NEED HELP w/resume & cover letter

RunBabyRN · Mar 19, 2014

I'm a new graduate and newly licensed nurse. Now my next step is finding a job and could really use help with my resume and cover letter. Resume: Name address phone #, email Objective: Dedicated and patient-focused nurse seeking to obtain a position in a facility that recognizes growth and achievement and one that presents new challenges and goals. Education: 9/09 12/13 School, address Bachelor of Science in Nursing - over 900 Clinical nursing experience, Deans List Fall 2013, Minor: Spanish: 18 credits with G.P.A 3.94 Alpha Mu Gamma 6/08 - 5/09 School, address Associate of Arts, Cumulative G.P.A 3.66 Cum Laude, P/T Deans List Summer 2008 Deans List Fall 2008, Phi Theta Kappa 9/06 - 5/08 School, address Associate of Science, Cumulative G.P.A 3.54 Cum Laude, Deans List Fall 2007, Completed: Bilingual Spanish 2, and Anatomy & Physiology 1 with As License & Registered nurse, License State of New York, as of 3/2014, Certifications: BLS certified by the American Heart Association [TABLE'] [TR] [TD]Clinical Rotations[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Fundamental Nursing Hospital, address 78 hours Medical/Surgical Hospital, address 234 hours Units: 3 & 4 Hospital, address 117 hours Pediatrics Hospital, address 75 hours Maternity/Child Health Hospital, address 75 hours Psychiatric Hospital, address 75 hours Community Hospital, address 75 hours Critical care Hospital, address 75 hours Postpartum Hospital, address 170 hours [TABLE] [TR] [TD]Experience: [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] 10/11 - 12/11 Employer, address Spanish Tutor [*]Helped students enhance their over all understanding and test grades in class [*]Provided additional visual handouts to improve students comprehension of class material Volunteer Translator at ____________ Middle School 2012 & Experience: ___________ Medical Clinic in Town in 2012. Language: Bilingual - Fluent in Spanish & English Skills: Proficient in computer office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, data entry into electronic medical records and can easily learn new medical technology. Cover Letter: Name Address Phone Email Date: Hospital Name Address Regarding : Job ID/# Attn: Employment Manager Dear Employment Manager I am writing to express my extreme interest in your current opening for a position as a __________ Registered Nurse at _______ Hospital. Please accept my resume for your consideration. I am a new graduate nurse, who recently earned my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from ______ College in mid December and I have passed my Board Exam with the State of New York in early March, after taking a Kaplan review class in late January. I have gained valuable clinical working experience, over 900 hours worth, from several hospital locations, which I have included in my resume. I believe my skills and my ability to easily learn new material will be useful to your facility. Some of the skills that I have learned include: administration of intravenous (IV) fluids, IV medications and piggybacks, administrating oral meds, suctioning tracheostomies, injections of insulin and heparin, and administering feeds via PEGs, NG tubes and ET tubes. Not only did I learn valuable clinical skills, but I also learned how to provide patient-centered care and use therapeutic communication with my patients and their families. I enjoy challenges and my ambition is what drives me to work to the best of my knowledge. I am BLS certified by the American Heart Association. Additionally, I am bilingual and fluent in English and Spanish. I hope my qualifications merit to your consideration. I would greatly appreciate having the opportunity to meet with you to discuss the qualifications I would bring to your organization and to learn more about any opportunities you may have available in the nursing department. I have attached my resume for your review. If there is any additional information I can provide you with to assist in the consideration of my application, please do not hesitate to contact me at Phone number. Thank you very much for your consideration. References available upon request. Sincerely, Name P.S. I will accept all of your constructive criticisms. Thanks in advance for all your help!!

Bear with me, as I am *almost* a new grad and I am on my phone, but I was a hiring manager in my former life.

Do you have any other work experience?

Don't list your skills in your cover letter. They assume a new grad has passed meds and injected insulin before. How are YOU different?

Take out the bit about the Kaplan class and the 900 hours of clinicals part. Let your resume speak for itself for how many hours you spent in clinicals. Take out the part about being BLS certified. That's a given.

Your Spanish skills will be very helpful, so it's great that you talked a lot about that.

What are your goals? You say nothing about your goals in your letter. Your objective in your resume is super vague as well. What kind of nurse do you want to be? What about Facility X is appealing to you? I have specific parts of my resume and cover letter that I can tailor to the job, like my goals (though I'm honest, I specify certain areas of interest for one job more than another) or what about me is particularly stellar that pertains to the position. Don't be afraid to brag! I already have one offer and an interview coming up! This is the stuff that helps me.

I appreciate your brevity. Keep it brief when you redo it. It speaks to your documentation and your respect for the manager's time. Long wordy stuff makes them tune out after awhile, but so do generic resumes, so make yours pop. Why should I hire you out of the 200 applicants I have here? Your cover letter and resume have to stand for themselves, and make me want to call you in for an interview. Your sparkling personality and amazing skills in _______ have to shine through your written words.

I hope that helps! Good luck on your job search!