When newly qualified, it can be daunting to put together your very first nursing CV. Whether it’s a case of being unsure of what counts as experience, how long your CV should be, and what qualities that you have which you should cover, there are several factors to consider when putting together your first nursing CV.

Introduction to your nursing CV

Firstly, don’t fall into the trap of not putting the most relevant information first. At the top of your CV, ensure that you state when you graduated/are due to graduate, the title of the qualification, and also your NMC pin number if you have it – or when you expect to recieve it. This shows potential employers that you are eligible to work as a nurse and that this is a serious application.

Also, ensure that clear contact information is provided – your name, address, email, and contact number are important. If you are coming from overseas, ensure that you state if your current visa allows you to work in the UK.

How to show nursing experience on your CV when newly qualified

It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that, because this is your first time looking for nursing roles, that you dont have any experience. The fact is – you have lots! You will have learnt a lot when studying – from your lectures to your dissertation, you will have gained a wealth of knowledge.

Additionally, your nursing placements would have also given you first hand experience of caring for patients in a range of settings.

Ensure you highlight the most relevant experience

The trick to ensuring that your CV is noticed by your potential employer is to ensure that, when highlighting your experience, that you match the most relevant parts of the role which you are applying for.

Present relevant competencies such as the equipment you have used, the settings you have worked in, and the procedures you have undertaken and as far as possible match them to the nursing job description.

Don’t include unnecessary information

Keep your nursing CV concise and to the point. While it’s a good idea to include a brief personal statement which tells the reader a bit about you, try to avoid the CV cliches of listing attributes such as being ‘a good team player’. Instead, demonstrate this through your previous experience.

Proof Read!

Once you are happy with the content of your CV, ensure that you check it through for spelling or grammatical errors. Where possible, get a second person to take a look too, as it’s easy to miss your mistakes when you have been working on your CV for a while.

How to find a nursing role

So your CV is all set and ready to go! How do you go about finding your first nursing role? The ways to find nursing jobs are varied, and it can very much depend on what area you wish to specialise in.

If you are looking for an NHS nursing role – you can look on their website, to find suitable roles.

Jobs boards often advertise a range of nursing jobs, in a diverse range of areas, though it can be difficult to filter out the wheat from the chafe when searching.

It can be worth signing up instead to a nursing agency. 

If you are looking for your first nursing role in the West Midlands, Secure Healthcare Solutions have a wide range of nursing jobs available.