Resumes....is a cover letter necessary??

TazziRN, RN · Jun 7, 2008

Your cover letter would go out with the hard copies, or if you email your resume to someone specific then you include a cover letter. Not necessary when posting it at monster or other job sites.

I don't know that this is a good time to post the resume, I think it's a bit early unless you're applying for a new grad program. I may be way off on that one, though, anyone else have any thoughts on that?

MikeyJ, RN · Jun 8, 2008

I personally would not start applying till near graduation.

In regards to the cover letter, I would write a general cover letter and include it with your resume.

imanedrn · Jun 8, 2008

Hey everyone, I'm sorry I did not post this in the new grad forum, but I figured posting here would ensure I got the most replies.
I'm graduating from my RN program in August and likely taking my boards early in September.
1. Is it too early to post my resume on Monster/Jobs.com/etc. ?
2. When posting a resume on one of these sites, is it necessary to include a cover letter? (I'm not being specific in which hospital I would like to work. I'm more or less just trying to land a decent position as a new grad.)
Any advice is greatly appreciated!

During my third (2nd to last) semester, I had clinicals at a hospital I wanted to work at. I spoke to the nurse educator, and she suggested applying specifically for NEW GRAD positions at the start of my last semester.

During my final semester, I precepted at a different hospital -- one I ultimately decided I wanted to work at. I couldn't get into the area where I was precepting (PCU/IMC), so I got some info from my classmates who were precepting in med/surg. They told me the name of the managers and that I should talk directly to one of them which I ultimately did. She told me that it was good I made contact with her so soon (partly because I got my one-on-one face time with her before any other applicants did) and suggested I follow up with her during the month of my graduation. I did, and we had a more formal interview and talked some minor details. She told me she couldn't officially offer me the job (and talk "extra" details) until I graduated school, though, so I scheduled another visit with her for a few days after graduation. At that point, she officially offered me the position.

All that being said... I recommend you take a close look at your clinical / precepting hospitals, as you're MORE likely to get hired there than at some random hospital where the staff knows nothing about you -- though not completely unlikely. One hospital in my town hired 3 NGs in IMC, 2 in ER, & 1 in PICU, so it just depends on the facility's need / willingness to train NGs. (My facility only hires a few at the end of each semester, and we all go into M/S -- except for one gal who went into OR because her mom worked there.)

Also, although I haven't done it myself and know no one who has, I'm unsure as to how useful job recruiting websites are for healthcare / nursing jobs -- esp. for new grads. Specifically, I think managers want to get to know you based on who you are and (partly) how you did in school, since most new grads have little (if any) healthcare experience -- which was my situation, so taking the initiative to talk with her made all the difference!

Whatever you decide to do, good luck!

Oh, and I didn't include a cover letter at any time.

noc4senuf · Jun 8, 2008

I DO hire new grads once they have passed their boards. When I get a resume, the first thing I do is check the Board of Nursing website for a license. If I do not find a license, I then contact the person and let them know I will interview them after they have gotten their license, otherwise it is all a waste of time for me.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 8, 2008

In some areas of the country, if you wait until after you graduate to apply for a job, you will have little chance of getting a job soon. In many areas of the country, the best jobs are lined up 2 or 3 months before graduation. However, as you can see from a couple of the above posts, that is not the case everywhere.

Give yourself the best chance of being successful by contacting the employers that interest you most and ask them what their preferred timetable is. Then plan your application timetable and process accordingly. I urge all students to do that -- and to talk with other people in your region who are knowledgable about your local job market. Don't base such important decision based on the preferrences of strangers on the internet whose local job market may be significantly different from yours.

Good luck to all the students and other job applicants who might be reading this thread.

cf264801 · Jun 9, 2008

You all are giving me great feedback. Thanks a ton!

bijou214 · Jun 9, 2008

I think it all depends on the hospital/unit/manager you are applying to. I applied in Oct '06 and got offered the job on the spot. I graduated Dec '06. Started Jan '07. A girl in my class who graduated with me applied in Nov '06 and she was told that they were not hiring any more new grads at that time. One of my co-workers said she also applied in Oct '06 and she graduated May '07. She started working July '07.

We all applied to the same position in the NICU. The hospital we work at has new grad "residency" programs every few months.