In the world of recruitment and job applications, your cover
letter is your 15-seconds of fame. It’s the first thing a potential employer
sees after clicking on your application. The need to make a good first
impression is extremely high, but you have a limited time to do so.
How can you make a good first impression? I’ll show you,
through 20 examples of scintillating cover letter snippets for varying job titles
and situations. Use them as a model to write a winning cover let from.
Before we begin, if you need a professional cover letter and resume design, so you can present your application professionally, then browse through our resume templates on GraphicRiver.
Otherwise, let’s jump into these cover letter examples!
Business, Marketing, and IT Cover Letters
1. Business Development
This cover letter was used to get an
interview for a business development position in a video production company.
You’re a genius! You’ve really hit the jackpot on this
idea.Tons of video creators know how to get views and build
an audience. These video creators did the hard part of building an audience,
yet YouTube and Google still take a huge cut of what little money they
earn.What many video creators don’t know is that their
audience has a greater potential, far greater than YouTube views. Sure,
some content creators have a few monetization ideas of their own but the
problem is they don’t know which of these will work and they don’t want to
waste their limited resources experimenting.
In
the first paragraph, the applicant gets their attention with a heartfelt
compliment on the product idea. The second and third paragraph identifies the
common problems in the content creation
market—lack of knowledge in monetization and business development, which is
the applicant’s strength
At my
previous job, I found out that 50% of our users have never purchased anything!
We had no tracking metrics set up, so I had to analyze all the data and find
out the cause of this issue manually. Turns out, our sales funnel had three
obvious missed opportunities, which I also found out by chatting with some
users.
The last paragraph is followed by an interesting story of a
previous accomplishment, while highlighting
the applicant’s analytical skills. The
cover letter ends in a strong call-to-action filled with relevant keywords.
I’d love to help you discover your company’s
unique path to monetization, growth and community
building. I look forward to your call.
2. Product Development
Here’s a snippet of a cover
letter for a Product Development position.
These are the third and fourth paragraphs, which explain the applicant’s product-development skills through story-telling and
relevant keywords:
At (Company Name), I
designed and manufactured the first functional prototype of (Product), and
successfully received seed funding from (Investor Name). Because of this
experience, I learned how to create a successful prototype and solve problems
with limited resources.Then at (Company Name),
I worked on several high-stakes projects for Fortune 500 clients. Using my analytical
and Excel skills, I was able to convert data into a readable and actionable
strategy for various clients.
3. Senior Executive for Finance and Operations
Below is a bullet-list of skills
and accomplishments for a Finance and Operations senior executive candidate.
The candidate showed his well-rounded skills in different areas of management,
such as recruitment, business development, operations and marketing, something
that’s required in most senior-level positions.
-Spearheaded launch of a now successful start-up
by hand-picking a talented team, outlining a clear development plan, and implimented marketing strategies that achieved a $XX million+ revenue and X% margin in
three years.-Helped re-structure (Company Name) leadership
team, which led to a 7% increase in sales and a 15% increase in overall
employee productivity across the whole organization.-Oversaw (Company Name) daily operations, which
provides turn-key call center services in Europe and Asia.
4. Programming
The cover letter snippet below
is inspired from an application Aline
Lerner, Engineer turned recruiter, received.
I only included the second
paragraph, which came after a short introduction because that’s what made this
letter interesting. The demo project shows the applicant’s initiative, and it’s
a better way of showcasing his talents compared to a long list of programming
languages or software he could use.
I created a demo project using Django and
Python for you to check out. It’s a user-friendly and customizable task manager
that lets users estimate task duration, and then compare it to the actual time
it took to complete said task.
5. Public Relations and Events Management
At first glance, you’ll probably
think this applicant is too sure of himself. But if you read further, you’ll
see how Richard O’Malley backs
up his claims with specific results he obtained for himself and his clients.
Strong and curiosity arousing
introduction:
Maybe I have too much
experience, maybe I’ve been paid more in previous positions, and perhaps my resume doesn’t look like the
rest of the applicants for this position. All of that is well and good, it
still doesn’t change the fact that I have the training that Harvard MBA’s envy.
