Cover Letter Examples for Job Applications
Sick of monotonous cover letters and no job interviews? Take control of your job search by using our cover letter examples and accompanying writing guide.
may think that a cover letter is an outdated aspect of job application protocol. In fact, you might not even understand its purpose. However you feel, crafting a strong, well-written cover letter is still a crucial step in the job seeking process. The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce you to the employer and make a case for your candidacy. Take full advantage of that opportunity.
There’s a rumor that cover letters are useless in modern-day job searches. While this statement is false, there is a kernel of truth. In a 2015 survey conducted by Jobvite, researchers found that 55% of hiring managers don’t believe that cover letters offer crucial evidence to help them make their hiring decisions. Don’t celebrate the end of the cover letter too voraciously — the perfect job for you might lie in the hands of the remaining 45% who do take the time to read cover letters.
Your chance to work for an incredible employer could hang in the balance if you skip this simple step. The bottom line is that not including a cover letter is a risky move for motivated jobseekers. These statistics lay the truth bare: sharing a cover letter can’t hurt your chances, but not including one could.
Writing a noteworthy cover letter isn’t easy, but the right resources can help you create one that impresses hiring managers. An excellent way to start is to view cover letter examples. Our cover letter examples show you how to format your letter and give suggestions on the type of information you should and should not include. Check out our examples to get started.
Accounting and Finance Cover Letter Examples
In the accounting and finance field comes down to this: success requires accuracy and hard work on the part of workers. To obtain the job you want in accounting and finance, you must first create a cover letter that proves you’re capable of both. A great way to show off these assets is to utilize metrics that demonstrate your successes.
For instance, you could calculate your accuracy of the tax returns you prepared or the amount of money your company saved thanks to one of your initiatives. You can also share day-to-day figures, such as the number of people you managed or projects you juggled. If your position requires specific certifications, mention those in your cover letter as well. Along with your hard skills, it’s also wise to describe your soft skills.
Alongside the details of your analytical and organizational talents, why not communicate your eye for detail or your strong written and verbal communication? The accounting and finance field includes an array of jobs, so take a look at our cover letter examples to find your job and learn the best ways to structure your cover letter.
Are you an accountant who wants to use a relevant anecdote in your cover letter? If so, then check out our example and how.
Use this cover letter example as a guide to writing your own straightforward letter that leaves no room for confusion. Observe the structured, practical flow of this cover letter example.
Administrative Support Cover Letter Examples
If you work in administrative support, then you know that you are the backbone of a well-run organization. No company employee, from a senior executive to an entry-level receptionist, could perform their jobs without your help. Because of this, hiring managers will study your application materials closely. Your cover letter could be your ticket to an interview, or it could catapult you into the rejection pile.
Make every word count. Identify the software programs that you know well. Detail your project management skills. Mention your customer service and communications skills, as you will likely deal with questions and complaints from a variety of sources. Depending on the role, you might consider including your typing speed. Regardless, remember to read the job description carefully to see what the employer wants to know about you.
If you need additional help in tailoring your cover letter for an administrative support job, check out our administrative support cover letter examples below for more guidance.
Administrative Assistant Cover Letter Example
If you’re an administrative assistant who wants your cover letter to convey a personal connection and enthusiasm for the company, then look no further than this example.
Data Entry Cover Letter Example
Our data entry cover letter example is great for professionals who want to show their competitive side in a fact-driven, comprehensive manner.
Computers and Technology Cover Letter Examples
If you work in the computers and technology industry, then you might be hoping that your technical skills will speak for themselves in your job search. But here’s the thing: you’re competing against a multitude of equally qualified candidates who have similar technical talents. The difference between you and the other candidate might only be that you wrote a cover letter and they did not.
This scenario perfectly demonstrates how a well-written cover letter can set you apart from other candidates and be your ticket to a coveted interview. To write such a stellar cover letter, you must first focus on, you guessed it, your technical skills. Identify what you can do and the software programs with which you’re most proficient. It’s also smart to note your project management skills, even if you’re currently in a junior role and haven’t managed many projects yet.
If the job you want includes working with customers, then you must point out your expert customer service skills.
Want more detailed help? Check out our computers and technology cover letter examples below to see what type of information and supporting metrics your competition is putting in their cover letters.
Network Engineer Cover Letter Example
Working in a technical field doesn’t give you a pass to write a charmless cover letter. This cover letter example shows the best network engineering skills to include, and ways to showcase your soft skills.
Data Scientist Cover Letter Example
Learn how to write an unforgettable opening by reading our data scientist cover letter example. Observe the use of bullet points and try to incorporate them into your letter.
Customer Service Cover Letter Examples
When it comes to exceptional customer service, some people are just naturally better than their peers. Do you have that gift? Though invaluable, resumes can be dry and fail to reveal your personality. On the other hand, cover letters offer the perfect opportunity to showcase your winning characteristics and show off your charisma. First, read the job description and company mission to determine the proper tone for your cover letter. Keep this voice in mind as your write your cover letter.
