please critique new grad resume and cover letter!

[millmick30]

Hey everyone, I would very much appreciate any feedback/criticism! I've had Worksource people and my parents look over it, but would still like to hear other opinions. I think I still need alot of help on my cover letter -- I don't really know how to 'sell myself' and make my letter stand out above the rest :/

Also, do I need to have my license number listed on the resume too?

Thanks again!

**COVER LETTER**

Dear Mrs. blahblah,

In August 2012, I graduated with an Associate's Degree in Nursing from BLAH BLAH SCHOOL. I have been recently licensed as a registered nurse in the state of Florida, and am vitally interested in becoming a member of BLAH BLAH HOSPITAL.

Through nursing school and my previous work experience in the fast-paced customer service industry, I learned to think and adapt quickly, function effectively under stress, and organize and prioritize my tasks. I am very motivated to learn and succeed in my duties and am not afraid to ask questions when unsure. My clinical instructors have praised me as being very caring and dedicated as a patient advocate to all my patients. My compassion and desire to help others is unsurpassed. What sets me apart from others is my strong work ethic, positive attitude, and drive for excellence which is why I would make a positive addition your nursing staff.

I eagerly look forward to the opportunity to discuss with you personally how my skills and strengths can best serve BLABBITY BLAH HOSPITAL. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. Thank you for your kind consideration of my application.

Sincerely,

: D, RN

**RESUME**

Education and Achievements

Associate of Science Degree in Nursing (attained August 2012)

- BLAH BLAH SCHOOL

Licensure - Registered Nurse (RN), State of Florida

Dean's List Spring Semester 2012

Cumulative GPA of 3.42

American Heart Association BLS Certification (August 2011 - Present)

Clinical Experience

Student nurse preceptorship at BLAH HOSPITAL'S Med-Surg unit (72 total hours). Participated in:

- patient admissions and discharges

- analyzation and interpretation of patient EKG rhythms

- tube feedings

- IV administration

- pain/diabetes management

- wound care

- change of shift report

- paper charting on patients

- patient education

- management of care for 5-6 patients

- organization and prioritization of patient needs

Skills

- Proficient in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Power Point

- Proficient in electronic charting with Neehr Perfect program within the nursing school curriculum

- Self-motivated and able to work independently as well as part of a team

Work Experience

Hostess and Cashier at BLAH RESTURANT -- Jacksonville, FL (November 2010 to January 2012)

- Utilized strong communication and customer service skills

- Handled customer complaints with diplomacy

- Maintained positive attitude and friendly demeanor in stressful situations

Volunteer Experience

BLAH Exceptional Student Center (2012)

- participated in play and learning activities with special needs children

Nursing and Rehab Center (2011-2012)

- participated in bedside conversation with patients and helped transfer disabled patients to dining room

St. Francis Soup Kitchen (2004-2011)

- waited on guests and served food trays

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

I would just break up the resume a little bit differently for organization purposes. Under your Education entry, you could add a bullet for the GPA and one for the 72 hour practicum. Separate out Licensure and Certification; place that one further down on the resume and include the RN license (no number needed) and the BLS. Some people also have an Honors and Awards section for things like the Dean's List, especially if you have more than one thing to mention.

I would only keep the list of skills (under Clinical Experience) on there if your resume is significantly short of one page. Those skills are pretty standard, so I doubt they would help to sell you. More likely, they're just taking attention away from the more significant things on your resume. If you do keep that list, I would replace analyzation with analysis (or just stick with EKG interpretation).

Also, think in general about any factual information that you can add to support yourself. Did you receive any recognition for service at your job? That's going to sell you better than subjective descriptions about your demeanor. How many hours did you spend at the soup kitchen?

Cover letters commonly have the same issue of subjective, unverifiable descriptions; I prefer a cover letter that would point the reader in the direction of specific accomplishments, like your Dean's List one and the preceptorship at that hospital. If I'm looking at the dates correctly, it seems like you may have worked while attening a large part of your program. That might be something to highlight in your letter as well.

[millmick30]

cool, thanks Eric! I organized and formatted the resume so that it looks more professional, and will mention my gpa and dean's list on my cover letter (don't really have any other accomplishments to put on there, lol). Thanks again for the advice, very helpful!!: D