An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is software used by many healthcare employers to filter and rank resumes before a recruiter sees them. For nurses, using an ATS-optimized resume means your application is more likely to pass this first hurdle and reach human review.

nclude clinical terms like “IV therapy, wound care, patient assessment, EMR/EHR proficiency”, specialty credentials (e.g., “ACLS, PALS, BLS”), and any software/tools listed in the job description. Also include action verbs like “managed, coordinated, administered”. For help, see our Top Nursing Resume Keywords article.

For new grads or nurses changing specialty, a hybrid (combination) format works best because you can lead with your skills section while still showing your clinical rotations or internships. Chronological resumes perform better for those with continuous experience in a given specialty.

Unless the job posting explicitly allows PDFs, submit your resume in .docx or an editable Word format. Some older ATS versions can’t parse PDFs or will misread characters. Always follow the employer’s instructions.

1–2 pages are ideal. If you have 10+ years of relevant experience or advanced specialization, two pages are acceptable. Use concise, metric-driven bullet points rather than blocks of text.