A cover letter can be an important factor when submitting your resume or application. It’s a great opportunity to sell yourself to a company, showcase your personality and create a connection.
It’s good practice to have different cover letters that speak to why you are looking for new opportunities and, more specifically, why you would be a good fit for a company.
Company Change
The first template is perfect for when you are staying in the same industry or field and you are looking for a different company, or are seeking to move up a level. You open this letter by expressing your interest in the position, letting the employer know where you heard about the position, including if you were referred by an employee. The bulleted section allows you to feature specific achievements, and highlight the specific skills, experience and abilities that set you apart from other candidates.
COVER LETTER GUIDE:
Dear [Recipient]:
Create an introduction that highlights how you learned about the position and why you: 1. Are interested in the job (motivational fit) 2. Are qualified for the position (skills fit), and/or 3. Think the company is a good fit for you at a core level (culture fit).
After you speak directly to your fit you can highlight specific parts of your experience, training, or education that you feel set you apart from your competition:
- Job experience highlight #1: Make these compelling, achievement-based bullet points that might be related to items on your resume, but aren’t a direct copy and paste from your resume.
- Job experience highlight #2: These bullet points should encompass the major elements that make you uniquely qualified for this role. Think of what makes you stand out from the pack. Is it a unique role you have in your past work experience, an interesting company you worked for, or a non-traditional type of learning that you bring to the table.
- Job experience highlight #3: Consider also if you have any specialization within your field or industry that would be high in-demand or valuable to this employer.
Finish strong. Share your contact information and availability, and thank the recruiter for their time and consideration.
Career Change
The second cover letter is ideal if you’re considering changing careers or simply starting in a new field. The reason this letter is so ideal is that it allows you to show the direct correlation between what you can do and what the job requires. If it isn’t obvious how you are qualified at first glance, you can make a strong case with this elegant format.
COVER LETTER GUIDE:
Dear [Recipient]:
Express your interest in the specific position you are applying to and where you found the role. Briefly relate what experience or knowledge make you uniquely qualified. You may also wish to let the employer know why you are so interested in this position with their company (here you can describe your affinity with the product, the mission and/or the organization).
Next, create a side-by-side list to showcase:
| Job Requirements | Your Experience |
| Choose item from job posting | What skills, knowledge and abilities you have in this field |
Thank the recruiter for their time and consideration. Share the best way for the recruiter to contact you, restating your phone number and email address.
Relocation
Many people wonder how to express to potential employers that they will be relocating to the area. This third cover letter addresses how to frame your application when you are moving or willing to move. It is also recommended to use a local address when you apply, whether you use the address of a friend, relative, or connection who has agreed that you can use their address. Having a local address will help keep your resume from being excluded from an employer’s search in their Applicant Tracking System (ATS) if they have parameters to narrow their search results to a specific geographical area.
COVER LETTER GUIDE:
Dear [Recipient]:
Create an introduction that highlights how you learned about the position and why you: 1. Are interested in the job (motivational fit) 2. Are qualified for the position (skills fit), and/or 3. Think that the company is a good fit for you at a core level (culture fit).
Express that you are moving to the area and, if possible, include the estimated date you will be moving, any time you will be in the area and available for in-person interviews, and if you are available to speak via teleconferencing or video messaging. The key here is to make it clear that you’ll be a local candidate if you don’t have a local address or phone number. If you are able to, use a local address and/or phone number if you can to eliminate any chance that you might be overlooked or have your application filtered out by an employer’s Applicant Tracking System.
Feel free to highlight specific parts of your experience, training, or education that you feel set you apart from your competition.
Finish strong. Share your contact information and availability, and thank the recruiter for their time and consideration.
Bonus Cover Letter Tips:
Customize it. The key to a good cover letter is that it has been tailored specifically to the position you are applying to, highlighting things that are relevant to each employer and position. Always keep in mind, you are expressing what is in it for the employer. You are selling them on the benefits of hiring you, and highlighting why you are a stand-out candidate.
Find your hook. Review your experience and each employer’s requirements and think of what you have in your employment history, knowledge, skills, and abilities that isn’t common or might make you uniquely qualified.
Personalize it. If you can find out the name of the Human Resources professional, Recruiter, or Hiring Manager that is responsible for reviewing resumes, use their name and title in the cover letter. If you cannot establish this, it is okay to simply address it to “Human Resources” or “Hiring Manager.”