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NURS 6660: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child and Adolescent

Cover Letter, Resume, and Portfolio Assignment Guide

Your professional cover letter, resume, and portfolio are due by Day 7 of Week 10. It is highly

recommended that you begin planning and working on this Assignment as soon as it is viable.

The following checklists outline all of the items you should include in your cover letter, resume,

and portfolio. Additionally, the resources below have been provided to assist you in developing

your professional cover letter, resume, and portfolio.

Also, refer to the Walden University Career Center website for resources and develop your

cover letter and resume with the assistance of the Walden University Career Center website

for resources and make your cover letter, resume, and portfolio accessible online to your

faculty and potential employers.

Checklist for Cover Letter (S/U grade)

Your Cover Letter should be:

 Presented and formatted in professional business manner

 Addressed properly

 Clear and concise and include:

o Content Introduction

o Content Body

o Content Conclusion

 Written in a professional style and include:

o Correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar

o Clear and accurate sentence structure

Checklist for Resume (S/U)

 Your Resume should be clear, concise and well-organized and it should also include

your:

 Name, address, business phone number, and email address (top center of resume)

 Profile: 2-3 sentences describing goal and positive attributes/characteristics

 Certifications & Licensure

 Education

 Professional Experience

 Honors/Awards

 References

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Checklist for Portfolio (S/U)

 Your Portfolio should be clear, concise and well-organized and it should also include

your:

 Personal Philosophy Statement

 Self-Assessment

 Personal goals (short term and long term)

 Achievements

 Cover Letter

 Resume

 Diplomas for formal education

 Letters of Recommendation

 References (list names, affiliation and contact information)

 Certifications

 Certificates of attendance for continuing education

 Transcripts

 Publications

 Oral Presentations and/or Poster Presentations

Learning Resources

Resume, Portfolio, and Cover Letter Resources:

 Cover Letter Advice (n.d.). Nurse practitioner cover letter sample 1. Retrieved from

http://www.coverletter.us/nurse-practitioner-cover-letter/

 Dahring, R. (2013). Cover letter caveats. Retrieved from http://nurse-practitioners-and-

physician-assistants.advanceweb.com/Columns/Career-Coach/Cover-Letter-Caveats.aspx

 NP Career Coach (n.d.). NP career coach resume tip sheet. Retrieved from

http://www.nursepractitionerjobsearch.com/nurse-practitioner-resume-tips.pdf

 Porche, D. J. & Danna, D. (2015). Cover letter & resume preparation: Every detail is

important when applying for a job. Advance healthcare network for NPs & PAs. Retrieved

from http://nurse-practitioners-and-physician-

assistants.advanceweb.com/Features/Articles/Cover-Letter-Resume-Preparation.aspx

 Walden University Career Services (n.d.). Resumes & CVs: Home Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/careerservices/resumesandcvs

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Portfolio Resources:

 Dennison, R. D. (2007). What goes into your professional portfolio and what you’ll get out of

it: Advance your nursing career with a professional portfolio. American Nurse Today 2(1).

Retrieved from

http://www.americannursetoday.com/assets/0/434/436/440/4352/4354/4368/4376/1b04d64f-

8cb0-4af6-adb6-7e3474d2603d.pdf

 Ferrara, S. (2013, October 31). Professional portfolio – A must have for NP students. [Blog

message]. Retrieved from http://onlinenursepractitionerprograms.com/2013/professional-

portfolio-a-must-have-for-np-students/

 Hayes, E., Chandler, G., Merriam, D., & King, M. C. (2002). The master’s portfolio:

Validating a career in advanced practice nursing. Journal of the American Academy of

Nurse Practitioners, 14(3), 119.

 Walden University Career Services (2015). Quick start: Getting started with Optimal 2015. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/Ir-B4MCuAvU

 Walden University Career Services (2015). Quick start: Getting started with Optimal

Resume: Presentation slides. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/ld.php?content_id=10634421

 Walden University Career Services (2015). Getting started with Optimal Resume: Tutorial. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/ld.php?content_id=10634430

 Walden University Career Services (2015). Getting started with Optimal Resume: Transcript. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/ld.php?content_id=10634440

 Weber, S. (2006). Developing nurse practitioner student portfolios. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 18(7), 301-302. doi:10.1111/j.1745-7599.2006.00134.x