Healthcare Cover Letter Examples & Expert Tips for 2024
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Whether you’re a nurse, a doctor, a paramedic, or a hospital technician, you help people on a daily basis. Can we, please, return the favor and show you how to write an outstanding healthcare cover letter that will help you land the job? It’s not much, but it’s what we do.
Read our guide on what should be included in a cover letter for healthcare jobs you’re interested in, learn how to impress the recruiters, and see great cover letter examples for healthcare positions you might be after!
This guide will show you:
- A healthcare cover letter example better than 9 out of 10 others.
- Cover letter examples for healthcare jobs that let you plug in your core strengths.
- The work plan for how to write a healthcare cover letter.
Want to write your cover letter fast? Use our cover letter builder. Choose from 20+ professional cover letter templates that match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.
Sample cover letter for a resume—See more cover letter examples and create your cover letter here.
Looking for specific medical or wellness jobs? Visit our guides:
- Nursing Cover Letter Example
- Nursing Student Cover Letter Example
- Nurse Practitioner Cover Letter Examples
- Medical Cover Letter Example
- Medical Assistant Cover Letter
- Physical Therapy Cover Letter Example
- Registered / Clinical Dietitian Nutritionist Cover Letter Example
- Occupational Therapy Cover Letter Example
- Massage Therapist Cover Letter Example
- Esthetician Cover Letter Example
Want to explore your options even further? Check out our full selection of cover letter examples: Professional Cover Letter Examples to Apply for a Job in 2022
Now, let’s see one of the great cover letter examples for healthcare!
Healthcare Cover Letter Example
Eileen Coleridge
Head Nurse
455 Torch Road
Augusta, ME 30830
604-034-0043
eileen_coleridge@gmail.com
March 16, 2024
Anne Wilkins
Head Physician
Willow View Hospital
643 Willow Ave.
Augusta, ME 30830
Dear Ms Wilkins,
As a nurse with 10+ years of experience, I’ve been managing my unit’s budget and helped reduce the costs by 20% without sacrificing the quality of provided nursing services. I would love to do the same for such a renowned institution as Willow View Hospital.
In my career as a head nurse, I’ve gained experience in the maternity ward, where I helped deliver 150+ newborns in Holy Mother’s Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in Maine. I also created efficient nurses’ schedules that cut 15% of the time wasted in the ward. One of my biggest professional achievements was training 10+ nurses who currently help deliver newborns all over the state.
When I found out that Willow View Hospital is currently looking for a head nurse in their maternity ward, I was overwhelmed. Your reputation for taking extreme care of all the patients has made working at your institution my personal goal. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to reach that goal and help you rise above the great level your institution is already at.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to meeting you in person and learning more about your expectations towards your future head nurse. I would also love to tell you how I helped deliver sextuplets during the second year of my nursing career, as I believe this knowledge can be both inspiring and beneficial for your employees. Would it be possible for us to meet next week and discuss how my experience can be valuable for Willow View Hospital?
Sincerely,
Eileen Coleridge
604-034-0043
eileen_coleridge@gmail.com
That’s a perfect healthcare cover letter example. Now, let’s find out how you can make one yourself!
To have a full set of application documents, learn how to write a healthcare resume.
1. Select the Perfect Healthcare Cover Letter Template
To boost the prognosis for landing a healthcare job of your dreams, you must start with the basics. And that’s the plan of what to put in your cover letter.
Healthcare Cover Letter—Checklist
1. Your contact information.
2. The company’s info.
3. Dear (hiring manager name). Try to avoid the generic “To whom it may concern” salutation.
4. Paragraph #1: an introduction + an impressive and relevant achievement
5. Paragraph #2: your key skills + the reason you’re the perfect fit for the job
6. Paragraph #3: your passion + the reason you want this particular job in this particular company.
7. Paragraph #4: your Call to Action, in which you propose a precise date of the interview
8. Best regards + your name + your title
9. P.S. + added value (that’s another impressive achievement from your work).
Having a great outline for your document is one thing, but let’s not forget about the 101 of cover letter formatting:
- Start by choosing a modern cover letter template. Select the one that will be consistent with your modern resume template.
- Make your cover letter one page long. The perfect length of a cover letter should be 3 to 4 paragraphs.
- Add the right cover letter line spacing and margins. That’s 1.15 line spacing and 1-inch margins on each edge of the document.
- Write your document in an esteemed cover letter font (there are more options than Times New Roman or Arial!).
So now your general plan is ready. Let’s begin our treatment, AKA, writing the cover letter for the healthcare job of your choice!
