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Writing a Successful Resume

SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Experience working in health care. Registered Nursing student at the College of St. Catherine. Caring, hard working individual who has supervisory and leadership experience.

EDUCATION:
REGISTERED NURSE PROGRAM; College of St. Catherine, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
G.P.A.: 3.1. Anticipated graduation: May 2006

CLINICALS: 9/2004-5/2006
· HCMC: Performed nursing duties in a level one trauma hospital
· Fairview University Hospital: Med-Surgery Unit
· Augustana Nursing Home: Long term care

SKILLS AND CERTIFICATIONS:
· Direct care of patients
· Educated patients for home care and discharge planning
· Operated and maintained monitors of bio-medical equipment
· Medical terminology and medication administration skills
· Maintained sterile fields and application of dressings
· Catheter, IV, and suctioning training
· Charting and documentation of patient care
· Acute and chronic care experience
· P.C. and Microsoft Office literate
· N.A.R. License # 3779948, State of Minnesota, 2003
· C.P.R. And First Aid Certified, American Red Cross, 2003

EXPERIENCE:
Certified Nursing Assistant: Walker-Methodist Care, Minneapolis, MN. 11/2004-Present
· Performed patient care in a long term, geriatric care center
· Hospice and terminally ill care of patients and families
· Responsible for patient care of 13 bed unit
· Bathing and care of patients
· Charted and documented activities
· Worked in teams with doctors, H.U.C.’s and ancillary personnel

Resident Advisor: College of St. Catherine, Minneapolis, MN; 12/2003- Present
· Supervision and support of students in a dormitory setting
· Organize and implement social and academic activities
· Acted as tutor for students in college learning center

Sales Clerk: TJ Max, Bloomington, MN; 9/2000-9/2003
· Assisted customers for sales and marketing of clothing items
· Operated cash register, kept inventory and trained new employees


Notice it is easy to read. It lists the qualifications you have. It is one to two pages. It is focused.

The first step is to decide what are your job goals. Think of what qualifications an employer would look for. A graduate of an R.N. program. You should list “R.N.” prominently on your resume.

The difference between an ok resume and an excellent resume is the time spent making it outstanding. Put a lot of thought into what you have done and the results of what you have done. For example, “provided care in a med.-surge unit that resulted in patient recovery.” Have a clear format and a focus on what an employer would want. Your resume should be perfect. It is your first impression. An excellent resume won't get you a job, but a poor resume will prevent you from even getting an interview.

The major headings on a resume are:

Name, address, phone, e-mail
Objective or Summary Statement
Education
Experience, skills
Organizations
Volunteer work and hobbies
Awards/recognition

SKILL IDENTIFICATION

Employers want to know what you can do, not just where you have gone to school. If you cannot identify 20 skills and accomplishments you are not ready to write your resume. Here are some examples of skills:

· Accessed patients
· Accounts Receivable
· Acute
· ADL’s
· Administered medications
· Anatomy and Physiology
· Associates Degree
· Attendance
· Bi-paps
· Brochures
· Budget
· Bulletins
· Catheters
· Cell Cultures
· Charted
· Child Care
· Chronic
· Claims Adjudication
· Clinicals
· CNA
· Counselor
· CPT codes
· Crisis Management
· Critical thinking
· Cross-cultural training
· Decision Making
· Deep tissue release
· Dietitian
· Discharge planning
· Dressings
· Documented
· Equipment Vendor
· Facilitator
· GPA
· Hiring/Firing
· Inserted IV’s
· Internship
· Lab work
· Long term care
· Manager
· Marketing
· Medical records
· Medical terminology
· Microsoft Word
· Modalities
· Nursing
· Ordered supplies
· Operated monitors
· Patient Advocate
· Patient education
· Personal Computer
· Public Relations
· Purchasing
· Radiology
· Receptionist
· Rehabilitation
· Research
· RN
· Secretarial
· Software
· Spanish
· Spreadsheets
· Student Personnel
· Supervisor
· Teacher
· Teams
· Time Management
· Therapy
· Took vitals
· Trained employees
· Transferred patients
· Triaged patients
· Worked overtime
· Worked way through school

A good list of nursing skills can be found at:

http://www.bereanhealthcare.com/skillscheck.asp

Do a thorough review of your education and work skills. What did you do well? What did you learn? You can use these building blocks for your resume.

Resumes are scanned by a computer. Therefore, use “keywords” to have your resume noticed. An example of keywords are “R.N., “Modalities”, “Hematology”, etc. You can find more information in “Internet and electronic job search” manuals in the Personal and Career Development Office or at: http://minerva.stkate.edu/offices/administrative/mcc.nsf/pages/ejobsearch

THE OBJECTIVE

If you know what you want to do, then an objective is appropriate. For Example:

OBJECTIVE:
“To use my Med-Surg. clinical experience to obtain a position in a Med-Surg. Unit.”

