Anatomy of a Resume’

Accomplishing Resume’ Success

Information taken from articles in ADVANCE for Healthcare Careers

By authors Nick Schaefer and Linda Jones

Starting Your Resume’

• There is no right or wrong way to set up a resume’

• Important features:– Easy to follow– Information of most interest to the reader is easy

to find

Basic Structure

• At the top: • 1. Name and Contact information– Minimal information: Name, email address, phone

number– Other: Name, home address (complete), phone

number (home, mobile, work [if appropriate]), email address

Introductory Statement

• Can be in the form of an “objective” or “summary”– Objective: states why you are sending the

resume’; confirms specific position that you are applying for; confirms that you have the right skills and education to accept the position

– Professional Summary: allow you to mention relevant experience early in the resume’. Especially useful for those with more extensive work histories.

Example

• Objective:

“To obtain a position as a new nurse on a skilled unit where I can use my education and clinical experience to care for patients and further my skills and knowledge.”

Example

• Professional Summary:

“Clinical expert with 25 years of nursing experience in all settings including ED. Successfully managed staffs of up to 20 FTE’s. Recognized as effective public educator, public speaker, and published author.”

Basic Structure (cont.)

• 2. Educational Experience:– List the school, program, month/year of

graduation– Include GPA if 3.5 or higher– Include honors, scholarships, and relevant

activities• Mention if you had a leadership position

Next….

• 3. Clinical Experience:– Facility, unit, dates– May want to include details about some of your

rotations• 4. Experience relevant to your field– Paid or volunteer5. Experience outside your field

- List transferable skills not tasks you’ve performed

Other

• 6. Additional skills or certifications– These make you a strong candidate and/or stand

out from the rest– Should be relevant to the job• not hobbies or personal information

Accomplishments

• Your accomplishments are what distinguish you from your competitors

• Where applicable:– Highlight your accomplishments– Don’t merely describe your duties– Use action words: participated, spearheaded,

supervised, planned, organized, directed, etc.• Focus on how you show initiative

Responsibilities vs Accomplishments

• Duties: general scope of your job (responsibilities)

• Accomplishments: give specific examples of tasks you’ve finished

Example

• Duties/Responsibilities presentation:– “Supervised staff and coordinated activities for a

large hospital.”

• Accomplishment statement:– “Supervised 3 telephone triage nurses and 10

appointment clerks. Planned, organized, and directed activities to enhance accessibility and ensure quality care for over 90,000 beneficiaries and their families.”

Other

• Avoid general statements that are not supported by facts:– “Thrive in fast-paced environment”– Rather, give a concrete example of an

accomplishment that demanded fast-paced activity.

Keeping Track

• Once you start a job, start keeping track of your accomplishments– Keep a log in a notebook or on the computer– Ask yourself: • What special things did I do to set myself apart?• How did I take initiative?• What am I most proud of in each job?• Will I leave this employer better off than when I came?

Finally,

• Accomplishments usually begin with action verbs

• These statements provide 2 pieces of information: – 1. tells what you did– 2. tells what the result was

• Let yourself shine through your accomplishments – you’ll be the one getting the offer!