41 // Want to Stand Out? Tailor Your Nursing Resume Like a Pro

In this episode, we delve into essential resume tips specifically tailored for nurses looking to advance their careers. Whether you’re pursuing a graduate degree or seeking new opportunities in healthcare, a well-crafted resume is crucial for standing out in a competitive job market. Join Bonnie Meadows as she shares actionable insights on tailoring your resume, highlighting your qualifications, and showcasing your accomplishments effectively.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. Tailor Your Resume for Each Job: 
   Learn the importance of customizing your resume for each job application. We'll discuss how to refine your baseline document, ensuring it stays within one to two pages while still showcasing your relevant experience using keywords from the job description.

2. Highlight Your Education and Certifications: 
   Discover where to position your educational background and certifications on your resume. These credentials are vital for nurses and should be easily visible to potential employers.

3. Showcase Clinical Leadership and Achievements:  
   Understand how to effectively highlight your leadership roles and specific achievements in your nursing career. We’ll talk about quantifying your impact through concrete examples of your work.

4. Include Soft Skills That Reflect Growth:  
   Explore the soft skills necessary for advancing your nursing career, such as teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability. We'll discuss how to weave these skills into your resume to demonstrate readiness for leadership roles.

5. Maintain a Clean and Professional Format:
   Get tips on how to keep your resume clear, concise, and professional. Learn why clarity is crucial and how to avoid clutter that can overwhelm potential employers.

**Action Steps:**
- Review your current resume against these tips.
- Select three to five job descriptions that interest you and refine your resume accordingly.


**Conclusion:**
Your resume is more than just a document; it reflects your hard work and accomplishments. These high-level resume tips can set you up for success in your nursing career. Tune in for more insightful discussions and actionable advice in future episodes!

Want to continue the conversation? Send me a text right here.

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Episode Transcript

(00:05):
In the previous episode, I.
Laid out some high leveldiscussions or tips about.
The difference between a resume,a CV and a portfolio, and when
to use it.
In that episode, I started to goin to a little bit more about.

(00:26):
Resumes and what to include inthem, but this particular
episode, I wanted to take thetime to go deeper into some high
level resume tips.
So this is not the exhaustivelist of what you can do, but it
is.
Mainly what I have seen when Ihave completed or done.

(00:47):
Resume audits these tips.
Will.
Help put your resume towards thefront of the line.
So listen in, think about thenext three jobs that you are
wanting to apply to.
And apply these tips to yourresume as of current.
Or a CV as of current.

(01:09):
Are you feeling stuck in yourcurrent clinical environment?
Do you want to make a change inyour nursing career but not sure
what to do next?
Exhausted, burnt out, and maybeeven ready for different
leadership?
I'm Bonnie Meadows, a BoardCertified Nurse.
Clinical Nurse Specialist,Influential Leader, Career
Coach, and Well Being Coach.

(01:30):
Being in the nursing andhealthcare profession since
2004, I have felt stuck andunsure about what was next for
me.
I wanted to be fulfilled in mypurpose, to have a voice at the
table.
And to be a resource for others,I kept telling myself I wanted
more, but didn't have thedirection I needed until I found

(01:52):
clarity and career growthstrategies for experienced
nurses like me.
In this podcast, you will find.
Simple tactical steps that allowyou to gain the clarity you
need, solutions for how to groweven without supportive
leadership, and guidelines forsetting boundaries at work so
that you can grow purposefullyin your career as a nurse with a

(02:15):
graduate degree who makes a hugeimpact in the profession.
So get ready to trade yourscrubs for yoga pants.
Pop in those earbuds and let'schat.
So with that being said, let'stalk about some high level
resume tips.
Tailor your resume to each job.
This is the first tip.

(02:37):
You want to make sure that youhave your baseline document for
your resume?
The 10 year span is still thekey to how many jobs you want to
have on that particular resume.
Again, just one to two pages.
If your 10 year span ofemployment.
Takes you beyond two pages.

