Occupational Therapist Cover Letter

Occupational therapy is an exciting yet competitive career that requires technical knowledge and people skills. A well-written occupational therapist cover letter is one of the best ways to show you have both. Use our free downloadable sample and writing tips to create yours.

August 12, 2024

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Occupational Therapist Cover Letter Template

Make sure your cover letter is formatted well to give it a professional appearance.

Copy-paste Occupational Therapist Cover Letter (Text Format)

FIRST AND LAST NAME

Email: your.email@email.com

Phone: (123) 456-7891

Address: Street, City, State

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile

[Today’s Date]

[Hiring Manager’s Name]
123 Company Address
Company’s City, State, Zip Code
(xxx) xxx-xxxx
hiring.manager@gmail.com

Dear [Mr./Ms./Mx.] [Hiring Manager’s Last Name],

I’m responding to the advertisement for a new Occupational Therapist at Sunrise Rehabilitation. As an accomplished Occupational Therapist with 4+ years of experience leading restorative activities to help physically and/or mentally disabled patients live independently, I’m thrilled to apply for the role.

Over the years, I’ve gained extensive experience in applying recognized practices to offer a full range of services and physical agent modalities. I’m skilled at working with interdisciplinary healthcare teams to further rehabilitation for patients. The highlights of my experiences are as follows:

Successfully facilitated 7 treatment programs, each of which has significantly improved patient recovery by at least 20%
Executed 4 successful therapeutic equipment training programs for staff, participants, and caregivers/families
Saved 30% in costs by creating new policies that streamlined activities and reduced wastage

In addition, I share your company’s dedication to supporting veteran soldiers and industrial workers, and would appreciate the opportunity to further drive your company’s goals. Please feel free to contact me for further insights on my experience, and thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Average occupational therapist salaries in the US

The following table includes information from O*NET Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license, this data is pulled from the most recent US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment & Earnings report (as of 10/16/2024), featuring the top states by use.

Average occupational therapist annual salaries by state

State	Salary / Year
California	$112,390
New York	$101,840
Florida	$96,010
Texas	$98,970
Pennsylvania	$92,660
Illinois	$97,040
Ohio	$90,520
Georgia	$101,290
North Carolina	$91,100
Michigan	$82,970
National Average	$93,040

Writing tips for your occupational therapist CV

Occupational therapists help people overcome barriers caused by chronic pain, illness, disability, or injuries.

They work with a variety of patients, including the elderly, working-age adults, and children. OTs provide patients with diverse forms of practical support so they can return to work or school, or live an independent life.

According to the US Bureau of National Statistics, occupational therapists make $85,570 on average in the US, though this number varies considerably from state to state.

As the average age in the US continues to rise, forecasters predict the number of occupational therapy jobs will grow by 14% between 2021 and 2031.

But occupational therapy is competitive, and getting NBCOT-certified won’t guarantee you work in your dream setting.

Here are three things to remember when you write your occupational therapy cover letter.

1. Use the right cover letter format

Occupational therapist cover letters follow the same cover letter format used for most industries.

Your cover letter should be concise and well-structured so the employer can scan it and quickly determine if you’re qualified for the job.

Similar to a standard business letter, your occupational therapist cover letter should open with the following:

Cover letter header with your name and contact information
The contact information of the addressee
A formal salutation (to a named contact person)
A brief introduction (including your name, specialty, the job title you’re applying for, and your reason for applying)

In the body of your cover letter, you should outline your suitability for the role and state your reasons for applying.

An example from an occupational therapist cover letter, in which the writer says they applied to the employer because they want to work with children. — Highlight common values or experiences valuable to the specific position.

Finally, end your cover letter with a call-to-action requesting an interview and thanking the employer for the opportunity.

2. Demonstrate the right occupational therapist skills

As occupational therapy roles involve both medical and caregiving duties, occupational therapists need to demonstrate several hard and soft skills (technical skills and personality traits).

Review the job description and employer website to understand exactly which skills the employer is looking for.

Look for information related to:

the job’s core responsibilities
what kinds of patients you’ll be working with
the size and type of center you’ll be working at (e.g., clinic, hospital)

Different positions will need certain skills more than others. Highlighting the right skills for the specific position demonstrates a proper understanding of the role and will make your application stand out.

A paragraph from an occupational therapist cover letter, in which the writer highlights skills that are relevant to the employer. — Describing highly relevant skills shows you understand the job and its responsibilities.

This example would work well in a cover letter for an occupational therapist job at a hospital, where the hire would be expected to deal with larger caseloads.

Including bullet points can also be very helpful for making your letter easier to skim.

3. Outline your motivations for applying

In addition to wanting qualified, knowledgeable staff, employers want occupational therapists that will reflect their organization’s core values and principles.

Show that your values are aligned with the employer by doing background research.

Look at the employer website’s “About Us” section and any press releases they’ve put out to identify core values, brands, and areas of specialty. You can use this information to show how working for the employer serves your professional interests or career path.