There is much to look forward to when pursuing a career in pharmaceuticals. You’ll be entering a cutting-edge field always seeking to improve and uncover innovative new treatments. You’ll have the opportunity to challenge yourself and grow professionally. And perhaps most important of all, you’ll have the opportunity to make a lasting and positive difference in the lives of others.
What many students and graduates may not look forward to is the job application process, whether navigating interviews or trying to craft the perfect cover letter. Fortunately, caring colleges offer plenty of services to students. At AAPS, students even have access to monthly resume writing and interviewing skills workshops.
If you’re feeling nervous about the next step after graduation, here are a few cover letter writing tips to help you get started.
Highlight why You Would Be a Great fit for the Position
You don’t want to simply repeat the points you list in your resume when writing your cover letter. Instead, you want to use your cover letter to draw attention to the reasons why you would be a great fit for the position.
When writing your cover letter, make sure to carefully look over the job description and skills listed in the posting. Make sure that your cover letter helps to illustrate how you meet these requirements. Elaborating on the education you received at pharmaceutical school, as well as any hands-on experience you have, can help to make sure that recruiters keep these aspects in mind when reviewing your application.
Keep Your Writing Straightforward and Short
Your cover letter can help to show your communication skills. However, you want to remember that good communication skills don’t necessarily mean writing long and complicated sentences. Writing that is clear and to the point can be more beneficial than writing that uses flowery language or obscure words. This can be especially important for professionals with pharmaceutical training, as writing in a pharmaceutical context prioritizes clarity.
When writing your cover letter, try to keep your writing clear and short
It’s also important to keep your cover letter short. Recruiters likely won’t read a cover letter that is longer than a page, so you’ll want to make sure that you fit all you want to say in just a few short paragraphs.
Review Your Cover Letter for Typos
Because your cover letter helps to establish an employer’s first impression of you, you want to ensure that it is free of typos and other errors. In some cases, even a small typo can cause an employer to view your application negatively and turn their attention to another candidate.
For this reason, it can be a good idea to ask a friend, family member, or career counsellor to review your cover letter. Another trick you can use is to look over your cover letter a day or two after having written the first draft. You can also try reading it out loud. This will help you see your writing with a slightly different perspective and help you notice errors you might have missed earlier.
By using these strategies, you can create a good cover letter as you prepare to begin your career after graduation.
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