so i had posted on a different thread how my resume alone got me an interview and not because of my nursing experience - or lack thereof. the coordinator was so impressed by it that they were actually excited to meet me! so here's a sample of my cover letter, and i will reply to it with my resume - hopefully it copies and pastes somewhat formatted. please don't copy it word for word out of respect - but i hope you can get a good idea of how to stand out from the rest! hope this helps:)
[color=#4f6228]char.lpn
address
city, state, zip
phone
email
large pic of caduceus to right of heading (couldn't paste it)
june 17, 2011
pamela f
facility
address
city, state, zip
dear ms. f:
“char demonstrates commitment to excellence in all she does…she will be a dedicated nurse and an excellent addition to the staff at any organization that employs her.” – judi b, dnp, fnp-bc, *college clinic instructor (excerpt from reference letter). i am hoping to join your organization as an lpn.
i am a recent graduate of the reputed nursing program at *college, having received my practical nursing license in november 2009 and graduating the adn program in may 2011. i intend to sit for the nclex-rn sometime this summer and in the meantime, continue to work as an lpn. my nursing experience is in the geriatric field, which i enjoy immensely, but i believe i can easily adapt to any other nursing field and be molded into the type of nurse whatever position i enter calls for. i am often commended by patients, supervisors, and coworkers for my level of compassion and dedication to my patients; i have a genuine interest in their well being, and do everything i can to work as their advocate. i also worked as a cna out of high school, furthering my holistic understanding of the needs of those i care for.
i am looking for a nursing position to advance my skills and challenge me, and to be part of a team that prides itself on compassion and advocacy. i have a very strong work ethic and one of the most positive attitudes at any company i have worked for. there is something powerful that overcomes me when i have the ability to help someone in need, and all that matters in that moment is helping that person. i want to feel that powerful emotion every day, and this is why i’m a nurse. can i make a difference at your company?
i welcome the opportunity to meet with you at any time to further discuss the chance to become a part of your team and to provide you with letters of recommendation. if you have questions, or if you want to schedule an interview, please contact me at phone #.
Great work on the resume and cover letter. I'm in the process of revamping mine for a CRNA program application, and you have given me the inspiration I need to finish that tedious job. Thanks for posting, and congratulations on your new and well-deserved position.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Great work. Thanks for sharing. While it is not the "typical" resume template, it is definitely eye catching and impressive. I've been working on my own resume while waiting for my ATT to take the NCLEX. You have definitely inspired me with some unique ideas. Kudos to you for not only your creativity but also the willingness to share your tips for success with everyone.
"The Experts" have said for quite some time that a cover letter is your initial introduction to a potential employer, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
I "dabbled" in HR prior to changing careers and reviewed so many resumes that they eventually began to look the same. Your resume format is wonderful! I totally would have called you in for an interview as well! Great job!!! I love how you incorporated additional, useful information that might get lost in a typical resume or cover letter.
Wow! Thanks so much for sharing that! My resume and cover letter are soo generic! Time to get busy and work on revamping them. I always thought posting a picture on a resume was something that just isn't done, but it really just makes it so much more personal. Thanks again.
This is very creative and looks GREAT! Congrats on getting the job! I do have a question though, maybe from the poster who was in HR previously? I though resume's were supposed to be concise and one page in length because HR does get so many resume's? That is what we were taught at the University I attended, so that is what I've always done. I wonder if I've shortchanged myself by eliminating experience that wasn't relevant to the job at hand?
This cover letter and resume are very creative and very well done and I personally love them...but the resume specifically goes against everything I was ever taught about resume writing - yet she got called and tons of others who probably followed what they'd been taught were NOT called...so which is it? Concise, clear, one page resume...or all of our experience on a multi page resume with pictures, graphics, etc.??
That's exactly what we were told as well too. I even had someone in the career center at school look at my resume and she butchered it up to make it all fit on one page. She deleted a lot of information and said I needed it to be as concise as possible. Apparently, that's not always the case. BTW, congrats on the job!
I know what everyone's saying - taught in school to be concise and short as possible. In my program, they told us no longer than 2 pages. But I couldn't put just relevant experience on my resume - I don't have much nursing experience, so I included other jobs where I was highly respected and would get an awesome reference if called. I would have preferred 2 pages but I just couldn't make it work.
The key is to keep the graphics to a minimum and choose ones that really stand out and are appropriate - like the caduceus and your picture. Color is great, but only use it in a creative, eye-catching and professional way. Nothing too bright or crazy and stick to a theme. Use color sparingly so it really sticks out. I think no more than 2 different colors.
Yes, cover letter is where it counts! The very FIRST line of your paragraph has to draw them in. Start it with something original - excerpt from reference letter or a quote that's important to you. A more concise cover letter is better, I know mine's kind of long.
For the resume, that's why I put stuff on the left side too - to make it shorter. Made it stand out more too.
Feel free to use mine as your template, just make it your own though!
I got the idea from my friend, a new grad speech pathologist. At my going away party when I moved, she was a little tipsy and going on and on about her 'awesome' resume and how at her interview they were saying "now THIS is a resume. We had to call you in." She talked about a picture of herself to make it more personal and some color to stand out. BTW, she got the job!
I though resume's were supposed to be concise and one page in length because HR does get so many resume's?
My sister is a human resources executive (she used to be the HR director for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of California), and I've asked her about the one-page resume issue before. She says that for a basic job, one page is still standard. However, if you are applying for a high-level job or have years of experience, there's no way to show your qualifications on one page, so two are acceptable for her. For instance, a one-page resume obviously is going to be pretty useless if you're trying to hire a vice-president--there's just no way to put enough information on there. So two or even three pages might be needed. I would think two pages would be okay for someone with long experience (even in another field) for an RN job.
I think it's great that you took so much time and care in presenting yourself. A lot of us, especially new grads, look very similar on paper. You found a way to set yourself apart and show your strengths without seeming over the top. Very well done...Also, very nice of you to share. I am a big believer that a good resume and cover letter says a lot about you...Again, well done and good luck!
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Great work on the resume and cover letter. I'm in the process of revamping mine for a CRNA program application, and you have given me the inspiration I need to finish that tedious job. Thanks for posting, and congratulations on your new and well-deserved position.