Any good recruiter would
probably be annoyed and curious after reading the claims above, so O’Malley
immediately listed his notable accomplishments:
So, what is it that the
Harvard boys envy? First, I was trained by the people they hire to train themselves. Secondly, the
media notices me, and my clients, without me having to PAY for it. Newsweek, Entrepreneur Magazine, CNN, AARP, Glamour Magazine, Bride Rush, She
Knows.com, and countless
small business websites and major publications have interviewed me in order to share my thoughts and skills in event
production.Recently, I’ve had feature placement in All You
Magazine, Brides, Vice.com and in the Associated Press. The VICE News piece has surpassed 1,000,000 views. The AP interview was featured in over 200 news
sources, including the Wall St Journal, Huffington Post, ABC, CBS, Daily Mail, NPR and
dozens of others. It also
spurred conversations on network talk shows like Fox News’ Outnumbered, with Tucker Carlson. I also gave
featured interviews on KABC in Los Angeles and WWWL in New Orleans during morning drive.Isn’t that what we all
look for in our marketing, to get people discussing our product?
6. Marketing Account Manager
A cover letter with a straight
to the point opening line, followed by several paragraphs of well-categorized soft and job-specific skills.
Aside from the usual resume, this applicant also included case studies of her
accomplishments with previous employers.
Dear (Name),
Thanks for taking the
time to read my application. I’d be an outstanding Account Manager for (Company
Name). Here’s why:I am an experienced
sales and corporate branding Account Manager. I have experience in written
communication, corporate branding, marketing administration, and I have excellent
organizational skills.I am experienced in both
management and support roles. I’m also well-versed in all aspects of a marketing work,
including document production (MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and InDesign); lead
generation, prospect outreach, sales, and operational support.I am known for my knack in
building relationships and getting loyal customers. Through my relationship
building skills and persistent customer outreach strategy, I have won and managed
complex projects and events for (Company Name). I have also built excellent
working relationships with national and international vendors. You can also
count on me for researching, writing proposals, and project management.
7. Marketing and Branding Professional
Here’s a cover letter for a
marketing and branding professional with a specialty in entertainment and
retail.
My mother thinks I’m
special but she’s my mother—she is supposed to say that right? Hopefully after
looking over my resume you’ll think that too. What is special is the role of
Position X at Company Y and that is why I am reaching out.
David Strickler demonstrated his
great sense of humor right of the bat, proving he has experience in the
entertainment industry.
I have attached my resume for your review and would welcome
the chance to speak with you sometime so we can prove my mother is right.
After one short paragraph
listing his skills and experience, he closes the letter with a funny yet
effective call-to-action.
Design and Social Media
8. Senior Multimedia Designer
This cover letter introduction is for a highly-skilled designer with diverse experience
in website creation and graphic design. It’s focused on the applicant’s unique
combination of skills that his competitors may not have.
I’m an innovative Senior Graphic and Web Designer with
a 10-year background in marketing strategy, website development, and graphic
design for both small and large, complex websites in multiple languages.Aside from my technical skills, I work well with visual
designers and IT teams to create top-notch CSS, XHTML, and JavaScript for CMS.
You can rely on me for easy-to-navigate websites with great user-experience
from the navigation bar, all the way to the images and page layout.
9. Art Director
Marissa Klein of Choice Personnel Inc. received this
cover letter from an Art Director applicant. How could she forget a picture of
an arm with her name tattooed on it? Pete Kieliszewski, the applicant who sent
this resume sure knew how to get people’s attention.
Hey Marissa,
I tossed and turned last night. Couldn’t figure out why
but then it hit me. It’s been weeks since I last checked in with you to
see if your clients need any freelance help? I kind of left you hanging.So I’ve been trying to figure out a way to make sure
this never happens again. There’s a tattoo place down the street and this
should take care of that problem. I think the butterfly adds serious street
cred.I’ve also been updating my site with some new work so please have a
look. You have a great one this week Marissa.
10. Community Manager for Social Media
Below is a hook or opening line
for a community manager cover letter that shows understanding of
the job’s goals, and not just the tasks that go with it.
Hi (Recruiter’s Name)
Whatever you do, don’t choose anyone who thinks this
job is all about getting RTs, likes, and new followers. A community manager’s
job isn’t just about ‘engaging people,’ or ‘marketing.’ For me, it’s about
communicating with people in a real, human way.
After a strong opening line is a
well-painted picture of the applicant’s specific style in community management,
and what that means for the prospective employer.
You can be the brand that creates content with their
audience in mind. No guessing games, just updates and content that speaks
directly to them. This will pave the way for you to build a strong connection with
your audience, and in the long term turn them into raving fans that will refer
even more customers to you.