Read the job description closely to see what specific customer service skills the employer needs and touch on as many of these as possible. Whether or not the job description mentions it, you must bring up your ability to absorb and then confidently discuss product knowledge.
Check out our customer service cover letter examples below for more unique insights for your specific line of customer service work.
Call Center Representative Cover Letter Example
Are you a call center representative who’s facing writer’s block? See our call center cover letter example to learn how to make a connection and demonstrate your skills.
You’ll be counting the number of interviews you get when you use our cashier cover letter example. It’s perfect for jobseekers who want to prove that they are the best person for the job.
Education and Training Cover Letter Examples
Educators have far more responsibilities than a mere job description can detail. As an educator or training professional, you probably find yourself reading between the lines of job posts wondering what the institution really needs. Your cover letter is a fantastic opportunity to illustrate your talents in a classroom setting and make clear your understanding of the employer’s needs.
Start by detailing your methods of lesson planning, lecturing, and working with students. Identify all of the software and other classroom technology that you have used. Explain how you recognize and define lesson objectives to classes. If you do fun activities with students — such as art or games — share this information as well. Use the space to walk your reader through your process for evaluating a student. This is your last chance to make a first impression.
To get more personalized tips for drafting your best letter yet, see our education and training cover letter examples.
Steal a page from this teacher cover letter writer’s book by sharing your research on the hiring manager. See how our writer did it here.
Translator Cover Letter Example
Use this translator cover letter example as a model to help you craft a cover letter that effectively shares your story and relates it to the job you want.
Food and Beverage Cover Letter Examples
Many jobseekers in your industry won’t take the time to write and submit a cover letter, believing they are unimportant. Therefore, writing a strong, concise food and beverage cover letter will make you stand out from your competition for all the right reasons.
While your resume probably details the basics of your work experience – like the size of the establishment, how many people you typically served at a time, and all the side work you did – your cover letter is a chance to make these facts come to life. As you recount your achievements, describe the expectations you met in a demanding environment. If you contributed creativity, such as by drawing the daily specials board or assisting with interior decorating, mention these soft skills on your resume. Of course, don’t forget to mention your customer service verbal communication skills. Explain the usual clientele and how you interacted with them.
For help specifically tailored to your job, see our food and beverage cover letter examples below.
This server cover letter is incredibly useful for waiters and waitresses who want to dish up an engaging story about their customer skills and past work experience.
Restaurant Manager Cover Letter Example
Do you want to express your enthusiasm for work as a restaurant manager? Accomplish that by making a personal connection to the establishment’s mission. Our cover letter example shows you how.
Healthcare Cover Letter Examples
If your attempts at writing a healthcare cover letter have flat lined, check out our cover letter examples. In this industry, people trust you with their lives; employers need to know that they can trust you, too. Writing a superb cover letter can convince employers that you are capable of not only performing the job but handling the curveballs that will inevitably come your way.
Use your cover letter to focus on your accomplishments and illuminate your professional history in a way that your resume cannot. If your resume states the number of patients that you assisted in an average shift, use your cover letter to provide more details. Also, describe your method for managing patients and client and your bedside persona as well. If you have a personal mission statement, reveal it. Ensure that your personality shines through your cover letter.
For more details, view our healthcare cover letter examples and see what other jobseekers have written.
Case Manager Cover Letter Example
Your job requires significant passion in the workplace, so check out our case manager cover letter example to see how this writer eloquently explained her enthusiasm.
For a cover letter that offers a complete picture of the nursing candidate, see this example. The writer does a great job of exuding personality while outlining her hard nursing skills.
Human Resources Cover Letter Examples
To succeed in HR, you must write a cover letter that shows that you’re familiar with the inner-workings of a human resources department. If you are an experienced human resources employee, you’ve seen your fair share of applications. Knowing what you know, how can you submit a subpar cover letter?
Take this opportunity to write a cover letter that paints a picture of your most impressive accomplishments and affirms why you’re the best fit for the job at hand. Start by naming the software programs that you’ve worked with, and detail the support you’ve offered to other employees. Offer numbers and stats to qualify your successes. Keep your audience in mind as your write and provides answers to the questions a human resources professional might want answered in your cover letter. See our human resources cover letter examples for more inspiration.
HR Assistant Cover Letter Example
Check out this cover letter example and observe how the writer addresses the job description throughout the document. Her past experiences and skills deem her a competitive candidate!
Human Resources Generalist Cover Letter Example
This human resources generalist cover letter example is perfect for jobseekers who want to demonstrate both passion and professionalism in their cover letter.
Management Cover Letter Examples
Employees who work in management set a standard for the rest of the team. Therefore, shouldn’t a candidate seeking a management position submit a cover letter that is better than just so-so? Prove to employers that you set the bar high with a standout cover letter that emphasizes your professional achievements and most marketable capabilities.
