To write a good occupational therapist (OT) cover letter, focus on your skill in helping people return to everyday life after an illness or injury. Express your interest in the health care organization, and show your related strengths like patient goal-setting, discharge planning, or finding solutions.
This guide will help you write a cover letter that gets you interviews for your next OT job.
Occupational Therapist Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
How To Write an Occupational Therapist Cover Letter
Your OT cover letter should usually have five sections, in this order:
1. Heading
At the top of the page, include:
- Your name and contact information
- The date
- The recipient’s name, title, health organization, and contact information (when available)
(Note: Feel free to omit this section if you send your letter by email and your contact details are part of your signature.)
Example
Melissa Anderson
123 Carpenter Street, Philadelphia, PA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
April 18, 2024
Ms. Lori Taylor
Hiring Manager
Boston Medical Center
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
2. Salutation
If you can’t find the recipient’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager.”
Examples
Dear Ms. Li:
Dear ABC Hospital Hiring Manager:
3. “Hook” or introduction
Catch the reader’s attention by citing an achievement from your resume or a key credential the facility seeks in applicants.
Example
In my current role as an OT at Massachusetts General Hospital, I helped develop training modules that improved the performance of newly hired OT assistants. I hope to bring that same sense of teamwork and innovation to your hospital’s advertised OT position.
4. Body paragraph(s)
Explain why the OT job or employer interests you. Then, cite a few more of your key achievements or qualifications, possibly using bullet points.
Example
I’m drawn to your description of a health care setting that values patients’ recovery of daily living skills after a major health event. This is my passion. Nothing motivates me more than helping patients set and achieve renewed activity and mobility goals.
My work highlights and qualifications also include the following:
- Provide case managers with insight and analysis that supports responsible discharge planning
- Offer ideas and suggestions to make patients’ home or work environment safer and more conducive to a healthy lifestyle
- Master’s degree in occupational therapy from Temple University
- Highly efficient, drawing on prior work experience in the service industry
5. Closing
Finally, request an interview for the position.
Example
I would welcome the chance to discuss my skills further. Please call or email me to arrange an interview. I will follow up with you soon to confirm you received my resume and see if you have any initial questions.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Raymond Ortiz
Occupational Therapist Cover Letter Tips
1. Show you can help people make a smooth return to daily life
Start your letter strong with a clear example of your success as an OT. Consider how you’ve improved health care services – maybe you found a new way to support OT assistants or introduced home-based solutions for people with disabilities.
Example
In my current role as an OT for NY-Presbyterian Hospital, I’ve been praised for outstanding efficiency and focus on patient outcomes. I hope to bring that same level of performance to the new OT job opening at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
2. Explain why you’re drawn to the opportunity
On a separate document or sheet of paper, take 10 minutes to brainstorm why this OT role or employer interests you. For instance, maybe the hospital emphasizes continuous procedure improvement, a key focus of your most recent job.
When you’re done brainstorming, review your notes: Do any stand out as important or persuasive? Take another 10 minutes to brainstorm and elaborate on them. Repeat this process until you have two or three concise sentences that speak to the job opening. By adding these to your cover letter, you can show managers you’re responding to their job posting directly.
Example
Your job posting intrigued me as I’d love to support your goal of helping patients make a smooth and positive return to daily life. This is the work I’ve found most engaging and rewarding through my seven years of experience as an OT at both NY-Presbyterian and Tisch Hospital.
3. Highlight your varied health care skills
Add a short list of bullet points to show your success in key work areas for an OT, such as patient goal-setting or discharge planning. Given the collaborative nature of your role, highlight your work with physical therapists, case managers, or patients’ family members and employers.
Example
Additionally, I’d prove an asset to your organization based on my skill in these three areas:
- Collaboration: Provide detailed updates after each patient consult to ensure nurses’ full awareness of progress and any ongoing concerns
- Continuous improvement: Contribute ideas and strategies to streamline operations further, standardize policies, and advance team success
- Patient consultation: Help individuals set clear, attainable goals for regaining mobility and resuming daily work, life, and social activities
Occupational Therapist Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
Raymond Ortiz
123 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Monday, April 18, 2024
Ms. Meiling Li
Hiring Manager
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
Dear Ms. Li:
In my current role as an occupational therapist for NY-Presbyterian Hospital, I’ve been praised for outstanding efficiency and focus on patient outcomes. I hope to bring that same level of performance to the new OT job opening at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Your job posting intrigued me as I’d love to support your goal of helping patients make a smooth and positive return to daily life. This is the work I’ve found most engaging and rewarding through my seven years of experience as an OT at both NY-Presbyterian and Tisch Hospital.
Below are four more of my key strengths and qualifications:
- Consult closely with patients to define their personal goals for regaining mobility and resuming daily work and life activities
- Collaborate with physical therapists to help determine and recommend the next phase of each patient’s recovery, drawing on a broad knowledge of available rehab, home health, and other services
- Adept at planning successful discharges based on a thorough evaluation of health and safety factors at patients’ homes and workplaces
- Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University
I would welcome the chance to discuss my skills further. Please call or email me to arrange an interview. I will follow up with you soon to confirm you received my resume and see if you have any initial questions.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Raymond Ortiz
Occupational Therapist Cover Letter Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a resume and a cover letter?-
A resume may show you’re qualified for the job, but a cover letter demonstrates you want it. Your resume should display your various relevant experiences for the role you’re after. By contrast, your cover letter should explain why a specific job posting caught your attention or why the hiring organization seems like a fit for you. These details let you express your genuine interest in the opportunity and set the stage for a positive and productive interview. Therefore, a cover letter sharpens your job application by saying directly what your resume can only indicate.
Should I say “My name is…” on a cover letter?-
No. As long as your name appears in the letter’s closing section, you don’t need to state it otherwise.
What traits are useful to highlight in my cover letter?-
Desired qualities in OTs include compassion, collaboration, and adaptability. Consider which of these traits best describe you, then give an example or two of how you’ve shown them in a work setting.
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