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Respiratory therapist cover letter
Cover letter template for respiratory therapist
Format your respiratory therapist cover letter
How to write a respiratory therapist cover letter
Attach your resume
Key takeaways
Resources to help you prepare for your interview

In a competitive field, sometimes you need more than a resume to stand out.

As a respiratory therapist, it’s never a bad idea to include a cover letter with your application. Cover letters offer a unique opportunity to highlight your qualifications and show that your expertise in respiratory care has made a meaningful impact.

Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of writing your cover letter? Just take a slow, deep breath. Whether you’re an experienced respiratory therapist skilled in managing complex patient cases or you’re poised to take on more challenging roles in respiratory care, our guide is designed to simplify the process for you.

This guide touches on:

Cover letter examples tailored for respiratory therapists.
Templates that align with your level of experience in respiratory care.
Easy-to-follow steps to help you put together a respiratory therapy cover letter.
Additional resources to support your growth and success in your career.

Ready to write your cover letter now? Let our Cover Letter Builder assist you. It offers a variety of templates and clear formatting and phrases, carefully selected for respiratory therapists.

Respiratory therapist cover letter

Cover letter for a respiratory therapist

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Here are the key elements that stand out in this example:

Explains the purpose of the letter
The candidate immediately says why they are writing, laying out the role they’re applying for and where they heard about it (in this case, a website).
Mentions a range of skills
The cover letter showcases a range of skills, mixing together soft skills like communication and teamwork with hard skills like comprehensive patient assessments.
Uses data to show impact
This cover letter wisely focuses on the impact of specific achievements, like a 15% reduction in hospital readmission rates, all of which shows a clear benefit to potential employers.

Looking for a different cover letter example? Here are some jobs that might catch your interest:

Browse other popular samples

Cover letter template for respiratory therapist

Use this template as a starting point for your respiratory therapist cover letter.

Amanda Turner
Branson, MO 12345
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com

Feb 23, 2024

Annie Phillips
Helena Treatment Center
Port Royal, SC 29935

RE: Respiratory Therapist Role

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to apply for the role of Respiratory Therapist, which I saw posted on your website. I believe that my experience in respiratory therapy as well as my compassionate attitude and dedication to patient care make me the ideal candidate for this job.

I have worked as a Respiratory Therapist for the past five years at Sharp Memorial Hospital, where I was responsible for conducting comprehensive assessments of patient’s respiratory status, providing necessary treatments, and educating patients and families regarding appropriate conditions.

I have also successfully gone above and beyond the expectations of my role in critical cases, applying advanced knowledge and techniques to ensure the safety and comfort of my patients at all times. Here are a few of my top accomplishments:

Led a cross-functional team in a quality improvement project that reduced patient readmission rates by 15% through enhanced respiratory care protocols.
Conducted over 200+ hours of staff training on the latest respiratory technology, increasing the department’s efficiency by 25% in equipment utilization.
Facilitated over 100+ family and patient education sessions, leading to a marked increase in compliance with treatment plans.

Additionally, I am a team player with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as well as an exceptional ability to remain calm under pressure. I am confident that I am the perfect person to provide quality patient care services to the people of your healthcare facility.

I am excited at the prospect of possibly joining your esteemed organization and thank you for your attention to my application. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Amanda Turner

Format your respiratory therapist cover letter

In the life-changing world of respiratory therapy, the details can make all the difference — and the same is true when it comes to your cover letter.

Make your cover letter as clear and impactful as your approach to your work by adopting professional formatting.

Here are a few tips to consider:

Margins and text alignment: Stick to standard margins, typically between 0.75 to 1 inch, and maintain left alignment throughout your document. These conventions contribute to a tidy and organized appearance, mirroring the orderliness of your therapy space.
Font size and style: Use bold or italics to make important details stand out, but keep it simple so everything is easy to read. Pick a font size between 10.5 and 12 points that looks neat and professional.
Spacing: Just like you keep your work area organized, adding a little space in your cover letter helps too. Space out your lines (about 1.15 to 1.5 times) and paragraphs to make your letter easier on the eyes, similar to how you’d neatly arrange patient files.

Your cover letter is your chance to show you’re careful and thoughtful, just like when you’re helping your patients.

Choosing the right template

Create your cover letter

Finding the best cover letter template is important. You want something that looks good but still makes your letter easy to read.

Using a template that’s already made can save you time and make sure your letter looks superb. This is a great idea if you want to get right to sharing what you can do or if you don’t have a lot of time.

You could also make your own design with something like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. But if you’re not used to designing, it might take longer and could end up making your letter harder to read.

Now, let’s get started on writing your cover letter. Think of it like getting ready for an important patient visit — you’re setting yourself up to do great!

How to write a respiratory therapist cover letter

As a respiratory therapist, your cover letter is an amazing chance to show off your skills in patient care and your knack for paying attention to details — key traits for anyone in the health care field.

Did you know? A whopping 83% of hiring managers think cover letters really matter when they’re deciding who to call in. This is your moment to shine.

Step 1

Find keywords in the job description

First off, take a good look at the job ad. Many employers use tools called applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter candidates. To make sure your application gets seen by human eyes, it’s vital to use the same words they do. Including the right keywords from the job post can make your application stand out.

Think about the skills that make a difference for a respiratory therapist, like “patient care,” “ventilator management,” “pulmonary function testing” and “emergency response.” If they’re listed like that on the job ad, then these are the exact skills to include in your resume and cover letter.

This way, you can make your cover letter really speak to what the job is looking for.

Step 2

Put together a header

Your cover letter’s header might seem like a small thing, but it’s nonetheless critical. It’s your first impression and should include your contact information so whoever reads it can easily get in touch with you.

