Embarking on your pharmaceutical sales career, you've hit a common snag: the cover letter. Unlike your resume, this isn't just a list of skills—it's your chance to share a success story, to showcase the professional triumph you're most proud of. Navigating the fine line between formal tone and avoiding clichés can be tricky, and all within the space of a single page. Let's take the stress out of crafting a compelling pharmaceutical sales cover letter that stands out.
- Personalize your pharmaceutical sales cover letter and get inspired by other professionals to tell a compelling story;
- Format and design your pharmaceutical sales cover letter to make an excellent first impression;
- Introduce your best achievement in your pharmaceutical sales cover letter to recruiters;
- How to make sure recruiters get in touch with you, using your pharmaceutical sales cover letter greeting and closing paragraphs.
What is more, did you know that Enhancv's AI can write your cover letter for you? Just upload your pharmaceutical sales resume and get ready to forward your job application in a flash.
If the pharmaceutical sales isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:
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Pharmaceutical sales cover letter example
RILEY NELSON
San Jose, California
+1-(234)-555-1234
help@enhancv.com
- Emphasizing Relevant Experience: Highlighting the role in leading a team to expand market reach at a reputable company like Pfizer showcases practical experience in driving sales growth.
- Demonstrating Technical Proficiency: Mentioning the deployment and positive outcome of a CRM system indicates a high level of technical skill and an understanding of the tools essential to sales success.
- Quantifying Achievements: Using specific numbers to detail the rise in customer retention and increase in sales revenue effectively illustrates the tangible impact of the applicant's work, making the accomplishments more compelling.
- Expressing Eagerness to Interview: A clear call to action for scheduling an interview demonstrates proactive interest and eagerness to engage with the hiring team.
The format of your pharmaceutical sales cover letter: structure, fonts, margins, and more
Your pharmaceutical sales cover letter should include a header (with your name, position, and date); a greeting and introductory paragraph; a body and closing paragraphs; and an optional signature.
Remember that you're writing your pharmaceutical sales cover letter for recruiters - as the Applicant Tracker System won't scan this content.
Here are a few more tips and tricks to keep in mind when formatting your pharmaceutical sales cover letter:
- Use the same font in your pharmaceutical sales cover letter and resume. We recommend modern fonts, e.g. Lato and Rubik, to help you stand out, instead of the stereotypical Arial and Times New Roman.
- Each paragraph should have single spacing, which is already set up for you in our cover letter templates.
- Our cover letter builder follows industry standards for your pharmaceutical sales cover letter formatting - with a one-inch margin, surrounding your content.
- Always export your pharmaceutical sales cover letter in PDF to ensure the image or text quality stays the same and your writing isn't moved about.
The top sections on a pharmaceutical sales cover letter
- Header with Contact Information: This should include your name, address, phone number, and email, allowing the recruiter to easily identify who you are and how to contact you for follow-up interviews or questions.
- Opening Greeting: Address the hiring manager or recruitment team directly (preferably by name), setting a professional tone and showing you've done your research about the company and its employees.
- Introduction and Purpose: Clearly state your intention to apply for the pharmaceutical sales position and mention how you learned about the job opening, exhibiting your proactive nature and enthusiasm for the role.
- Body Explaining Qualifications: Detail your sales experience, knowledge of pharmaceutical products, and ability to build strong client relationships, which are crucial for succeeding in a pharmaceutical sales role and demonstrate your fit for the job.
- Closing and Call to Action: Conclude with a strong closing statement that reiterates your interest in the position, invites the recruiter to review your attached resume, and suggests a follow-up meeting or call to discuss how your skills align with the company's needs.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
Deep knowledge of pharmacology and medical terminology: Essential for effectively communicating the benefits and uses of medications to healthcare professionals.
Strong sales track record: Demonstrates the ability to meet and exceed sales targets, which is critical in a performance-driven industry.
Established relationships with healthcare providers: Access to a network of potential clients can expedite trust-building and sales achievement.
Persuasive communication skills: Crucial for convincing prescribers to choose their product over competitors' options.
