Balancing Qualifications and Personality in a Nursing Resume
Don't be shy about thoroughly listing your skills when applying for a nursing position. The more experience you have under your belt, the less training you will require, and the more likely it is that you will be hired. Just make sure your qualifications are portrayed clearly in your resume. Choose your words carefully, going for words that are high-impact and results-oriented, and you should succeed in getting noticed and getting that interview call.

	The nursing profession is just as much about what kind of person you are as what you are capable of doing.

When applying for jobs within the nursing industry, the main focus behind writing your resume is to highlight the skills and experience that will draw the attention of potential employers. One of the best steps you can take to create a resume for nursing jobs is to create a master resume that includes all of the experience and qualifications that you have gained throughout your entire career, from your professional and educational experience, regardless of whether it is related to nursing or not. This way, when you sit down to draft a resume for a specific nursing position, you can draw information from your master resume to tailor it to job requirements.

Your resume should not be any longer than one page unless you have extensive experience in the field. One page resumes are appropriate for entry level applicants or those who looking to switch career fields. This will allow you to put emphasis only on the best transferable skills, which are skills acquired in previous jobs (even in a completely different industry) that are directly applicable to the position you are seeking.

Your profile statement should summarize the skills you have to offer and how you will benefit the potential employer. Use solid adjectives like "dedicated," "solidly credentialed," and "diversely experienced" to define your experience, as well as specific details like "registered with twelve years of experience" and "comprehensive background in oncology, ER nursing and pediatric nursing".

Considering the special skills, background and expertise that are required in the nursing industry, you should always list the education and training you’ve had, especially if they can be applied to the nursing industry. Your educational background will demonstrate your proficiency in the field, as well as provide insight into your personality depending on the details you provide, letting a potential employer know how well you will work with patients, colleagues and families.

Your sensitivity and personality, which determine how capable you are at working with patients, families and colleagues when a caring and nurturing nurse is needed most.

The professional experience section of your resume should describe in detail your duties and responsibilities held that apply to the job you are applying for. You should also mention any special accomplishments, detailing any instances where you have gone above and beyond to meet the needs of your employer. Think of key areas of improvement, such as improving workflow, saving time or money, generating additional revenue, enhancing patient satisfaction, training employees, managing inventory, building positive relationships and so on and so forth.

Using strong verbs and industry-specific language is a good way to show potential employers you are familiar with the industry. Some examples are: "Capable of remaining calm and professional during critical moments," and "Strong skills in analytics allow for easy assessment of conditions and speedy implementation of appropriate intervention."

The nursing profession is just as much about what kind of person you are as what you are capable of doing. Your nursing industry specific resume must be able to reflect two different facets of your capabilities, both which will impact your ability to get a job within this field:

• Your ability to perform your job at the highest possible level, measured by educational background, certifications, and other skills and capabilities,
• Your sensitivity and personality, which determine how capable you are at working with patients, families and colleagues when a caring and nurturing nurse is needed most.

Both of these details are extremely important to a nursing job so it is important to provide a proper balance of the two. Make sure to tailor your resume not only to the industry of nursing, but also specifically to the employer that you are hoping to work with. Every nursing career is a combination of both clinical skills and a nurturing personality, and it is up to you to reflect both in your resume. Doing this will help you to stand out from the crowd in the nursing application process.