Résumés and Cover Letters for the College of Nursing

The Writing Center at CU Denver

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

Is audience centered and concise Acts like a thesis statement/global organizer 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.

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

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 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.

Summary/ProfileBetter: 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

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

Healthcare Experience

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

Other Sections

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

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)

Business Letter Format

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

Write with Your Audience in Mind

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

Approximately 4-5 paragraphs» Introduction (1)» Body Paragraphs (2-3)» Conclusion (1)

Organization

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

Back up your claims with evidence and examples Establish yourself as an unique candidate

» SAR Situation Action Result

Evidence

Situation, Action, ResultWhile a nursing student at Sunrise Hospital, I demonstrated exceptional communication skills working with the nurses and the physicians. My initial clinical site was in the Trauma Systems Therapy department, where I worked under Dr. Peterson. After about two 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 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 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 Sunrise Hospital.

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ReviewIn this workshop, 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

The Writing Center For more information please visit us:

» Denver Campus, North Classroom Building

» Auraria Library,

» Anschutz Medical Campus, Health Sciences Library

» CU Denver South Campus, Liniger Building

» CU Denver Business School

» Campus Village at Auraria, North 3rd Floor Common Room

The Writing Center Online Assistance:

» Synchronous Online Consultations

» The Online Drop Box

» http://writingcenter.ucdenver.edu

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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.