An objective should be short, concise, and to the point. It should be focused. It should say more than “to obtain a position where I can use my skills”. Why? This does not really say anything and does not offer the employer anything. Especially for recent grads, do not use the word “entry level”. This may get you screened out.

Summary Statement

A summary statement is your two or three main selling points for the employer. For example:

Professional Profile:

Experience performing physical therapy modalities in clinical and hospital settings. Graduate of The College of St. Catherine Occupational Therapy Assistant program. Completed clinical internship at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital.”

Be sure to list your accomplishments. For example, “worked as a Nursing Assistant for two years while in college.”

Education
List your degree or certificate in capital letters or bold font. Then, the name of the college, the location and date (or anticipated) date of graduation. If your GPA is 3.0 or above, list that. You can also list your core GPA if that was above 3.0.

You can list specific classes in a bulleted format in this section. For example.

Courses taken included:

· Management and Leadership
· Health and Nursing Assessment
· Pediatrics
· Nursing of Childbearing Families
· Management of complex and multiple patients
· Rehabilitation
· Psychiatric Mental Health
· Critical Care Nursing

Experience

The employer will be most interested in related experience. This is a good time to list your clinical experience. For Example:

Nursing Internship, May 2004 to June 2005
Fairview-University Hospital, Minneapolis, MN. 55454

· Performed cares for critically care patient load of three patients
· Primarily assigned to the Intensive Care Unit.
· Responsible for updating chart information, including temperatures, blood pressure and pulse of all patients in the ward.
· Delivered and administered daily doses of oral medications.
· Updating charts (under supervision of floor RN) to reflect changes in patient conditions.

You can list your duties. But to have an excellent resume, list your accomplishments. For example, “Provided care for over 100 LTC patients” or “trained new employees”.

ORGANIZATIONS

If you are a member of a student or professional organization, list this on your resume. Cite all positions held, such as treasurer.

VOLUNTEER AND HOBBIES

List any volunteer or community service work you have done. Summarize any activities performed and leadership qualities you exhibited. List the dates and the organization. Use caution of listing any political or religious organization that may offend a potential employer. You may also list any hobbies or interesting things about you, provided they will tie into your career or job search.

RESEARCH

If you contributed to a research project or wrote (or was published) an extensive paper, list this on your resume. For example:

Mc Guire, L, Stern, S, unfunded masters project, The College of St. Catherine Masters/ Doctorate of Physical Therapy program: Ultrasound modalities in cervical injuries, November 2004.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

If you have received any awards or recognition, list them in this section.

REFERENCES

Many people list “References available upon request.” However, this is such a given that you would be well advised to use the space to list things that make you employable. The reference section is always the last section of the resume. Do not list your actual references on your resume. List them on a separate sheet of paper. For more information on references, see:

http://minerva.stkate.edu/offices/administrative/mcc.nsf/pages/coverletters


TYPES OF RESUMES

There are three types of resumes: Chronological, Functional and Combination. For recent grads, a Combination resume usually works best. A combination lists your education, clinical, classes and skills at the top of your resume. If you have non- health care or little work experience, list your employment at the bottom of the resume.

Chronological: This resume lists your most recent job on top. Then, your preceding jobs. Chronological resumes are best used when:

· You are applying for a job where you have previous experience
· You have a steady work record
· Generally, you go back three jobs or ten years
· It has the advantage of being easy to read and is therefore employer friendly
· The chronological is not best for new graduates, career changers, or if you have gaps in employment
Objective: Physical therapy position in the Minneapolis, MN..

Summary: • Physical therapy internship with the Mobile Sports Medicine Clinic.
• Magna Cum Laude graduate with M.S. in Physical Therapy.

Experience: Physical Therapy Internship, May 2005 to August 2005
Mobile Sports Medicine Clinic, St. Paul, MN
• Worked with recovering sports injury patients on a daily basis by administering physician-prescribed treatments, including exercise regiments, muscle stretching/relaxation and whirlpool therapy.
• Trained in and administered electrotherapy and thermal therapy.
• Updated charts to reflect procedures performed and patient progress.

Administrative Assistant, summers of 2003 and 2004

Green Medical Clinic, Fridley, MN.

• Performed pre-visit documentation and initial screening of patients.
• Assisted in the collection of necessary documentation for insurance purposes.


Education: Masters in Physical Therapy, May 2005
College of St. Catherine Minneapolis, MN.
Graduated Magna Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.6 on a 4.0 scale

Courses taken included:
Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Electrotherapy/Electrophysiological Testing
Neurological Rehabilitation Medical/Surgical Rehabilitation
Clinical Seminar I & II Medical/Surgical Pathophysiology
Orthopedics I & II Physical Therapy Measurement/Assessment


activities: • Coordinator/Volunteer, Campus CPR Rescue Team, 2003-04
• Taught CPR course through Campus CPR Rescue Team, 2002

The Functional resume: Also called a “skill” resume, it highlights your skills, experience and accomplishments. It works well for recent graduates, career changers, or people returning to the work force. In the true functional resume there is no listing of dates of employment. But caution-employers are wary of this format because it can hide a spotty work record.

