Resume Tips for Healthcare Travelers

Landing your dream travel healthcare assignment starts with a strong resume. Whether you’re a seasoned travel nurse or new to the healthcare travel industry, a well-polished and curated resume can make all the difference.

Read on to discover TNAA’s resume tips for healthcare travelers—and download the guide to take it on the go!

Qualities Hiring Managers Look for in a Traveler

• Flexibility: Able to adapt to change and shifts
• Assertiveness: Ability to identify and ask for what needs to be done
• Interpersonal skills: Outgoing, open-minded, excellent communication skills
• Willingness: To float, work different shifts, and help where needed
• Organizational skills: Traveling requires excellent time management skills

Resume Guide for Healthcare Travelers

Creating a standout resume is crucial in securing the travel healthcare assignments you dream of—and there are some key differences between traveler and staff resumes. Your resume must highlight your skills, experience, and adaptability to show recruiters and hiring managers why they should hire you!

At TNAA, our recruiters use your resume to create a submission-ready traveler profile. Keeping your resume up-to-date and polished can help make the process of finding your next assignment smoother by providing your recruiter with the information they need.

Here’s how to craft a resume to help you land the contracts you want.

Contact Information

It might seem obvious, but make sure your contact details are at the top, bold, and easy to find:

• Name and Credentials
• Address: Use your tax home address
• Phone Number: Provide a reliable number where you can be easily reached

Professional Summary

Your professional summary should be a concise paragraph that highlights your qualifications and appeals to hiring managers:

• Specialties and years of experience
• Focus on your current specialty for travel assignments
• Memberships in relevant professional organizations

Licenses & Certifications

Be sure to showcase your qualifications:

• Active state licenses and relevant certifications (e.g., ACLS, BLS, PALS)
• Specialized training and advanced certifications
• List instructor roles if applicable

Clinical Experience

Focus on the past seven years’ experience list in reverse chronological order:

• Highlight expertise and diverse experiences
• For travel roles, list the agency as the employer, followed by facilities:
  • Agency Name:
    • Facility #7, Dates, EM R used, etc.
    • Facility #2, Dates, EMR used, etc.

Pro Tip: Having worked with multiple agencies is perfectly fine!

Education

List completed degrees, certifications, and ongoing education.

Achievements

This is the place to brag a little! Include:

• Quantifiable patient outcomes
• Committees or process improvements
• Awards (e.g., DAISY Award)
• Preceptor or mentorship roles

Skills

Highlight relevant skills, such as:

• EMR systems (e.g., Epic, Cerner)
• Specialized equipment experience

References

Provide 2-3 professional references, with their permission. Examples of ideal references include:

• Managers or supervisors
• Charge nurses or senior team members

Proofread Your Resume Multiple Times

As with any resume, use spell check and simple fonts. It’s easy to overlook your own errors, so it helps to have someone else proofread your resume. If you don’t have a second pair of eyes, print it out and read it out loud, slowly. You’ll increase your chances of catching mistakes you previously didn’t see.

Go Deeper With TNAA’s Resume Webinar

Want to dive deeper into crafting the perfect traveler resume? Watch our on-demand webinar where seasoned travel nurse and travel mentor Brandy Pinkerton of Travel Nurse 101 breaks down her tried-and-true tips for resume success!

Watch on-demand in your own time!

Travel With TNAA

Ready to travel with an award-winning travel nurse agency that has your back every step of the way? Come experience travel healthcare as it should be: traveler-centric and fully supported!

Check out our available jobs and apply today!