Learn everything about a great cover letter format. Read our guide: How to Format a Cover Letter
2. Begin Your Healthcare Cover Letter Strongly
Did you know that there are on average about 1.9 million healthcare openings each year? This projection comes from growth and the need for replacement. Moreover, the growth of overall employment in healthcare occupations is expected to result in about 2 million new jobs over the decade.
Sounds great, but let’s not forget, you still have a lot of competition to beat! A great way to do it is to catch the recruiters’ attention right from the top of your cover letter. Let’s find out how to do it!
Here’s how to start a cover letter:
- Write a proper cover letter header. It should consist of your name, job title, address, phone number, email address, and Instagram link. Write down a date. Then put your addressee’s name, job title, company’s name, and company's address.
- Make it personal, and engage with your reader from the start. The easiest way to do it? Begin your healthcare cover letter with a personal greeting. Then include the information about the company or the institution you're applying to.
- Make them see how excited you are about the possibility of working in this specific institution. A bit of ego-boosting compliments can't do any harm!
Let’s see some examples:
Healthcare Cover Letter Examples: First Paragraph
| Right Example |
|---|
Eileen Coleridge Head Nurse 455 Torch Road Augusta, ME 30830 604-034-0043 eileen_coleridge@gmail.com March 16, 2024 Anne Wilkins Head Physician Willow View Hospital 643 Willow Ave. Augusta, ME 30830 Dear Ms Wilkins, As a nurse with 10+ years of experience, I’ve been managing my unit’s budget and helped reduce the costs by 20% without sacrificing the quality of provided nursing services. I would love to do the same for such a renowned institution as Willow View Hospital. |
| Wrong Example |
|---|
Eileen Coleridge Head Nurse eileen_coleridge@gmail.com Anne Wilkins Head Physician Hello, My name is Eileen, and I am a head nurse with more than ten years of experience. I would like to reply to your job ad and become your very own future head nurse! |
The first example is very precise. The header is done perfectly and the author of this cover letter shows the achievement and express interest in working in the institution which is mentioned by name.
The second example gives a wrong heading and a terrible salutation. They can basically apply to any other position. Bonus point for enthusiasm? Not really, as it still sounds a bit generic.
But what if you lack the experience?
Don’t call 911; getting hired with no experience on your resume is still possible! Use the transferable skills that you've developed in personal all professional contexts. Instead of proving how experienced you are, you can use the achievements from other jobs that prove you might have some skills that make you the perfect candidate.
- Revisit the job ad and consider what they are looking for. Perhaps there are some soft skills you gained from your college years, interests, voluntary work or other jobs that can easily apply to this opening. Those skills can include:
- Healthcare Delivery
- Electronic Health Record (EHR) System
- Accuracy & Patient Confidentiality
- Working Well Under Pressure
- Nursing Skills
- Management Skills
- Problem-Solving Skills
- Leadership Skills
- Time Management Skills
- Communication Skills
- Decision-Making Skills
- Critical Thinking Skills
- Interpersonal Skills
- Project Management Skills
- Technical Skills
- Teamwork Skills
- Creative Thinking Skills
- Show not only your skills but also your passion for the job. Awards, voluntary work or distinctions can be impressive to the recruiter.
Check what an applicant with no work experience could write:
Healthcare Cover Letter Example [No Experience]
While studying at the University of Maine, I undertook clinical practice in a busy hospital. That experience made me 100% certain that this is exactly what I want to do with my life. I want to help patients feel better and taken care of.
To start my practice during my studies, I joined the volunteering group that helped homeless people during winter across Augusta. There was a young doctor with us, Yvonne Green, who I believe still works at your hospital. The way she talked about how Willow View Hospital prioritizes taking extreme care of all the patients has made working at your institution my personal goal. I would be thrilled to be able to gain more experience and learn from your staff, while constantly improving my communication, nursing, and decision-making skills, which are already on a high level.
This nurse is not a professional yet, but she is determined to become one, she goes the extra mile to learn new things and already has a plan on where she’d like to work. If that’s not impressive, then what is?
The first contact with a cover letter is done. But let’s not leave our patient just yet!
Pro Tip: “Dear” at the beginning of a cover letter is not a bad idea. There's nothing wrong with keeping it in front of the addressee's name.
3. Write a Perfect Middle of Your Healthcare Cover Letter
Did you know, that according to the WHO, 55% of people incorrectly think that they should stop taking antibiotics when they feel better, rather than taking the full course? Luckily, you know better that in order for treatment to succeed, you must follow Every. Single. Step. So let’s not stop crafting your cover letter after a very great start!