(02:59):
Then.
You need to cut it down towhatever's relevant, or you just
keep that as a baseline documentand create a copy and you still
keep that same resume, but thenyou go in and refine it.
Making sure that.
You are providing the mostrelevant information.

(03:19):
Customizing it specific to thejob description using keywords
to highlight your relevantexperience in the job that
you're targeting.
So for example, I recently didthis with someone who works in
health care, they work inhealthcare.
It.
But they don't work in nursing.
This particular person hadtrouble getting a job, past jobs

(03:44):
she applied for had not evengotten a call back.
I asked her to send me the jobdescription, and her resume.
And so I put them side by side.
And I look at what is it thatthey're looking for?
So the overarching position was.
A lead program manager and thenI look at.

(04:07):
Her resume.
She is well qualified for theposition.
But it, but what she had as faras her qualities and.
Of the work that she wascurrently doing in it, it was
very general.
So I said, for this programmanager position, here's what
they're looking for.
Here are some key words.

(04:29):
Leads coordinates.
Outcomes.
Partnership.
Pull out those words and putthem in your resume.
You're not creating a resumethat doesn't exist.
Just replacing your resumewords.
With those words, spicing it up.
She had one area where it justsaid manages and implements

(04:54):
projects I said, I need moredetail in that.
And you can either include,like, what does that entail?
Or what did you accomplish inthat?
The job, it asks for.
Someone who knew how to connectthe work to the goals.
And so I asked her what can youconnect to the work that you are

(05:15):
doing that is connected to theoverall company's goals?
How can you talk about how youoperate at the system level now
in your resume.
Those are the things that needto be pulled out and expressed
in your resume and then speakmore about accomplishments.
And I'll go a little bit moreinto that a little later.

(05:37):
But your one actionable stepfour.
This one is to take is to lookat the top three to five jobs
that you are interested in.
Try to make sure that they'remainly in the same realm of
work.
That's why.
I encourage you to more.
So look at overall skillset.
That you're trying to developthat you're trying to grow into.

(06:00):
Versus a particular.
Job.
Like if you're applying for fivejobs and they are totally
different.
Then yeah, you, you need to makea resume that tailors to all
five of those jobs, but ifthey're still in the same.
Project specialists,implementation specialist,
realm, then look at all of thosejob descriptions.

(06:25):
And make one resume that willfit all of those job
descriptions.
So it's about those key words.
That you need to pull out thatin the work that you're already
doing, but it's about detailingit a bit more.
Next point.
To highlight your education andcertifications.
There's a little debate on thisbecause we know.
That we need to have on ourresume.

(06:46):
All right.
Level of education.
And certifications.
Do we put it at the top of, dowe put it at the bottom?
That has been a debate.
I've had a professor I've alwayshad mine at the top and I had a
professor told me to put it atthe bottom.
And I was like, would that justdon't feel right.
I did it.
Because I needed an a, and thiswas low hanging fruit.

(07:07):
Let's just get it done.
For nurses pursuing or holdingthat graduate degree, your
education is the mostsignificant assets.
Especially for nursing becausethere are some jobs.
That you applied to that you canonly have a master's in nursing
or a doctorate in nursing.

(07:27):
Like your focus is in nursing.
There are some jobs who arespecifically for nursing.
Like you, they need.
Someone with a master's ordoctorate in nursing.
And then there are other jobswhere.
You got an MBA or a master's inpublic health or whatever the

(07:47):
case may be.
But that needs to be shown uptop.
In all of the references that Ihave looked at They've all said
for nursing.
That these certifications andeducation needs to be at the top
of the resume.
So create a separate section forcredentials and ensure it's at

(08:08):
the top.
Of your resume.
That's your actionable stepwithin this particular one, make
sure they are visible.
Make sure your certificationsand advanced training are easily
visible.
Any certification programs thatyou've completed, even if it's
like a Le a leadership program.
Coaching programs, whatever thecase may be.

