Professional Cover Letter

How to Write a Winning Cover Letter

When should you include a cover letter?

• Always:

• It will introduce you to a potential employer and summarize your specific qualifications for a given position. 

• You should customize the letter as much as possible to the needs of particular employer you are contacting. 

How should you organize your cover letter?

• Cover letters should use standard business formatting, beginning with the date, a return address and the address of the company to which the letter is going. 

• Salutation (Greeting)

• Should be addressed to a particular person if at all possible. 

• The person’s name should be followed by a colon (Dear Ms. Employer:). If you are unable to obtain a person’s name, acceptable ways to address the letter include:

• Dear _______:

• To whom it may concern:

• Never guess at a gender. If you do not know whether the person in male or female, simply address the letter using the person’s full name.

• 1st Paragraph: Opening 

• This identifies the position for which you are applying, states where you learned about the position, notes the enclosures (resume, application packet, etc.), and provides a bridge statement referring to your qualifications for the job. Sample openings include:

• “I am very interested in obtaining a position with your organization. Enclosed please find my resume for your review.”

• “In response to your ad in Pharmacist’s Weekly, I wish to apply for the position of Clinical Pharmacist.”

• “Several things you mention in your ad for a pharmacist make me think you may be looking for someone with my experience. Let me briefly explain.”

• “Peggy Preceptor from Pharmacy Emporium suggested I contact you about ...”

• 2nd Paragraph: Education, Skills and Experience

• Identify briefly and specifically the reasons that you feel yourself uniquely qualified for the position. 

• Outline previous work or rotation projects, special degree or certificate programs, or other experiences that you feel make you a good fit for the job. 

• Providing a description about how the potential employer’s pharmacy works and how you feel you could contribute to the success of that operation will raise the employer’s opinion of you, as you have obviously taken the time to find out more about the job.

• Summarize your relevant skills and background, take your cues from the job posting

• Look carefully at the job description and the requirements for the position, then construct three to five sentences that show how your experience specifically matches what the employer is seeking. 

• Optional Paragraph: More relevant information 

• You may choose to list other qualifications that, though not specifically necessary for the job, may enhance your chances of job success. Examples of such qualifications may include non-pharmacy jobs that gave you transferable skills, or professional association or volunteer work that illustrates your ability to be a problem-solver or group worker.

• Another use for this paragraph might be to show the employer your enthusiasm for the position. If this is your “dream job,” let him or her know! This extra interest might get you the interview. This approach will not work if the appropriate enthusiasm is not there, so try this only if you are sincere.

• Concluding paragraph

• If you are sending a letter of inquiry and not responding to a particular job opening, end your letter with a statement saying you will call them...then do it!

• Thanking a person for their consideration or time puts a positive and clear end to the letter.

•  Closing

• End with “Sincerely,” then skip 4 lines and type your name. Sign your letter between the “Sincerely” and your name.