Not focusing/ targeting your resume to the nursing role/specialty you are pursuing: If you are open to varied units/specialties, you must decide which specialty you will be targeting with which resume (yes, this does mean that you must have more than one resume if you are interested in more than one position/field).
Many nurses prepare one resume by listing experience, credentials, and education and they fail to prioritize, reweigh, focus, and promote their most qualifying information based on the specialty they are pursuing. This idea of targeting a resume could be a bit more confusing for nurses. After all, you are still pursuing a nursing career — so why target, right?
Allow me to clarify, if you’re an RN in a Cardio-Thoracic ICU and you would like to re-enter another specialty, you must write your resume to position yourself as a qualified candidate for this new specialty. Your resume must project you as a nurse in that particular specialty—yes, even in nursing! You must convince your perspective employer that you are ready to re-enter or transition into that particular medical field by using the right verbiage, promoting the right skills, and refocusing your resume.
As you know, all nurses follow some universal practices (nursing process, patient education, medication administration, charting etc.). However, you also know that each specialty is very different and specific in certain skills. A Psychiatric Nurse, L&D Nurse, ICU Nurse, Medical Surgical, Telemetry Nurse, and a Home Health Nurse has different sets of skills, accountabilities, and patients; they all have different focuses and resume keywords (jargon) that separate them from each other—your resume must mention those differences and use these different skills as promotional points! Remember that your resume is a marketing tool and marketing must be geared to your target audience. Make a connection by speaking the right lingo and selling the right skill in the right manner!
Rosa E. Vargas
Certified Resume Writer
rvargas@creatingprints.com
