Resume help?

[HannahP 119]

Having finished my first semester of nursing school, I'm now eligible for certain jobs in hospitals. Most of the application processes don't require a resume but there's always an option to attach one, and going that extra mile seems like a good impression to make.

My only problem is that I've never written a resume before. I've found some seemingly unbiased sources (most sites seem more interested in me paying them to write my resume) but I still have a few questions:

I know that you're supposed to tailor the resume to the job you're applying for but, out of my extensive job history, I've only held two jobs that are even slightly related to the medical field. Do I list EVERY job in order to cover any suspicious gaps in my employment history or will they even care that I worked at a grocery store when I was 19?

For my schooling, I changed universities and majors halfway through. Do I mention that -- or will it leave a bad impression that I'm flighty/indecisive/etc.?

What's frustrating is that in an economy like this, employers can choose from people with experience. I just don't have the experience, short of what I've done in school & clinicals.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Having finished my first semester of nursing school, I'm now eligible for certain jobs in hospitals. Most of the application processes don't require a resume but there's always an option to attach one, and going that extra mile seems like a good impression to make.

My only problem is that I've never written a resume before. I've found some seemingly unbiased sources (most sites seem more interested in me paying them to write my resume) but I still have a few questions:

I know that you're supposed to tailor the resume to the job you're applying for but, out of my extensive job history, I've only held two jobs that are even slightly related to the medical field. Do I list EVERY job in order to cover any suspicious gaps in my employment history or will they even care that I worked at a grocery store when I was 19?

For my schooling, I changed universities and majors halfway through. Do I mention that -- or will it leave a bad impression that I'm flighty/indecisive/etc.?

What's frustrating is that in an economy like this, employers can choose from people with experience. I just don't have the experience, short of what I've done in school & clinicals.

There's a lot to say but I'll stop at two minor points.

1. If you want unbiased sources, use .edu sites. You can use that in google, append the qualifier site:.edu to your search string. This approach may particularly suit you since you're actually in nursing school.

2. I don't know much about nursing, so I don't know what the norm is for resumes in your field. In IT jobs, you typically don't include your non-IT experience. My first job out of college did not care that I was an electronics store sales person the summer prior. It's just not relevant.

Edited January 8, 2010 by w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r

[Dan J 277]

Having finished my first semester of nursing school, I'm now eligible for certain jobs in hospitals. Most of the application processes don't require a resume but there's always an option to attach one, and going that extra mile seems like a good impression to make.

My only problem is that I've never written a resume before. I've found some seemingly unbiased sources (most sites seem more interested in me paying them to write my resume) but I still have a few questions:

I know that you're supposed to tailor the resume to the job you're applying for but, out of my extensive job history, I've only held two jobs that are even slightly related to the medical field. Do I list EVERY job in order to cover any suspicious gaps in my employment history or will they even care that I worked at a grocery store when I was 19?

For my schooling, I changed universities and majors halfway through. Do I mention that -- or will it leave a bad impression that I'm flighty/indecisive/etc.?

What's frustrating is that in an economy like this, employers can choose from people with experience. I just don't have the experience, short of what I've done in school & clinicals.

I included everything early on, But now with enough professional experience behind me, i just include the jobs related to the field. It is probably better to show a consecutive job history, if the two related jobs have a gap between them, show what you did in the mean time or be prepared to explain it.

When it comes to college, the most important thing is listing the college and degree you graduated with. not necessarily the path you took to get there. Unless you have experiences that the first university that will bolster your resume now, I wouldn't list it.

[sandinista! 1,816]

i had some similar issues. i hadn't worked since 2006, and that job was only for 4 months. prior to that, i hadn't worked for a couple years because i was working on pre-reqs for nursing school. the places that i did get interviews with didn't even ask about gaps though, and i had no explanations for them on my resume. i just listed the last job i had, and the job i had prior to that a couple years before. neither of them were health care related either. they were more interested in experiences i related to them from nursing school and clinicals. the place where i did finally get a job, pretty much the entire interview was about my pediatric experience from clinicals. i listed places i did clinicals in on my resume, because it was really the only experience i had. other than that, i kept it pretty simple. and tried my best to write a great cover letter. it took awhile, but it worked. yr absolutely right, they have a lot of choices when it comes to people with experience. there are a lot of them out there, competing with you. but something will come up. and i hope it's sooner rather than later for you. good luck!

