New Grad Nurse Resume Builder
Turn your clinical rotations into a professional new grad nurse resume that gets interviews. No work history required — our builder transforms your nursing education into compelling experience.
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Not knowing how to write clinical rotations as work experience
Getting rejected by ATS systems before a human even sees your resume
Writing an objective statement that doesn't sound generic
How to Write a New Grad Nurse Resume
Writing a new grad nursing resume is different from experienced nurses. Your clinical rotations, education, and certifications are your strongest assets. Follow these five steps to build a resume that lands interviews.
Write a Strong Professional Summary
Your summary is the first thing hiring managers read. As a new graduate nurse, focus on your degree, total clinical hours, key certifications, and target specialty. Avoid generic phrases like "seeking a position" — instead, lead with what you bring to the team.
Strong Example:
"BSN-prepared registered nurse with 700+ clinical hours across Med-Surg, Telemetry, and ICU rotations at a Level I trauma center. BLS and ACLS certified with hands-on experience managing 4-6 patients per shift. Seeking a Med-Surg residency position to apply strong patient assessment and EMR documentation skills."
Format Clinical Rotations as Professional Experience
This is the most important section of your new grad nurse resume. Treat each clinical rotation like a job entry: include the unit type, facility name, hours completed, and 3-5 bullet points that start with action verbs. Quantify whenever possible — patient count, hours, specific equipment used.
Med-Surg Clinical Rotation
Memorial Hermann Hospital — Level I Teaching Hospital | 120 hours
- • Provided comprehensive nursing care for 4-6 patients per shift including assessments, medication administration, and wound care
- • Administered oral, subcutaneous, and IV medications using Pyxis MedStation dispensing system
- • Documented patient assessments, care plans, and nursing interventions in Epic EMR
Highlight Education and Certifications
As a new graduate, your education section carries significant weight. Include your nursing degree (BSN or ADN), school name, graduation date, GPA if 3.5 or higher, and any honors. List all certifications — BLS is mandatory, and ACLS or PALS will set you apart from other new grad applicants.
Build a Targeted Skills Section
Group your skills into Clinical (patient assessment, medication administration, wound care), Technical (Epic, Cerner, Pyxis), and Interpersonal (SBAR communication, patient education). Mirror the skills listed in the job posting — this helps your new grad nurse resume pass ATS keyword filters.
Optimize for Hospital ATS Systems
Most hospitals use Applicant Tracking Systems to filter resumes before a human ever sees them. Use standard section headers (Professional Summary, Clinical Experience, Education, Certifications, Skills), avoid graphics or tables, and include keywords from the job posting. Save your resume as a PDF to preserve formatting.
Before & After: New Grad Resume Bullets
See how we transform basic rotation info into compelling resume content
Did clinicals at hospital
Completed 120-hour Medical-Surgical clinical rotation at UCLA Medical Center, a 570-bed Level I teaching hospital, providing comprehensive patient care for 4-6 patients per shift including vital signs monitoring, medication administration, wound care, and patient education.
Good at communication and teamwork
Practiced SBAR communication technique during interdisciplinary rounds with attending physicians, charge nurses, and respiratory therapists to coordinate care plans for post-surgical patients.
I am a new grad nurse looking for a job
Compassionate BSN-prepared new graduate nurse with 680 clinical hours across Med-Surg, Pediatric, and Telemetry units. BLS and ACLS certified with demonstrated proficiency in Epic EMR documentation and patient assessment.
Top Skills for a New Grad Nurse Resume
Include a mix of clinical, technical, and interpersonal skills on your new grad nursing resume. Match these to the job posting for best ATS results.
Clinical Skills
Technical & Soft Skills
Try It Now — Generate a Resume Bullet
Select your clinical rotation details and see how our builder writes professional experience bullets for your new grad nurse resume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need work experience for a new grad nurse resume?
No. Your clinical rotations are your experience. Format each rotation like a job entry with the facility name, unit type, hours completed, and 3-5 bullet points. If you also worked as a CNA, medical assistant, or patient care tech during school, include that work experience as well.
How long should a new grad nursing resume be?
One page. As a new graduate nurse, you do not have enough experience to justify two pages. Focus on your strongest clinical rotations, education, certifications, and relevant skills. A concise, well-organized one-page resume is more effective than a padded two-page document.
Should I use an objective or a professional summary?
Use a professional summary. Objectives focus on what you want; summaries highlight what you offer. A strong summary for a new grad nurse resume mentions your degree, total clinical hours, key certifications, and target specialty in 2-3 sentences.
What certifications should new grad nurses include on their resume?
BLS (Basic Life Support) is mandatory for every nursing resume. ACLS is highly valued for acute care positions and sets you apart from other new grad applicants. PALS is important if you are applying to Pediatric or Emergency Department positions. Include your RN license number and state once you pass NCLEX.
How do I make my new grad nurse resume stand out?
Quantify your clinical experience — include patient counts, hours, and specific equipment you used. Mention the EMR system you documented in (Epic, Cerner, Meditech). Tailor your resume to each job posting by matching keywords. If you have preceptor feedback or awards, include those as well.
What is the best format for a new grad nursing resume?
Use a reverse-chronological format with these sections in order: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Clinical Rotations (as experience), Education, Certifications, and Skills. Use a clean, single-column ATS-friendly template — avoid graphics, tables, and unusual fonts that confuse hospital hiring systems.
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