How to write a great second paragraph of a cover letter?
- Show your relevant accomplishments and highlight your skills. That’s how you prove you’re the perfect fit for the job. Using your resume for this part will come in handy.
- Add some numbers to your achievements to assure your recruiter that you know well what you’re talking about, and you pay great attention to what you have achieved.
- Inform the reader that you want this specific job. Writing a generic cover letter or copy-pasting content from your old one won’t take you places. Instead, make this cover letter personal, and make them feel appreciated. That’s how they’ll feel you can stick with them for a long time.
Let’s see some examples:
Healthcare Cover Letter Examples [Middle Paragraphs]
| Right Example |
|---|
| In my career as a head nurse, I’ve gained experience in the maternity ward, where I helped deliver 150+ newborns in Holy Mother’s Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in Maine. I also created efficient nurses’ schedules that cut 15% of the time wasted in the ward. One of my biggest professional achievements was training 10+ nurses who currently help deliver newborns all over the state. |
| Wrong Example |
|---|
| As a nurse I’ve been helping deliver many newborns, helping with creating the right schedules and teaching other nurses. That’s why I think I’d be a fine addition to your institution. |
The first example gives precise achievements that are quantifiable. It shows that the author knows exactly what she has achieved in the past. That shows that she will be able to repeat those achievements, which were no accident!
The second example gives you what any head nurse job description would be. So it basically says that the author was a head nurse. Probably just like a majority of applicants for this position.
Our treatment is almost over now. Let’s head up to the last part of your cover letter!
Pro tip: Do you know anything specific about the institution you’re applying to that happened recently? Mentioning it proves that you’re well-informed and interested in them.
Creating a resume with our builder is incredibly simple. Follow our step-by-step guide and use content from Certified Professional Resume Writers to have a resume ready in minutes.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.
4. Finish Your Healthcare Cover Letter Perfectly
Did you know that nearly 30% of health workers are satisfied with their jobs? That sounds great! So it might be justified to show some excitement in the last paragraphs of your cover letter for healthcare.
So, how to end a cover letter for healthcare jobs?
- Show your excitement about the chance to work in this very company or institution.
- Explain how your experience, skills, and passion make you a great candidate. Talk about how you can help them. After all, from their perspective, that’s what you're there for!
- Propose a precise date and time for an interview. Hint that both sides can win something by meeting face-to-face.
Let’s look at the difference between a good and a bad cover letter ending:
Healthcare Cover Letter Examples [Ending]
| Right Example |
|---|
When I found out that Willow View Hospital is currently looking for a head nurse in their maternity ward, I was overwhelmed. Your reputation for taking extreme care of all the patients has made working at your institution my personal goal. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to reach that goal and help you rise above the great level your institution is already at. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to meeting you in person and learning more about your expectations towards your future head nurse. I would also love to tell you how I helped deliver sextuplets during the second year of my nursing career, as I believe this knowledge can be both inspiring and beneficial for your employees. Would it be possible for us to meet next week and discuss how my experience can be valuable for Willow View Hospital? Sincerely, Eileen Coleridge 604-034-0043 eileen_coleridge@gmail.com |
Wrong Example
Thank you very much for your time and for considering my candidacy. I look forward to hearing from you.
Eileen Coleridge
The first example not only delivers some good old ego-boosting but also brings a call to action to the table and a promise of an exciting and indeed probably inspiring and beneficial story. The sign-off and repeated contact details make a perfect ending to this cover letter.
The second example gives the reader nothing. It can as well say “THX, bye!”
There are other ways to conclude a cover letter. Read more: Cover Letter Enclosures
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Key Takeaway
Whether it's the public health cover letter, the healthcare administration cover letter, or any other cover letter for healthcare jobs, you’re ready to create a document that will intrigue, catch attention and perhaps win you the job of your dreams!
Let’s just repeat how to do it:
- Choose the correct format for a healthcare cover letter. Make it as readable as possible!
- Catch the reader’s attention immediately. Make it personal, make them feel appreciated.
- Show your achievements. If you don’t have that many, write about your skills and passion for helping others.
- Prove you’re the perfect candidate for the job. Write about your past jobs, write about your skills, express your passion and use everything that can impress the reader. Try to find what it can be by revisiting the job ad.
- Conclude with a call to action. Ask for a job interview and promise to give them a piece of your experience in return.
And that’s it! You’re ready to improve health, treat diseases and injuries, prevent illnesses, and diagnose any other ailments. You’re ready to save lives. Thank you for that and good luck!
Want to know more about writing a great healthcare cover letter? Visit our comment section and let’s talk!
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