(08:30):
All need to be included.
In.
That area.
Just a side note I want to addbecause this is one of my pet
peeves.
When I see people.
Who have their credentialslisted out in the wrong order.
Sometimes it's professionalpeople and I'm like, why are
your credentials in the wrongwater?

(08:50):
I that that might just be me.
But I'm a little picky I went tothe American nurses association.
A while ago.
To make sure.
I got the right information.
Please stop putting the RN rightbehind your name before your
highest degree.
Here's the order RN.
First of all, RN and APRNdoesn't go first, unless you are

(09:10):
assigning clinicaldocumentation.
That is the only time.
It goes first.
On an actual document where youare signing your full
credentials here is the order.
Highest degree earned.
Should come first after yourname.
So.
That be ADN B S N.

(09:31):
MSN.
P H D D N P.
EDD.
DNS.
All of those things.
There might be a DBA doctoratein business.
That's your highest degreeearned.
Next is your licensure.
Whether that be RN, a P R N.
Licensure slash recognition.

(09:54):
So RN, APRN.
Then comes your statedesignation required desk.
Or requirements nationalcertification.
So that's where your.
CCRN comes in.
You're in PD comes in.
For those of us who are advancedpractice nurses, that is where

(10:15):
our.
At advanced practicecertifications come in.
And then after that, we placeour specialty certifications
cCRN NPD.
Whatever the case may be.
All, those certifications.
Those are the two that come tothe top of my mind, but yes.

(10:38):
CMC C S C S R N like just all ofthose things.
That's after.
Your APRN certification.
And then after that, any awardsand honors.
So usually you would see that Fa N.
If it's a fellow of the academy.
Of nursing.

(10:59):
Number three.
Resume tip.
Showcase clinical leadership andachievements.
So with this one, you'rehighlighting specific examples
of leadership roles that you'vetaken in your current role.
Whether it's precepting, leadingquality improvement projects or
serving on committees.
Focus on projects you'vecompleted.

(11:21):
Structures you've built.
Policies you've worked on orthings you've implemented.
Use that to quantify yourimpact.
On my resume, I have a set.
I'll have the job description.
And I'll have it tailor made towhatever, not the job, but the
skills or what I do in that,that particular job or what I've

(11:45):
done in that particular job.
Here's what I do.
Then I have a section rightunder that.
That says my leadership has ledto, and then I'll have two or
three bullet points on.
A reduction in.
Length of stay by such and suchpercent.

(12:06):
The three stars designation.
For cardiac surgery program.
Two years in a row.
Like those are the things that Iusually have in that section.
So think about.
Those projects that you havebeen a part of that you've
helped lead, that you were veryinstrumental in.

(12:27):
Education projects, whatever thecase may be.
And add that as a sectionhighlighting your clinical
leadership and achievements.
Put it under the, particularjob.
Or another section connect it tothe work you're talking about so
they know, it was in this jobshe was able to lead in this

(12:48):
way.
And in this job, Here's what shedid or here's what he did.
Next include soft skills thatreflect your growth mindset.
Nursing advancing in careersneed to demonstrate clinical
expertise leadership.
Communication and adaptability.
Here's an actionable tip.

(13:09):
In some way you need toincorporate examples of
teamwork, problem solving ormentorship.
To show you're ready to leadothers.
So that's goes back to thatexample that I talked about.
With a young lady who had the,resume and that particular job
stated that this particularperson needed to know how to

(13:30):
collaborate with different.
People at different hospitalsites, it was referring to
working with several groups.
How do you collaborate withthose groups and lead others in
that department to collaboratewith those other groups?
So that that's where that wordcollaborated with.
Such and such specialty to.

(13:53):
Educate or improve rates thatcan actually be wrapped into
that leadership andaccomplishments piece.
You could have one that's likehardcore numbers, if you have
it.
And then the other, that's moreof a, here's how I use my soft
skills to work with and leadothers.
And then lastly, you want tokeep it clean and professional.

