As a Registered Nurse, you’ll already have the appropriate qualifications, skills and training to work as a healthcare professional.

But how do you make yourself stand out as the best candidate and secure better-paid shifts? The answer… a well written and concise CV to demonstrate, that you not only have the practical qualities to be a nurse, you also have the personal qualities and experience which puts you above the rest.

In this post, we will give you some key tips to writing a CV which leads you to the success you deserve.

‘Successful CVs are logical, engaging and concise.’

This means that your CV has to make sense and be written in a coherent manner, be interesting and not too long!

Let’s begin with a checklist.

1. Personal Information

Your Name, Address and Contact details only. Do not add your marital status, your date of birth or nationality.  You don’t need this information and it is illegal for an employer to make a decision based on these factors.

2. Personal Statement

3 sentences selling your qualities, a brief overview of your key experiences and what motivates you.

3. Qualifications

We recommend starting from A-levels or an equivalent qualification, stating the places where you studied with dates from and to

4. Work Experience

We recommend relevant work experience only, and focus on the jobs which you have gained the most from. Anything over 10 years, you can still include it, but in a much more concise manner.

5. Training and short courses

Training is obviously mandatory for any nurse, however, any specialist training must be on your CV.

6. Interests and Hobbies

A short couple of sentences letting your future employer what you like to do in your spare time, things to prove you have a good work/life balance.

7. References

It is now common practice to write *references are available on request. This allows you to save space and ensures that your every prospective employer doesn’t keep bugging your referees.

8. Length

Ideally no more than 2 s ides of A4, keep it short and interesting.  Remember the purpose of a CV is to be powerful enough to help you get an interview where you will have the opportunity to expand on your points.

9. Layout

Clear, logical, flows nicely, easy to read.

10. Presentation

Organised, neat, uncluttered, professional.

11. Review

Use spellcheck and get at least 2 other people to proof read it!

12. Save as PDF

Saving your CV as a PDF is best practice

Remember to make your CV as interesting and as engaging as possible.  A prospective employer will potentially read through 100s of CVs so you have to ensure that yours stands out!