Tips and Advice for Writing a Nursing Cover Letter when Applying for a Job

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Sending a cover letter may seem a bit old fashioned in the modern age of email and social networking, but it is still a vital part of any nursing job application package. Furthermore, those who fail to send a cover letter (even in an electronic format) miss an opportunity to show their professionalism and set themselves above the crowd. Crafting a great nursing cover letter may take a little practice, but it’s certainly achievable. Here are some tips and advice to help you craft a winning cover letter.

Keep Your Cover Letter Short

When it comes to cover letters, short is always better. It’s best to keep your nursing cover letter to four paragraphs (as outlined below). Under no circumstances should a cover letter ever span more than one page.

Make the Purpose of Your Letter Immediately Obvious

Are you replying to an advertisement? Maybe you met or know someone at the prospective employer who advised you to send a resume? Whatever the reason that you are sending your resume and nursing cover letter, make sure you don’t make the person reading the letter guess. State clearly and in the first sentence why you are sending your resume to them.

Mention Your Education Up Front

The first paragraph of your cover letter should really only contain two sentences. The first sentence we covered above, the second sentence should state your education. Succinctly, state where you went to school, when you graduated or will graduate, and possibly your degree.

Keep Your Relevant Nursing Experience to One Paragraph

There is no need to recap your entire resume in your nursing cover letter. Spend only one paragraph of two or three sentences giving a brief overview of the best highlights of your nursing experience.

Include One Paragraph of Additional Experience

Everyone graduating from nursing school will have a degree and some nursing experience, but not everyone will have (or mention) additional experience that can set them apart from the crowd. This is a good place to mention any nursing associations you belong to, community work you may have been involved with, your leadership abilities, or anything that makes you stand out. As always shorter is better, so keep this paragraph to no more than three sentences.

Always Close with a Call to Action

This is possibly the most important element of any cover letter, but also the one that is most often overlooked. Without a clear call to action as the final line of the final paragraph, you are missing a golden opportunity to invite the prospective employer to contact you. The call to action should almost always be an invitation for the person to whom the letter is address to contact you via telephone with an invitation to meet in person.

The career-counseling center at your nursing school can also be a good source of information when trying to craft your nursing cover letter. Always make sure to have a few trusted professionals read and critique your cover letter before sending it to a prospective employer. Now it’s time to take a look at some examples of great cover letters including this one from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.