Cover Letter Advice?

[PCnurse88]

I put my resume on Monster and CareerBuilder and have gotten a lot of interest from non-nursing jobs, and during college I had several interviews for PCA jobs based solely on my resume, so I'm not terribly worried about that (working on bulking up my certifications and volunteer experience more but other than that I'm pretty confident) so I'm thinking my problem is with my cover letters. The only thing is, I have a file filled with 40+ different versions of cover letters, ranging from the basic hire-me-here-is-why to more creative versions; some are heavily researching the hospital and some are self-pimping to the max and all in between.

For those of you who have had success landing a job as a new grad, what was your cover letter like?

[MissM.RN, BSN, RN]

Hi there - I guess you might count me in as a success because I had a new-grad internship secured before I graduated ;-P

My cover letter had two paragraphs. First, I stated enthusiasm for this hospital's new grad program, included a few details that I researched about the place. I mentioned my BSN, GPA, and clinical experience as a CNA. I mentioned that I would be proud to work there, because of its commitment to serve anyone in my region (which is 100% true).

Second, I discussed some personal qualities about me and how my clinical references would support them. I thanked the hospital for reviewing my materials and said that I hoped to be called in the near future.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

This is where you advertise your assets. You want to state what puts you above above the rest without a lot of hyperbole. You, a new grad, are not the perfect candidate for the job; and my hospital isn't the finest in the Western Hemisphere. State your assets, but keep it real.