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:
- Do you meet all the qualifications for the position?
- 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.
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