Writing Cover Letters
What is a cover letter? What to include in a cover letter How to organize a cover letter Questions to guide your writing How to format a cover letter Sample cover letters
What is a cover letter?
To be considered for almost any position, you will need to write a letter of application. Such a letter introduces you, explains your purpose for writing, highlights a few of your experiences or skills, and requests an opportunity to meet personally with the potential employer.
Precisely because this letter is your introduction to an employer and because first impressions count, you should take great care to write an impressive and effective letter. Remember that the letter not only tells of your accomplishments but also reveals how effectively you can communicate.
The appropriate content, format, and tone for application letters vary according to the position and the personality of the applicant. Thus, you will want to ask several people (if possible) who have had experience in obtaining jobs or in hiring in your field to critique a draft of your letter and to offer suggestions for revision.
Despite the differences in what constitutes a good application letter, the suggestions on these pages apply generally.
What to include in a cover letter
- Try to limit your letter to a single page. Be succinct.
- Assess the employer’s needs and your skills. Then try to match them in the letter in a way that will appeal to the employer’s self-interest.
- As much as possible, tailor your letter to each job opportunity. Demonstrate, if possible, some knowledge of the organization to which you are applying.
- Write in a style that is mature but clear; avoid long and intricate sentences and paragraphs; avoid jargon. Use action verbs and the active voice; convey confidence, optimism, and enthusiasm coupled with respect and professionalism.
- Show some personality, but avoid hard-sell, gimmicky, or unorthodox letters. Start fast; attract interest immediately. For more information see Business Letter Format .
- Arrange the points in a logical sequence; organize each paragraph around a main point.
How to organize a cover letter
Below is one possible way to arrange the content of your cover letter.
Opening Paragraph
State why you are writing.
Establish a point of contact (advertisement in a specific place for a specific position; a particular person’s suggestion that you write): give some brief idea of who you are (a Senior engineering student at UW; a recent Ph.D. in History).
Paragraph(s) 2(-3)
Highlight a few of the most salient points from your enclosed resume.
Arouse your reader’s curiosity by mentioning points that are likely to be important for the position you are seeking.
Show how your education and experience suit the requirements of the position, and, by elaborating on a few points from your resume, explain what you could contribute to the organization.
(Your letter should complement, not restate, your resume.)
Closing paragraph
Stress action. Politely request an interview at the employer’s convenience.
Indicate what supplementary material is being sent under separate cover and offer to provide additional information (a portfolio, a writing sample, a sample publication, a dossier, an audition tape), and explain how it can be obtained.
Thank the reader for his/her consideration and indicate that you are looking forward to hearing from him/her.
Questions to guide your writing
- Who is my audience?
- What is my objective?
- What are the objectives and needs of my audience?
- How can I best express my objective in relationship to my audience’s objectives and needs?
- What specific benefits can I offer to my audience and how can I best express them?
- What opening sentence and paragraph will grab the attention of my audience in a positive manner and invite them to read further?
- How can I maintain and heighten the interest and desire of the reader throughout the letter?
- What evidence can I present of my value to my audience?
- If a resume is enclosed with the letter, how can I best make the letter advertise the resume?
- What closing sentence or paragraph will best assure the reader of my capabilities and persuade him or her to contact me for further information?
- Is the letter my best professional effort?
*From Ronald L. Kraunich, William J. Bauis. High Impact Resumes & Letters. Virginia Beach, VA: Impact Publications, 1982.
How to format a cover letter
- Type each letter individually, or use a word processor.
- Use good quality bond paper.
- Whenever possible, address each employer by name and title.
- Each letter should be grammatically correct, properly punctuated, and perfectly spelled. It also should be immaculately clean and free of errors. Proofread carefully!
- Use conventional business correspondence form. If you are not certain of how to do this, ask for help at the Writing Center.
Sample cover letters
Looking at examples of strong cover letters is a great way to understand how this advice can become implemented. We’ve compiled and annotated a range of different kinds of cover letters from different kinds of student applicants. We encourage you to look through these letters and see some of what we’ve highlighted as working particularly well in these real world examples.
- Cover Letter Example 1. Undergraduate student applying for a restaurant hosting position.
- Cover Letter Example 2. Undergraduate sophomore applying for an internship with a non-profit, political organization.