[Niels Bohr 72]

Wow! Since the demand for the health workers is 10000000000%, yet to be unfilled, why do you even need to attach a resume.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Wow! Since the demand for the health workers is 10000000000%, yet to be unfilled, why do you even need to attach a resume.

don't be stupid, nb.

[HannahP 119]

i had some similar issues. i hadn't worked since 2006, and that job was only for 4 months. prior to that, i hadn't worked for a couple years because i was working on pre-reqs for nursing school. the places that i did get interviews with didn't even ask about gaps though, and i had no explanations for them on my resume. i just listed the last job i had, and the job i had prior to that a couple years before. neither of them were health care related either. they were more interested in experiences i related to them from nursing school and clinicals. the place where i did finally get a job, pretty much the entire interview was about my pediatric experience from clinicals. i listed places i did clinicals in on my resume, because it was really the only experience i had. other than that, i kept it pretty simple. and tried my best to write a great cover letter. it took awhile, but it worked. yr absolutely right, they have a lot of choices when it comes to people with experience. there are a lot of them out there, competing with you. but something will come up. and i hope it's sooner rather than later for you. good luck!

Ahhh, thanks. I was definitely thinking that I should play up my clinical experience on my app. I'm still undecided about a cover letter -- most of the places I'm applying for have a complete online app, with an optional space to copy&paste your resume. I'm actually starting to think that my references may mean more at this point...I'm trying to line up some nurses and drs that I worked with. I'm starting to wish that I'd received my CNA before going into a BSN program. Bleh.

Dan + Gemvita -- I'm 24, have been in uni since I was 18 although occasionally part-time. Since I don't HAVE a degree because I've been working on it...would it be assumed with my gaps?

w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r - bah, I like to think that my googlefu is strong but, yeah, sooo many questionable resume sources. I was also thinking along the same lines re. jobs as you are, if only because medicine tends to be so specialized...

Thanks guys.

[HannahP 119]

Wow! Since the demand for the health workers is 10000000000%, yet to be unfilled, why do you even need to attach a resume.

I know you're being facetious but as a potentially graduating nursing student in 2011, I am worried. There just isn't the money to fill the positions. Lots of places have hiring freezes despite not having enough staff for all the beds in the hospital. The majority of nursing positions are now asking for two years experience...the whole field is dicey.

[BluesTraveler 0]

I know you're being facetious but as a potentially graduating nursing student in 2011, I am worried. There just isn't the money to fill the positions. Lots of places have hiring freezes despite not having enough staff for all the beds in the hospital. The majority of nursing positions are now asking for two years experience...the whole field is dicey.

There will always be a need for nursing. If a facility has a hiring freeze it is most likely because of when their fiscal cycle is. They will open up. Also there are plenty of nursing staffing agencies out there that can find you a spot.

With regards to writing a resume, I would do it the old fashion way; go to the library and find a book that is specific to medical field resumes. Nursing and medical field resumes just have a slightly different look and feel to them. Additionally I would be sure to include a cover letter; ability to speak and write fluent English will give you a leg up on all the Filipino nurses.

[alienlovechild 75]

Additionally I would be sure to include a cover letter; ability to speak and write fluent English will give you a leg up on all the Filipino nurses.

Can't speak for all Filipina nurses but my wife has her RN license. They used English in class and have to pass a difficult NCLEX test in English that you or I couldn't begin to pass.

I know that you're supposed to tailor the resume to the job you're applying for but, out of my extensive job history, I've only held two jobs that are even slightly related to the medical field. Do I list EVERY job in order to cover any suspicious gaps in my employment history or will they even care that I worked at a grocery store when I was 19?

