Applying to RN jobs?

One of the most common help requests from nurses is "how can I make my resume stand out from the crowd?"

When applying to RN positions, you can be pretty sure that everyone else applying to that job has similar qualifications, skills and experience as you. The whole purpose of a job advertisement is to get people with a certain level of skills and experience to apply so like it or not, you're all going to look about the same on paper.

But what really separates good nurses from average ones is talent.

Demonstrating talent in your resume is hard but your cover letter is perfect for showing employers your talents and how they can help the employers get the results they're looking for. But before I talk about your cover letter, there are a few key points you need to understand about talent.

You would think that nurses with a talent for patient empathy would be too emotional to be good at their jobs. Yet research has shown that nurses with these attributes get better patient outcomes and satisfaction ratings than nurses who try not to become emotionally involved. This has led to some hospitals actually changing their interviewing technique to find people that have a talent for empathy.

Which leads to an interesting dilemma...

Suppose you're in an interview and you've been trained into thinking that being empathetic with your patients is a bad thing�then the odds are good that you�ll give the answers you think an employer wants to hear, for fear of missing out on the job.

But, let's say you are the sort of person who gets emotionally involved with your patients and you're a good nurse. Would you like to work for a hospital that supports and encourages your talent for patient empathy or would you like to work in a hospital where they crush this personal attribute?

The answer is obvious but most job-seekers just don't get it.

They're too busy trying to get a job instead of thinking about trying to find a place that can use not just their skills but their talents as well.

My point is that you should use interviews to find places that support and encourage you, your skills and your talents. If you're a nurse who just likes doing her job and doesn't want to get involved too much with patients then a hospital that shares those same values is a perfect fit for you. But if you find that you're getting in trouble with management because you get 'too involved' with your patients then quit immediately and find a place where your talent is appreciated.

Use the interview to ask questions and answer every questions honestly... even if you think it might cost you the job.

I'd rather miss out on 10 average jobs where my talents and personalities would likely be crushed anyway and be available for when that dream job comes along.

Your cover letter is a perfect vehicle for expressing your personality and your talents as well. Be bold. Explain how you love your patients and have been in trouble for being too empathetic even though you still did all the work required of you. Send pictures of the flowers you've received from happy patients and then send it out to hospitals in your area...

The hospitals that want people like you will call you back. Those that don't, won't.

And that's the whole point.