9 Things to Include in Your Cover Letter for Pharma Jobs

When applying for your next pharmaceutical or life science job, your cover letter will be a big part of how you differentiate yourself from your peers. This is your opportunity to put together a compelling argument for why you are the ideal candidate, and what you could bring to the role that others couldn’t.

According to research, 47% of recruiters agree that including a cover letter in your application demonstrates motivation, with 30% saying that it provides additional information about a candidate and 23% saying it helps to demonstrate the candidate’s personality.

Unlike your CV which lists out your skills, qualifications, and experiences, your cover letter should highlight how you’ve put those to use, and the results you’ve produced from this. It should be tailored to each role you apply for, ensuring the achievements you mention match the essential requirements in the job description.

In this article, we’ve outlined everything you should include in your cover letter as well as a structure to follow to ensure your letter is clear, and concise, and communicates why you’re a strong candidate for the job..

Your Contact Details

Include your contact information at the top of the page, on the right-hand margin. Include your full name, telephone number, email address, and a link to your website/LinkedIn URL if relevant. You don’t need to include your full address unless requested, but you may want to include a county/city if the employer has stated a preference for candidates to be within a certain radius.

If you’re uploading your CV or cover letter online, please follow our advice on how to do so safely.

Employer Details

The contact details you include for your employer will also depend on how you’re submitting your application. If it’s an online application where you have a limited number of characters to play with, you don’t need to include their contact details. If you’re submitting a hard copy, or the application asks you to address the company in your letter, include their address along with the name of the hiring manager or HR department.  

Date

Again, if you’re submitting your application through an online portal, you don’t need to include the date within the body of your letter. But if you’re sending a prospective cover letter or are submitting a hard copy, include the date before the start of your letter. 

Personalise the Salutation

Find out the name of the Hiring Manager/contact for this role. If a name hasn’t been given in the job description, reach out to the company to find out. If you still aren’t given a name, it’s best to use something like ‘Dear Hiring Manager’ rather than trying to figure out the person yourself – getting the name completely wrong won’t do you any favours!

Opening Paragraph

Begin your cover letter by introducing yourself using your elevator pitch, along with a line or two about how you learned about the position, and what drew you to apply. If you’re sending off a prospective cover letter and not applying for a specific role, outline the types of roles you’re looking for rather than being too vague.

Second Paragraph

Next, summarise your background as well as the key skills you have that make you qualified for the role. It’s important here to be as specific as you can, steering clear of making cliché statements and instead using statistics and specific anecdotes to contextualise your accomplishments.

Rather than trying to list every single relevant achievement, choose one or two that you feel reflect the key things the hiring manager is looking for in this position, using keywords from the job description to emphasise these.

Third Paragraph

In this paragraph, explain how your attributes make you a great fit for this role as well as for the company, drawing on their values and culture to highlight why you want to pursue a career with them over their competitors. This is your opportunity to show off the research you’ve done on the company, and to emphasise your cultural fit.

Closing Paragraph

In your final paragraph, reiterate your enthusiasm for the role and round up why you think you’d be a great fit, and what results you could bring to the company. Outline your availability, thank the person reading for their time and consideration, and indicate desire to be invited for an interview to learn even more about the role and the company.

Sign Off

How formally you sign off depends on how formal the company is, and the portal through which you’re submitting your application. Choose an appropriate sign off and consider also adding your signature as an extra touch. This can be handwritten if you’re submitting a physical copy or scanned onto the letter if you’re uploading it. It can look highly professional and adds a personal touch to your letter.

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Find Your Next Pharma Job

Find your next pharmaceutical job on PharmiWeb.Jobs here.