Cover Letters
Purpose:
How you fit with the company
When applying for internships, jobs, or other
opportunities, companies typically ask for a
cover letter as one component of your
application.
Cover Letters are a way for you to share your
interests in an opportunity while providing
more insight into how your experience,
interests, skills and knowledge match the
company/program’s needs.
Cover letters add more personality and
“realness” to your application. They can allow
an employer to picture how you would be a
great fit for their position over other
applicants.
SHOWCASE
YOUR BRAND
Tell your story by
connecting the
experiences you list on
your CV/Resume
Where to Start:
Read - Highlight - Write
Step 1: Read through the job description
carefully. Highlight the skills and experiences
the employer is looking for that match what
you have experience/interest in.
Step 2: Use those highlighted items to tailor
your cover letter to exemplify and point how
how you match the qualifications.
When writing, consider your audience
(employer) and individualize each cover letter
to match their needs.
Formatting:
Typical Length - 1 page/3-5 paragraphs
First Paragraph - Introduce yourself and express
your interest in the position
● Tell why you are writing (to apply!)
● State how you found the position; include
names of any referrals
● Brief “topic sentence” that connects your
experience with position and organization
Middle Paragraphs (1-3 paragraphs) - Provide
supporting evidence of how you are a fit
● Highlight the skills you have that were
stated in the job description
● Use examples!
● Make connections between your
experiences
Final Paragraph - Summarize your fit and interest
● Briefly summarize your fit (skills and
interests) for position and organization
● ASK for an interview
○ “I would like the opportunity to
further discuss my qualifications
with you in an interview.”
● Thank them for their time and consideration
Cover Letter Sample
Current UMN PharmD students and alumni within 1 year on the Twin Cities & Duluth campuses:
Get personalized career coaching support! Contact Susan LeBlanc at [email protected], or schedule an
appointment directly at susan.appointments.umn.edu.
Goldy Gopher
Minneapolis, MN • (612) 624-0000 • [email protected]om
March 1, 2022
Greg Wilson, PharmD
Mayo Clinic Inpatient Pharmacy
701 Hewitt Blvd
Red Wing, MN 55066
Dear Dr. Wilson,
I am writing to apply for the Inpatient Pharmacist position in Red Wing, which I found on Indeed.com. I will
graduate from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy in May 2022 and am very interested in the Mayo
Clinic Inpatient Pharmacy position because it allows me to contribute my strong foundation of clinical pharmacy,
leadership skills, and collaborate interprofessionally. Having grown up in a small town, returning to a small city and
hospital has always been my goal and the Mayo Clinic model of providing healthcare throughout the state of
Minnesota aligns well with my personal philosophy of healthcare.
I believe that I possess the skills necessary to be a successful pharmacist at your institution. During my clinical
rotations, I further developed and gained experience in the clinical assessment of medication therapy in a wide
variety of patients. I have the ability to assess the medication therapy for individual patients and perform
pharmacokinetic drug monitoring.
In my experience as the student chapter president for Minnesota College of Clinical Pharmacy (MCCP), I identified
the needs of the organization and created a clinical pearl initiative to enhance clinical knowledge of the members. I
will bring my leadership skills to Mayo Clinic Inpatient Pharmacy by being an engaged team member and
continuing to analyze needs within my unit and recommend initiatives or changes when appropriate.
During an elective clinical rotation at the Saint Cloud Hospital, I spent time on a heart failure team where I
contributed to an interprofessional team to ensure the optimal care of a patient. I reviewed patient charts and
recommended changes of medication regimen to the provider during rounding, which has fostered the
development of my communication skills. It is important to me to work at an institution that utilizes pharmacists as
an integral member of the patient care team, for which Mayo Clinic has a strong reputation.
I greatly appreciate your consideration of my application for the Inpatient Pharmacist position. I believe that my
passion for providing excellent patient care makes me a great candidate for this position. I look forward to the
opportunity to interview with you.
Sincerely,
Goldy Gopher
