NICU Nurse Resume Example
Pursuing a career as a NICU nurse provides opportunities for career progression and responsibilities involving providing family support and monitoring vital signs. If you want to stand out with your NICU nurse applications, you'll need to create a professional resume that makes a strong impression on employers. In this article, we'll discuss how to create a NICU nurse resume that catches the eye of employers, with tips and examples to help you write your own.
After reading this article, you'll feel confident creating a NICU nurse resume that effectively showcases your relevant skills and experience. You'll find useful insights on constructing a resume that makes the most of your unique skills, experience and strengths. You'll also learn how to tailor your resume according to the job description, and depending on your experience levels. Read on to learn the tips Jobseeker careers experts recommend as the best for your NICU nurse resume.
Core sections to include in a NICU nurse resume
A successful NICU nurse resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections.
If you have no work experience as a NICU nurse or have just started in the industry, you could consider using a functional or skills-based format, which emphasizes your skills and education. Likewise, an entry-level resume might focus more on soft and transferable skills, as well as details about internships, voluntary work or relevant training you've completed.
If you have some experience as a NICU nurse, use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format and focus on showing how you've used the skills required for the job in your career to date. Your resume should focus on your career achievements, and the role you've played in successful projects and activities for your employers. Consult the job description for guidance on what to showcase, and provide evidence to support your claims.
Senior job applications require a slightly different approach to mid-level or junior NICU nurse roles. Use a reverse-chronological format focusing on your work experience, with a particular emphasis on the impact you've made. Your senior resume will likely be more comprehensive than resumes for more junior roles. You can add extra details about your career, such as awards, publications presentations, professional memberships or certifications.
The order you present these sections can vary according to your career stage, but it's still essential to include each of the following:
Header and Personal Information
Your NICU nurse resume header should contain your name and contact details. These include your email address and phone number. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can also add that, to give employers the chance to learn more about your skills and experience. It's not necessary to include a photo or any other personal information. Make your resume header clear, concise and as brief and compact as possible. Consider different layouts that spread the information horizontally across the page rather than using a different line for each piece of information.
Make sure the email address you list in your header is professional-looking and doesn't contain any inappropriate content such as nicknames or unsuitable language. Opt for an email address based on your name or profession, or a combination of both. Finally, check your contact details before sending your resume, to ensure everything's up-to-date.
Gabriella Cox
gabriella.cox@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, NY
linkedin․com/in/gabriella–cox123
Resume Summary
Your resume personal profile is a short, concise paragraph to highlight two or three key skills and achievements in NICU nurse roles. You may also see this section named as 'resume summary' or 'resume objective'. Resume summaries tend to focus on your career experience, while resume objectives cover your ambitions and plans for the future. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for NICU nurse roles.
Alternatively, use this section to emphasize your career objectives and explain how and why this role is a suitable step for you at this stage of your career.
A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for NICU nurse roles, while leaving the reader with an impression of your unique qualities and strengths. The most effective resume summaries also provide evidence to back up the claims made in them. The graphic below showcases some good examples of what to include in your NICU nurse resume summary.
Good example:
Compassionate and experienced NICU nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and a proven track record of providing exceptional care to critically ill neonates. Proficient in advanced neonatal procedures, patient monitoring, and family education. Strong ability to work collaboratively in high-stress environments, ensuring the highest standards of neonatal care and patient safety. Dedicated to continuous professional development and excellence in neonatal nursing practices
Bad example:
Nurse with some experience in healthcare and caring for newborns. Worked in roles where I helped with procedures and checked on patients. Have worked with different kinds of teams and tried to keep things safe. Focused on learning more and doing well in nursing practices
On the other hand, a resume summary can be ineffective if it lacks specific information about how your skills align with the job description, or fails to paint a picture of your unique qualities and talents. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your NICU nurse resume summary
Employment History
In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a NICU nurse. Include any relevant jobs you've held in reverse-chronological order. Start with your current or most recent roles and work back through previous roles. For each job, list your title, the name of the company, its location and the dates you worked there.
Under each job entry, add several bullet points highlighting your responsibilities and achievements. Consult the job description for a list of the key requirements for the role and make sure your work experience section showcases how you meet these requirements.
A successful resume work experience section will always showcase skills and experience relevant to the job description, and how you put each to good use in your previous roles. Offering quantifiable evidence in a NICU nurse resume proves you're a strong candidate for the job, such as client feedback, project outcomes, KPIs or financial results. Review some strong examples of resume work experience sections in the graphic below.
Good example:
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Registered Nurse, January 2022 - Present
Neonatal Care Innovations, Chicago
- Successfully managed care for critically ill neonates, resulting in a 95% survival rate over 3 years
- Implemented a new infection control protocol, reducing NICU infection rates by 40%
- Trained 15 new NICU nurses, improving overall team competency and patient care quality
Bad example:
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Registered Nurse, January 2022 - Present
Neonatal Care Innovations, Chicago
- Provided exceptional care to patients in a high-pressure environment
- Contributed to team efforts to enhance patient outcomes
- Played a key role in improving unit operations
Above, you can see a weaker example of a resume work experience section to best avoid. Less effective resume work experience sections might take a more vague, descriptive approach to previous jobs. They focus on responsibilities and everyday duties rather than referencing career achievements and the value you've added for previous employers.