For my schooling, I changed universities and majors halfway through. Do I mention that -- or will it leave a bad impression that I'm flighty/indecisive/etc.?

You can list the last three jobs or all jobs held in the last 10 years. In your case, you should emphasize the medical jobs and most recent job. The average is read for about 1 minute so nobody wants to read a BS padded resume about the grocery store. If you're only 24 no one expects to have an extensive resume based on experience. Your education is your main strength. Not sure about listing incomplete education as it at least accounts for your time and is a net positive experience unlike trying to explain say a prison sentence.

[sandinista! 1,816]

There will always be a need for nursing. If a facility has a hiring freeze it is most likely because of when their fiscal cycle is. They will open up. Also there are plenty of nursing staffing agencies out there that can find you a spot.

With regards to writing a resume, I would do it the old fashion way; go to the library and find a book that is specific to medical field resumes. Nursing and medical field resumes just have a slightly different look and feel to them. Additionally I would be sure to include a cover letter; ability to speak and write fluent English will give you a leg up on all the Filipino nurses.

no offense, but people who aren't in the trenches, ie looking for a nursing job fresh out of school with no prior healthcare experience, really have no clue about this. without exception, every single nursing staffing agency wants at least a year of experience in a specialty (med-surg, emergency, l&d, etc.). the ones that don't want 1 year want at least 2-4. this is how it is in oregon anyways.

my neighbour is a hiring manager at the university hospital, which is the largest hospital in the state, and has told me that they don't even bother looking at resumes of nurses with less than 3 years experience, because they simply don't have to. there's a large enough pool of nurses with that amount of experience that they don't have to bother with anything less. certain markets around the country are completely and totally saturated. others aren't. but i had too many things tying me to this area to be able to pack everything up and head to south dakota or oklahoma city. so it's really not as cut and dry as a lot of people think it is.

[HannahP 119]

no offense, but people who aren't in the trenches, ie looking for a nursing job fresh out of school with no prior healthcare experience, really have no clue about this. without exception, every single nursing staffing agency wants at least a year of experience in a specialty (med-surg, emergency, l&d, etc.). the ones that don't want 1 year want at least 2-4. this is how it is in oregon anyways.

my neighbour is a hiring manager at the university hospital, which is the largest hospital in the state, and has told me that they don't even bother looking at resumes of nurses with less than 3 years experience, because they simply don't have to. there's a large enough pool of nurses with that amount of experience that they don't have to bother with anything less. certain markets around the country are completely and totally saturated. others aren't. but i had too many things tying me to this area to be able to pack everything up and head to south dakota or oklahoma city. so it's really not as cut and dry as a lot of people think it is.

Two years seems pretty much what everyone wants, even on med-surg units. The emphasis in my program is networking with the people you're doing clinicals with and/or your CNA job. Some swear that if you do a good job with your proctorship, you might get hired onto the unit. (And my school is now dishing them out based on GPA.)

Personally, I'd be okay with working rural or in a nursing home. The problem is that my husband probably couldn't get a job in those environments...so yeah..

Edited January 8, 2010 by HannahP

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Funny how people always seem to mention south dakota when talking about places they imagine it might be easy to find a job.

My wife's a teacher in her third year of teaching; she and all her peers are trying to find a job in a public school (they teach private right now) but have not been successful thus far. Every time they get together to wallow in self pity over this, south dakota always comes up. Every time.

[HannahP 119]

Funny how people always seem to mention south dakota when talking about places they imagine it might be easy to find a job.

My wife's a teacher in her third year of teaching; she and all her peers are trying to find a job in a public school (they teach private right now) but have not been successful thus far. Every time they get together to wallow in self pity over this, south dakota always comes up. Every time.

Meh. In my Ideal Universe: I'd go from BSN to NP & get a job in some rural community in ND/SD doing community practice.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

NP?

Edited January 8, 2010 by w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r