New Grad Nurse Resume Examples of 2023 - ResumeBuilder.com (2023)

New Grad Nursing Text-Only Resume Examples

Years of Experience

Tips for Writing a Better New Grad Nursing Resume

1. Brainstorm things you’re proud of, both in and outside college

The foundation for a great resume is your enthusiasm for the things that interest you. To start building that foundation, take 10 minutes to quickly brainstorm and write down your answer to this question: Which of your accomplishments from the past year, whether in school, practicum, work, volunteer work, or general life experience, makes you most proud?

When writing down your answers, do not worry about arranging them according to any resume conventions you already know. Your goal at this early stage isn’t to write a polished resume. It’s to gain momentum in the overall writing process and start generating the raw material from which you can make your best resume.

Once you’re done brainstorming highlights from the past year, you’ll want to repeat this process for the previous four years or so. Date each group of notes (e.g., “January 2022 to January 2023,” “January 2021 to January 2022,” etc.), and save and name the document something like “Resume Brainstorming.”

2. Filter information based on your goal

Following the brainstorming process above, save a copy of your document and then filter your information following your target nursing job. You can do so by taking it one detail at a time. With each point, answer the same yes-or-no question: Does this overlap with the types of things you’d be doing in your target job? If your answer is no, delete that detail. If yes, plan on including that detail in your final resume.

This filtering process reflects the most important thing to know about your resume: It shouldn’t be an overview of your experience but an overview of your relevant experience. It should take whatever shape is necessary to give the hiring manager a clear view of your background related to the job.

If you’re applying to several different types of nursing jobs, you’ll want to filter your information and create many versions of your resume. Making and using multiple resumes may seem tedious. However, it is far more frustrating to send out the same document to countless job postings and not receive a response. (If you stay focused on the yes-or-no question above, you can quickly run through your brainstorming notes each time.) With targeted resumes, you can gain traction in your search by showing each hiring manager why you’re a fit for their particular job opening and why they should call you promptly for an interview.

3. Strike the right tone

For nearly any piece of regular writing, it’s important to choose language that sets and maintains a clear tone or “voice.” That rule applies equally to your job search documents. Here’s a quick overview of the voice you should aim for on each one:

• Resume: formal, forthright
• Cover Letter: engaged, confident
• LinkedIn Profile: friendly, personable

To achieve a forthright voice on your resume, use simple sentences and straightforward accounts of your experience. Keep this advice in mind, especially when writing your Profile section, since you may be tempted (or think you need) to use terms like “Exceptional,” “Impressive,” or “Outstanding at,” when a more modest yet direct phrase like “Skilled at” is better.

Key Skills Hiring Managers Look for on New Grad Nursing Resumes

You can give your resume a big boost by adding keywords.

Most employers now use an applicant tracking system (ATS), which scans each submitted resume for keywords relevant to the job opening. When the ATS finds a resume with many relevant keywords, it flags the document for the hiring manager.

To make your resume ATS-friendly, add a keyword-rich “Skills” or “Expertise” section. Here are some common keywords for new grad nursing resumes:

NOTE: As the above list indicates, you should only use noun phrases in this section. Reserve personal attributes and adjectives (like “highly collaborative” or “strong work ethic”) for your Profile summary. Any time you’re unsure whether a term fits in this section, just plug it into the phrase “I’m skilled in [term].” If the term makes a correct sentence (“I’m skilled in team collaboration”), you can add it. But if it makes nonsense (“I’m skilled in highly collaborative”), leave it out.

Common Action Verbs for New Grad Nursing Resumes

One of the most frequent resume mistakes is using too few verbs. You may fall into repeating the same generic verb (say, “Manage”) many times. This repetition can distract the hiring manager and fail to show the varied nature of your experience. The following list will help you mix up the verbs on your new grad nursing resume:

How to Align Your New Grad Nursing Resume With a Job Posting

One thing unique to each job posting is any description of the hiring facility or organization. You can enhance your resume by tailoring it based on any details about the organization that resonates with you. Follow these four steps:

Step 1: Jot down a few notes on the type of work environment you like best. For instance, you may prefer an environment that’s:

— Collaborative
— Dynamic
— Fast-paced
— Patient-focused
— Process-oriented
— Progressive, forward-looking
— Quality-focused

Step 2: When you find an intriguing nursing job post, look for any details about the hiring facility or its work culture.

Step 3: Compare those details against your preferred work environment, highlighting any overlap.

Step 4: Add a line or two to your Profile emphasizing that similarity. For example, say you prefer a work environment that’s collaborative and patient focused. You find a posting saying “We are a team that places the patient experience at the center of every decision.” You can then add a Profile phrase such as “… recognized for effectively assisting patients with ADLs and providing quality care based on empathy and cultural awareness.”

This simple exercise can make your resume more accurately show why you’re a great fit for the role and why the hiring manager should call you for an interview.

More Resume & Cover Letter Resources

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that jobs for registered nurses will increase by about six percent between 2021 and 2031.

For more on finding opportunities in this field, check out the links below:

Resume examples

— Nursing Entry Level Resume Examples
— Medical Surgical Nurse Resume Examples
— Registered Nurse Resume Examples

Cover letter examples

— Entry-Level Nurse Cover Letter Examples
— Healthcare Cover Letter Examples
— Grad Nurse Cover Letter Examples

Advice on your job search

— The Nursing Career Ladder: CNA to LPN/LVN to RN
— How to Include Personal and Academic Projects on Your Resume
— How Far Back a Resume Should Go in 2023?