Education
Under education, add details of any degrees or professional qualifications relevant to NICU nurse roles.
Opportunities as a NICU nurse and similar roles in the sector usually require a specialist degree. If you have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, be sure to mention this in your resume. You might also want to list any qualifications that highlight your total parenteral nutrition or neonatal resuscitation program.
Include any qualifications relevant to the role. For each, add the name and level of the award, the institution name, its location and your dates of study. Include bullet points to show any specialist modules you studied, awards or exceptional grades and achievements that can set you apart from other candidates. These will all contribute to creating a positive impression on employers.
Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), 2017 - 2020
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Skills
Adding a list of your key skills provides a quick reference for the reader of what you can bring to a NICU nurse role. Skills such as neonatal resuscitation program or effective communication skills are particularly useful for NICU nurse jobs. Again, include any skills that match those listed in the job description. Focus particularly on technical skills required for NICU nurse jobs and transferable skills that show your qualities as a NICU nurse.
Showcasing hard skills on your NICU nurse resume
Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for NICU nurse jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, your hard skills list helps to show employers how competent and experienced you are at key NICU nurse duties and responsibilities. Add up to five key hard skills that show you're an ideal candidate for the role. It can also be beneficial to add context to each skill, showing how you've used it to positive effect in your career to date.
Your resume hard skills list should reflect your unique and specific industry expertise and experience, while also fulfilling the requirements listed in the job description. See the examples below for an idea of what an effective NICU nurse resume hard skills list looks like.
- Neonatal resuscitation program
- Ventilator management
- IV catheter insertion
Showcasing your best soft skills
Soft skills are the personal skills and qualities that make you a good fit for the job. They include transferable skills and strengths that help you settle into the role, adapt to new challenges and build effective working relationships. In fact, you can develop soft skills throughout your career, and they tend to be suitable for various roles and professions. It's best to aim for four or five soft skills that match the job description and reflect your strongest personal qualities.
An effective NICU nurse resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.
- Effective communication skills
- Emotional resilience
- Attention to detail
Certifications
In your certifications section, list any professional certifications or licenses that are relevant to working as a NICU nurse. These could be official licenses required for the job or certifications that improve your employability. Therefore, list any official licenses and certifications, along with their dates, so employers can assess whether you've got the necessary qualifications to work as a NICU nurse.
Below you can find several examples of certifications for a NICU nurse resume:
- CCRN (Neonatal), 2022
- RNC-NIC, 2022
- NRP Certification, 2022
Optional Resume Sections
If you need to provide further evidence of your suitability for the job, optional sections can be useful for a NICU nurse resume. Choose optional sections from the list below, if they help to showcase your relevant skills and experience.
Hobbies and Interests
Listing your hobbies and interests can reveal key qualities that some employers may value. Your hobbies and interests are useful for a NICU nurse resume if you want to show a different side to your personality, or to stand out among other candidates. They can also be valuable if you're a junior candidate without much relevant work experience. If you're thinking about adding hobbies and interests, just make sure they add something unique to your application, and showcase your personality and interests in unique and interesting ways.
Volunteer Work
Voluntary work can help you develop useful skills, so it's a valuable addition to your NICU nurse resume. List your volunteer job title, the organization you volunteered for, its location and the dates of your involvement, alongside a brief explanation of your responsibilities in the role.
References
It's not typical to include references in a NICU nurse resume, but some employers might ask for them. Don't add references unless requested by the employer. Add two or three professional references, and be sure to approach each referee before you include them.
References are available upon request.
Best action words for your NICU nurse resume
Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Add strong verbs from the list below to create a greater impact with your work experience section.
- Assess
- Monitor
- Administer
- Coordinate
- Implement
- Educate
- Advocate
- Document
- Collaborate
- Prioritize
For help creating an eye-catching resume design to catch the attention of hiring managers, see Jobseeker's professional resume layouts. You can also use our clear, effective cover letter templates to complete your application.
Example of a NICU nurse resume
Now that you know everything that needs to go into your NICU nurse resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:
112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, NY
•
gabriella.cox@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/gabriella–cox123
Dedicated and compassionate NICU Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and extensive experience providing specialized care to critically ill neonates. Proven ability to manage complex cases, administer advanced treatments, and support families during challenging times. Skilled in collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, maintaining meticulous records, and ensuring adherence to best practices and safety protocols. Committed to continuous professional development and excellence in neonatal care.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Registered Nurse
2020
-2022
Starlight Pediatric Care (Aurora)
- Successfully implemented a family-centered care model, resulting in a 20% increase in patient satisfaction scores
- Led a quality improvement project that reduced central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) by 30% in one year
- Trained and mentored 15 new staff members, improving overall team competency and reducing onboarding time by 25%
Neonatal resuscitation program
Ventilator management
IV catheter insertion
Effective communication skills
Emotional resilience
Attention to detail
CCRN (Neonatal)
RNC-NIC
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Tips for NICU nurse resumes
Tips for best resume practices
- Kick off your NICU nurse resume with a strong summary or objective statement that highlights your key skills and achievements.