The Combination resume: This format works best for recent graduates. It lists skills and also dates of education and employment. The combination is an effective format because you emphasize your skills, accomplishments, and qualifications for the job. You also combine your skills and dates of employment/education. Employers like this because you provide a more complete picture of yourself.

An example:
CAROL MUNSON

EMPLOYMENT OBJECTIVE: Registered Nurse

SUMMARY: Highly motivated, dependable team player able to be self-initiating and follow instructions to carry out tasks in an efficient manner. Proficient skills in patient care, medical management, coordination, and emergency room techniques.

EDUCATION

May 05 Graduate, Registered Nurse Program, GPA 3.35/4.0
College of St. Catherine, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Febuary04-April04
Internship, Regions Hospital, St. Paul, Minnesota

· Infection Control	· Critical Care	· Injections
· Catheter Care	· Vital Signs	· Triage
· Blood Draw	· Charting	· Intake
· IV Therapy	· CPR	· Acute Care
· Assisted in over 30 surgeries	· Worked in care teams	· Worked overtime

RELATED VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

2002-2003 American Red Cross: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Provided emergency services to persons in crisis. Assisted in providing information and services regarding food, shelter, clothing, and medical provisions.
2001-2002 M.S. Society: Edina, Minnesota
Assisted disabled patients in activities of daily living by writing letters, reading correspondence, feeding, pushing wheelchairs and shopping. Worked in teams with patients, families and therapists to maximize patients potential.

MEMBERSHIPS:

2005 American Nursing Association, St. Paul, Minnesota
2003 Parent Teachers Association: Secretary, Jefferson School

Target and focus: More of a method than style; the targeted resume has an audience in mind. You should research a field and determine the employers’ needs. For example, if you were seeking a job in pediatrics, you would research a pediatric hospital. Determine what are the unique needs and services of the hospital? You can fill a need by demonstrating competency in working with kids, experience with pediatric oncology, etc. Think about your transferable skills, such as experience working with kids at a camp.

WRITING YOUR RESUME

First, develop a draft as described in “The major headings on a resume” as listed above. Start by doing the draft on a word processing program. That way you can easily edit or customize your resume. Some guidelines:

· One to two pages
· Use an easy to read font, 10-12-font size. Use a font such as Times New Roman or Courier
· List what happened as the result of your work.
· Lead with your strongest statement of your skills and qualifications
· Have a lot of white space on your resume, make it easy to read
· If you apply on line, have your resume as an attachment.
· Use some graphics that are easy to read, such as bold, capital letters, underline, italics, or boxes, etc. Your resume should have visual impact! However, do not do this if you are sending your resume by e-mail. See “Electronic and Internet Job Search” in the Career Development office for instructions on sending an internet friendly resume
· Save your resume on a disc or your hard drive
· Put your best foot forward, but never lie on a resume
· List accomplishments and skills
· Use 8 ½ x 11” paper
· Use a heavy bond, quality paper
· Correct all typographical, grammatical and spelling errors. Do not just rely on spell check. Have someone else proof your resume. The Office of Career Development at St. Kate’s can do this free of charge (651) 690-7830.
· Be neat, organized and professional.
· Use quantitative figures, such as percentages and measurable out comes to enhance your qualifications. For example, “Assisted in modalities with over 300 patients”.
· Use short, succinct sentences. Start sentences with action verbs. For example: “Managed patient caseload of twelve”
· Use a laser printer
· Always follow up sending your resume with a phone call two-three days after you send it.
· Attach your resume on top of your application
· Give your resume to all your networking contacts and follow up with them
· Bring extra copies of your resume to interviews

Do Not:

· Have a resume that’s hard to read
· Use personal pronouns such as “I” or “Me”
· Do not include personal information such as height, weight, age, etc.
· Do not change the tense of words in your resume
· Do not mention salary data
· You can be creative in your resume but do not try anything non-professional, such as perfumed or brightly colored paper

There are also web sites and software programs that can assist you in developing your resume.

APPLICATIONS

Whenever possible, use a resume instead of an application. If you do fill out an application or apply on line, be complete and list your skills that apply to the job description.

Your resume will be your first step towards working in a satisfying career in health care. For further assistance, contact the Personal and Career Development Center at (651) 690-8121.

Suggested Reading: (Located in room 359 of the Education Building)

What Color Is Your Parachute, Bolles, 10 Speed Press, Berkley, Ca. 2004

Damn Good Resume Catalogue, Yana Parker, 10 Speed Press, Berkley, Ca. 2002

High Impact Resumes & Letters, Krannich, Ronald L. & Banis, William J.,1995

Resumes for the Health Care Professional, Marino, Kim, 2000

Cool web sites:

http://www.rileyguide.com

http://www.collegegrad.com

Contact us: (651)690-8121