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These 10 Resume Blunders Will Kill Your Nursing Job Search

by CoreMedical Group

resume-mistakes.jpg

Are you a nurse looking for a new permanent or travel career opportunity? If so, you know that you need your resume to stand out from the rest of the crowd.

But sometimes standing out isn’t a good thing, especially if it’s because you've made a resume blunder. We’ve gathered information from our nursing recruiters here at CoreMedical Group on some of the worst resume blunders they’ve seen.

Don’t do the following on your resume if you want to advance in your healthcare career:

1. Spell your own name wrong.

Yes, this has happened! We were shocked when a candidate misspelled her own name on her resume by inadvertently switching two letters. Spelling your name incorrectly on a professional document such as a resume shows severe inattention to detail.

2. List your previous salaries.

One recruiter told us she recently saw a candidate list their previous salaries on their resume in bold. It made it look like all the nurse cared about was money, not providing quality care in a healthcare facility. Instead of focusing on money, focus on the high level of care you can provide. We will help you negotiate the best salary and benefits package available before placing you in a new job opportunity.

3. Use shorthand.

It's okay to use shorthand if you’re referring to the NICU or L&D department you last worked in. Those abbreviations are easily recognizable to your healthcare recruiter. But DON’T write something like, “I resolved a variety of med probs in the ER” on your resume. This isn’t a text message. Spell it out.

4. Leave out dates of employment.

This is surprisingly common. Your nursing recruiter can’t consider you for a new job opportunity without knowing exactly how much experience you have. Also, be sure to list both months and years. Stating that you were a nurse manager from 2010 to 2012 can read as either 2 or 3 years, depending on who is looking at the resume.

5. Rely solely on spellcheck.

Spell check isn’t going to catch everything. One of our recruiters told us she saw someone write that they were “detail orientated” when they meant “detail oriented.” Orientated is still a word, so spell check didn’t catch the mistake. A fresh set of eyes is ALWAYS a good thing. Make sure you have a friend, preferably in the healthcare field, give your resume a once-over before you send it off to a recruiter or employer.

6. Leave off your contact information.

We are told this happens TOO often . A recruiter will receive a great resume from someone who is very qualified, and there is no contact information on it. No email, no phone number, no LinkedIn profile link... nothing! As a career placement agency, we sometimes receive resumes from third parties such as Monster.com. When that is the case, there is no way we can get in touch with a candidate if there is no contact information on the actual resume.

7. Use incorrect acronyms.

This is very common as well. Remember: It's HIPAA, not HIPPA.

8. Be inconsistent.

One recruiter said it raised red flags for him when the nurse’s resume wasn’t consistent with the her LinkedIn profile. It is so important to be consistent in your job search so there are no questions about the truthfulness of the information on your resume.

9. List the reasons for leaving your previous jobs.

This may seem like a no-brainer to many, but it still happens. One recruiter told us that a nurse who listed the reasons for leaving her previous jobs on her resume made her sound defensive. You definitely don’t want to come across in that light when you’re looking for a new job. Keep it positive and only highlight your experience. That is what is important.

10. Provide an unprofessional sounding email address.

KrazyClubbinGurl@aol.com on a resume isn’t going to land you a great nursing job. End of story. It's free to create a new email account on Gmail or Yahoo. Take 5 minutes to create an email address that sounds professional, preferably with your first and last name, and check it frequently during your job search.

Don't let your resume end up in the trash! As long as you don’t make these big mistakes on your resume, you have a much better chance of being noticed by a nurse recruiter or a healthcare facility. 

If you choose to work with a CoreMedical Group recruiter, you will be provided with resume assistance as well as interview preparation and salary negotiation. It’s all part of the nursing career placement services we provide free of charge.

Looking for a new nursing job with better work/life balance, benefits, and salary? We’ve been placing nurses, allied health professionals, and physicians in new career opportunities at leading hospitals for more than 25 years. Search our current openings or contact a recruiter at 800-995-2673 if you have any questions about our services!

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