- Adapt your resume for every job application for maximum impact. Review the job description to understand the specific requirements for the role.
- Quantify your accomplishments by providing evidence that shows the impact you've made in your career.
- Use strong action words to demonstrate the impact you've made in each NICU nurse role (e.g. 'coordinate', 'implement', 'educate').
- Reference your key qualifications and educational achievements, including grades if these help you stand out from other candidates.
Things to avoid on your resume
- Don't add personal information such as your age, gender, a photo or marital status, as these can lead to bias in the hiring process.
- Don't fill up your NICU nurse resume with unnecessary information that contributes nothing to your chances of success.
- Don't use jargon or acronyms when you can use simple, straightforward language to say the same thing.
- Don't add hobbies and outside interests unless they help you prove a skill required for the role.
- Don't use overly complex formatting and layouts that can make your NICU nurse resume harder to read, and less scannable for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are increasingly taking responsibility for the management and processing of job applications, helping hiring practices to become more efficient. This can include screening resumes by scanning and ranking each application according to how closely it matches the job description. When writing your NICU nurse resume, a few simple tips can help you pass the ATS stage with a higher-ranking resume, giving you a better chance of success with your applications.
Follow these guidelines to create the best ATS-friendly resume:
- Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS software to scan.
- Add keywords throughout your resume that help ATS software match your application to the job description. A higher match means your application is more likely to proceed to be reviewed by human eyes.
- Use clear headings that break your resume up into readable, scannable sections that match the standard content employers expect from a resume.
- Adopt a resume design that uses clear, professional design principles and leaves white space for your content to breathe. Use the most readable fonts and incorporate subtle design elements to enhance the readability of your document.
- Adopt simple, professional language to keep your resume as concise as possible. This tends to make your document more readable, and easier for ATS software to scan.
For help crafting a winning resume, read our in-depth career blog and review our resume examples for inspiration.
FAQs for a NICU nurse resume
Accompanying your resume for NICU nurse applications, you'll want to produce a cover letter that similarly leaves a positive impression on hiring managers.
Before you write your cover letter, think about whether you need a formal, professional letter or if a brief, less formal email might be more suitable.
A full, formal cover letter follows a traditional letter-writing structure and format. Add your header, the recipient's address an use professional greetings and sign-offs. In your first paragraph, introduce yourself and confirm the role you're applying for, along with your reasons for applying. Next, outline your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to the NICU nurse job description. Finish by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and adding a call to action to encourage the hiring manager to contact you for further information.
For help creating an eye-catching cover letter that impresses recruiters and hiring managers, use Jobseeker's professional cover letter templates.
Even if you have no work experience, following a few simple tips for your NICU nurse resume can ensure you make a strong impression on employers. Opt for a skill-based resume format instead of a traditional layout. This places your skills and education in a more prominent position on your resume. Additional resume sections such as volunteer work, hobbies and interests, certifications and internships can all help you showcase your relevant skills. These can be more prominent in your resume if you haven't got a lot of work experience.
Use a resume headline to make it easy for the reader to start assessing your suitability for NICU nurse positions at first glance. A well-written resume headline is also a way to increase your chances of passing the ATS resume scanning stage, by referencing keywords that match the job description. Take the time to draft a concise, eye-catching headline which includes the job title, one or two key skills and reference to either your experience level or track record.
Here's an example of a strong resume headline:
- Junior NICU Nurse Seeking Opportunities
- Experienced Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse
- Experienced Senior NICU Nurse Leader
The top resume format for your applications will vary according to a couple of factors. First, how much professional experience you have. Second, what type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. If you don't have much experience, for example if you're applying for a graduate role or changing careers, you might consider a functional resume format. This focuses on your skills and education above your work experience. For more senior roles where you have plenty of relevant experience, use a reverse chronological format. This resume structure places work experience at the heart of the document, using it as a showcase for your skills and achievements.
Takeaways for a winning NICU nurse resume
If you want to catch the eye of employers and recruiters, you need a professional resume that showcases your best skills and career achievements. Choose the most suitable resume format for your experience levels, and focus on tailoring your resume based on the requirements listed in the job description.
Remember, Jobseeker resume templates and other tools make it easy to create a resume and cover letter that leaves a positive impression on hiring managers. Sign up now to start building your perfect resume. Whatever job you're applying for, a professional cover letter can make all the difference to your chances. Use Jobseeker's HR-approved tools and cover letter examples to inspire your applications.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
