
What Does a Resume Look Like in 2023 (+Actionable Tips)
To land a perfect job, you need the best-looking resume. This guide will show you what should a good resume look like, and what you need to do to have one.
Want to help people get better, stat? With this RN resume sample, you will be in scrubs before you have time to check your pulse.
Healing is a process. Often, a long and painful process. Registered nurses bring their care, grace and knowledge to make that process as fast and easy as possible.
They are the frontline against disease, injury, and neglect.
This registered nurse resume will get you to the ward faster than you can perform a blood draw.
In this guide:
First check out this RN resume example:
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Are you writing a specific resume for RN jobs? See our other dedicated guides:
Tim Crawford
Registered Nurse
Personal Info
25 Old Town Road
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 312-009-8120
E-mail: timcrawford@gmail.com
Objective
Licensed RN with 4+ years of experience of sustaining 99% patient satisfaction at General Hospital. Provided daily care in a 25-bed oncological unit with not a day missed. Commended for 100% accuracy in documentation. In the past year, have been shadowed by two student nurses, who went on to get licensed as RNs. Seeking to provide world-class care in the intensive care unit at Greentree Hospital.
Experience
Registered Nurse
General Hospital
2016-present
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Santa Clara University
2012–2016
Certifications and Licensure
Languages
Skills
This RN resume doesn’t waste time in setting out exactly what Tim will bring to the ward.
Now here’s how to write a 120/80 RN resume:
Organization and tidiness must be part of the core skill set of any RN. That needs to shine through not only your words, but also the format of your RN resume.
Here’s the definitive guide to formatting your resume:
Now, get your gloves on.
How to start a resume the right way? Write a resume profile that summarizes your best achievements and put it just below your contact information.
Think of your resume profile as the patient status. What is the most vital information? Focus on backing up your experience with numbers. Don’t rattle off the list of your responsibilities, we know what RNs do. Focus on the impact you can make on your new ward.
Here’s how to write a striking resume summary.
See the difference?
The difference in the blood pressure of the nursing manager. The bad example provides no information about what you can do for your new employer, it just lists tasks that you do, which everyone knows.
What if you haven’t worked as a RN before, and have no experience?
Write a striking career objective that focuses on experience that is similar in type or nature, for example, volunteering or client-facing roles.
Expert Hint: You’re in luck! The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that in 2023, there will be more RN positions than any other profession. Make sure you have a perfect resume.
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This is arguably the most vital part of your registered nurse resume. It is easy to fall into the trap of rattling off a list of your responsibilities, which are obvious and commonly known. Instead, try to put a number on the amount and extent of things you handle.
That’s the best way to list work experience on a resume.
To write a heart-stopping RN job description:
The first of these RN resume samples is 120/80:
Experience
Registered Nurse
General Hospital
2016-present
What to do if you really don’t have the experience? Well, you were a student nurse, so you sure have some. Focus on those, and try to quantify them—this is something most entry-level nurses won’t think to do.
You could use a skills section to supplement this.
Use these RN resume skills to start:
Soft Skills
Hard Skills
Your education section is going to be pretty standard. Everyone gets a similar degree, and has to go on to get licensed anyway. Keep it concise. If you are really scarce on work experience, beef up your RN resume with a relevant coursework or achievements section.
This RN resume sample passes the diagnostics:
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Santa Clara University
2015–2019
Expert Hint: The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has published guidelines on displaying your credentials in the proper order: highest degree, licensure, state designations, national certifications, awards and honors, other recognitions. Structure your extra resume sections this way.
A registered nurse resume differs from others in that it must have added sections, since unless you are licensed and certified, you cannot practice this profession. See the expert tip above for exact guidelines on listing those.
When you’re done, you can try adding a few “other” sections.
Choose from:
This RN resume sample shows how:
Certifications and Licensure
Languages
Skills
Additional Activities
Remember, the license goes first.
One final step—
You need a nursing cover letter. About half of managers won’t read your resume without a RN cover letter attached.
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
Here’s how to make sure your RN resume gets checked in for observation:
Did you find our RN resume examples helpful? Did we help you get your private RN resume right? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply.
To land a perfect job, you need the best-looking resume. This guide will show you what should a good resume look like, and what you need to do to have one.
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False starts, knuckle-cracking, hair-pulling, and groaning are no way to spend an afternoon. Learn how to start a resume so you feel good, finish fast, and land the interview.