Be thorough and don’t be afraid to go too far back if you need to in order to demonstrate your skills, but try to keep it to a minimum of two pages

Provide a Summary of Qualifications that gives an overview of why you are the best candidate for the job

Spell check

Keep it up to date after each assignment with information like unit size and the duties you had when you were there

Use keywords you know employers will be looking for when they search for candidates online; for example don’t just type Emergency Room, instead put Emergency Room (ER)

Include any volunteer work you have done that you think uniquely qualifies you for the job; Let your personality shine through, briefly include a short section about your interests relating to your profession.

Spell check (again)

Use simple fonts

Add an Expertise Section that lists your key skills in your specialty

Be detailed, the more info you provide about your experience and skills the easier it will be for your Career Consultant to find you the job you want

List specific contributions you have made to each employer like training programs you spearheaded or practices you help put in place

Highlight your nursing licenses, certifications and academic achievements

Use chronological order in listing your past jobs

List the type of facility you worked at when listing your jobs i.e. Magnet, Teaching, Trauma, etc.

Keep it short and concise. Use bullet points to make it easy for a hiring or nurse manager to quickly scan

Use a professional email address. Keep it simple – using your name is best.