6 New Grad Nursing Resume Examples + How To Write

Written By: Donna Reese MSN, RN, CSN

Are you a new grad nurse or about to complete your nursing degree? If so, congratulations on your impressive accomplishment! At this point, you may be wondering what is your next action in the strategy to secure a job. If so, read on for vital information to help you successfully navigate the unchartered territory of finding employment as a nurse. Preparing a top-notch resume is an essential step in securing a position after graduation. When thinking about how to compose a resume, you might ask, what are some exceptional examples of new grad nursing resumes?

This article, 6 best new grad nursing resume examples, will guide you through the process of creating a professional new grad nursing resume that is sure to impress. Additionally, well-structured resume examples will visually aid you in designing your resume that is sure to catch the eye of your future employer.

What Exactly Is A New Grad Nursing Resume?

A new grad nursing resume is a written profile of qualifications, education, and experience that a new RN writes for a first nursing job. The best place to begin writing a new graduate nurse resume is by understanding exactly what this document is and the difference between an experienced nurse and a beginner nurse resume.

New grad nursing resumes focus on college clinical and academic experience and personal traits that highlight attributes that a potential employer will find desirable in a new nurse. Previous college and high school work experience can be included to showcase a positive work ethic and any related medical background, such as working as a nurse's aide.

As a new RN grad, my resume included both candy striper and nursing home aide experience. I was also fortunate to have worked a private duty job for an older woman (where I was paid exceptionally well for an 18-year-old college student). These nurse “related” positions undoubtedly helped give me a leg-up over other new grad nurses who were inexperienced in the actual healthcare realm.

RECOMMENDED ONLINE MSN PROGRAMS

How Is A New Grad Nursing Resume Different From An Experienced Nursing Resume?

As you may be aware, an experienced nurse's resume aims to include relevant nursing jobs and attributes that highlight on-the-job traits that exemplify excellent nursing examples. For instance, as a seasoned nurse of many years, I would not include my (long ago) college clinical or academic information in my resume. Instead, I would focus on my vast pediatric and home health nurse background and highlight the leadership, writing, and organizational skills that I picked up along the way as a nurse.

As described earlier, a nurse who has just graduated concentrates on college clinical and academic information to fill a resume.

Both a new grad RN resume and that of an experienced nurse showcase the best attributes and experience, but each concentrates on different areas based on nursing background. The goal either way is to make you shine as a prospective employee and sell yourself as the best candidate in the pool of applicants.

4 Reasons Why An Exceptional Resume Makes A Difference To New Grad Nurses

An exceptional resume can make the difference between getting the job or languishing as an unemployed new RN.

To land your first nursing position quickly, read on to learn a few tricks that will propel you to the top of the list for new nurse hires.

1. You may be competing with experienced nurses-

Your exemplary character, ability, and willingness to learn new concepts and skills need to shout out loud and clear via your resume to outshine the competition of nurses who have the edge due to nursing experience in the field. It is not unheard of for an eager and passionate grad nurse to land a job over one with experience if you can convince your future employer that you are worth the risk.

2. There may be many candidates-

Depending on where you want to work, there may be over a hundred applicants for a position. With the current nursing shortage, this problem has lessened, but there are still many nursing possibilities out there where the competition is steep.

3. Highlights new skills-

Recent grad RNs come with fresh skills and concepts. Your new grad nursing resume should highlight these areas to showcase how you can add to the pool of expertise in your first job.

4. Helps to get your foot in the door-

By providing an exceptional resume, you are more likely to attain a first interview. You need to put your best foot forward right from the start to land the all-important first nursing job. After all of your hard work in nursing school, the next most crucial step is a quality and provoking resume to take you to the interview process.

WHAT ARE SOME EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLES OF NEW GRAD NURSING RESUMES?

(The following 6 exceptional new graduate nurse resume examples illustrate ideas to be included in a well-prepared new grad nursing resume that will work for you in 2024. Content can be made more visually appealing by adding spacing and dividing lines that can be found in many different online template styles.)

Example #1: Resume of Diane Joyner

Example #2: Resume of Jan Beck

Example #3: Resume of Joan Zimmerman

Example #4: Resume of Lizzie Arndt

Example #5: Resume of Lynn Horton

Example #6: Resume of Paul Linney

HOW TO WRITE AN EXCEPTIONAL NEW GRAD RN RESUME?

(The following are the 12 steps to write an exceptional new grad RN resume that stands out in 2024.)

