Cv Tips For Nurses

By Author: Kellie Whitehead
Total Articles: 26
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If you are a nurse or a healthcare professional, the good news is that any hints of an economic slowdown have not affected job availability in your line of work.

It's still a fairly competitive market out there though. This means that, although nursing skills are still very much in demand, employers are only looking for the best. Your CV writing skills needs to be up to date, and as impressive to read as you can make it. Don't be complacent! Whatever your position, it is important to pay close attention to the presentation of your professional credentials.

It is anticipated that a much larger than average sector growth for Nursing jobs will happen through to the year 2014, so, in order to enjoy better salaries and conditions - don't be on the back foot with your CV.

This will facilitate interest in your CV in what is a fast paced market. The right CV could even see you gain that promotion and improved benefits.

Qualifications count. Within healthcare, your qualifications are king. Experience counts, of course, but it is these legal requirements which ...
... are the all important first hurdle.
Lead your CV with a qualifications summary that is easy to read and understand.
In addition to including the details of your nursing degree (school name, when you graduated, your degree), you should mention any academic honours, grants, scholarships, or fellowships awarded during the course of your studies.

If you are an experienced nurse, you may wish to make reference to any completed clinical rotations in this section. If you are a newer nursing graduate or have limited nursing experience, a list of related courses and clinical rotations will provide detail of your medical knowledge to prospective employers.

All nurses who have completed the process to get licensed will need to provide details of their license(s) in this section. Include the areas/countries/states in which you are licensed and the date that your license went in effect.

Experience & Expertise. Include an easy to read list of your areas of proficiency. Do NOT try and re-write these into a more flowery description. Keywords are vital to give the reader a generic understanding of your capabilities. This also means you can be found in an electronic search, if the employer inputs specific words into a search. Don't forget to highlight your specialities or speciality areas (Cardiac/Oncology for example)in clear , concise language, and also your skills (administration/case management etc)

Detail . When describing your previous job experience, the employer needs to have a good understanding of the scope of Hiring managers want to understand the scope of your experience so they can see if you're a good match for the job opening. When describing your nursing experience, write about the type of facility, your caseload and area of specialism. Entry-level nurses with limited work experience should provide details of their unpaid work.

Your good - now show it! So you have detailed what you are qualified to do, what you did and where. But what else? How can you prove you were a valuable addition to the facility rather than someone who simply turned up everyday? Think about how you went above and beyond your job duties to make a positive contribution to your employer, patients, families and the community. Did you serve on any boards or committees? Did you help reorganize or launch new facilities or services? Did you provide training for patients and their families? Show potential employers why you would be an asset.

Coming back into the fold? Maybe you are a nurse who has taken a career break? On your CV you will need to re-iterate your relevant experience ion the time that you have been away from healthcare. Your CV, if you have taken a career break is not the dilemma you may think. It's very simple. Divide it into ‘Nursing experience' and ‘non nursing, related experience'. The worst thing you can do is attempt to cover up any work gaps - you have your reasons for stepping away, just spell them out.

New to the business? If you are a career changer looking to break into nursing and healthcare, your previous work history may not be totally relevant. It is still important to emphasise any related skills, life experience and work that shows you are the right person for the industry and your commitment to such. Your CV should follow the ‘functional' format that plays on you as a person and what you can offer an employer as opposed to your chorological work history.