Now that you are a qualified RN it is time to start looking for a job, and one of the important aspects of a job application is the RN cover letter that you will need to write. Your cover letter is the first impression that a potential employer will have of you as it is usually read before the resume is even considered. This means that you need to put a bit of time and effort into the cover letter in order to ensure that it is well up to standard.
Research
In order to write an effective cover letter you need to know:
- Who will be reviewing the letter
- What the company is looking for in the letter and form the
job applicant
This may involve some research, but often this information will be included in the job advertisement. If possible you should try and look up the aims and mission statement of the company so that you can weave those ideas into your cover letter – but remember that if you do this you will need to be subtle about it. You should also simply research the company in general. It will be advantageous to produce a cover letter that shows that you know about the hospital or health care facility that you are applying at.
Introduction
The introduction of the letter is the first paragraph after the general addresses and so on (see the example below for more information on this aspect). It is imperative that the first paragraph really grabs the attention of the person reading it so that you will leave a lasting impression and so that they will think of you when it comes time to select candidates to interview for the position. Include:
- A brief statement about why you want to work for that particular health care facility or company.
- A brief statement about what makes you attractive to the company. For example if you are trying to get a job in the pediatric ward and you have a lot of experience working with children from another job, include his.
The important thing about the introduction is that it is not too long and tedious. Try and keep it to about three sentences.
Body
The body of the letter needs to substantiate your claims in the introduction about why you are a good pick. It also needs to conclude all of the things that you did not have time for in the introduction. However, this is not your resume. You should not go into detail. Simply write short sentences saying where you worked and why. More details will be contained in the resume which you attached. The resume must not read as a repetition of the cover letter, and vice versa. The cover letter is a very brief overview of what you can offer the company and should not exceed one typed page in length. It is better to select a number of specific points that will make you look good in this section. Everything else can be outlines in the actual resume. Include only the most relevant points to the job that you are applying for.
Conclusion
Your conclusion should include:
- Thank the potential employer for his or her time to read the cover letter and the resume.
- A summary of the main points in the rest of your letter (but keep it brief).
- An indication of what you will do next, such as a follow-up call a few weeks later (make sure that you do what you say you will do).
- An offer to meet with the employer.
- A confident statement about how you feel that your own abilities will be an asset t the company.
- Make sure that you end formally with a “Sincerely” and your signature (an example is included below).
Both the conclusion and the introduction need to be short and sweet with most of your letter and efforts going into the body so that you do seem too long-winded.
Appearance
The appearance of your RN cover letter is more important than you may realize. Your letter needs to be well laid out and it has to look good as well as looking professional. There are a number of ways for you to ensure that the appearance of your letter is in order. Firstly you need to choose a font that is bold and that stands out clearly. Not all fonts are equally appropriate. In addition your letter should be well and evenly spaced. It should also not exceed more than one typed page. It is also better to use high quality paper if you can. The layout and look of your letter has quite a big impact on the subconscious minds of your potential employers, even if they do not realize it. It may help to have a friend look at the letter and give their opinion on the appearance.
Personality
If possible you should try to find ways of making your personality felt through your cover letter. It goes without saying that the entire letter should be written in a friendly and positive tone while at the same time being formal. However, there are ways to indicate what kind of personality you have that you will simply be unable to express in the main resume that you will attach to your cover letter. The cover letter, as mentioned previously, is the first impression that they will have of you, so sell your best qualities and qualifications with everything that you have, while at the same time trying not to sound conceited. This is quite difficult to portray, even for very good writers, so you may struggle to use your cover letter in this way. However, if you think you can pull it off, go for it. It will, once again, be better to have someone whose opinion you trust read through the letter and make sure that you are not accidentally conveying the wrong impression.
A Sample RN Cover Letter
This is an RN cover letter sample:
Cover Letters for Registered Nurse (RN) and Nursing Jobs
Job Application
Santos,
1234, West 67 Street,
Carlisle, MA 01741,
(123)-456 7890.
Date: 1st June, 2008
Mr. Ronaldo,
Personnel Manager,
ABC Health Center
12345, Park Avenue South,
New York, USA 12345
Dear Mr. Ronaldo:
I’m responding to your advertisement in the local Employment News for a Registered Nurse (RN). I consider that my credentials and interests match with your requirement and want to apply for the same position
I have experience in Registered Nurse (RN) and Nursing for the last four years, working with other Registered Nurses (RN) with the tasks and responsibilities focusing on developing and managing nursing care plans, instructing patients and their families in proper care, and helping individuals and groups take steps to improve or maintain their health ( see my resume for the detail ). Inevitably, a well-trained and professional Registered Nurse (RN) is highly needed to the growth and integrity of any Dept. I believe I am the one who has the skill set and the experience you’re looking for.
You may be interviewing other potential Registered Nurses (RN) but I hope you will not make a final decision until I can talk over this job with you and show you want I can bring to it.
Please call me on my cell phone: 785-897-3434 to set up an interview at your convenience if you’d like to talk to me. Thank you for considering my application and cover letter. I’m really looking forward to meeting you
Sincerely Yours,
Santos
Enclosures:
- Resume
- Letter of appreciation
- Letter of recommendation
Let’s consider the content of the above RN cover letter in a little more detail. As you can see it is very important to include your own name, address and telephone number. If you forget about this then the person will not know who you are and how to contact you. It will also not look very professional at all. In addition for the letter to appear formal and to follow the right format you need to write the address of the person or institute that you are addressing the letter to. This is also very important. At the end it is also important that you enclose the various documents needed for the application.
Now that you have read through the suggestions and looked at an actual resume sample you should be in a much better position to write an effective cover letter that will make a significant impression on the person who reads it. Do not rush this. Get someone to read it over for you and give their honest opinion on the letter. Write a separate cover letter for every job that you apply for so that they can see that you know about their specific institution and that you have researched it for your RN cover letter.