Résumé or Curriculum Vitae ? You Need Both !
By Diane J . Mancino
Every senior nursing student is faced with writing a résumé in preparation for job applications . However , every nursing student should also be starting a curriculum vitae ( CV )— a record of one ’ s professional life ’ s course or path . Keeping a record of every aspect of a nursing career is easiest when it is started as a student . Although there are websites that offer convenient methods to keep track of one ’ s professional development ( such as the HealthStream Professional Portfolio TM ), a personal curriculum vitae is an essential document for every registered nurse to maintain throughout their career .
There are several differences between a résumé and a CV . A résumé is a summary — usually one page — that highlights the background and skills for a particular employment setting . It may be easily adjusted and revised to emphasize the qualifications required for a specific position you are seeking . Whereas a résumé is concise , a CV is more extensive and in-depth . A CV may start out as only a few pages and evolve into multiple pages as one ’ s career progresses . A CV basically captures everything a RN does during her / his nursing career .
The following is a simple format that can be utilized to establish a CV . Always start with the most recent activities . It should be easily printed on 8 1 / 2 x 11 paper . Be consistent : Use the same font and font size ( with the exception of your name ) throughout and bold or underlined type for headings . You may want to stick to commonly used fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial . Avoid using fancy fonts ; it may distract the readers ’ eyes from the actual content .
Name and contact information RN Licensure ( state [ s ] you are licensed in and year of licensure ) New York License # 12345 ( Issued June 2017 )
Employment History : dates ( month / year ) employed , name of employer , city / state , , title of position ( s ) held , sentence or two describing your responsibilities in broad terms . Example : 6 / 2018 – 8 / 2019 ABC Hospital , Mytown , NY , Certified Nursing Assistant , medical-surgical unit . Provided assistance with : personal hygiene ; activities of daily living ; promoted comfort and safety ; documented observations and care provided ; and maintained patient confidentiality .
Education History : dates attended , name of school , city / state , degree earned and year degree earned . Example : 2013 - 2017 . ABC University College of Nursing , Mytown , NY , Bachelor of Science in Nursing , 2017
Certifications : title of certification , issuing organization , start date and expiration ( renewal ) date Example : Certified Emergency Nurse , Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing , ( 2017-2020 )
Professional Organizations : voluntary associations that you currently hold membership in . Example : American Nurses Association ( 6 / 2018 – present )
Professional Activities and Community Service : include time frame ( month / year ), name of organization ; positions held ( i . e ., president , vice president , committee member , committee chair ) Example : National Student Nurses ’ Association , Resolutions Committee member ( 6 / 2016 – 4 / 2017 )
Publications : name of author ( you ), title of article , journal or book article is published in , volume and number if applicable , date of publication , and publisher . Example : Nurse , Nancy . My first year in the ER . Imprint , Vol . 60 : 1 . January 2014 , National Student Nurses ’ Association , Inc ., Publisher .
Awards and Honors : name of award / honor , name of organization issuing the honor / award and year received . Example : Sigma Theta Tau International , inducted 2016 .
Presentations : title or presentation , name of organization , date , location . Example : A Day in the Life of an ER Nurse , Emergency Nurses Association Conference , October 2017 , Indianapolis , IN .
Continuing Education : name of conference and sponsoring organization / company , city / state date . Example : Leadership Conference , Emergency Nurses Association , Phoenix , AZ , 4 / 2018 .
International Meetings Attended : conference name , sponsor , location , and date 1st Global Conference on Emergency Nursing and Trauma Care , Elsevier , Dublin , Ireland , 9 / 2019 .
Diane J . Mancino , EdD , RN , CAE , FAAN , is the Executive Director of NSNA . She is also the Executive Director for the Foundation of NSNA .
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