1. Proper format

There are many different formats for new grad nursing resumes, some basic and others more showy. Unless you are applying for a creative job such as a web designer, choosing a resume template or format that illustrates your artistic side is unnecessary. Although a fun design may be appealing, nurses should provide a simple, clear, concise, and informative new grad RN resume in a more traditional layout. There are many templates to choose from (see FAQs for examples at the end of this article).

No matter which template you choose, it is recommended that all nurses follow the same rules for format:

• Your name and contact information at the top of the page
• Easy to read (not fancy) fonts such as New Times Roman, Arial, and Calibri
• Font size 11 or12
• Stay consistent in fonts and style types
• Be concise
• No abbreviations or slang

2. Summary or objective

Next comes the objective or summary that is personalized for the registered nurse position that you seek. You should look at examples of objectives to get a good feel for what to include. Since this is the first item your prospective employer will read, you want to write something noteworthy and not too general. The summary or goal should serve as a brief picture of who you are and why you are a great candidate. Remember to tailor this objective to the particular job and institution where you apply. This is one area of your resume that you may frequently be updating depending on how many jobs resumes you send out.

An effective new grad nursing resume objective should be 1 to 3 sentences and include:

• Professional goals
• Name of unit and institution where you are applying
• Nursing skills and qualities pertinent to the position
• Degrees and professional certifications

3. Licenses and credentialing

Although you don't have to prepare your new grad RN resume in the order that I am outlining, it is recommended that education and licensing be listed first. For the licenses and credentialing section, you will want to include:

• The full name of your license or certification
• Institution or body that issued license

If you have not graduated or do not have your RN license or any credentials yet, do not add this section to your resume.

4. Education

Another major section in a new graduate nurse's resume is your education. Nurse employers are always curious about where nurses attended school and are particularly excited to see one from their alma mater. Although all-new BSN grads have similar credentials and educational background, each nurse recruiter or supervisor has their own opinion as to top institutions for the training of RNs.

You need to list each college you have attended, even if it was not for your nursing degree.

Items to include are:

• Official school name
• Location of the school
• Dates you attended or graduated
• Degree that you completed

5. Clinical rotations

Since you do not have any work experience as a nurse, your clinical rotations are essential to include in your new grad RN resume to highlight your exposure to nursing and patients as a student. This area of your training is especially vital in our current times due to the interruption of clinical placements during the covid pandemic. With new grad nurses graduating with limited clinical experience coming to the floors, there is much skepticism about the quality of new RN clinical skills and nursing expertise. You will need to prove on your resume that you are a well-prepared and knowledgeable graduate nurse to sell yourself as a worthy prospective employee.

Include the following for each clinical rotation that you completed:

• The type of the clinical rotation
• Dates of the rotation and total hours completed
• Name of institution (and city/state) of clinical
• Name of unit you worked on

To personalize this section, you can include patient type, any noteworthy information about the hospital or unit, and your grade, if exemplary.

6. Work history

Hopefully, you have some work experience to add to this section. Healthcare-related jobs should be showcased. But for a new grad nursing resume, any positions you have held in your life can be included. You want to prove that you are a willing employee with a good work ethic and not afraid to hold down a responsible job.

I included my waitressing experience as well as my work as a CNA. For anyone who has waited on tables, it is apparent that you have people skills and sometimes work under pressure. Both of these abilities are great traits for a successful nurse. You can even mention some of the skills you picked up on the job, such as problem-solving, and leadership, etc.

On your resume, list the following for each job that you worked:

• Position held, then the name of the company/organization where you worked and the city and state with starting and ending date of hire
• In a few words, describe the job

7. Volunteerism

List all notable volunteer positions and activities under their own heading. Donating your time to help others shows a compassionate and caring nurse with an altruistic nature. Employers are interested and impressed by potential new grad RNs who spend time volunteering. Sometimes, your volunteer activities may match some of a future employer's interests, and you can form a connection on this one aspect alone, giving you a step up in the hiring process.

Follow the same format as in your work history section (listed above) for this part of your resume.

Don’t forget to include any activities that may qualify for volunteerism while in college and high school. Some examples of volunteer participation that I included on my new grad RN resume are as follows:

• Church bake sales, nursery work, chicken BBQ worker, soup kitchen, and vacation bible school assistant
• Hospital candy striper
• Homecoming committee
• Musical lighting and props
• Prepped dinners for a homeless shelter
• Assistant to professor
• Staffed nursing department booth for college fairs
• Blood pressure checks for health fairs
• Assisted with blood drives on campus

These ideas are just a sprinkling of what you can list under the volunteer category on a new graduate nurse's resume.

