Medical receptionist jobs can allow for fulfilling work no matter where you’re at in your career. So how do you land one? A stand-out medical receptionist cover letter is the key to your job-winning application. It can open better doors to the sought-after benefits of this rewarding occupation: collaborative work, regular hours and reasonable pay compared to other positions that don’t require an advanced degree.
Around the world, the healthcare industry is expanding at a rapid pace. Population growth, a longer life expectancy and global health challenges mean the need for medical professionals and those who support them – including medical receptionists – is on the rise.
What’s more, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects medical receptionists won’t feel the squeeze, even as other industries cut back on administrative positions. Growing healthcare industries are projected to lead demand for receptionists, particularly in the offices of physicians, dentists, and other healthcare practitioners.
With Resume.io, you’re never alone in the hunt for the perfect position.We’ve produced an extensive collection of occupation-specific writing guides and corresponding cover letter examples. We also offer resume writing tools, informative blogs and field-tested templates to help you create both job application documents.
This cover letter writing guide, backed by a medical receptionist cover letter example, will help secure your foothold in a promising job market. We’ll be covering these topics:
- Understanding the vital role of a cover letter in landing your next position
- The best format for structuring a cover letter
- Optimizing the impact of each cover letter part: header, greeting, introduction, body and conclusion
- How to increase your odds of landing a medical receptionist position with no experience
- Common mistakes to avoid in your medical receptionist cover letter.
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Why you need a medical receptionist cover letter
Primary purpose
In order to write an effective cover letter, you’ll want to understand the what and the why. A cover letter is one of the most powerful tools to land a position, yet it’s often misunderstood.
This one page document, usually 200 to 400 words, accompanies your resume and allows you to expand on your most impressive achievements, relevant experience and any personality traits that make you stand out from other candidates.
Since your resume is brief and focused mainly on the facts of your employment history, it doesn’t offer much space to show why you’re an interesting person, not just a receptionist robot. In a job as personal as the medical field, a cover letter with heart and passion can go a long way to make you stand out in a crowded field of applicants.
What if the medical receptionist job application DOESN’T require a cover letter?
Large hospitals and health systems often use online platforms to post job listings and manage applications. Unfortunately, candidates can often find themselves with no one to answer questions about their application. Many applications list a cover letter as “optional” or forget to mention the document entirely. So what should you do in this situation?
Unless a job application asks you NOT to write a cover letter, we recommend creating one and sending it. A good cover letter can only increase your chances of landing a medical receptionist position – why pass up a golden opportunity?
Professional and persuasive writing, while important, is only half the battle in creating a great cover letter. You’ll also need clean formatting to carry the message. You can find a ton of useful tips, including the best fonts and sizes, in this guide to formatting a cover letter.
Secondary purpose
Hospitals and doctors offices often receive dozens of applications for any given medical receptionist position, so how can you give yourself a fighting chance?
Imagine a hiring manager sorting through stacks of applications. Eventually, most of the resumes for people with at least some professional experience start to blur together. The hiring manager chooses your resume which is clean and professional but without many differentiating factors. Then he or she reads the first line of your cover letter.
Boom! Your attention-grabbing and thoughtful first sentence hooks the hiring manager’s attention and they find themselves interested in you and your personality. By the time they finish reading, they’ve decided to advance your application to the next round.
That’s the power of a great cover letter. It’s all about maximizing your chances and letting you focus on the qualities and experiences that make you an excellent candidate. In fact, a convincing cover letter may even help you beat out more qualified medical receptionists who don’t know how to highlight their strengths.
The importance of tailoring your cover letter
If you understand the importance of a great cover letter, then you’ve almost won the battle in landing your next dream position. There’s just one more step — tailoring your cover letter.
Tailoring means adjusting your letter to each and every position you apply for. That can include swapping out anecdotes or choosing different statistics based on your potential office’s clientele. You’ll also want to scan the job description for the most important skills and adapt your cover letter (and resume!) accordingly.
