Massage Therapist Cover Letter Example

In addition to highly-skilled hands, massage therapists need fine-tuned interpersonal skills to make total strangers feel comfortable while they help them relax or recover from injury. And they can demonstrate those very same people skills in a massage therapist cover letter.Resume.io is here to help. With 125+ cover letter examples and writing guides for job seekers in all fields and at all stages of their career, our resources are designed to help you achieve even the biggest career goals.

 This cover letter example and writing guide will show you how to work out the problem areas in a massage therapist cover letter for this occupation. What we’ll discuss here:

• Choosing the best format for a massage therapist cover letter.
• The six elements of a winning cover letter and how to write them.
• Psychology tips to writing a successful cover letter.
• Mistakes you need to avoid.

Best format for a massage therapist cover letter

The format decisions you have to make in writing a massage therapist cover letter include issues of structure, design and layout. To structure the letter properly, make it one page only, a maximum of 400 words, and make sure it contains these six essential elements:

• Header
• Greeting/salutation
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• Sign-off and signature

On issues of design and layout, think of the immaculate, attractive, uncluttered spa settings where massages are usually provided. Your cover letter should strive for visual excellence as much as compelling content. 

Start with a professional-looking font that’s easy to read, and use a font size between 10 points and 12 points. Never use tiny text to make your letter fit onto one page – if it doesn’t fit, trim your text. 

Use one-inch margins on all sides. Do not indent paragraphs, but leave a space between them. Avoid paragraphs that are too long, which leads to big, chunky blocks of text. Text should be aligned left, not justified from margin to margin.

Following these rules will lead to a judicious use of white space, which contains nothing at all but is essential for giving the eye a break. Do not make your letter look “overstuffed.” Also, strive for visual balance on the page – for example, you don’t want a bunch of text on top and a big blank space at the bottom.

Cover letter header: Your contact info

The cover letter header, also known as a letterhead, serves the crucial function of providing all your contact information: name, occupation, address, phone number and email. If you don’t include a header, that would be like handing out a blank business card. 

The header also provides some visual flair for a page that would otherwise be nothing but paragraphs of black text. The header may include an accent color, as well as creative design and layout choices. 

Take a look at the attached massage therapist cover letter sample to see what a well-designed header looks like. Click on it if you want to use it, or choose another pre-designed cover letter framework to save yourself the trouble of trying to design your own.

Cover letter greeting: The ‘Dear’ goes here

The cover letter greeting , also known as a salutation, is the single line where you put the word “Dear,” or a carefully chosen alternative, followed by “Mr.” or “Ms.” and the last name of the hiring manager.

Cover letters sometimes include a less formal salutation, such as “Greetings” or “Hello,” but should still be followed by the name of the recipient. Avoid using a first name unless you happen to know the person you’re writing to.

Make an effort to learn the name of the person who will be processing applications for the job you’re seeking. If you’re responding to an ad seeking a massage therapist but it doesn’t list a name, try to find out the name anyway – and if all else fails, simply call the company and ask.

In some cases, employers for whatever reason don’t want to name names. If that occurs, address your letter “Dear Hiring Manager,” “Greetings [Company Name] Hiring Team, etc. But do not resort to the old cliché “To Whom It May Concern.”

Cover letter introduction: A strong start

The cover letter introduction, the first paragraph, is possibly the most important part because it will either hook your readers or lose them. 

You want to make a provocative, intriguing and irresistible opening statement. Avoid clichés and use your best writing skills to compel the reader to keep reading.

If you have years of experience as a massage therapist, that’s an obvious place to start. If you’re long on training but short on experience, you may want to mention where and how you trained, along with any certifications you hold. 

Cover letter body: The main course

The middle part of your cover letter, the two to four paragraphs known as the body, must make a convincing case that you’re the right person for the job. If the opening was your appetizer, this is the main course.

Here you can flesh out your work experience in greater detail, mentioning the prior jobs that are most likely to impress recruiters. Be specific, citing facts and figures if possible. Try to relate an anecdote, a short little story, about a job-related challenge you once faced and how you overcame it. 

Try to mention the name of the employer at least once, ideally to draw some connection between its needs and your skills. Let the company know that you aren’t just sending the same cover letter to dozens of employers, but you’re actually interested in working with this company.

Cover letter conclusion: A winning finish

The last paragraph of your cover letter, the conclusion , can be used to thank the reader, to summarize what you’ve already said in different words, or to hit one last point you didn’t have time for earlier. 

But it should always include some call to action suggesting that it’s up to the reader now to take action. You’ve done what you’re supposed to do, and now it’s their turn. Say that you are looking forward to a reply, that you would be happy to schedule an interview, or that you’re always reachable at the contact info you’ve provided. But without being arrogant or presumptuous, plant the thought in the reader’s head that some kind of reply would be welcome.

Cover letter sign-off and signature

Sign off with a line that says “Sincerely,” “Thank you so much,” “All my best,” or another appropriate close. 

Add a space after this and type your full name. An actual signature is not necessary unless you plan to mail or hand-deliver a hard copy of this letter. 

Psychology tips to writing a successful cover letter

You want to try to “get inside the head” of the person you’re writing to, and that takes a little psychology. Put yourself in the shoes of the person you’re writing to, and write the letter that person would want to receive. 

The reason you’re writing this letter is to try to establish a personal connection with a hiring manager. So make your letter somewhat personal, even though it is a formal business letter. 

Pay close attention to your tone, which should be confident but not overconfident. You need to project competence but not hubris. Remember that your objective is to convince another person to do something, and so you need to write like a friendly, personable human being, not like a robot.

Does your letter make you sound likable? Nobody wants to hire somebody they don’t like – or even meet them, for that matter.

Mistakes to avoid

• In a one-page letter , the number of typos and other writing errors you can get away with is exactly zero. Find a trustworthy editor to review and revise your cover letter.
• Tailor each cover letter for each employer, addressing its specific needs and the reasons you want to work there. Do not send mass-produced cover letters intended for all possible employers.
• Leave out irrelevant info like your hobbies, interests and other details that aren’t job-related.
• Pay close attention to how your letter looks, not just how it reads, so that you don’t torpedo your chances at a glance.

Key takeaways

1. Follow proper cover letter structure to make sure you’ve included everything you should and nothing you shouldn’t.
2. Establish a relationship with the hiring manager by writing a letter that is both professional and personal.
3. Use a professional cover letter template to sidestep common design and formatting errors.