8. Honors and awards

Hopefully, you have a good memory or have been keeping a list of all of the awards and honors that you have achieved over the years. Here is your chance to highlight why others found you an exceptional student and human being. Bragging rights are on the table, so don’t hold back. In today’s competitive market, you want to gain an edge over your competition. By featuring your honors and awards, you will demonstrate that you are a cut above the other new grad RNs.

A bulleted list is an efficient way to illustrate your honors. If you are fortunate enough to have many honors and awards, you should choose the most relevant and impressive awards so as not to overwhelm your resume in this section.

There is some disagreement over whether or not to include your GPA on your resume. Your future employer will be getting a copy of your transcripts if they so desire. Many experts will advise you to take advantage of your excellent GPA and include it if you are at the top of your class.

Suppose you took an extraordinary class or studied abroad. In that case, it is worth mentioning in this section, or you can make a new section categorized as “additional skills or information” to fit the description.

As a nursing student, I was a consistent but average achiever. On the other hand, my roommate was a brilliant and top student. Although she was the pride of her professors, my roommate did not participate in any volunteer or college activities. In contrast, I was the vice-president of the student nurse’s association and was involved in many campus and volunteer activities. Although we did not go head-to-head for the same new grad nursing job, we both were hired quickly at our hospital of choice due to excelling in our own unique way.

The important take-away is that you need to illustrate where your strengths are on your resume. My roommate had a long docket of honors to add, while my extensive list was in the category of volunteer and work activities. Nursing employers look for different types of personalities and traits for each position so just be sure to emphasize your best points.

9. Skills/language summary

This section displays well in a bulleted list. Nurses who speak Spanish, Chinese or other languages are especially in demand, so don’t forget to add this skill if you have it. Even basic Spanish is helpful.

One of my first clinical rotations in my graduate program was in a Spanish heath center. I was pleased to have taken a few years of Spanish in high school and college to be able to communicate with the patients at least on a fundamental level. They appreciated my attempts to relate to them in their native language also. So even if you are not exceptionally proficient in a language, you can add in your new grad RN resume that you are adept at basic language skills. Bilingual nurses will always find a job.

10. Appropriate length

A new grad nursing resume should only be about one full page. Since you do not have actual nursing job experience to relate, the content length will be shorter than that of an experienced RN.

Once you have a rough resume draft, play around with the font size to adjust the content to fit the page. Stick with a font size of 11 or 12. See which size fills the page adequately so as not to have the words spill onto a 2nd page or, worse yet, a lot of white space left at the bottom. Nothing is worse than a resume that does not look like you have enough background and experience to fill one full page.

I recall having too much information for my new grad RN resume for just one page. I then returned to my draft and crafted a more concise document, carefully including only my most relevant information. I also applied an 11 font instead of 12 to make the contents visually appealing and smaller to fill the page appropriately.

11. Match your resume to the job

Although you may not be an exact match for your first RN job, due to lack of nursing experience, you most likely will have plenty of skills and classroom knowledge you can point out to tailor your resume to the job. You can start by personalizing your objective as a nurse (as specified above under the objective/summary section). Then build on your specific qualifications for that particular position throughout your resume.

For example, my first nursing job was in a hospital on a pediatric unit. As a mother, it behooved me to call attention to that important fact. Someone with personal experience as a parent is certainly a good candidate for a pediatric nursing position compared to a fresh nurse who does not know how to relate to children or parents. In addition, I highlighted my excellent clinical experience in pediatrics along with babysitting of several medically fragile children while in college. Although I had never worked as a pediatric nurse, I had some of the basic skills that should lead to nursing success on that particular job.

12. Proofread

Once you have a basic draft of your new grad nursing resume, it is time to proof it. Look over the tips above and compare them to expert examples of resumes. Hand over your draft to someone you know to be adept at grammar and experienced with writing or reading resumes. Getting feedback is essential for both grammar and content. Use grammar checking applications such as Grammarly and Microsoft editor.

Don’t make the mistake of having an excellent resume with solid content but has errors throughout. If you are a weak writer, consider having a friend write your resume or even an expert resume writer. Your resume is too important to allow for anything but perfection.

7 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Writing Your New Grad Nursing Resume

When preparing your new grad RN resume avoid these frequent mistakes that will push your resume to the bottom of the pile.

