NurseWeek/HealthWeek|1998 Career Guide

Polish
your resume

by Michelle Lau
August 27, 1998
Illustration by Malcolm Garris

Yana Parker reads resumes almost every day. Not because she’s a recruiter, but because she specializes in helping job-seekers whip their resumes into shape. She’s been offering job advice for the last 20 years and is the author of five career-related books, including Damn Good Resumes Guide: A Crash Course in Resume Writing (Ten Speed Press).

Q: What advice would you give to nurses about finding a job?

A: It’s not much different for nurses than it is for everyone else. The first thing they need to remember is that the person who gets the job is not necessarily the person who is best qualified, but the person who is best able to sell herself to the employer as a desirable team member. So, in the beginning, job-hunting skills are just as important as nursing skills.

You have to keep in mind that a resume is a selling tool, and you have to use marketing approaches. What that means is that the employers are tuned into this internal radio station called WIIFM — that’s What’s In It For Me? And you have to be prepared to answer that question so that you don’t present yourself as a job beggar. You have to go in there with pride and dignity, but know that you have something to offer to the employer because the employer wants to know "Why should I hire you?" It helps a lot if you could find out as much as possible about the employer in the first place so you are better able to present yourself as a solution to a problem they might have. There may be a particular hospital you want to work at; find out what the gossip is. In this case, it might be that they are short in certain kinds of things. And if you offer something in that area, it could make a difference. The employer wants to know that you are tuned in to their situation, not just your own.

Q: Why are informational interviews so important?

A: Employers want to hire somebody who will go right to work. And the person who is so green—who has never even looked farther ahead—is not that appealing to the employer. The person who is appealing is the one who has perhaps done the informational interviewing and knows what the scene is like. If you’ve gone in and done an informational interview, you’ll be a lot more self-confident.

An informational interview just consists of finding somebody who has a job that is very much like the one you want. It’s asking them for 20 minutes of their time and going to visit them at their job. It’s shadowing them to see the actual environment. And to ask them what they like and don’t like about it, what does a successful candidate have to be like to get this kind of job, what does it pay, and what are the opportunities for advancement, and what kind of ongoing education is required. In other words, demystify that whole thing so that when you get to that interview, you don’t feel so green. Plus, you get a better idea if that’s the area you really want to go in once you get that insider’s point of view. You might find out that’s not the right place for you.

Q: What makes a good resume?

A: Putting a heavy, clear target at the top. Making it really easy for the employer to get the key points, like using action words at the beginning of the line. And creating images of you successfully doing the job.

Q: What is the worst mistake to make on resume?

A: The worst thing you can do is give a "me, me, me" impression, like you are only thinking of yourself. You need to be proud of your accomplishments, but on the other hand, you need to be thinking ahead about the job you are going to. Imagine yourself already on the job making a valuable contribution. Build that image in your mind, and then build that image in the employer’s mind.

Q: How can nurses with associate degrees play up their attributes to compete with nurses who hold higher degrees?

A: You can focus on what you have to contribute and what your actual skills are. You can talk about the classes you’ve completed, what kind of equipment you know how to use, or what protocols or medical procedures you are skilled in. Do you have any recognition or awards either for academic or clinical accomplishments? Or do you have any references from people who are respected in the field? You need to give them a lot of hard evidence of your skills, particularly if it shows that you have skills that are usually associated with a higher degree.

For more information

Call Yana Parker, (510) 658-9229, or visit her Web site.

To order Damn Good Resume; Guide: A Crash Course in Resume Writing for $12.99 (including shipping and handling and tax), call NurseWeek, (800) 859-2091, ext. 132 or 129.