Congratulations on completing your first cover letter. However, as you look back, you realise it’s simply a copy-paste of your CV.
Repeating your curriculum vitae is a common pitfall that many candidates encounter, making the cover letter redundant.
Your cover letter should provide fresh insights, adding more value to your application. It’s also the ideal space to address career gaps or major transitions that might not be covered in your CV.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to use your cover letter to demonstrate why you’re the best candidate for the role, while confidently addressing your career history and key achievements.
Pharmacy Technician cover letter example
George Johnson
Cardiff
+44 1234 567890
help@enhancv.com
- Emphasize relevant certifications or qualifications, such as a degree in pharmacy or a pharmacy technician certification, to demonstrate competence and eligibility for the role.
- Highlight leadership experiences, especially those involving team management or project leadership, which demonstrate the ability to oversee quality improvement initiatives effectively.
- Include specific achievements, such as implementing systems that improve efficiency and reduce errors, to showcase tangible results and contributions to patient safety and organizational success.
- Express alignment with the organization's goals and values to illustrate a shared vision and to underscore genuine interest in contributing to their advancements in patient care.
Importance of cover letters in the United Kingdom
Cover letters provide recruiters with the opportunity to learn more about your career aspirations, hinting at how you’d integrate within the organisation over the long term.
Here are three additional reasons why cover letters are important:
- Making an excellent first impression (and a formal introduction): Your cover letter is often the employer’s first introduction to you, showcasing your personality, communication skills, and motivation for the role.
- Complementing your career history: While your CV lists qualifications and experience, a cover letter provides the context, explaining how your background fits the role.
- Demonstrates your genuine interest: A well-crafted cover letter reflects the effort you’ve put into researching the company and role as well as your attention to detail.
What UK employers expect from a cover letter
When writing your cover letter for a UK employer, it’s important to keep several things in mind. First, you need to conduct a thorough research, which includes reading up on the company’s website, recent news, and their presence on social media. Understanding the company’s latest achievements and its overall mission will allow you to tailor your letter to their specific needs.
Next, focus on the company’s core values. Whether they value teamwork, innovation, or community involvement, highlighting how your own experience aligns with these principles is essential.
Finally, don’t forget to match your skills to the job’s requirements. Study the job description carefully and pick out the most important qualifications or competencies. Then, provide evidence of how you meet those criteria with concrete examples from your past work experience.
How to format a pharmacy technician cover letter
Before diving into the content, the structure of your cover letter should include the following elements:
- Your address and contact details
- The employer’s name and address
- Date
- Salutation or greeting
- Opening or introductory paragraph
- Middle or body paragraphs
- Closing paragraph
- Sign-off and signature
When it comes to the best font choice, consider modern options like Lato, Rubik, Raleway, Volkhov, Chivo, or Bitter as alternatives to Arial or Times New Roman.
Your cover letter should be single-spaced, with approximately 1-inch (2.5 cm) margins all around (our templates are set up automatically with this spacing in mind).
Ensure your CV and cover letter use the same font for consistency, and always send them as a PDF to prevent edits and maintian formatting.
Lastly, while Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS—the software used to match your application to set requirements) won't read your cover letter, recruiters certainly will, so make sure it stands out.
How to write your pharmacy technician cover letter salutation
Imagine you're a hiring manager reading through countless cover letters—which would catch your attention: being addressed directly by name, or reading 'Dear Sir or Madam'?
The first option shows you've made the effort to learn about the company and the role.
To find the hiring manager's name, try LinkedIn, check the company's website, or even reach out to the organisation on social media.
How to write your pharmacy technician cover letter intro
A great option to begin your cover letter is by showing recruiters you've done your homework or research.
If the company has won an award or made headlines, congratulate them in your opening sentence, or express how impressed you are.
Provide this achievement as a reason why you admire the company, ensuring your tone remains genuine, sincere, and authentic.
How to write your pharmacy technician cover letter body
A well-written cover letter body goes beyond the content of your CV, expanding on your greatest achievement to form your compelling case.
The narrative you tell within it could focus on a few key elements:
- A concrete and noteworthy achievement: Backed by data and relevant to the job.
- Your hard and soft skills: Presented with measurable outcomes and results.
- A successful project: Showing how you contributed to the final result.
The goal is to tell a story that aligns with the company’s needs and adds a more human touch to your application.
How to write a closing paragraph
There’s a wrong and a right way to close your cover letter. Here’s how.
The wrong way is to end with a signature or a formal 'Thank you in advance.'
The right way is to either promise how you’d make a positive impact on the company or ask when you can expect a response. This will highlight you as a forward-thinking candidate who’s enthusiastic about securing the role.
Conclusion
A well-crafted cover letter can significantly enhance your job application and set you apart from other candidates. Begin by personalising your message to the hiring manager and connecting your experiences to the company's values.
Emphasise your key accomplishments that reflect your skills and passion for the role, while maintaining a professional tone throughout. Ensure that your cover letter and CV present a unified and polished image to maximise your chances of success.