1. Not including non-work experience-

If you look at all of your skills and life experience, it is a good bet that many are non-work related. Shine a light on all of your positive traits, whether from work, school, home, volunteerism, passions, etc. You, in your entirety, are a valuable commodity that will seem less worthwhile as a nurse without all of the little pieces that make up you.

2. Being too modest-

Don’t make the mistake I made while in nursing school. I was brought up that modesty is a virtue. Tooting my own horn is uncomfortable for me and frankly goes against my teaching and nature.

In college, I learned a hard lesson that I should not have been so modest and hard on myself in one particular nursing class. For this module, we had to fill out a self-assessment of our performance. I was a leader in that course and enjoyed every second of it, putting my heart and soul into the patients and classwork. But I figured that since we were just students, we all had a lot to learn. I was uneasy grading myself above any of the other students. I wrongly surmised that since I was not an expert I should get an “average” grade. When the evaluation was tallied, it translated to a C. I later found out that my self-assessment grade was my final grade for a 12-credit class.

Looking back on this experience, I was silly and did not give myself credit where credit was due. It was the only C that I ever received, and it was my own fault due to feeling that it was wrong to flaunt my worth. This example was a bitter learning experience for me.

There are times that you do need to speak up for yourself and all of your accomplishments and outstanding traits. When searching for a nursing job, showcasing your talent and experience is what is expected to get the job. Too much modesty can be a fatal flaw when searching for a job.

3. Too wordy-

Rambling on or obviously padding your new grad nursing resume to make it look longer will only cause the reader to become disinterested in you as a potential candidate. Stick to as few words as possible to clearly and concisely get your point across.

4. Not personalized-

Your new grad nurse resume should not be a cookie-cutter version of an online template or example. Your words need to paint a vivid picture of who you are and why you are the best grad nurse for the position.

5. Leaving out accomplishments-

It is easy to write the basic duties of your previous jobs and background. But to highlight your impressive accomplishments, you need to detail how you went above and beyond that of your peers. List any unique or challenging accomplishments that may stand out.

6. Not customizing-

Remember to tailor your new grad nurse resume for each position you are applying for. The objective/summary should be the first place where you begin to revise your resume to better fit each job.

7. Not proofing-

As discussed above, don’t waste all of your good time and effort of resume prep by not double proofreading your resume. You can proofread it yourself first but always have a trusted colleague, friend, or professor do the final edits.

3 Consequences Of A Poorly Written New Grad RN Resume

A poorly written new graduate nurse resume is one of the top reasons job seekers may have difficulty finding work.

Here is why.

1. You may never get an interview-

Getting your foot in the door for an interview is an exciting and essential step to employment. You need to sell yourself on paper before you can convince an employer that they want to contact you for an interview. A well-prepared and provoking new grad nurse resume will help the employer become excited about you before you even meet.

2. Your resume sets the stage-

Preconceived visions of who you are can be either good or bad. You do not want an employer to have low expectations of you prior to your interview. Creating a written, vivid and alluring picture of you as a person and future nurse makes your chances of a successful interview even higher.

3. You may receive lower compensation-

Without written proof that you are a competent and top choice for an RN position, your chances for negotiating better pay and benefits are reduced. If there are no other applicants, you may get a job offer, but you can bet you will be offered only the standard and least desirable position.

My Final Thoughts

Do you feel more comfortable now answering the question of what are some exceptional examples of new grad nursing resumes? Hopefully, by reading examples of other new grad resumes, you have started to formulate your own ideas about what will make you stand out from other applicants.

Now that you have successfully graduated from nursing school, you should proudly proclaim all of your outstanding attributes. Your professional nursing resume should do just that. With the 6 best new grad nursing resume examples + how to write a polished and impressive resume, you have the tools to create a resume that will help to land you the job of your dreams. Good luck in preparing an outstanding resume and joining the greatest profession in the world!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY OUR EXPERT

1. What Is The Difference Between New Grad Nurse Resume And New Grad Nurse CV?

A resume is a concise summary of education and work experience. The new grad resume examples in this article represent how an excellent resume should look. On the other hand, a curriculum vitae (CV) is much more in-depth and, therefore, a longer document, typically 3-10 pages. At times, employers use these 2 names interchangeably. Certain countries and occupations prefer a CV over a resume. However, in the US, nursing positions typically expect a concise resume.