Use the same metrics as you did in your resume to illustrate your accomplishments, but provide more context here. Mention the level, the type of work you did, and the goals that you reached as an individual and as a team. Use numbers wherever possible, for example by notating the amount of revenue you earned for (or saved) the company in your letter. List all the ways that the organization benefitted from your leadership. Want more personalized advice? See our management cover letter examples to understand what your peers might include in their cover letters.
Operations Manager Cover Letter Example
Calling all operations managers who want an attention-grabbing opening in their cover letters! See this example and learn to write your own winning cover letter.
Project Coordinator Cover Letter Example
Our project coordinator cover letter example is best for bold jobseekers who aren’t afraid to strut their stuff and request a phone conversation at the end.
Marketing, Advertising, and PR Cover Letter Examples
The marketing, advertising, and PR fields contain some big personalities. Prove that you’re a cultural fit by writing a cover letter that showcases your natural charisma and calls attention to your achievements and talents. Start by demonstrating how you take a project from conception to execution. Do you have unique methods? If so, explain them and how your approach will make you more effective than other applicants.
While it’s important to discuss technical capabilities, don’t forget to address your soft skills as well. See if you can pair them together. If you detail your researching talents, also mention your eye for detail and your healthy curiosity. Before you submit your cover letter, perform a proofreading and spellcheck. Most jobs in this industry require a lot of writing, so you can’t afford to leave even the smallest typo.
Get more help by using our marketing, advertising, and PR cover letter examples.
Digital Marketing Cover Letter Example
If you’re a digital marketer who wants to display enthusiasm for the role and make a strong argument for your candidacy in you cover letter, then see this example!
Event Coordinator Cover Letter Example
Use this cover letter example as a guide to utilizing a personal connection to the organization. This example is perfect for event coordinators who are savvy on the industry and their competitors.
Retail Cover Letter Examples
Most retail job applications don’t require a cover letter, so submitting a thoughtful, well-written cover letter is a great way to increase your chances of landing an interview. More importantly, your cover letter can convey your charm more effectively than a regular job application.
To start writing a stellar cover letter, first study the job description, even if you’ve held countless retail positions before; this employer might want something different. Echo the language of the job description in your cover letter when listing your skills and explaining your professional history. Unless you’re a managerial level, then it’s wise to position yourself as a jack-of-all-trades in the retail world. For example, note your customer service skills, even if you prefer to work in the stockroom. Don’t forget to mention your ability to handle high-pressure situations, such as Black Friday rushes.
Retail Sales Cover Letter Example
Get an idea of how to share your passion in your cover letter by looking at this example. It’s an ideal model for all retail sales roles.
Sales Associate Cover Letter Example
This cover letter showcases personality and thoroughly addresses the required skills stated in the job description. Learn to strike a healthy balance between the two.
Sales Cover Letter Examples
As a sales professional, you can make almost any product look desirable. If you practice what you preach, then your job application materials should include an intelligently written cover letter that sells yourself as well as you sell products. Reread the job description to find opportunities to pitch yourself and your talents in your cover letter. Ensure that you understand the employer’s tone so that you don’t come across as phony.
In sales, it’s especially important to use metrics to measure your successes. Estimate the amount of revenue that you earned for your previous organization. If this is your first sales job, then use examples from volunteer work. For example, detail how much money you raised for charity. In addition to these figures, add other metrics, such as the number of people you managed, the rate of customer satisfaction, and so forth. For more personalized writing tips, see our sales cover letter examples below.
Account Manager Cover Letter Example
Check out this cover letter not only if you’re an account manager, but also if you want to learn how to use bullet points effectively.
Business Development Cover Letter Example
Use this cover letter example as a guide to writing your own straightforward letter that leaves no room for confusion. Observe the structured, practical flow of this cover letter example.
General Cover Letter Examples
Writing a cover letter can feel stressful, but mastering them is an important part of your job search. The cover letter is your opportunity to argue that you’re the best person for the role, to brand yourself professionally, and share a bit of your personality. The best way to start writing a winning cover letter is to study the job description and see what the employer needs. Make a point to refer directly to the job description as you explain your skills and qualifications.
To pack a punch, add in metrics to measure your achievements. Do some critical thinking to determine how you can use numbers to illustrate your point, such as by stating the number of people or projects that you managed, or by calculating your customer satisfaction score. There are many creative ways to incorporate numbers. Check out our cover letter examples below for additional insights.
Career Change Cover Letter Example
If you want a cover letter that tells a story, look no further. Notice how the writer ties it to the job at hand to make the career change understandable.
Professional Cover Letter Example
Our professional cover letter example dives right in with a strong opener but then carries the momentum throughout the letter. Observe the way the writer’s skills take center stage.