Get Results With an Occupational Therapist Cover Letter

Start your dream occupational therapy career with this occupational therapy cover letter example, along with our pro writing tips.

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Cover Letter for an Occupational Therapist

When applying for an occupational therapist position, you’ll need to include a cover letter to show the hiring manager that you’re the best candidate for the role. Your occupational therapist CV works to show the hiring manager your work history and credentials but your cover letter is your opportunity to impress! To do this, you’ll need to create a cover letter that explains your skill set, previous experience and accomplishments.

This article will teach you how to structure the perfect cover letter, as well as explain the cover letter writing tips that every occupational therapist hopeful should know!

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Occupational therapy cover letter example

To kick start your cover letter writing, we’ve included this cover letter sample to show you how to write a professional and striking letter.

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am excited to apply for the open entry-level occupational therapist role at Bloomington and Sons Healthcare, Inc. I am a recent master’s graduate at the University of Boston, graduating with honors in occupational therapy. Last year, I obtained my bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy with a minor in psychology. This has provided me with confident and in-depth knowledge of the human psyche and how to work with patients with disabilities. I can create treatment plans that improve a patient’s quality of life.

My studies and coursework have enabled me to work with patients and physical therapists. This has provided me with proven experience in helping patients complete their daily activities. I believe my treatment plans and patient care were successful because of the in-depth research conducted on patient disabilities being able to make my plans work around them. This made patients feel more comfortable with new routines. I believe this is a skill I can bring to the occupational therapist position.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. I look forward to discussing this opportunity in greater detail in a job interview, and chatting about other ways I can contribute to this position.

Kind regards,

John Ryder

This cover letter example can be used as an in-depth guide for an occupational therapist job but you should adapt your cover letter to be more personal. You can do this by referencing your key skills and specific academic achievements.

Create Your Cover Letter

Tips for writing your occupational therapy cover letter using this example

Before you can begin the main body of your cover letter, you must include the right contact information in the top left corner of the page. This helps the hiring manager or recruiter contact you. After this, you’ll need to include the right salutation. The professional salutation should consist of the hiring manager’s name to be more impactful than a generic salutation, such as “Dear Hiring Manager”.

The following will describe what you should include in each paragraph of your professional cover letter:

First paragraph: Introduce yourself with a hook and list your best achievements

The first paragraph of your cover letter is the chance to grab the hiring manager’s attention, so list your most impressive traits or accomplishments. In this example cover letter, the applicant describes his degrees and honors. This summarises the candidate’s most recent experience and explains the necessary qualifications.

Second paragraph: Give more information about how you’re the best fit for the job

The second paragraph of your CV is the opportunity to explain previous career anecdotes and reasons why you’re the best fit for an occupational therapy position. To do this, refer back to the job description to find skills or experience that the employer values. You can then adapt your cover letter around this.

For example, employers may be looking for candidates with previous experience in patient care. Therefore, you should incorporate anecdotes of one-to-one patient care in your cover letter. In the example, the applicant describes his work with patients and other physical therapists as part of his studies and that he created successful treatment plans. This is a great example to show the recruiter that you have the skills and experience needed for the job.

Third paragraph: Call to action

Your cover letter should finish with the appropriate call to action. A call to action motivates the hiring manager to invite you to a job interview or contact you for more information. This is important in persuading the hiring manager that you’re enthusiastic about the role. In the cover letter example, the applicant simply states that he looks forward to discussing the opportunity further in the cover letter example. Finally, you’ll need to close your CV with the correct sign-off. You can either write “Sincerely” or “Kind regards.” This sign-off should be professional and friendly.

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FAQ: Occupational therapy cover letters

Q: Do I really need a cover letter to get an occupational therapy job?

A cover letter is an essential component of successful job applications. It is your chance to go into further detail about the skills and experiences you provided in your CV. This gives the hiring manager a better insight to determine if you are a possible fit for the position. You can use a cover letter builder or cover letter template to create a structured cover letter.

Q: How long should my cover letter be to get an occupational therapy job?

The best cover letters will be around three-quarters of a page. This is a good length to aim for as it provides enough detail to explain why you’re the best candidate for an occupational therapy role.

Q: Does this cover letter example work if I don’t have a lot of experience?

This cover letter works if you don’t have many years of experience in occupational therapy. However, you’ll need to customise it. You can do this by including:

Academic experiences and achievements
Volunteer experience with fully qualified occupational therapists
Shadowing opportunities during internships with occupational therapists.

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