Applying to Many Hospitals in One System: Generic Cover Letter?

[Birry]

The title pretty much says it all. If I am applying to many positions in several different hospitals in the same network (or chain, if you prefer), and that network's career tool (*shudder* Taleo) only allows five uploaded documents at a time, how would you proceed?

I've got 4 letters of reference, a résumé and a cover letter. I could genericize my résumé and cut it down to one or no letters, but that would still limit me to only applying to 3 of the hospitals.

Or would you go with a generic cover letter, too? Like, instead of writing one for the Kaiser hospital in Anytown, USA and one for the Kaiser hospital in Otherville, USA, just writing a single letter customized for working for Kaiser Permanente.

I've got a lot of apps going out but this issue is holding me up. Thanks in advance for your input.

[melizerd, ASN, RN]

My cover letters were customized for each "chain" and stated that I was applying to various registered nurse positions with XYZ.

I got an interview pretty quickly, and now I'm waiting to hear back but it must have been good enough to get to meet face to face.

[elkpark]

I've never submitted letters of reference unless/until they were specifically requested (and I've never had an employer request letters; they just ask for the contact info and contact my references themselves). With the online applications, I write a cover letter specific to the particular position and make that the first page of my CV (since lots of the online application systems will allow you to upload a CV but don't have any separate option for uploading a cover letter).

Best wishes!

[lucymalfoy]

I would opt to not attach the letters of reference unless requested and include a cover letter in the same file as my resume. That way, if you are only allowed 5 attachments, you can attach 5 cover letter/resume combinations for 5 of the hospitals in a particular chain, and you have a better chance of your cover letter getting read.