Any quality assurance role revolves around the minutiae of the work alongside the end results. Doing the little things well is central to every QA professional’s work, but this attitude is not easy to convey in a resume. A quality assurance cover letter can, on the other hand, offer the chance for a QA professional to talk about how they go about their job in their own words.
In this quality assurance writing guide and cover letter example we look at:
Our 180+ cover letter examples showcase a wide range of professions and may offer alternative sources of inspiration.
The QA cover letter format should be straightforward and efficient. Pick your stories carefully, include enough detail to intrigue the reader and start a conversation that you will be able to continue at interview. Talk about how you do the job as much as what you do for a job.
You shouldn’t deviate from the standard cover letter structure:
The Resume.io comprehensive cover letter guide offers a broader range of cover letter and job search advice, covering everything that might cross your mind as you compose this most essential of job search documents. When you only have 300-350 words at your disposal, every word matters.
Our adaptable quality assurance cover letter example can help you create your own:
Dear Ms. Hamsley,
Having worked in quality assurance within the logistics industry for fifteen years, and specifically in pharma logistics for the past seven years, I believe the warehouse QA manager role in your start-up offers a unique challenge.
The nuances of pharmaceutical cold-chain warehousing require an exacting approach to quality assurance. My warehouses have never failed an audit and always passed their relevant state testing requirements. My record on regulatory compliance throughout my career has been exemplary – the numbers speak for my commercial and operational impact:
I have trained 50+ employees and external partners in every aspect of QA and compliance and look forward to the challenges of setting up a QA process and team from scratch. Ninety percent of my previous QA team stayed with me for more than three years – I try to be an inventive and approachable manager. QA is about finding solutions rather than apportioning blame.
I look forward to the opportunity of an interview and in particular hearing about your development plans. I hope you’ll agree with me that QA compliance is a core element of any successful pharmaceutical start-up.
Sincerely,
Gemma Dunkington
For more inspiration, check out our related cover letter samples:
The header of a QA cover letter should contain the contact details of the applicant – full name, email and mobile number. Make sure that you don’t make any errors.
Much as you would probably like to be thorough, you do not need to include your home address at this stage. There are discrimination and data protection issues – no employer will require it until an offer is sent. It may also be letter writing tradition, but an inside address of an employer is also not required on the cover letter (although if you are certain about it, it will convey an extra level of professionalism).
In terms of getting the little things right, finding out to whom you should address the cover letter greeting should be high on your list. The hiring manager’s name may be on the job description or you may choose to phone the company to find out. Writing “Dear (Company Name) Team” is a better option than “To whom it may concern” if you do not know the recipient. It’s always best to find out if you can.
A respectful “Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. Surname” is the only option, no matter how casual the culture may be or to whatever degree you may know the person. The letter will be read by many others – keep it formal.
Dear Ms. Hamsley,
The introduction of a quality assurance cover letter should get straight into quantifying your impact. Share details about the sorts of projects that they will do at your future employers and give context in terms of achievements. Think about the toughest assignments in your industry and only give details of the most impressive.
Consider sharing some details about the niche experience in terms of industry sectors and functional expertise. QA demands can vary, so make it absolutely clear that you have only the most relevant experience.
Having worked in quality assurance within the logistics industry for fifteen years, and specifically in pharma logistics for the past seven years, I believe the warehouse QA manager role in your start-up offers a unique challenge.
The middle part of a QA cover letter offers more freedom of expression. Do not be tempted to share a long list of responsibilities or simply parrot the demands of the job description. The factual aspects of your application should be included on your resume. The cover letter is more about telling some stories around how you overcame obstacles and
Take care not to be too conversational with your language. Quality assurance is a very precise profession, so make sure to include plenty of industry keywords. This may also help with the recognition from the ATS software at the initial selection.
Describe how you work with your colleagues, how you employ soft skills to get things done, how you organize your work and how you maintain the highest standards in everything that you do.
The nuances of pharmaceutical cold-chain warehousing require an exacting approach to quality assurance. My warehouses have never failed an audit and always passed their relevant state testing requirements. My record on regulatory compliance throughout my career has been exemplary – the numbers speak for my commercial and operational impact:
I have trained 50+ employees and external partners in every aspect of QA and compliance and look forward to the challenges of setting up a QA process and team from scratch. Ninety percent of my previous QA team stayed with me for more than three years – I try to be an inventive and approachable manager. QA is about finding solutions rather than apportioning blame.
The conclusion of a QA cover letter should include one final example of your proficiency and show just how those marginal gains make a difference. This final story will stick in a hiring manager’s mind the longest, so make it a good one.
The end of the letter is then to include a call-to-action to say that you are looking forward to an interview. Make sure that you are not too presumptuous in your tone and maybe add something that you are looking forward to discussing or finding out. Have a look at a proposed ending of the QA cover letter sample below:
I look forward to the opportunity of an interview and in particular hearing about your development plans. I hope you’ll agree with me that QA compliance is a core element of any successful pharmaceutical start-up.
Sincerely,
Gemma Dunkington
Mistakes are the stuff of nightmares when you work in quality assurance, so while writing might not be your strong suit, make sure that you avoid the following:
How the cover letter looks will also have an impact on the reader. The template that you choose should be professional and simple. Let your QA achievements speak for themselves. Go with a professional template with a simple layout from one of our cover letter templates.