Seeking out a new physical therapy job can be both exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. Maybe you’re working toward a specific career goal or you’re moving to a new area and looking for your new professional community. Hiring managers are likely to ask why you’re looking for a new job right now, so it’s important to prepare for that question. But when you start searching for jobs and applying, it’s equally important to understand why the company is looking for a new employee. These are the points you should be speaking to in your cover letter.
Good cover letters for physical therapy jobs follow a pretty specific formula. If you’re a new grad, we published another article on physical therapy job cover letters that may be more relevant to you.
This article will outline how to find out what employers are looking for and the seven components you’ll need for a clear and concise cover letter.
What should I include in a cover letter for a physical therapy job?
While the content of your cover letter should make you stand out, the form should stick to a conventional structure. Your letter should express your interest in the position and show what you can do for the company, speaking to the specific reasons they’re growing their team. Each component and each paragraph of a good cover letter has a specific purpose. If you tend to write with a lot of detail or wordy descriptions, this is one instance where editing will be critical.
Here’s a brief list of what you should include in your physical therapy cover letter. Scroll down to the expanded list for more detail on what each item should look like.
- A header with the date and your contact information.
- The hiring manager’s name and contact information.
- An appropriate greeting.
- Introductory paragraph.
- Body paragraph.
- Closing paragraph with a call to action.
- Brief sign-off and signature.
7 essential components of a cover letter for a physical therapy job
The résumé and application materials you submit should be tailored to the company and the position you’re applying for. You can find out what skills, qualities and credentials are most important by doing some research before you start working on your application. Start by reading the job post in detail, and then look at the company’s website and social media channels for more clues about what they value in their employees.
There are some specific cues you can look for in the job listing and other materials aimed at potential employees. Keep an eye out for the job functions someone in this particular role should prioritize and any outcomes your new employer will expect from you. Are there any gaps they’re looking to fill, and what do they expect from all employees? Is there any type of measurable data they look for or treatment modalities they’ll expect you to be familiar with? What are the company’s values and treatment philosophy?
Viewing the structure of your cover letter as a “container” for these kinds of information can make writing your first draft a little easier. Read through some cover letter examples for the type of position you’re applying for, for instance, a physical therapist assistant.
Here are the seven essential items to include in your physical therapy cover letter:
- A header with the date and your contact information
Putting the right information in your header establishes your professionalism and shows your attention to detail. Your contact information should be at the very top, followed by the date. Choose an 11- or 12-point font that’s easy to read. You can use a different header font to create the appearance of a professional letterhead. Be sure to use a simple header font that complements the one you use in body text, but don’t use more than two different fonts.
- The hiring manager’s name and contact information
Addressing the hiring manager by name in the header makes your appeal a bit more personal to the supervisor who will make the hiring decision. It can be hard to figure out exactly who’s responsible for filling the role, but LinkedIn has made it much easier. If no one’s listed as a human resources specialist or the director of the department, see if the company’s website has any information about its leadership team.
Some companies don’t publish this kind of information. In these cases, speaking with someone on the team may be your best bet. This is also a great way to learn about the company culture. Use LinkedIn to see if anyone in your network has connections with employees at the companies you’re applying to. If you find you do have some mutual connections, you can ask for an informational interview. But if all else fails, you can simply address your cover letter to “Hiring Manager.”
- An appropriate greeting
Again, addressing the hiring manager by name in the greeting helps you make a great first impression. The greeting you use should be informed by what you’ve read and observed about the company culture. Some physical therapy companies can be pretty laid back, in which case, “Hi [Hiring manager’s name]” or “Hello [Name]” will work just fine. If they are more formal and serious about their work, you could go with “Dear [Name].” Try to mirror whatever tone the company takes in its digital footprint and keep things friendly, confident and professional.
- Introductory paragraph
The first paragraph in your cover letter should include how you heard about the position. Employers constantly evaluate which channels are bringing new candidates into their talent pool. This is also where you can make any personal ties to the company pay off. Include context about any relationships or prior experiences with the company you may have. One quick conversation between the hiring manager and a team member you’ve spoken with could make a big difference. Finally, express your interest in applying for the position and finish with a sentence on how your professional skills and experience will directly benefit them.
- Body paragraph
Use one body paragraph to give some concrete details that back up what you said in the first paragraph. This is where you can talk about previous work or volunteer experiences that show how you can benefit the company in this position — but be careful not to duplicate the same descriptions you used on your résumé. You should fine-tune your résumé for each company you apply to, and the cover letter is where you explain why your experiences are relevant. A good rule of thumb is to list high-level duties and responsibilities on your résumé and save details that show how you went “above and beyond” the job description for your cover letter.
Anything you say about yourself in the body paragraph should have a concrete example, if possible, and directly tie to something in the job description. Try to include numbers and metrics whenever you can: for instance, “I served over 100 patients each year” or “I helped athletes recover from injuries like a torn ACL and return to their peak performance in six months or less.”
- Closing paragraph with a call to action
If you can touch on the most important points in just three paragraphs, you’re golden. You can consider adding body paragraphs if you’ve identified more than one objective or outcome that should be a top priority for someone in this position. You can also use an extra paragraph to discuss important factors like any values you share with the organization or volunteer work you’ve done to give back to your community. Remember, anything you say in the cover letter should tie directly to a quality, skill or experience in the job post.
Thank the hiring manager for their time and include a call to action that shows you’re interested in scheduling an interview. Something like “You can get in touch with me at [email address]” or “Please reach out when you’re ready to talk about next steps” will work. Let them know the best way to contact you.
- Brief sign-off and signature
Finally, choose a closing that’s consistent with the tone you’ve identified. “Sincerely” can seem formal. “With gratitude” or “Warmly” are a bit friendlier. Again, what you say will depend on what you’ve observed in your research. There isn’t really a wrong answer, but in each case, some phrasing will be more appropriate than others.
Ready for a new and exciting career opportunity? You’ll find it at Alliance PTP
As a physical therapist, you may be struggling to advance your career or find your next position, but you don’t have to continue struggling alone. At Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, we’ve created a nationwide partnership in care that’s constantly evolving to help our PT practice partners and their team members take on their latest challenges.
Not only does our team have the expertise and resources to help practice owners and sellers meet their challenges, we also offer a range of professional development and support resources for our partners’ team members, too.
That’s why all our new physical therapists and PT assistants participate in a mentoring program. This program allows you to meet regularly with experienced professionals who can help you address your needs as someone who’s new to the Alliance PTP team. They can also help you set specific goals for your professional development. Most importantly, your mentorship will help you provide your patients with best-quality PT care.
Taking advantage of all the career opportunities Alliance PTP offers starts with one simple step. Look over our Careers page to see all of our current career opportunities.
