New graduate program selection criteria

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi all

I am in my final year of nursing and have sat down to do my new grad application.

I am so excited and nervous all at once!

Due to the lack of new grad and nursing positions at the moment I am really trying my best to make my application stand out from the rest.

If anyone has any hints or tips regarding addressing selection criteria that would be fantastic,we only have 150 words per question so i am finding it quite difficult!

Thanks Guys :)

The best advice I can give you is to NOT do a standard cover letter.

Make each cover letter stand out by going on the website of the facility that you are wanting to apply, look at their mission statement, look at what they offer as far as goals of various units and the like and reference those things in your letter and how it relates to your goals as a nurse.

Best of luck to you

Thankyou :)

If you get an interview, have a GREAT answer as to why you became a nurse. If you need to stretch the truth a little or exxagerate a bit by all means do so

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

and be able to answer this question: what is your goal for 5 years from now?

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Don't fill your cover letter (or application in general) with a lot of flowery and/or emotional language. That type of thing appears "desparate" and as we all know, "desparation" is not attractive. It also detracts from the factual reasons why you are the best applicant for the job by taking up valuable space and distracting the reader away from the solid, logical reasons they should hire you.

1. Those solid, logical reasons they should hire you are what should stand out -- not your "passion" or your desire/need for a job.

2. Emphasize not what the employer can do for you, but what you can do for the employer.

3. Emphasize you willingness/ability to learn whatever you need to learn to be a great nurse.

4. Emphasize your flexibility, adaptability, and ability to get along with all types of people -- even those who are not perfect. (i.e. with scheduling, preceptor matches, patient populations, etc.) No one wants to hire an employee who can't "roll with a few punches" -- who needs everything to go his/her way all the time.

5. Be articulate and appear easy to get along with -- someone who will "fit in well" and become part of the team that already exists there. That is more important than many new grads realize.

Managers are looking to hire people who will be easy to integrate into the unit -- not people who will be demanding and/or cause friction within the existing staff.

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