Employers' Resume Feedback
I just returned from a national conference and as I promised
you on my NP Career Coach Facebook page, I am going to report to you what
employers and recruiters are saying about the resumes they have been receiving
from our professions.
- Employers
can't hire you if they can't contact you. Recruiters tell me that a
startling number of candidates are neglecting to include their contact
information on their resumes. At a minimum, you need to include at least an
email address. Email has become the preferred method of contact so if you don't
have an email account, you should get one. Telephone numbers are important to
include as well. It's not the end of the world if you don't have your address
on your resume, but I am still recommending that job seekers include it.
- Not
enough specifics about your skill set. Employers want to know what skills
you possess and where you obtained these skills. This means if you are a
seasoned practitioner your skills should be under the job where you performed them.
If you are a new grad the skills employers are interested in hearing about are
the skills you obtained in your clinical rotations. Highlight those rotations
that provided you with the experience that fits the position you are seeking.
And be specific. They get it that you "assessed and provided quality care." What
they really want is for you to define and quantify your experiences.
- Cover
letters. Recruiters tell me they get some great resumes from some great
practitioners that may not be quite the right fit for the job they applied for BUT
may be right for a different position - that is IF the candidate is interested
in pursuing other opportunities. Employers have no way of knowing if you are
open to different positions, other specialties, relocation or travel positions
unless you tell them. Use your cover letter to share your aspirations and
interests if you want to stay on the radar for other openings.
The market is improving. I found a great deal of enthusiasm
and interest in hiring both NPs and PAs. While the employers did express a
desire to see some improvement in your resumes, they told me that you all still
did a better job than the physicians when it comes to your resumes. They told
me some tales of MDs submitting paper resumes that were outdated, and rather
than creating a new resume, the doc would write in (by hand) their most recent
information on their old resume!
You can download a
resume template from my website www.nursepractitionerjobsearch.com