(14:15):
Bernay brown says.
Clear is kind.
When she said that, I said, nowthat is the truth.
Clear is kind.
You are better off.
Being boring.
And clear.
Then fancy.
And unclear.
Cause fancy and unclear and allthese.

(14:37):
But dazzles on your resume andit looks just crazy and you're
not applying for a creativeposition.
Now, if you're applying forgraphic design within health
care and nurses can do thatbecause.
Like if applying for a marketingand communications job, because
communications was your firstdegree and you decided to come
into nursing and now you want toapply your nursing skills and

(15:00):
your communication skills in thehealthcare sector.
That's when you give them thefancy resume, but make sure you
have the elements on there forthem to give you a call.
Otherwise, if you are justapplying for a regular corporate
level position that you enjoy.
Then keep it clear andprofessional.

(15:24):
Make sure it's easy to read.
Follows a professional format.
Using bullet points, clearheadings, avoid large blocks of
tech.
Text.
And just remove any clutteryou're at your action item is
to, with this particular one isto go back, review your resume,
your CV.
And make sure it just doesn'thave a whole lot of clutter,

(15:44):
make sure there's some whitespace on there to where it just
doesn't feel like it'soverwhelming to read.
Have someone else take a look atit.
To see if it just feelsoverwhelming for the read.
All right.
Customize your resume for eachjob, highlight advanced
education and certifications atthe top show how you have

(16:05):
demonstrated leadership, becauseif we're looking to grow.
Even if it's a lateral position.
Like you get paid lateral,meaning you get paid, but your
growth is skill growth.
I still want to see yourleadership in that area.
Even if you're applying to gradschool.
Making sure that you arewriting, how you demonstrate

(16:27):
leadership in those clinicalroles.
Even if it's a role that'sbehind the scenes, you still
need to lead.
You still need to understand howto lead people.
You can say, oh, well, I'm justworking, you know?
As an analyst you might beproviding numbers, but now you
need to explain those to yourboss or a group when people get

(16:49):
touchy about numbers, I've beenthere.
Here's what I want you to dothis week.
Take time to review your resume,go back to those tips.
Write those tips down.
If you don't already have it,make a list three to five
positions.
Look at them.
Compare your resume to thosepositions.
And see where you need to startcleaning up your resume.

(17:13):
And if you want to get feedbackon your resume to prepare for
those positions, you might beinterested in.
Be sure to sign up for myambitious nurse insider's list,
as I will be sharing an offer tohelp, take your resume to the
next level.
And.
If needed prepare you for yournext interview.

(17:35):
Lastly, remember your resume ismore than just a document.
It is, it is more than just adocument.
It does need to speak for youloudly.
However, you can speak foryourself.
Make sure that this is Work ofyour career growth and that you
are applying networking to this.

(17:57):
You're talking to people, havingconversations.
With people in those areas.
You're also looking into thoseprofessional organizations,
those governing bodies.
Of that particular work in whichyou want to go if you need help
with that, I can help you findthose people too.
You want to make sure that youare reflecting your hard work?

(18:19):
And your accomplishments andwhat you've done.
It can be hard to talk aboutourselves.
But let the paper do the talkingfor you, even if networking with
others is hard many times whenyou start to write these things
out.
That has confidence builder.
So you've got to stay on top ofwriting these things out and
keeping them front of mind ofwhat you've accomplished.

(18:41):
So that you can easily speak tothose things in the right
settings.
Thank you for taking the timetoday.
To get things right.
And set yourself up for success.
and I'll talk to you next time.
I hope you enjoyed today'sepisode.
If so, would you take 30 secondsand share it with another nurse

(19:05):
who may be unsure of where to gonext in their career or maybe
need some career clarity?
Also, please leave a quickreview for the show on Apple
podcast.
It brings me so much joy and somuch encouragement to know this
podcast is helping you.
Now go get the career you wantand not the one you settle for.

(19:26):
And I'll meet you back here nextThursday for another episode.
See you soon!