This small time investment can make a huge difference when it comes to a hiring manager’s first impression of your application. Instead of appearing desperate for any position, you’ll come across as confident, professional and ready to take care of whatever challenges your employer hands you.
For additional cover letter inspiration, you can check out our related medical cover letter examples.
- Nursing Cover Letter Sample
- Medical Assistant Cover Letter Sample
- Physical Therapist Cover Letter Sample
- Lab Technician Cover Letter Sample
- Dental Assistant Cover Letter Sample
- Occupational Therapy Cover Letter Sample
- Pharmacy Technician Cover Letter Sample
- Pharmacy Assistant Cover Letter Sample
- CNA Cover Letter Sample
- Physician Assistant Cover Letter Sample
- New Grad Registered Nurse Cover Letter Sample
- Nursing Student Cover Letter Sample
- LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) Cover Letter Sample
- Veterinary Assistant Cover Letter Sample
- Doctor Assistant Cover Letter Sample
Best format for a medical receptionist cover letter
Some job candidates believe cover letters lack structure, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In the next section, we’ll dive into the trusted cover letter organization which doesn't vary much between positions or industries. Here are the key components:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting
- The introduction
- The letter body
- The conclusion
- The signature.
Dear Mrs Summers,
As a front-desk medical receptionist, my role is to ensure a smooth flow of patients through the department, informing them of expectations and addressing their concerns. In my five years in the pediatric department at Saint Josephs, my department have consistently received five stars for patient care, and I have over 300 letters of recommendation.
Fast-moving multi-physician practices mean that any administration has to be carried out with maximum efficiency, but the needs of patients and staff must come first. My previous role as a teaching assistant taught me much about meeting the emotional needs of children and my approach is always to welcome them with a comforting attitude. When they feel relaxed, medical care can proceed smoothly.
In terms of improving process efficiency, I implemented a mobile-led patient management system that cut costs by 22% and decreased waiting times in the department by fifteen minutes. I also helped to pilot an innovative pediatric-play system whereby the youngest children had their basic health signs monitored while their parents were occupying them with toys and books. This decreased appointment times by 15 minutes and allowed more patients to be seen.
I am proficient in all major medical software, meticulous in maintaining medical records and go about my patient communications with the utmost integrity and confidentiality. Parents need to be candid about their children’s situation without the worry that their privacy will be breached in any way.
To address some of the additional requirements for the role:
- Procurement responsibility - 12% cost saving and reduced suppliers by a third.
- Experienced in handling insurance claims familiar with ICD 10, CPT, and HCPC codes.
- Managed accounts receivable and reduced outstanding balances by 35%.
I have heard much about your culture at Denver Municipal and I would welcome the chance of an interview to explore how I might be a fit for your pedatric team.
Sincerely,
Gabe Holtz
Cover letter header
As mentioned before, standing out is one of the biggest challenges your cover letter faces once it arrives on the hiring manager's desk. The cover letter header serves two purposes to help you do just that.
The first is to keep your full name and contact information at the hiring manager’s fingertips. It’s going to be hard to get an interview if the recruiter can’t find your phone number! Good organization, including keeping your personal details handy, helps you appear polished and professional. Just want sure to stick to the necessary information as you don’t want to take away too much space from your convincing writing.
The second purpose of your header is to create attractive formatting for an otherwise plain document. Since the medical field is quite a formal industry, it’s best to avoid bright colors or other bold design elements. Nonetheless, a clean, neutral template can go a long way in creating the right image for a medical receptionist.
The goal of this section: Keep the necessary personal information and contact details at the very top of your cover letter, create an interesting and attractive format that catches a hiring manager’s eye
Align document styles!
Keeping your contact information at the top of your cover letter is a smart idea — but what if a hiring manager looks at your resume first? Not only should you also include a useful header there too, but can take your entire application to the next level by aligning the header styles of both documents.
A cover letter template and matching resume template can help you do just that. You’ll want to choose a template that conveys your skill and expertise without appearing too stuffy. On the other hand, neon colors can give the impression you’d rather be a receptionist in an art gallery. An organized template, like one of these simple options from Resume.io, can help you find the perfect balance.