- Cover Letter Example 3. Graduate student applying for a Project Assistant position at UW-Madison. The original job posting for this position can be found here .
- Cover Letter Example 4. A graduated student with an English literature and Spanish language double major applying to work as a law firm legal assistant.
In addition to these sample cover letters, you can find a range of other, often discipline-specific cover letter examples through these UW-Madison resources:
- SuccessWorks has developed a useful resource that features an overview of cover letters. It provides a breakdown of this genre’s main parts as well as an example cover letter and resume, all in response to an included job posting for a position with Americas Society Council of the Americas. All of this is located here .
- UW-Madison’s Law School has nine wonderful examples of cover letters for law-related jobs here . These are organized according how far the applicants were into their law school careers (i.e., L1, L2, and L3).
- The Career Center for the School of Education has information about cover letters as well as sample cover letter for someone applying to be an elementary school teacher here .
- The School of Human Ecology has several sample cover letters with their accompanying job posting. These include cover letters written in pursuit of positions in both the nonprofit and retail sector. You can find these examples here .
Academic and Professional Writing
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
Analysis Papers
Reading Poetry
A Short Guide to Close Reading for Literary Analysis
Using Literary Quotations
Play Reviews
Writing a Rhetorical Précis to Analyze Nonfiction Texts
Incorporating Interview Data
Grant Proposals
Planning and Writing a Grant Proposal: The Basics
Additional Resources for Grants and Proposal Writing
Job Materials and Application Essays
Writing Personal Statements for Ph.D. Programs
- Before you begin: useful tips for writing your essay
- Guided brainstorming exercises
- Get more help with your essay
- Frequently Asked Questions
Resume Writing Tips
CV Writing Tips
Cover Letters
Business Letters
Proposals and Dissertations
Resources for Proposal Writers
Resources for Dissertators
Research Papers
Planning and Writing Research Papers
Quoting and Paraphrasing
Writing Annotated Bibliographies
Creating Poster Presentations
Writing an Abstract for Your Research Paper
Thank-You Notes
Advice for Students Writing Thank-You Notes to Donors
Reading for a Review
Critical Reviews
Writing a Review of Literature
Scientific Reports
Scientific Report Format
Sample Lab Assignment
Writing for the Web
Writing an Effective Blog Post
Writing for Social Media: A Guide for Academics
How to write a great cover letter
A cover letter is your chance to introduce yourself to a potential employer and spark their interest in reading your resume.
When you’re prepping job applications, a cover letter might seem like an afterthought compared to your resume. But your cover letter is worth just as much attention . That doesn’t mean it needs to be overly detailed – in fact, a simple single page is best.
Here are the key points to know about cover letters, plus the steps to follow to write one.
What is a cover letter?
A cover letter is a short letter that accompanies your resume when you apply for a role. It’s often the first point of contact you make with a potential employer, hiring manager or recruiter for a job application.
It’s a way to give the employer a sense of who you are, highlighting your skills and experience, before they read the information in your resume. Just as if you were meeting someone for the first time, you’d introduce yourself first before getting into the detail.
Sometimes, a short email can take the place of a cover letter, but the way you write it is much the same.
Take a look at this article comparing an average cover letter to a great one to help you see how to craft yours well.
How does a cover letter compare to your resume?
Your resume and cover letter complement each other but do slightly different things. Your resume summarises the key details of your skills, work experience and education. Resumes are best formatted with bullet points and broken into sections with subheadings, across about two pages.
A cover letter is shorter and sharper: a single page is best. It’s also more of a conversation opener – you’re speaking to the person responsible for the role you’re applying for, expressing your interest in the job and showing them why you’re a good fit for it.
The language in a cover letter is more personal. For example, a social worker ’s resume might include, Redeveloped community youth program, increasing participation by 20 per cent. But in a cover letter you can write in the first person, which might read as, I’m a dedicated and driven social worker, with a strong commitment to supporting disadvantaged youth. It’s a chance to describe your skills and experiences in a way that also gives some insight into you and your career.
How to write your cover letter
- Start with a brief introduction about yourself and why you’re writing. Mention the job you’re applying for and your interest in it.
- Give a snapshot of the relevant skills, experience and qualifications you have that relate to the job. Think about the key two or three points in your resume and explaining these in a way that links them to why you’d be great for the role.
