A cover letter is a one-page document submitted alongside a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Résumé during job applications. Healthcare cover letters are used specifically for healthcare job applications. Cover letters help to highlight the applicant’s personality, interest in the position, skills, and competencies. In addition, it displays the applicant’s passion and motivations and expounds on the qualifications and skills listed in the resume and other relevant information.
A healthcare cover letter details the qualifications and expertise of the applicant in the healthcare line. In addition, it introduces the applicant and details their interest in the job position and the organization.
A good healthcare cover letter piques the recruiter’s interest and gets them to assess the applicant’s resume, while a nasty cover letter might get the whole application trashed. It is the applicant’s first foot forward in the application process, and it should be well written. An applicant should truthfully sell themselves in the healthcare cover letter without any false or contradictory information contained in the resume. A good healthcare cover letter should also address any gaps in the resume while expanding on the accomplishments and duties carried out in previous job positions.
Steps to Write a Healthcare Cover Letter
Considering the importance of the healthcare cover letter, this is a comprehensive guide to including the contents of a good healthcare cover letter:
Your contact information
A good healthcare cover letter must contain the applicant’s contact details. This is information on how to contact the applicant about the job application. The details include the name, address, phone number, and email address of the applicant. The name comes first, followed by the address, phone number then email address.
Date
The date when the applicant wrote the cover letter should be indicated on the letter. It should come after the applicant’s contact information and should be in an acceptable format.
Greeting/salutation
The salutation in a good healthcare cover letter should not be general but personalized to the recruiter. An acceptable salutation is a use of “Dear” followed by the recipient’s name or position (if their name is unknown). It is easy to find the names of recruiters with online resources like the company’s website and LinkedIn profiles that the applicant must access while researching the healthcare organization and job listing.
Introduction
The introduction is the opening (first) paragraph in a cover letter, and it typically decides the application’s fate. The introduction has to be strong and capture the attention of the recruiter. Numerous job applications will inundate the recruiter, and they might not have the interest and time to examine all applications thoroughly. Therefore, a good introduction must be strong and catch the attention of the recruiter.
- Get to the point: The recruiter has numerous applications to go through and will appreciate a letter without ramblings. A good introduction will go straight to the point while containing essential and attractive information.
- Motivation: A good healthcare cover letter must present the motivations of the applicant. A truthful short story covering why the applicant is interested in that field and position will create a memorable introductory paragraph. It is also vital to write why they would love to work in that health organization and its location. The applicant should also demonstrate how the position and the vision or mission of the organization tie in with their personality and career goals.
Body of the letter
The body of the letter is where the applicant gives more detail about their preferences. The body correlates the experiences, qualifications, and skills of the applicant to the specified job requirements. It can also be used to clarify any discrepancy or time-lapse present in the applicant’s resume. The body of the cover letter should not be more than two paragraphs.
- Highlight your most considerable success: A good healthcare cover letter should demonstrate the applicant’s strengths and achievements. This should be adapted to the requirements of the health organization and job position. The applicant should not rehash or summarize the achievements detailed in the resume but expand it to show their abilities.
- Show your team spirit: The applicant should display their ability to function well, contribute to a team, and limit the use of the “I” pronoun. Excessive use of this pronoun says the applicant cannot function in a team. Some critical skills needed alongside team spirit are effective communication and collaboration. Include team spirit phrases in the cover letter such as “contributed”, “helped”, “worked with,” and “team-oriented”.
Conclusion
The conclusion is the last part of a healthcare cover letter. This is where the applicant reiterates their skills and competencies for the job position by highlighting their enthusiasm to work with the organization and interest in an in-person interview.
- Follow-up: The applicant may indicate a mode of follow-up – how and when – for the application in the concluding statement. Generally, it is advisable to check up on the application every few days or once per week.
- Closing remarks: This is an appreciation of the recruiter’s time and consideration and final expressions of the applicant’s values, keenness, and soft skills. The final remarks should not focus on the applicant’s needs but on that of the recruiter.
Signature
The final signature should be professional but pleasant (e.g., “Best regards”, “Sincerely”, “Respectfully,” etc.). The applicant’s first and last name and signature should follow the closing salutation.
Healthcare Cover Letter Template
[Applicant’s First and Last Name]
[Applicant’s Residential Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Phone number]
[Email address]
Date]
[Recruiter’s Name with Title]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Email address]
Dear [Recruiter’s Title and Last Name]
The job opportunity in your [organization, hospital] resounds with my core values [list them]. I have been eager to work with your organization since [narrate short poignant but relevant story]. This inspired me to become a [job title] and watch for such vacancies in your organization. I want to contribute and change [mention impacts] in [organization name].
My training and experiences are a good fit for this job position. As an Assistant Head Matron, I worked closely with the Head Matron for 2 years at Valley Creek High and collaborated with the nurses under my supervision. I could connect well with my students over all areas of their lives asides from their healthcare needs while I handled the Head Matron’s duties during her illness [mention work experience, duration, and skills].
I worked under Dr. House and his team as a Medical Researcher; we researched the teenage brain and its effects on their behavior for two years. This has equipped me with excellent communication and team-playing skills [mention relevant skills]. Additionally, it increased my knowledge of children’s brains – teenagers as key focus – how it affects their behavior and how to relate appropriately. [Mention knowledge base].
I am excited to work with you and will love to discuss further the job position and my skills in an interview. Again, I appreciate your time and kind consideration of my application. I will check back on the application [mention follow-up date].
