Nursing Cover Letter

How to Write a Nursing Cover Letter

An average of one minute is spent by a recruiter reading one resume.  If in that one minute, the recruiter cannot locate the information required to consider you for an interview, your resume will be discarded.  Follow the following tips to avoid this from this happening!

• Never send a resume without a cover letter!  See cover letter section for more information on how to compose a letter.
• Use action verbs (i.e., analyzed, created, managed, trained, etc.)
• Be consistent in form throughout the resume.
• If your education is your strongest selling point, place it first.  If you have more relevant job experience, place that first.
• Use present tense verbs for a current job, and past tense for previous jobs.
• Convert information to numbers where possible:  number of people, quantity of projects, dollars budgeted, etc.
• If most of your experience is related to the military, try to think about your duties in civilian terms.
• Do not list sex, weight, height, age, marital status, children, etc.
• Proof your resume and then have someone else proof it!
• Be consistent in how you spell out acronyms, use of bullets, and font.
• Keep your resume to one page.
• All information should be truthful!
• Avoid columns and tables in your resume.  Some companies use computer scanners, which may interpret the columns/tables into unreadable text.

Get to the Point
In addition to customizing your letter to the specific job for which you're applying, keep the letter to one page and no more than three or four short paragraphs:

• Paragraph 1: Express interest in both the company and the specific job for which you're applying.
• Paragraph 2: In two or three sentences, describe the single most important skill you bring to the job (i.e., why you're uniquely qualified for the position).
• Paragraph 3: In two or three sentences, describe the second most important skill you bring to the job.
• Paragraph 4: Invite the reader to contact you and thank him or her for considering your resume.

Nursing Resume

1. Heading
   • Name
   • Current address - include permanent address as well if needed to ensure you can be contacted
   • Telephone - record a professional-sounding message for employers
   • email address - if you include one, be sure to check it often
2. Optional Sections

   The following options would be at the top of your resumes if used. Additional optional sections that would be listed near the end of the resume are given below.

   • Objective - An objective states your current goal in specific terms. It should be succinct and match the type of position you are applying for. It is possible to create different versions of resumes for various objectives.
   • Summary of Skills - A summary may be used to create interest by flagging critical areas of expertise near the opening of your resume. Use specific, accomplishment-oriented language.
   • Certifications - Important credentials that are useful or required may be highlighted here. You may also choose to give certifications in the Education section of your resume with the institution where you earned it.
3. Education
   • List the name of the University/university most recently attended first. Include the city and state. List the degree earned i.e., B.S. in Elementary Education and Human Development, and the year of completion. If you have not graduated, it is best to state "Candidate for B.S. in Elementary Education and Human Development, May 2001."
   • Include highlights such as study abroad, honors or student activities. If it is a lengthy list, you may create a separate section.
   • It is not recommended that you include high school or other educational experiences here.
   • Education may come near the top of the resume if you are still in school or a recent graduate. An experienced professional may put Education near the end of the resume in order to present recent work near the top.
4. Experience
   • Label the organizations where you have worked clearly with city and state. Include your title and the dates of the experience beginning with the most recent and working back in reverse chronological order.
   • Write about accomplishments and skills utilized in the work in the active voice using verb phrases. Utilize the language of your profession, and be specific. List the most relevant information first.
5. Additional Experience
   • If you have other types of experience you may classify it together in a separate section that comes after the primary Experience section. It may be labeled, "Business Experience," "Arts Experience," or whatever best describes it.
6. Other Optional Sections
   • Professional Development - includes workshops, conferences or relevant courses outside of degree programs
   • Professional Associations
   • Language Skills - state level of written and spoken proficiency
   • Computer Skills - state software you are competent in using
   • Interests - list two or three that would be distinct and perhaps useful

Be sure your resume is well-organized and error-free! Print it on a letter-quality printer on business stationery paper. Use the same paper for cover letters and matching envelopes.

COVER LETTER WRITING

A well-written cover letter creates the desire to interview you. Before you sit down to write think about the specific skills needed for the particular job you're applying for.

• Research the organization
  • find out what's important to them right now so you can write bout those topics knowledgeably
  • write to the correct person spelling their name and title correctly
• Here are some metaphors to describe cover letters:
  • a letter of recommendation you write for yourself
  • it's like a closing argument in court; the resume is the evidence
  • if a resume is like a time-line with dates and facts, the cover letter interprets the facts
• In short, write about your unique qualifications for the job. Here are some cues to get you started. Try writing answers to the following questions first.
  • Why are you drawn to this field of work?
  • What motivates and excites you about your chosen profession?
  • What particular abilities and experience do you have? Why do you believe you are good at it?
  • Describe a specific moment that captures your abilities in your field.
• Simply keep in mind that every sentence must convey some meaningful information about your fit and qualifications for the position.
• Be sure your cover letters are error-free and are printed on business stationery paper that matches your resume.