- Give examples of your skills or mention how you’ve used them – you might need to do this in more detail if the job ad requests that you address selection criteria.
- Note that your resume is attached. To finish, you can say that you’d welcome the opportunity to meet to discuss the role, or that you’re happy to provide more information, before signing off.
How to make your cover letter stand out
A cover letter should be engaging – you want to capture the interest of the person reading it so that they turn to your resume to find out more.
It’s also about showing the employer how your skills and experience are a good match for the role. That’s why you should always create a cover letter especially for the role you’re applying for – it shouldn’t be a generic letter. These tips can help you tailor your cover letter to the job.
A good cover letter can also demonstrate your written communication skills. Write for the environment you’re applying to: if it’s a more informal workplace or a creative type of work, don’t be afraid to inject some personal style into your writing to stand out.
Reading the 5 things employers wish they could say about cover letters and what recruiters look for in cover letters can also help you to write one that will impress.
Quick tips for improving your cover letter
- Use clear, concise language. It’s best to avoid complicated or flowery wording.
- Avoid overly long sentences. Try reading it aloud to see if there are any you struggle with.
- Always tailor your cover letter to the job. An application is all about showing how you’re a good fit for the role on offer, and you don’t want your cover letter to seem reused.
- Rather than writing ‘To whom it may concern’ or ‘Dear Sir or Madam’, find out who to address your letter to; you could phone the company to ask. It’s more personal that way and shows you’ve taken initiative.
- Triple check your spelling and grammar. Try printing your letter out then coming back to it fresh, or get someone with a keen eye to look over it for you.
- Keep your letter to around 250-350 words on a single page.
- Take a look at these examples of cover letters written by successful job seekers .
Writing your cover letter might feel intimidating at first when you’re facing a blank page. But by following these steps and tips, you can focus on crafting a cover letter that captures what you can bring to the role and makes a winning impression to the employer.
- Why your personal brand is so important now – and how to build it
- 4 tips for getting your application noticed
- How to stand out in a crowded job market
Browse top search terms on SEEK
Select an industry to uncover the top search terms, popular on seek, explore related topics, browse careers by industry, subscribe to career advice.
- Student Hub
- Career Change
How to Write a Career Change Cover Letter: 50+ Year Olds
In this post, cover letter = important, your career change cover letter template, why your age makes you valuable, some transferable skills, professional versus personal, want to beef up your resume.
In this post Show
You’ve decided to change careers , looked for employment opportunities , and perhaps even completed further study to prepare yourself for a new career in your dream industry.
Now, it’s time to start applying and you’ve realised the importance of the cover letter for your job application!
The cover letter to your career change resume acts as a personal introduction to your potential employer. How you present yourself has the ability to either put you on the short-list of potential candidates or ensure you’ll never be contacted by the company.
Your cover letter requires considerable effort to strike an effective balance of personal yet professional, while highlighting how your age and experience (no matter how seemingly unrelated it may be to your dream role) makes you the best person for the job.
Introduction
The first paragraph of your career change cover letter should be positive and to the point. Introduce yourself and express your interest in the role you’re applying for. If a professional contact has referred you, ensure you mention this industry connection within the first few sentences.
Clearly state your interest in pursuing a career change while acknowledging your current role. Be excited and confident about your capabilities to thrive in this new position. For example:
“While I’ve spent the last five years working as an executive assistant developing exceptional time-management, communication skills, and professional discretion, I believe my background will provide valuable and diverse skills to your HR department. Pursuing a role within HR is a professional goal of mine, and I believe the role of Human Resources Officer is a great opportunity to begin my career path in this new field.”
There are four main things to highlight in the body of your career change cover letter.
Why are this company and this role perfect for your pursuit of a career change?
In the body of your cover letter, it’s essential to tailor your choice of words and overall tone to the company you’re applying to work for. By personalising your cover letter to the business, you will demonstrate your understanding of the specific role and the company’s overall mission, and values.
To do this, you need to do some research and careful reading:
- Read through the company’s website and any other related materials.
- Take note of any significant projects they’ve been involved with; their client demographic, etc.
- Thoroughly read through the job description and pick out keywords to use in your writing – these are often found in the ‘Selection Criteria’ section of a job listing.
