Travel nurses are in a unique position where is it expected and acceptable to change jobs every 13 weeks. When it comes to building your resume, it can be a bit difficult to figure out how to organize all the different jobs you have had. Our team is here to support you and we have gathered some helpful tips to help you build an awesome travel nurse resume!
Make sure your contact info is up to date
As you move from one location to the next with each of your contracts your address is likely to change. It’s important to have a “home base” and use that address on your resume. Although local travel positions are more based on your location, having a “home base” will be better than forgetting to change it every time you start a new contract.
Although this should be a no-brainer, make sure your phone number is accurate! Nowadays just about everyone has a cell phone, so this isn’t much of an issue. But if you ever change your phone number, make sure to update your resume!
Use a professional email. Emails are free to make so have one that you use for resumes. “Basketballking98” and “Disneyprinces12” or childhood nicknames might work for your personal accounts but aren’t professional for resumes. If you want to make it more memorable or unique, you can add a catchy word or two, for example, YourNameTravelRN@……com. Whatever you decide to make sure it is something you are proud to displace on a professional resume.
Organize your jobs based on travel agencies if possible
We understand that before starting with Alegiant Healthcare you might have worked with other agencies in the past. One of the most important things is to try to organize your resume by just a few companies, this is going to help you in 2 ways. First, it will shorten your resume from the potential 20 pages to just a few. Second, it shows commitment and longevity. Although your individual assignment may only be 13 weeks long, it can show that you have been with the same company for a while which can show employer loyalty and resiliency.
Highlight the skills that will be needed in our next position
Make sure to look at the job description and highlight your skill sets that match the description. For example, if you are applying for a position in a cardiac unit, show all the jobs in which you had worked with cardiac patients. Include your ability to read cardiac stripes and add any certifications or training that shows your skills as a cardiac nurse. It’s a great thing to show your skill sets that match the job you are applying for as well as show your willingness to be flexible. There are many details about the job, including what unit you will be placed in, whether it’s day or night shifts, or if you are willing to float, which can be negotiated in your contract, but you want to make sure you get to that negotiation table.
Update regularly
Keep your resume looking fresh by updating it on a regular basis. As we know time can go by fast, and if you are not actively updating your resume after each of your assignments, you can easily fall behind. This can be a big problem when someone asks you for a new one, and you have to basically make a new one while thinking about all the different things you have done on multiple assignments. It is extremely important to keep your references up to date as well. Some people con and go, they move, or change phone numbers. You want to make sure that if someone if calling for a reference, the person that they are reaching out to can still be reached and can attest to your skills and ability to be a nurse.
Travel nursing is one special case where it is a good thing to show the diversity and the ability to work in many different locations. Having a resume that is accurate, shows commitment, matches your unique skill set, and is always up to date can make the world of a difference and help you stand out, and allow you to get any travel job you want.
Our recruiters and account managers are always here to help build your resume so make sure to reach out if you have any questions! We hope you have found this article helpful! If you are interested in starting your travel med career, reach out to one of our recruiters or visit our jobs board today!