All this is capped off with a
suave closing that shows confidence:
Are you ready to start connecting to your customer FOR
REAL? If you are, get in touch by replying to this email or calling me at
(Phone number).
11. Social Media and Outreach Manager
I received this cover letter
from Sushant Prasad Banjara, who says this cover letter got him a job at Himal Magazine, even if he’s a 22-year old fresh
graduate of civil engineering.
Honestly, it was a long
winding letter but it showcased his understanding of the prospective employer’s
market (South Asian readers), and his unique selling proposition (USP), which
is his ability to speak multiple languages.
The second paragraph starts
strong with a story about Banjara’s accomplishment as a Facebook page admin:
Throughout my career, I
have had multiple experiences of running social media campaigns and administering Facebook pages. Campaign for Donation of Books (CFDOB)
is one such Facebook page worthy of mentioning.Through CFDOB we were
able to collect thousands of books that we donated to libraries in different
districts of Nepal. My experience of working as content writer in International blogging sites also adds to my
ability to work in the position I am applying for.
Banjara
knew knowing how to run a Facebook campaign isn’t enough, so he followed this accomplishment story with a unique
selling proposition (USP) that’s relevant to his prospective employer.
My multilingualism and
exposure to different cultures of the Indian subcontinent will help me
communicate with magazine’s diverse audience around South Asia, as well as around the Globe.As you’ll see in my CV,
I can fluently speak four major South Asian languages. In addition to this, I’m also well
acquainted with other languages and culture: Bengali, Bhojpuri and Haryanvi to name a
few.
Other Industries
12. Writing and Corporate Communications
Becky Blanton says this cover letter
was instrumental in getting her hired. Her cover letter is usually sent together with an information
packet including her contact details, and a short pitch specific to the company she’s applying for.
Dear (Name),
I noticed you’re not using the fact your CFO is a millennial on your About page. He’s been quoted in the news several times this month and is apparently considered an expert in certain financial fields. That’s the kind of story that could attract other millennials to your company. It’s also the kind of story I tell well.
Unusual
opening line, but also shows the recruiter that this is a personalized cover
letter and that she did her homework
on the company. Believe it or not, this opening is immediately followed by a call-to-action. It proves cover letters don’t have to be
long, if you’re a good writer.
If you’re interested in learning about the five
things millennials look for in a company, please give me a call, or email me at one of the two numbers
listed below and I’d be happy to share those
tips at no cost. And yes, that’s a shameless plug to get us talking about what
I can do for you—which is
tell your story.
13. Editing
Here’s a cover letter
for an editor with a creative introduction and a call-to-action that’s hard to
resist.
Hi (Name),
What’s your stand on the Oxford comma? Are you…
-Puzzled by punctuation?
-Irritated by idioms?
-Shocked by people’s poor spelling?
-Angered by ‘It’s’ VS ‘Its’ misuse?
-Perplexed by possessive case?
Good writing is hard to find. But people can still read. That’s why the easiest way
to earn the Internet’s wrath is to commit a grammar gaffe.To have the written word thoroughly examined, proofread, and fact-checked is my
calling. I know how sloppy writing can lead to lost sales, lost opportunities,
and lost customers.
The applicant makes it super-easy for the prospective
employer to say yes by offering a free quotation
and some samples.
I can give you a free quote. If you’re interested, I
can send you samples of my work within 24 hours.
14. Radio
Here’s the second and third
paragraph of a cover letter Resume
Writer Lynda Spiegel wrote for a Radio Station Manager applicant.
What’s great about this cover letter
is the applicant’s detailed plans for the station, once he takes over the post.
Looking to the future,
and to the ways I can continue the station’s great traditions while furthering
its mission to serve the (School) community, I would initiate programs to
involve the station more directly with the students and faculty.I envision this taking place through hosting
live remotes to cover campus events, with shows performed in front of live
audiences. Faculty would be invited to participate in special programming, or
even on a weekly basis to cover topics of general interest. The editors of
(Campus magazine) could broadcast an audio version of the paper, while issues
before the student body could be debated by its elected representatives and the
college administration.
15. Events Management
Here’s a cover letter snippet
from Kristin Scarth, Career Services Manager at Employment BOOST, for an
Events and Cause Marketing Manager applicant.