- Try to mimic the tone of the company – are they excitable? Modern? More conservative in their approach? Do they exude professionalism, or do they have a more laid-back vibe?
How does your past work experience prepare you for this role?
Even if your previous work seems completely unrelated to the role you’re applying for, this is often not the case. Acknowledging your previous experience is important. However, how you frame this experience is essential.
Consider your past roles and what specific skills may be transferable to your new role. These are called transferable skills. Often, these skills are soft skills – non-technical personal attributes that make you invaluable within a work environment (more about these later!).
Lastly, if you’ve completed any work experience or further education to support your career change, ensure to mention this explicitly. This will demonstrate to the recruiter your willingness to learn and your commitment to your dream job.
Why is your age an asset?
Towards the end of the body, it may be worth directly stating why your age could be a positive addition to the company (we can help to articulate this with tips below!). This section may be helpful to frame your circumstance as a career changer in a light the hiring manager may not have previously considered.
Explain any resume gaps
If you have any large resume gaps, it’s worth quickly explaining these gaps here. If you need some quick tips on how to do that, this is how to explain a resume gap .
To conclude, write a short paragraph reiterating your excitement to be considered for this job opportunity. Thank the reader and suggest the next point of communication. For example:
I would like to thank you for reading my application, and I look forward to hearing from you. I am available for a phone call or meeting any time to answer any questions you may have for me.
Ageism is unfortunately still an issue, and it’s an understandable concern for those looking to change careers later in their professional journey. However, the economic and business benefits of encouraging older workers to continue or return to work are increasingly becoming public knowledge.
The benefits of an older workforce include lowering the $10.8 billion economic loss Australia experiences due to not utilising the skills and experience an older workforce can provide.
Older workers greatly benefit businesses and organisations by:
- Providing a skillset only developed through years of experience
- Demonstrating a strong commitment to work, fostering similar attitudes in the workplace among younger employees
- Providing a more relatable presence for a business’ older demographic of customers and clients
- Promoting collaborative diversity within the workplace by encouraging the sharing of skills and experience between older and younger work colleagues
As mentioned in our step-by-step cover letter, it’s important to highlight your transferable skills! Some of these skills may include:
- Communication (spoken and written)
- Creative thinking
- Leadership (mention any leadership roles you have had)
- Conflict resolution
- Critical thinking and problem solving
- Strong work ethic
- Time management
- Organisational skills
You may realise that some of your more technical skills are an asset to your new role as well, such as:
- General computer skills
- Data collection and analysis
- Report writing and presentation
Your cover letter can’t be a list of dry facts, nor should it belong to prose of personal reflection. Carefully choose the most relevant skills and experiences for the position you’re applying for, that also reflect your passion and excitement. Write about these with a personal touch, and your personality will naturally carry throughout the letter.
Making a Career Change as an Older Adult: The Complete Guide
In this guide, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about changing careers as an older adult.
If you’d like to learn more about starting your career change, what it’s like to be a mature-age student, picking a career path, or even writing career change cover letters, all the information you need is here.
Read The Guide
Ready and determined to step into your desired new industry? Want to feel confident about your application? You may be considering further education options to help you prepare for your dream role.
Explore a range of short and longer courses available to you!
Latest Articles
Best cyber security certifications to kickstart your career.
A career in cyber security offers exciting opportunities. This is a dynamic ever-evolving industry w...
Choosing a Business Administration Course? We Can Help You
If your career is a puzzle, then business administration is the corner piece: it connects all the ot...
Five Reasons Why You Should Study an Accounting Course
Are you a numbers guru who’s looking for a stable career you can continuously develop and grow? If s...
Want to read more?
How to pivot your career into cyber security: cyber security courses & pathways.
Cyber security is a rapidly growing field that offers great career prospects and job security. If yo...
What Should I Do With My Life? A Step By Step Guide
What should I do with my life? We’ve all asked it… maybe a few times. Sure, some remarkable p...
How to Know When You Should Change Careers Over 50
From burnout, poor work/life balance, ageism, and lack of fulfillment, learn the signs that it’s tim...
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Get expert advice, insights, and explainers on tricky topics — designed to help you navigate your learning journey with confidence.
