paragraph can take a long time to get through that discourages employers.
- Abbreviations: There are many abbreviations in healthcare. While you will have to use them whenever needed, be mindful of the tracking system since they might not pick up on some of the abbreviations.
A resume is a document that expresses you as a professional. The job industry has not just gotten competitive but needs people who are creative as well as proficient. If you are looking for career advice or if you are considering a new job, our team at Nurse Jobs Ireland, will always be happy to help, drop us an email at hello@nursejobsireland.com or check out our latest nursing jobs in Ireland.