Cover letter greeting
For such a short section, your cover letter greeting sure does a big job. This is the place you’ll make a personal connection and set up a respectful tone by greeting the cover letter recipient by name.
The traditional “Dear” followed by a last name works well in virtually all professional medical situations – just don’t forget the proper salutation like "Dr."
The goal of this section: Establish rapport and set a professional tone through a personalized greeting whenever possible
The importance of names and addressed greetings
Memorizing and using someone’s name can go a long way in establishing a friendly tone and making yourself memorable. In fact, scientific studies have shown this is true in multiple walks of life.
You should always use this to your advantage by using the hiring manager’s name when applying for positions with individual doctors or small clinics. However, for larger hospitals or centralized health systems, this may seem pretty near impossible.
No need to go to extreme lengths to find a name in that case. A collective noun like “Hiring Team” or the name of the health system and “Family” can work well.
Dear Mrs Summers,
Cover letter introduction
Your cover letter introduction might be the only chance your cover letter gets — make it good. That doesn’t mean launching into a wild, yet unrelated story. But an interesting letter that starts with a relevant anecdote, statistic or skill will always put you ahead of generic, disinterested openers. Just make sure to keep the intro concise and professional so that the hiring manager finds themselves in the body of the letter before they know it.
The goal of this section: Use an attention-grabbing fact, anecdote or skill to catch the hiring manager’s attention and lead to the rest of the letter
As a front-desk medical receptionist, my role is to ensure a smooth flow of patients through the department, informing them of expectations and addressing their concerns. In my five years in the pediatric department at Saint Josephs, my department have consistently received five stars for patient care, and I have over 300 letters of recommendation.
Cover letter body
The main section of your cover letter should be devoted to the most convincing examples of your skills and experiences. The STAR method can be useful. Briefly describe a Situation and the required Task, then your Action and the positive Result. Focus on samples that clearly show situations similar to the ones you might face in the prospective position. You can also mention potential contributions here or even a few hard skills, since they are often very important to the medical receptionist job.
The goal of this section: Give relevant examples of your skills and experience through the STAR method, describe some potential contributions
Fast-moving multi-physician practices mean that any administration has to be carried out with maximum efficiency, but the needs of patients and staff must come first. My previous role as a teaching assistant taught me much about meeting the emotional needs of children and my approach is always to welcome them with a comforting attitude. When they feel relaxed, medical care can proceed smoothly.
In terms of improving process efficiency, I implemented a mobile-led patient management system that cut costs by 22% and decreased waiting times in the department by fifteen minutes. I also helped to pilot an innovative pediatric-play system whereby the youngest children had their basic health signs monitored while their parents were occupying them with toys and books. This decreased appointment times by 15 minutes and allowed more patients to be seen.
I am proficient in all major medical software, meticulous in maintaining medical records and go about my patient communications with the utmost integrity and confidentiality. Parents need to be candid about their children’s situation without the worry that their privacy will be breached in any way.
To address some of the additional requirements for the role:
- Procurement responsibility - 12% cost saving and reduced suppliers by a third.
- Experienced in handling insurance claims familiar with ICD 10, CPT, and HCPC codes.
- Managed accounts receivable and reduced outstanding balances by 35%.
Cover letter conclusion and signature
To wrap up your letter with professional flair, you’ll want to create an effective call to action. This expresses your interest in the position and encourages a hiring manager to get in touch. You can even leave your personal data again here as well.
Then use the appropriate signature to finish things up. “Sincerely,” Best regards” or “Thank you for your consideration” can all work well in formal positions.
The goal of this section: A call to action expresses enthusiasm and invites the hiring manager to contact you, end the letter with a respectful signature
I have heard much about your culture at Denver Municipal and I would welcome the chance of an interview to explore how I might be a fit for your pedatric team.
Sincerely,
Gabe Holtz
Cover letter tips for candidates with no experience
If you don’t have any work experience in a medical office, don’t fret. Healthcare support positions like medical receptionists are some of the best ways to launch a new career in a growing field.