Detailed
and job-specific achievements:
-Provided
director-level support by maintaining company financials, calculating quarterly
forecasts, managing budgets of up to $4M, and performing cost analysis to
identify unknowns.
-Established and maintained effective business-to-business (B2B) client relationships with retail chains, including the company’s top eleventh and twelfth revenue-generating accounts.
-Coordinated
with a main contact per account and marketing departments to rollout
merchandising initiatives affecting as many as 2,000 merchandisers and 6,000
store locations
Call to action that shows
initiative:
I look forward to discussing (Company Name’s) needs and
my beneficial qualifications. Please feel free to contact me if you require any
additional information; otherwise, I will follow up with you next week to
determine the next steps of the application process.
16. Head of Customer Care
Below are excerpts of a cover
letter for a Customer Care Director.
Personable and funny introduction:
I hope I’m not too late. I wrote this as soon as I got
over my shock at the requirements shown in your job posting’s “How to Apply”
section.
That strong opening is
immediately followed by the applicant’s skills:
I started my career in Silicon Valley, back in the
dot.com era and moved to the jungles of New York to pursue several jobs in
customer service, technical sales, and operations management. I have hired,
trained, and developed support teams for many companies in varying industries.
The applicant boosted his letter
with a social proof in the form a mentor, and the applicant’s particular brand of customer service:
All I know of customer service, I learned from (Well-known
Mentor’s Name) at (Company Name). From him, I learned the most important rule
in customer service, “Treat the customer as you’d treat your next door
neighbor, someone you can’t get rid of or escape from easily.”
17. Career Peer Adviser
Below is an excerpt received from Renee Charles, Executive Director of PR at
Bradley University. It was inspired from a Civil Engineering student’s cover
letter for a Career Peer Adviser position in the university’s engineering
college.
The cover letter’s third
paragraph has a good story connecting the applicant’s retail store experience
with her soft skills:
Being a part of the sales team at (Company Name) was
critical for developing teamwork skills in a work environment, and an essential
step in the process of learning how to apply those teamwork skills to other
situations related to school and life. This notion of collaboration helped me
become not only a better peer to other students, but also a more active member
of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Cover Letters for Specific Situations
18. If You Don’t Know There’s a Vacancy
Below is an excerpt of an
exploratory cover letter. The applicant didn’t know if there’s a vacancy, so
his introduction and call-to-action are great examples of what to write in this
situation.
Dear (Name),
I’m writing to inquire if you have any openings in your
esteemed university, or if you know of any vacancies for a professorship in Mathematics
or research.
Call-to-action:
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I
would greatly appreciate you for forwarding my letter and application to any
educational institutions or research facilities that would be interested in my
profile. I look forward to hearing from you.
19. Employment Gap
How do you explain a gap in your
work history gracefully? How do you write it such that the gap doesn’t downplay
all the other years you worked?
A candidate for a science
teaching position shows us how:
I was 6-months pregnant with my youngest daughter when
we moved here at (City). Now that she has started primary school, I’m looking
forward to my return to the workforce.Although I focused on my daughter and family these past years, and I’ve not worked full-time since, I kept up to date with
developments in the education and sciences by reading newly released textbooks
and attending events hosted by (Organization’s Name). I also spent my limited
free time tutoring different levels of students in the sciences.
20. Career Transition
The applicant starts the cover
letter explaining the transition and how previous experience is related to it.
I have a degree in
marketing and multiple successes in retail and customer service under my belt.
Now, I’m looking to apply these skills into a career in public relations.
The
cover letter’s hook is immediately followed by the applicant’s knowledge of
the company and
transferable skills:
As a user and seller of your products and services, I’m
familiar with your brand and its target demographic. I’ve followed your
company’s product launches in Southeast Asia, and am confident that I can bring
your company the press attention it deserves.I’m already experienced in generating buzz through
social media and press releases. When (Company Name)’s sales team participated
in (Event Name), we used Facebook and Twitter to drive awareness for the event,
raising more than $10,000 for the event.
Start Writing Your Cover Letter
I hope this list has given you enough ideas for your
cover letter. Still not sure how to start? Check out our comprehensive
guide to writing a cover letter:
Get your cover letter written, resume made, and application submitted. So, you can land that job you’re aiming for!
Also, if you need to present your cover letter, resume, and application package with a high-quality design, then grab a resume template from our GraphicRiver marketplace. We have hundreds of professional resume designs to choose from!
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