While applying for a nursing job, a professional cover letter is very essential. A professional cover letter should contain all your personal details and past experience in this field. Researching can help you draft a good cover letter indicating your professional qualifications and experience. A cover letter will give your potential employer an idea about who you are. It also illustrates why you stand out as a candidate and the reason you want to work for them. In this guide, we are going to discuss the components of a good cover letter and tips to writing an outstanding cover letter.
Definition of a cover letter
A cover letter is a document that elaborates your qualifications and experience in a certain role. A cover letter is directed to a particular company, job post and industry. A nursing cover letter is addressed to the health care sector where you must include the relevant experience in your area of interest. A cover letter is a good opportunity to disclose your expertise and giving a brief introduction about yourself in order to be an extraordinary applicant.
Steps to write a good nursing cover letter
A cover letter needs to be clear and brief explaining why you consider yourself the best candidate. Including your special abilities and skills is also essential. The following are the steps to follow while writing a cover letter:
1. Generate a header with your personal details
The header consists of your name, contact information and the date of application, which will enable your potential employer to know the sender and how they can contact you to notify you about your application. Contact information such as phone number, email address and your current location will ease the employer’s work when need arises to reach you.
2. Compose the opening paragraph
Under the header, be sure to include professional salutations such as “dear sir/madam/hiring committee” or if you know their name, then you can address it to them directly. In the opening paragraph, tell the reader more about yourself, your experience and the job post you are applying for. You may also want to include your unique traits and skills that make you stand out to enable the employer figure out if you are fit for the position.
3. Compose another paragraph about your background and qualifications
Your background in the nursing career should come first and list the appropriate qualifications and experience that you may have. Include previous achievements that you think make you the right candidate for the job. In case you impacted your previous work station, it is best to mention how you will impact your new station with these traits.
The second paragraph expound more about your skills and achievements. You can mention how you solved a certain problem or accomplished something at your previous job using your skills. This is basically a paragraph containing your story to bring out your skills and qualifications.
4. Closing paragraph
In the concluding paragraph, restate reasons why you are fit for the job and express your urge to work for them and request for a call to action
Tips to creating an outstanding nursing cover letter
Research thoroughly: Research about your employer and the company’s ethics before writing a cover letter. Surprise your employer by having a deeper understanding of the company’s mission, values and skills that align with your professionalism. Go through the job post and understand the qualities and skills your potential employer is looking for.
Elaborate the relevant skills according to the job post: Convince the employer that you are the best candidate by including your professional skills in this case nursing related.
Include your soft skills: Including soft skills such as communication, collaboration, emotional stability and positive relationships with patients makes your employer take more consideration to your application. Despite professional skills, soft skills are an essential part of being a successful nurse.
Demonstrate your willingness to learn: Mistakes happen once in a while but what is required of you is to accept correction and be ready to learn new things. Show your employer how open minded you are and your desire to know more and grow positively in your nursing career.
Review your cover letter: Proofread your letter to ensure its error free. Good grammar flow, spelling check and sentence structure should be in order.
Conclusion
Use a cover letter to create a good impression to your potential employer so they consider you for the job. A good cover letter should include all the elements illustrated above. A cover letter contains detailed explanations of your expertise and experience that are not available in your resume. Do not copy paste your resume. Ensure there are no grammatical errors in your letter because it will display unprofessionalism to the reader and may paint a bad image of you not paying attention to details. Remember a string letter can enable you to stand out and maybe land an interview. We hope this article will help you with the essential details as you resume to write your cover letter.
FAQs
1. Is a cover letter necessary?
When applying for a job online, a cover letter is listed as optional. However, it is advisable that even in such a scenario, you should go ahead and write one. Your cover letter comes in handy in case your resume may appear similar to that of another candidate. Craft your cover letter professionally and include all the details required whether it is optional or not.
2. How do I write a cover letter that will stand out?
You need to know how to write a cover letter before proceeding. Use few words, include your previous achievements, address the letter to the manager directly and use words from the job description.
3. How do I write a cover letter without a specific name?
In case you do not know the name of the manager, you can use words such as ‘dear hiring committee/hiring manager’
4. What is the length of a cover letter?
A cover letter should be one age long with three to four paragraphs and should be brief and direct to the point.