However, in a tough economy where many entry-level positions are quickly snatched up, you’ll need the best cover letter to convince a hiring manager you’re worthy of an interview.
To do this, it’s best to brush up on your knowledge of medical terminology and the most important hard skills. How to file medical records can quickly be learned on the job, but you’ll still need some basic knowledge of the paperwork procedures to find your way in the first few weeks.
Here are some important qualities to convey while on the job search for a medical receptionist position.
- Communication skills: Good communication is the foundation of any great medical receptionist. Use your cover letter to give examples of the ways you can effectively serve as a link between patients and doctors, building staff and other representatives.
- Problem solving: Patients have questions, doctors are busy, scheduling conflicts arise. How can you rise to the challenges of working in the front office to make sure that everything gets taken care of.
- Hard skills: Normally cover letters are focused on soft skills and personality. While you should put your friendly demeanor on display, medical receptionists may want to sprinkle in a few of the most important hard skills based on the job description. These can be anything from knowledge of medical terminology and CPT to scheduling appointments and software like Microsoft Excel.
- Organizational skills: Staying organized while multitasking is one of the most important skills for any experienced medical receptionist. In your cover letter, give concrete examples of the ways you stay on top of numerous tasks at once or make sure patient files are stored correctly.
Without vast experience as a medical receptionist, you can focus on the skills you do possess like great organization, a sparkling personality and the ability to handle multiple tasks at once. Give concrete examples of this from past non-medical receptionist positions and then briefly explain how you’d transfer that skill to this new position.
The power of a story
When you’re just starting out as a medical receptionist, you’re going to need to find ways to make up for lack of experience. Luckily, a story on your cover letter can help you do just that.
Some places to begin your personal story:
- A positive experience you had with a doctor’s office staff
- An interest in the medical field after a personal experience
- A skill that you’ve mastered that’s at the core of being a medical receptionist
- What you believe you can bring to the position
- A time you helped someone that is relevant to a receptionist position
Neuroeconomist Paul Zak sees storytelling as a strategic business tool. You can also use the power of storytelling to your advantage by incorporating it into your cover letter. Just make sure to keep these anecdotes concise and focused on the skills for the job.
Common mistakes to avoid in a medical receptionist cover letter
Watch out for these simple mistakes which could take your dash your chances of landing the medical receptionist position:
- A generic cover letter: A generic cover letter gives the impression you’re just looking for any entry-level position. Show the employer you’re interested in their job posting by tailoring your cover letter with the most relevant examples and facts for every medical receptionist position you apply to.
- Typos and grammar mistakes: Simple errors like these take away from your credibility as a good communicator. Make sure to proofread your cover letter or have a friend look over your application before you submit.
- Poor formatting: Don’t sabotage your great writing with poor formatting. A clean and well-organized cover letter template shows an employer you’re a serious candidate who understands hiring in the medical field.
- Lack of interest in medical positions: A medical receptionist is a much more specialized position that others in the administrative field. While you can certainly land this position without years of experience, your cover letter should convey a basic understanding of medical paperwork and an interest to work with doctors and patients.
Resume.io’s professional cover letter templates are the surest and simplest way to achieve professional results. Browse our collection of field-tested designs in four style categories. Choose your favorite and easily customize it with your own replacement text, using the cover letter builder tool.
Key takeaways for a medical receptionist cover letter
- The best cover letter gives you a unique advantage in winning your next medical receptionist position. In virtually all cases, it’s important to write and send a thoughtful cover letter with your application.
- Generic cover letters are one of the biggest pitfalls of any entry-level position. Make sure to tailor your cover letter with the skills needed for each of the medical receptionist jobs you apply to.
- The trusted cover letter structure can help you keep your writing organized and focused on the most important points.
- If you’re applying for a medical receptionist position with no experience, try sharing a story of your interest or skills to hook the hiring manager’s attention.
- Poor formatting can ruin all the work you’ve put into your writing. A simple and professional cover letter template can help you create a great layout in just a few clicks.
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