Cover Letters-Just As Important As Your Resume!
Zardoya Eagles, RN

Your cover letter is as important as your resume. It is your introduction, your first impression. This one-page letter should reflect your unique personal skills and abilities. Although many people are intimidated by the prospect of writing a cover letter, it becomes easier if you break it down into its three main components.

1. What you want. This includes the type of opportunity and/or position you are seeking and why you are looking for a job.

2. What you have to offer. Emphasize what you can bring to the job and any related experiences or specific achievements that demonstrate your capacity for success. Point out what would make you uniquely valuable to the organization and how you could meet their needs.

3. Your availability for an interview. Close your letter by stating that you will be calling to discuss job opportunities and your availability for an interview. Be specific—for example, "I will call you next week." The only time you would not want to include this statement is if the person specifically stated they would contact you. In this case, you could close with something like: "I look forward to hearing from you and learning more about job opportunities at ________ ."

In addition to the above components, the following guidelines may help demystify the cover letter and its appropriate use:

Always send a cover letter with your resume. It is your introduction in absentia. Submit a resume with a cover letter even if you have been asked to fill out an application that contains all the information. This demonstrates initiative, professionalism, organizational skills, and courtesy. Individualize each cover letter, gearing it specifically to the position for which you are applying. Send your letter and resume to the individual who is most likely to be the decision-maker about who gets the job. This may require some detective work. A few phone calls will often lead you to the name of this person, or you may receive the name from a friend, family member, or in an informational interview. If you send your resume to the personnel or human relations department, you may be kissing it good-bye. These departments often use resumes to screen out applicants. If you are sending an unsolicited resume or heard about an opening from someone else, include an explanation of how you learned about the company. Make sure your stationery matches or complements your resume. Start your letter with a complimentary statement or information you’ve discovered about the company. Incorporate your unique skills and abilities in this letter. Use action words to interject a positive, enthusiastic tone. Be sure you spell names correctly, list the most recent job title, and have an accurate address. Mistakes in these areas can be embarrassing and/or cause delays. Call to verify! Keep it short — one page is best. Make the letter a personable and accurate presentation of yourself.

SAMPLE COVER LETTER

MaryAnn Stimpson
1356 First Ave. SW
Tallahassee, FL 55738
883-746-2239

February 19, 1997

Belinda Doyle
Senior Clinical Specialist
Healthtronic, Inc.
1280 West 8th Street, #B9-512
Newport News, VA 66560

Dear Ms. Doyle:

It was with great interest and excitement that I read your advertisement for a clinical in-service coordinator in Nursing Spectrum (February 9th edition). In the seven years that I have worked in critical care nursing, Healthtronic has always been recognized as the leading manufacturer of cardiac pacemakers and defibrillator devices, well respected by the doctors and nurses with whom I work. Functioning in the critical care setting and using your equipment on a daily basis has given me a broad understanding of how your products work. This knowledge, combined with my background as unit preceptor and trainer, allows me to offer a unique service to your corporation. Solid clinical skills, along with a passion for teaching and an independent, entrepreneurial approach to nursing are all qualities that I bring to my work.

Please find enclosed my resume for your consideration. I look forward to talking with you and gathering more information on Healthtronic's clinical programs. I will call you next week to set up an appointment at a mutually convenient time.

Sincerely,

MaryAnn Stimpson

Zardoya Eagles, RN, is author of The Nurses’ Career Guide (from which this article was taken) and The Nurses’ Career Guide Companion Workbook. For more information about ordering these books, please note the banner atop this page. Eagles is the founder of the publishing company Sovereignty Press, which specializes in publications for nurses.