Here’s what to include:

Your full name
Your city and state
Your phone number
Your professional email address

Pro tip

You don’t need to put your full postal address, but make sure your email looks professional. Keep your header simple and check to make sure it matches your resume.

Step 3

Address the person in charge

Just like you’d carefully adjust a ventilator for each patient, personalize your cover letter by talking directly to the person hiring. This is to make sure your communication is as targeted and effective as possible.

If the job ad doesn’t tell you who to write to, using “Respiratory Therapy Manager” or “Hiring Team” works just fine.

A bit of digging, maybe a quick look at the hospital or clinic’s website, can often give you the name of the hiring manager, though. Putting in this bit of extra work shows you’re really interested and you care about the details.

Step 4

Craft a catchy opening

Your first few lines should really grab their attention. In just two or three sentences, you should:

Say why you’re writing to them.
Talk about what makes you a great fit for the job.
Share a couple of your top skills.
Tell them how you think you can help their team or clinic.

Here’s how you might start:

New grad respiratory therapist cover letter opening:

Driven by a passion for patient care and a precise approach to respiratory therapy, I’m thrilled to apply for the respiratory therapist position at [Company Name]. My education and clinical rotations have given me a strong foundation in areas like ventilator management and patient assessment, and I’m ready to put those skills to work for your team.

Experienced respiratory therapist cover letter opening:

With several years of experience in respiratory care, I’m excited about the opportunity to join [Company Name] as a senior respiratory therapist. My career is marked by a dedication to patient health, advanced therapy techniques and improving patient outcomes. I’m eager to bring my skills and experience to your team, contributing to your mission of providing top-notch respiratory care.

Pro tip

Keep your opening brief, quickly showing off your best qualities and your enthusiasm for the job.

Step 5

Highlight why you’re the best candidate

In the heart of your cover letter, make it clear why you’re the right choice for the job. Aim for two or three paragraphs that get your point across.

Focus on a few key things:

Mix of skills: Talk about both your hard skills (like knowing how to manage ventilators or understanding pulmonary rehab) and your soft skills (like being good at talking with patients and working with other health care pros). This mix shows you’re a complete respiratory therapist.
Your unique path: If you’ve got a special story about how you got into respiratory therapy, share a bit of it. It adds color to your application and shows you can adapt to new situations.
Big wins: Think about times when you really made a difference. Maybe you helped cut down on hospital stays for your patients, or you were part of a team that improved how care was given.

Example body paragraphs:

In my previous role at [Hospital Name], I spearheaded an initiative to enhance the monitoring protocols for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a project that directly resulted in a 25% reduction in hospital readmissions for these patients. This significant achievement was not only a testament to innovative care practices but also underscored the importance of proactive patient management and follow-up care.

Collaboration and teamwork were pivotal elements in the success of this initiative. My ability to forge strong relationships with colleagues across multiple departments — including pulmonary rehabilitation, nursing and patient education — enabled us to develop a comprehensive care model that addressed the multifaceted needs of COPD patients. This interdisciplinary approach ensured that patients received consistent, high-quality care throughout their treatment journey.

Pro tip

Use strong action words like “led,” “collaborated” and “introduced” to paint a clear picture of what you’ve done and how you approach your work.

Step 6

End on a high note

At the end of your cover letter, say again how excited you are about the chance to work there, thank the person for reading your letter and mention how you’re looking forward to talking more about how you can help.

You might end with something like:

I’m really excited about the chance to bring my skills in respiratory care and my dedication to patients to [Company Name]. Thanks so much for considering me. I can’t wait to chat about how I can be part of your team’s great work.

Pro tip

Ending with a positive and confident note leaves a lasting impression of your eagerness and readiness for the job.

Step 7

Sign off properly

End your letter the right way. “Sincerely,” “Best regards,” and “Kindly” work well.

Pro tip

Choosing a traditional signoff shows you’re professional and respectful, which is just what places looking to hire like to see.

Attach your resume

Create your resume

Remember, your cover letter and resume aren’t just papers — they’re your personal brand. They need to work together to show off who you are and what you bring to the table.

Start by picking a resume template that matches your cover letter. Showing this kind of visual match-up is a great way to prove you’re organized and detail-oriented.

Not sure how to get your resume to look right? Take a peek at some resume samples for inspiration on what to include.

Running out of time? Our Resume Maker is here to help you quickly put together a resume that highlights your skills in respiratory therapy. It’s packed with templates that have ready-to-use skills and phrases you can tweak to make sure your resume really sounds like you.

Key takeaways

Identify keywords in the job ad

Carefully read through the job posting to spot important keywords that match respiratory therapy work, such as “ventilator management,” “pulmonary function testing” or “patient education.”
Select a template

Choose a resume template that looks professional and is easy to read. The template you pick should show off your ability to organize information neatly, a vital skill for respiratory therapists.
Follow formatting best practices

Be mindful of your choices for font, spacing and margins in your cover letter and resume. Proper formatting not only demonstrates your professionalism but also highlights your attention to detail — essential skills in patient care.
Showcase your skills

Your cover letter is the perfect place to dive into your respiratory therapy skills. Use this space to not just tell, but show how dedicated and skilled you are, proving your expertise in respiratory care.
Write a compelling introduction

Start your cover letter with an engaging and clear introduction. Keep it short but powerful, quickly grabbing the reader’s attention and setting the stage for your qualifications.
Detail relevant experiences

In your cover letter’s main section, link your experiences in respiratory therapy directly to the position you’re eyeing. Focus on specific projects or tasks where you’ve had a major impact or brought about improvements.

Resources to help you prepare for your interview

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Don is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with more than 10 years’ experience creating digital content, including four years helping job seekers develop their careers. He holds an M.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University.