Ability to learn and adapt quickly: Necessary for staying current with rapidly evolving product lines and industry regulations.
Compliance with industry and ethical standards: Ensures that all sales practices align with legal requirements and ethical obligations to healthcare professionals and patients.
Greeting recruiters with your pharmaceutical sales cover letter salutation
What better way to start your conversation with the hiring manager, than by greeting them?
Take the time to find out who the professional, recruiting for the role, is.
Search on LinkedIn, the company website. And for those still keen on making a fantastic first impression, you could even contact the organization, asking for the recruiter's name and more details about the job.
Address recruiters in the pharmaceutical sales greeting by either their first name or last name. (e.g. "Dear Anthony" or "Dear Ms. Smarts").
If you're unable to discover the recruiter's name - don't go for the impersonal "To whom it may concern", but instead use "Dear HR team".
List of salutations you can use
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear [Specific Position Title] Hiring Team,
- Dear Dr. [Last Name],
- Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name],
- Dear [Company Name] Recruiter,
- Dear [Department Name] Team,
The pharmaceutical sales cover letter intro: aligning your interest with the company culture
You only have one chance at making a memorable first impression on recruiters with your pharmaceutical sales cover letter.
Structure your introduction to be precise and to include no more than two sentences.
Here are some ideas on how to write a job-winning pharmaceutical sales cover letter introduction:
- get creative - show off your personality from the get-go (if this aligns with the company culture);
- focus on your motivation - be specific when you say what gets you excited about this opportunity.
How to write an achievement-focused pharmaceutical sales cover letter body
We've got the intro and greeting covered. Now, comes the most definitive part of your pharmaceutical sales cover letter - the body.
In the next three to six paragraphs, you'd have to answer why should recruiters hire you.
What better way to do this than by storytelling?
And, no, you don't need a "Once upon a time" or "I started from the bottom and made it to the top" career-climbing format to tell a compelling narrative.
Instead, select up to three most relevant skills for the job and look back on your resume.
Find an achievement, that you're proud of, which has taught you these three job-crucial skills.
Quantify your accomplishment, using metrics, and be succinct in the way you describe it.
The ultimate aim would be to show recruiters how this particular success has built up your experience to become an invaluable candidate.
Closing paragraph basics: choose between a promise and a call to action
You've done all the hard work - congratulations! You've almost reached the end of your pharmaceutical sales cover letter.
But how do you ensure recruiters, who have read your application this far, remember you?
Most pharmaceutical sales professionals end their cover letter with a promise - hinting at their potential and what they plan on achieving if they're hired.
Another option would be to include a call for follow-up, where you remind recruiters that you're very interested in the opportunity (and look forward to hearing from them, soon).
Choose to close your pharmaceutical sales cover letter in the way that best fits your personality.
The zero experience pharmaceutical sales cover letter: shifting the focus to your unique value
Don't worry if you have no conventional professional experience. Within your whole experience, there's plenty more you can write about in your pharmaceutical sales cover letter.
Take, for example, your biggest achievement or award - dedicate your cover letter body to describe it and the job-relevant skills you've learned.
Your professional ambitions could also take center stage. Describe what you plan on achieving in the next five to ten years and the efforts you're making towards your dreams.
Key takeaways
Your pharmaceutical sales cover letter is your best shot at standing out by showing your motivation and the unique skills you'd bring to the job:
- Chose no more than one achievement, which you'd be talking about in the body of your pharmaceutical sales cover letter, by focusing on skills and outcomes;
- Address recruiters with their first or last name, or "Dear Hiring Manager" in your pharmaceutical sales cover letter greeting;
- Introduce in no more than two sentences what makes your profile unique (perhaps it's your motivation, enthusiasm, or appreciation of the company you're applying for);
- Select the same font you have used in your resume (avoid Times New Roman and Arial, as most candidates tend to invest in them);
- Close your pharmaceutical sales cover letter with a promise of how you see yourself growing in the company and the benefits you'd bring about.
