3 Choices for the Best Resume

Whether you are a recent graduate hitting the job market or an experienced nurse looking for something new, a polished resume is one of your best assets.

But how do you know exactly what makes a polished resume? Is it worth it to do it on your own or is it better to hire someone and have it professionally done?

There are a few ways to achieve the end goal of having a resume that fits you and that includes both your work history and your personality. While a resume needs to be clean and polished and, yes, fairly short, that doesn’t mean it has to be boring.

1. Do It Yourself

There’s no law saying you have to have someone else do your resume. Plenty of people write their own resumes and do them expertly enough that no one could tell it wasn’t professionally done. If you choose to do your own resume, make sure you take the time to look online at sample nursing resumes. Get an idea of what they should look like, sound like, and what you should include or leave off.

And it should go without saying—the more eyes on your resume the less chance there is of a spelling error or an incorrect word slipping though. Read your resume out loud to catch anything that could sound odd. Double check all your dates and make sure your titles are correct.

2. Visit Your School’s Career Counseling Office

If you’re a new nurse, your best option is to head straight over to your college’s career counseling center. Not only do they know what a good resume looks like, but they know what employers are looking for in new grads. They will help you figure out what extracurricular activities will help show your job preparation and which ones you should just leave off.

Even if you have been out of school for 20 years, you alma mater’s career counseling office will usually help you out without any cost. This is a huge benefit many people forget about, but one that’s very helpful. And nursing schools know nurses – not everyone gets it in the same way.

3. Pay a Pro to Do It

If you have a lengthy resume with lots of complicated or leadership positions, hiring a pro who is familiar with nursing resumes is a good idea. A pro will keep your resume short enough to keep it out of the automatic slush pile, but informative enough to include all the important details. They know the key words employers are looking for and will use them in the right places.

If you’re at a high level and going for a competitive role, hiring a pro can elevate your experience and increase your job prospects. And pros often keep resumes on file, so they can work with you through the years as your career changes.

No matter what method you choose to have your resume written, make sure it’s the best one for you. Pick the choice that’s most comfortable and effective.

Good luck!