lets talk about resumes
Here at MatchNP, we review lots of resumes each week from providers interested in precepting and students interested in rotating with one of our providers. Resumes are super important to getting to the next step of the hiring process. Here are some dos and don'ts to help create a strong NP resume:
Dos
Tailor Your Resume for the Job: Customize your resume to match the specific job description. Highlight relevant experience, skills, and certifications for the NP role you're applying to. This is very important in the reviewers process of qualifying you as a candidate.
Use a Clear, Professional Format: We have seen a lot of colorful resumes with fancy layouts but opt for a clean and simple layout. Use clear headings, bullet points, and consistent fonts. This ensures easy readability and allows hiring managers to quickly find key information. Steer away from fancy fonts and colorful backgrounds.
Start with a Strong Professional Summary: Begin with a brief summary under your name that highlights your clinical expertise, years of experience, and any specialized skills relevant to the position. This gives a snapshot of your qualifications upfront.
Example:
"Compassionate and dedicated Nurse Practitioner with 5+ years of experience in family practice, specializing in preventive care and chronic disease management. Proven track record of collaborating with healthcare teams to improve patient outcomes."Highlight Clinical Experience: Focus on your hands-on experience. Include specific details about the settings you’ve worked in (e.g., family practice, pediatrics, or acute care) and the types of patients you’ve managed, and ages seen.
Example:
"Provided comprehensive care to 25+ patients per day in a fast-paced family practice setting, including diagnosing and managing chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes."Include Certifications and Licenses: Put your credentials at the top of the resume with your name. Clearly list all relevant certifications and licensure in a heading in the order of most applicable to the role you are applying for (e.g., RN, APRN, FNP-BC, state-specific NP license), as these are essential for the role. Include the license number and expiration dates.
Quantify Achievements: Use metrics to demonstrate the impact you’ve had in your previous roles. This can include patient outcomes, efficiency improvements, or patient satisfaction scores.
Example:
"Increased patient satisfaction scores by 15% through the implementation of a streamlined patient education process."Include Continuing Education: If you’ve participated in relevant continuing education courses, conferences, or workshops, include these to show your commitment to professional development.
Showcase Your Soft Skills: In addition to clinical skills, emphasize soft skills like communication, leadership, and collaboration, which are crucial for working in a healthcare team and with patients.
Don’ts
Avoid a Generic Objective Statement: Instead of stating that you’re "seeking a challenging position," use a professional summary that gives a clearer view of your qualifications and what you can offer.
Don't Overload with Technical Jargon: While medical terminology is important, avoid excessive use of complex jargon. Make sure your resume is understandable to a wide range of hiring managers and HR professionals.
Don't List Every Job Duty: Focus on your accomplishments rather than a lengthy list of job duties. Highlight what you achieved in your roles, not just what you were responsible for.
Avoid Including Irrelevant Work Experience: Skip detailing non-healthcare-related jobs unless they provided transferable skills, like customer service, leadership, or teamwork.
Don't Use Unprofessional Language or Tone: Keep your language professional and free of informal expressions. Avoid phrases like "helped out" or "worked with" in favor of stronger action verbs like "collaborated," "led," or "implemented."
Don't Use an Outdated or Unprofessional Email Address: Use a professional email address (e.g., firstname.lastname@email.com). Avoid informal or outdated email addresses.
Don't Make It Too Long: Limit your resume to 1–2 pages. Keep it concise while still emphasizing your most important qualifications and experience.
Don’t Neglect Proofreading: Spelling and grammar errors can be a red flag. Proofread carefully and have someone else review your resume for mistakes.
By following these tips, your NP resume will be professional, concise, and impactful, showcasing the qualifications and experience that make you a standout candidate. Good luck!