Sincerely,
[Applicant’s Signature]
[Applicant’s Name]
Healthcare Cover Letter Sample
Jane Smith
1234 Crimson Lane, Carbon Hill, Illinois 60416 – (000) 123-456 – [email protected]
July 15, 2012
Dr. Meredith Grey
Healthcare Recruiters
9876 Conquer Road
Bedford Park, Illinois 40499
Dear Dr. Grey,
The job opportunity in your organization resounds with my core values of empathy, love, togetherness, and a happy and safe work environment. Since I was a little girl, I have been eager to work with your organization, and my father was brought to your hospital. A nurse in the care of my father took time to play with the children and explain the situation in a language that we understood. She treated us like adults, and her explanation calmed me down and prepared me for my father’s extended stay in the hospital. This inspired me to become a Pediatric Nurse and to watch for such vacancies in your organization. I want to contribute and change children’s lives in the same manner and place where my life got direction.
My training and experiences are a good fit for this job position. As an Assistant Head Matron, I worked closely with the Head Matron for 2 years at Valley Creek High and collaborated with the nurses under my supervision. I could connect well with my students over all areas of their lives asides from their healthcare needs while I handled the Head Matron’s duties during her illness.
I worked under Dr. House and his team as a Medical Researcher; we researched the teenage brain and its effects on their behavior for two years. This has equipped me with excellent communication and team-playing skills. Additionally, it increased my knowledge of children’s brains – teenagers as key focus – how it affects their behavior and how to relate appropriately.
I am excited to work with you and will love to discuss further the job position and my skills in an interview. Again, I appreciate your time and kind consideration of my application. I will check back on the application by next week, July 22, 2012.
Sincerely,
Jane Smith
Signature
Free Downloadable Templates
In order to get you a better understanding of the sentence structuring and tone of the letter, here are free templates that you can also edit as per needs:
Do’s and Don’ts
Although there are no hard rules about what the structure of a health cover letter should (or should not) look like, there are some basic things to pay attention to in order to end up with an optimized letter.
Do’s
An applicant should pay extra attention to these things and ensure all the boxes are ticked when writing a health cover letter:
- Use appropriate font: Fonts in a cover letter should be uncomplicated and professional and kept between the sizes of 10 – 12. Examples of professional fonts are Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Courier New, Verdana, Helvetica, and similar fonts. Make sure to maintain a single font and font size all through the letter.
- Take care of spacing: A well and single-spaced cover letter allow the recruiter to swiftly and efficiently read through the letter. It allows them to identify key points contained in the cover letter effortlessly. Align the text to the left and leave a space between each section and paragraph.
- Tailor your letter to the reader: A good healthcare cover letter must suit the needs and requirements of the healthcare organization and the job position. To achieve this, the applicant should peruse its website and company publications to understand the organization and its needs better.
- Use of right tone: A good cover letter should maintain the right note of formality (professionalism) and friendliness. The tone should show enthusiasm and highlight the applicant’s personality while illustrating a positive outlook regarding the company.
- Make it memorable: An anecdote will illuminate and grab the recruiter’s attention and make the cover letter unforgettable while showing the applicant’s personality and motivations to fetch them for a face-to-face interview. It makes the recruiter curious, scrutinizes the applicant’s resume, and eager to discuss further the job.
- Stay on track: A good cover letter must not contain unnecessary personal or professional information. Instead, include strong points that will project a good picture and fit the job requirements.
- Use power phrases: Power phrases are words that depict robust experiences and skills in healthcare. They evoke a particular response from the recruiter. Some examples of such phrases are, “strongly”, “resonate”, “demonstrated”, “achieved”, “improved”, “solved” and “managed”.
- Add spice: A good cover letter cannot be dull; it is written creatively that compels the recruiter and portrays the applicant’s personality. A good cover letter is spiced with power phrases and in an active voice.
Don’ts
There are some pitfalls an applicant should avoid when they write a healthcare cover letter to ensure that the letter is strong and will achieve the desired result:
- A good cover letter will not contain salary information unless specifically required. To include it labels the applicant as unprofessional and an amateur.
- The salutation should contain the name of the recruiter or their designation at the least. Do not use broad salutations.
- Do not use the same cover letter for all job applications or all-purpose cover letters. All-purpose cover letters show laziness, and dullness and will not attract the recruiter.
- Avoid making spelling and grammatical errors.
- Never hand-write a cover letter; use email or printed cover letters only.
- The paper used for the resume and the cover letter should be the same. Make sure you do not use inferior paper.
- Leave out any unnecessary details. Also, do not pack each section of the letter with too many details.
- Do not embellish accomplishments or contradict the content of the resume.
Conclusion
A good healthcare cover letter is vital during a healthcare job application. It is the first portrayal of the applicant to the healthcare organization’s human resource department and stimulates the recruiter’s interest. It delineates the applicant’s expertise, abilities, personality, and experience. It also customizes the applicant’s skills to the requirement of the healthcare organization and of the job position. Thorough research of the organization, its activities, the job position, and the recruiter helps create a solid and purposeful healthcare cover letter.
A good healthcare cover letter must be brief, formal yet friendly, and well-spaced with appropriate font size. It should focus on the applicant’s substantial area and potential interest in the organization, show team spirit, and be memorable. It must not contain needless details, lies, or errors. A good cover letter should also show that the applicant is eager to work with the healthcare organization.
