Occupational Therapist cover letter example: a sample to adapt, and why it works.

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Occupational Therapist cover letter

When to use: Applications for Occupational Therapist roles.

Dear [Hiring manager's name],

I'm applying for the Occupational Therapist position at [Employer], which I found on [where you saw the posting]. I bring [number] years of experience as an Occupational Therapist, most recently leading [the scope you are responsible for].

At [Current or most recent employer], I tested and evaluated patients' physical and mental abilities for [how many / how often], and I completed and maintained necessary records, which [result you can prove: time saved, errors cut, people served]. I also planned and implemented programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps, using [a tool the posting names, for example Facebook, only if you have used it].

Your posting mentions [a priority from the job description]. That is where my service orientation and active listening matter most: [one short, true example of you doing it].

I'd welcome a conversation about how I could help [Employer] with [that priority]. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

1. Opening. Names the role, Occupational Therapist, and where you saw it, then states your experience in the role.
2. Proof. “Complete and maintain necessary records” and “Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress”, in the past tense, plus your scale and result.
3. Skills. Service Orientation and Active Listening, the top-rated skills, get a real example.
4. Tools. Facebook stays in brackets: O*NET data, not your experience.

Career change into Occupational Therapist work

When to use: You are moving in from a related job. O*NET lists Clinical Nurse Specialist, Physical Therapist and Nurse Practitioner among the occupations related to this one.

After [number] years as [your current job title], I'm applying for the Occupational Therapist role at [Employer]. In my current job I already selected activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities [or the closest thing you do], and I recently [completed training, a course or a project] in [a skill the posting names].

Moving up to a senior Occupational Therapist role

When to use: Experienced candidates: O*NET places this job in Job Zone 5, extensive preparation.

I'm applying for the Occupational Therapist role at [Employer]. Over [number] years I have evaluated patients' progress, and more recently [the larger scope or responsibility you took on].

Referral opening

When to use: Someone at the occupational therapist employer suggested you apply.

[Referrer's name], who [works on your team / knows my work from Previous employer], suggested I apply for the Occupational Therapist role. At [Employer] I trained caregivers in providing for the needs of a patient during and after therapy for [scale], which [result you can prove].

Data Related occupations in O*NET: Clinical Nurse Specialists, Physical Therapists, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians, Nurse Practitioners and Psychiatrists.

Data Also posted as: Assistive Technology Trainer, Certified Hand Therapist (CHT), Early Intervention Occupational Therapist, Home Health Occupational Therapist, Industrial Rehabilitation Consultant, Occupational Therapist (OT).

Data Knowledge areas: Therapy and Counseling, Psychology, Customer and Personal Service and Medicine and Dentistry. Tools reported: Facebook, eClinicalWorks EHR software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software and Microsoft Word.

• Listing tools you haven't used: the tools above describe the job, not you.
• Describing duties instead of results: “Complete and maintain necessary records” is the job, not an achievement.
• Leaving out a license, certification or degree the posting asks for, when you hold it.
• Ignoring Therapy and Counseling, a knowledge area O*NET rates important here.
• Writing only about tasks when the job involves constant contact with people (O*NET work context).
• Ignoring deadlines when the job runs under time pressure (O*NET work context).

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