
How to Include Salary Requirements in a Cover Letter: Sample
Addressing salary expectations in a cover letter is tough. Get it right and maximize your earning potential with these examples and tips.
You’re an occupational therapist, not a physical therapist. Show you love the variety and deserve the high pay, with a professional, engaging occupational therapy cover letter.
You need an occupational therapy cover letter that gets noticed. Why? The field is growing faster than most. There are 2,370 more OT jobs each year. But—you don’t want a job changing diapers all day, where your boss assigns you to patients who don’t need your help. That’s why your letter is important.
Without a cover letter for occupational therapy jobs, you’ll fall below the sensory threshold. To get a good therapy job with great pay and a mix of burns, acute, ergonomics, outpatient, inpatient, and pediatric, you need to turn heads. Your cover letter needs to show you’re not some burned out complainer.
The good news? It’s not so hard. Follow me and I’ll show you what to say to make it personal. And how to do it fast.
This guide will show you:
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Sample cover letter for a resume—See more cover letter examples and create your cover letter here.
Thinking about other jobs? See:
Are you changing careers or getting your first job? See:
This occupational therapy cover letter template works:
Your Name
Occupational Therapist
Mailing Address
Phone Number
Email Address
LinkedIn Address
Date
Hiring Manager’s Name
Hiring Manager’s Title
Organization’s Name
Organization’s Mailing Address
Dear [Hiring Manager Name],
I’m writing to convey my excitement for your occupational therapist job opening at [Organization’s Name]. I’m an NBCOT-certified occupational therapist with 6+ years of experience who managed a caseload of 50+ patients at [Previous Employer].
After a careful read of your job offer, I see you need a therapist skilled in leadership, preparing treatment plans, and administering ADL/IADL therapeutic exercises. Here are three reasons I think I’m a fit:
[Manager Name], I’m very interested in talking to you about how my skills in patient assessment, documentation, and teamwork can help [Organization’s Name] fulfill its goal to [Organization’s Goal from Job Offer or Mission Statement Online]. Can we set up a call to talk about next steps?
Best regards,
[Your Name], Occupational Therapist
[Phone Number]
[Email]
A cover letter for occupational therapy jobs like that can get you hired.
Your cover letter needs an equally smart resume. See our guide: Occupational Therapy Resume: Sample & Complete Guide
Now, here’s how to write occupational therapy cover letters that work:
Employers won’t read occupational therapy cover letters that look sloppy. Invite them to look closer with a clean cover letter layout. Choose font styles, cover letter margins, line-spacing, and a cover letter header that shows you know praxis from plasticity. Use the 3-paragraph format to look your best.
Start with this template:
How long should your cover letter be? 200–400 words depending on your OT experience.
Read more: Cover Letter Format: A Complete How-To Guide
“I liked you when I read your letter.” If your occupational therapy cover letter doesn’t do that, it’s wasting paper. To hit them like a stim toy, start with their name and the job title you want. Then think—what’s your most job-appropriate accomplishment? Put that in the first paragraph of your cover letter.
See these occupational therapist cover letter examples:
Right Example |
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Delena Pedrosa Occupational Therapist, NBCOT 3882 Clay Street Indianapolis, IN 46225 delena.pedrosa@gmail.com 812-568-9742 linkedin.com/in/delenaqpedrosa
3/16/20
Kayla Chiu Recruitment Coordinator Hagen Health Network 2802 Davisson Street Indianapolis, IN 46201
Dear Ms. Chiu,
I’m writing to convey my excitement for your occupational therapist job opening at Memorial Medical Network. I’m an NBCOT-certified occupational therapist with 6+ years of experience who managed a caseload of 50+ patients at Hagen Health Network, Inc. |
That cover letter sample for occupational therapy jobs works. Ms. Chiu’s name and “your occupational therapist job opening” are attention-getters. Your years of experience and 50+ caseload show you’re in the right place.
But this occupational therapy cover letter example lacks coordination:
Wrong Example |
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Dear Recruiter,
I’m an occupational therapist with a 6+ year track record of providing healthcare excellence. I’m compassionate and patient-centered, and I have a long history of helping patients recover from injury with a conscientious mindset. |
Low tone.
That example fails, because it’s not grounded by details. It might as well say the applicant is superhuman and can fly. Where’s the proof?
Now maybe you can’t talk about your giant caseload. What if you need an OT cover letter with no experience?
In a cover letter for occupational therapy with no experience, start with:
See these occupational therapy cover letter examples with no experience:
Right Example |
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|
Integrated.
Those openings for a new grad occupational therapy cover letter beat, “My resume shows...”
Pro Tip: Should you mention salary in a cover letter? It can save days pursuing the wrong jobs. Check the company first on Glassdoor to get an idea what they’ll agree to.
Don’t stop with a supportive first paragraph. If you can get them nodding, you can get the interview. To do it, make your occupational therapy cover letter fit the job like a weighted vest. To focus your chances, get a handle on the job requirements before you write.
In your letter’s second paragraph:
See these occupational therapy cover letter examples:
RIGHT EXAMPLE |
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After a careful read of your job offer, I see you need a therapist skilled in leadership, preparing treatment plans, and administering ADL/IADL therapeutic exercises. Here are three reasons I think I’m a fit:
|
Ring, ring.
But—
The next of our OT cover letter examples is prone:
Wrong Example |
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I’ve worked for the past five years with hundreds of geriatric patients to help them recover from hip replacements, knee replacements, amputations, and fractures. These experiences have helped me to become a more compassionate caregiver and have honed my people skills and communication skills to a high level. I believe I have the ability to become a strong member of your team. |
Not so good.
It’s fine—but the clinic manager isn’t looking for “fine.” That example misses the point by mentioning the wrong skills. Worse, it’s vague. “Hundreds” is okay, but what does “high level” mean? The first example gives plain numbers that work like a yardstick.
Pro Tip: Talk about a recent project the clinic just completed to raise their interest. A cover letter should say you’re interested in them. Interest is interesting.
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The final paragraph of your cover letter should motivate them. You want them to take action—not nod and move on to someone else. So, restate your interest in the job. Then get them thinking forward to the future. Asking for the interview isn’t pushy. It’s proactive.
See these examples:
Right Example |
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Ms. Chiu, I’m very interested in talking to you about how my skills in patient assessment, documentation, and teamwork can help Hagen Health Network fulfill its goal to build lasting relationships with its patients. Can we set up a call to talk about next steps?
Best regards,
Delena Pedrosa Occupational Therapist, NBCOT delena.pedrosa@gmail.com 812-568-9742 |
Engaging.
You referenced more occupational therapy skills. You shared your hopes for the future, and gave them a plan to follow.
But the next of our occupational therapy cover letter samples has no inner drive:
Wrong Example |
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Thank you for your time. I’m free to chat whenever you like. |
Pro Tip: Do occupational therapy jobs need cover letters? Yes. There are almost 2,400 new jobs each year. But there are thousands of O.T.s looking for work.
Here’s how to write an occupational therapy cover letter:
Not sure how to start your occupational therapy job cover letter? Want to write a cover letter for occupational therapy positions that makes the phone ring? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!
Addressing salary expectations in a cover letter is tough. Get it right and maximize your earning potential with these examples and tips.
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