2. As A New Grad Nurse, When Should I Write My Resume?

It would be best to write your resume depending on when you plan to begin your job search. Some prefer to wait to look for an RN job until after they attain their RN license. Other nursing students are anxious to utilize their knowledge as soon as they graduate. Occasionally, new RNs have job offers even prior to graduation. Despite your plan to seek your first nursing job, it is best to begin to write your resume well ahead of time. You can even start to jot down notes for your resume at the onset of your first clinical to capture any positive feedback and highlight exemplary or unique experiences that you may forget to include later.

3. Do I Need A Different Resume For Each New Grad Nursing Job I Apply To?

No, you do not need a different resume for each new grad job where you apply. However, you should tweak it to fit the particulars of the position to increase your chances of hire. Specifically, look at your objective or summary to highlight keywords that will jump out favorably in the eyes of a particular specialty or employer. In addition, you may want to expand your clinical, work, and volunteer experience to convince your future employer that you have what it takes to be a great nurse at their institution.

4. How Long Is My New Grad Nursing Resume Good For?

Your new grad RN resume is acceptable to use as long as it is current. For instance, once you have a nursing job, you no longer need to include a section on clinical rotations. Instead, it would be best if you focused on your nursing experience. As you gain more experience, education, or anything essential to add to your resume, update it as needed.

5. How Many Words Should A Resume Be For A New Graduate Nurse?

New grad nurse resumes should fit one full page. The word count should be between 350 and 400 words.

6. How Much Time Does It Take To Write An Exceptional Resume For A New Grad Nurse?

Once you know the format and what to include in your new grad nurse resume, the actual writing should take approximately 1-2 hours. However, putting together a resume can be a challenge and often takes several attempts to achieve a polished resume. Unless you are a professional resume writer, it may be helpful to break down the process into smaller steps. First, write a very rough draft of the content. Then select a template to follow. Once you have filled in your essential information, tweak it to highlight your best attributes. Then proofread it. Once you have done your own edits, it is best to have 1 or 2 others give their input. Writing a professional and captivating resume takes time and should not be rushed.

7. What Is The Best Resume Format For New Grad Nurses?

The best advice for new grad nurse resume format is to keep it concise and straightforward. The structure outlined in this article is an excellent place to start, but there are many other acceptable layouts to follow that can be found online.

8. Should I Put My GPA On My New Grad Nurse Resume?

You can if you have achieved high grades. However, it is not necessary.

9. Should Skills Be On My New Grad Nurse Resume?

Some new nurses do include skills in their resumes. If you have enough room to include skills, it will not hurt to incorporate innovative or unique skills that you have acquired. However, employers assume that you have mastered basic nursing skills and, if included, may be interpreted as a waste of their time to read.

10. What Is A Good Objective For A New Grad Nursing Resume?

Choosing the best keywords is essential when formulating your objective. Tailor these words to highlight your best qualities and fit the particular position you are seeking. A good objective for new grad nurses is to show their passion along with a capacity and willingness to learn and adapt to a new environment.

11. How To List Registered Nurse License On My New Grad Nursing Resume?

Some sources recommend that you include your nursing license number in your resume, while others prefer to leave out that information. However, the consensus is to incorporate the following information for a new grad nursing resume:

• Full name of nursing license
• The body that issued the license
• Expiration date

12. Should I Put Clinical Experience On My New Grad Nursing Resume?

You should include clinical rotation information in your resume as a new grad nurse. Without actual nursing experience, your background gained as a nursing student is your only proof that you have any hands-on training as a nurse.

13. Should I Include Preceptorship On My New Grad Nursing Resume?

Yes, it is wise to include preceptorship in your new graduate nurse resume.

14. Can I Ask Someone Else To Write My New Graduate Nurse Resume?

Hiring a resume writer is an excellent idea if you are not a strong writer or want to be confident that you are submitting a top-notch professional new grad nurse resume. The extra few dollars to hire someone to prepare this essential tool for the next steps in your career may well be worth it. If you know someone experienced and knowledgeable with resume preparation, they may be another great choice to compose a quality document.

15. Is It A Good Idea To Use Ready Templates To Write My New Graduate Nurse Resume?

Tried and true resume templates are an easy and sure bet for creating a professional new grad RN resume.

16. Are There Any Online Apps Or Tools That Make Writing A Good Resume For A New Graduate Nurse Easy?

There are numerous online apps and tools to aid you in constructing an impressive new grad nurse resume that is sure to catch the attention of your potential employer. Resume Nerd has a simple 3 step approach to create a visually appealing and professional resume. Zety online resume builder offers a similar approach and has some free options.