Chart Out your Cover Letter to Stand Out

To include a cover letter or not to include one? Some say no if it’s not asked for, citing it’s a waste of time. Why would you think a hiring manager or recruiter would look at a cover letter if they only spend six seconds on average looking at a resume?

However, having a cover letter that actually makes it easy for a recruiter to see if you meet the qualifications for the position could help you stand out in a way that gets you an interview. The key is:

  1. Do you meet all the qualifications for the position?
  2. If you do, then chart it out for them.

For example, let’s just take the requirements from a posting that came up when we did a search for “Registered Nurse” on Indeed:

Education:

  • Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing.
  • Current appropriate state licensure
  • Must meet the practice requirements in the state in which he of she is employed.

Experience and Required Skills:

  • Minimum of one-year medical-surgical nursing experience preferred.
  • Hemodialysis experience preferred.
  • ICU experience prefferred.
  • Successfully complete a training course in the theory and practice of hemodialysis.
  • Successfully complete CPR Certicication.
  • Employees have to meet the necessary requirements of Ishihara’s Color Blindness test as a
  • condition of employment.
  • Provide coverage at any or all area facilities as required by management.
  • Icd-9 Training.
  • Nurses Technical Training
  • Must meet appropriate state requirements(if any)

 

A cover letter should have a chart that looks like this:

Your Requirements

My Qualifications

Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing BSN of Nursing from University X, 2000

 

Current appropriate state licensure Alabama State License number XXXXX
Minimum of on-year medical-surgical nursing experience preferred Three years experience as a medical surgical nurse at XYZ hospital
Hemodialysis experience preferred 2 years experience at XYZ hospital performing hemodialysis
You get the picture- keep filling the chart in…. You get the picture- keep filling the chart in….

This only works if you meet the requirements for the opening. So just like on a resume , experience matters, whether we like it or not.

Beyond_Ready_Cover-smaller

Our Beyond WorkWorkbook is chalked full of practical tools on resume writing, interviewing, networking and social media branding to help you seize the career you want. Order yours today for $19.99!

Author

Mary Ila Ward