- First Name *
- Last Name *
- Popular Subjects
- Qualification Type
- Government Funded Courses
- Courses by Location
- Agriculture
- Animal Care
- Bookkeeping
- Business Admin
- Community Services
- Counselling
- Eyelash Extension
- Mental Health
- Small Business
- Veterinary Nursing
- Certificate II
- Graduate Certificate
- Certificate III
- Certificate IV
- Certificate
- Western Australia
- Courses In ACT
- Courses In NSW
- Courses In NT
- Courses In QLD
- Courses In Tasmania
- Courses In VIC
- Courses In WA
Newsletter sign up
Newsletter sign up.
We’ll email you updates on job trends, career advice, study tips, news and more.
- Email Address *
- Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
You are currently visiting our Australian website Training.com.au
Would you like to visit our New Zealand website instead?
Home / Resources / Career Resources / How to Write a Career Change Cover Letter
How to Write a Career Change Cover Letter
With an effective cover letter, you can make a great first impression on hiring managers when you’re changing careers. This important tool helps you explain why you are right for the position, even if you don’t have any formal educational or work experience in the field.
Sponsored School(s)
Along with needing to write a cover letter that is specific to the job you’re applying for, rather than just reusing the same one for each position, you may find it challenging to write a career change cover letter when it feels like you have a lack of relevant experience. How do you convince employers that you’re the right fit for the job?
Emphasize Your Transferable Skills
When changing your career, you may ask yourself if you have the skills needed for a new role. Most likely you do have some. Throughout your work experience, you have probably gained transferable skills, which can be applied to multiple careers. Having transferable skills can help not only help make your career change easier and smoother, but they also can help you when you’re writing your cover letter.
When you’re drafting your career change cover letter, you should look at the description of the job for which you are applying. Does the description list specific skills that you currently have? If so, emphasize them and detail instances of using them in previous roles. Also list any soft or technical skills, leadership or mentoring roles, or projects that you were a part of. This helps illustrate your strengths and helps the hiring manager see how you can contribute to their company.
If you feel as though you lack transferable skills or the proper educational background, pursuing an online degree or certification can help you gain the credentials you need to excel in your new career path.
Within your cover letter, you will also have to express your motivations for your career change. For example, if you are transitioning into a business role , you may be motivated by a salary increase or growth potential. If you are starting a nursing career , you may want a steady income and the ability to make a positive impact on others. Or you may want to help improve the lives of individuals and communities through a job in social work .
Since you are changing professions, you need to be upfront with employers about your qualifications and your intentions. In your cover letter, explain why you decided to change careers, why you are interested in the new field, and show that you are committed to the change. Tell them how your previous job experience will make you valuable to their company even though you are a newcomer to the industry, and be sure that your references will agree with your statements.
Also, be truthful about any employment gaps you have. You don’t have to go into much detail but explain if you were focused on something else or if you took a break to earn a degree or learn new technical skills. Describe how you used that time to build your knowledge for this new position. Showing that you used that time to further develop your skills shows initiative and that you were professionally engaged.
Best Practices for Writing Your Career Change Cover Letter
As you are writing your cover letter, be sure to research the company to which you are applying. Showing that you understand them and explaining what makes you want to work there lets the employer know you are familiar with what they do. Communicate your passion and excitement for the potential employer throughout your cover letter.
Your cover letter should focus on what your resume does not show. Your resume cannot show your personality and excitement for the role. Nor can it explain items in detail. Since this is the first step toward a job interview, your career change cover letter needs to show the hiring manager who you are and what you can do.
Avoid making your career change cover letter too long. Some hiring managers will skip reading your cover letter if they feel like it is excessive in length. However, you should avoid a short cover letter so that it doesn’t imply lack of interest in the job. Ideally, your cover letter should be about two-thirds of a page, or roughly 300 words.
In your opening paragraph, you should mention the job you’re applying for and where you saw the listing. If you were referred to the position by someone else, acknowledge them by name. This not only personalizes your cover letter, it shows that you have industry contacts, which can help facilitate your career transition.
Throughout your cover letter, you need to show why you are the ideal candidate for the position. Use some of the language that the employer uses in the job posting. Explain that you understand what is required of the position and list how you can effectively fulfill its duties. If you have examples from previous jobs, work some of them in. Also, list your transferable skills and mention that you can learn new skills in order to meet the employer’s needs.
Also, remember to thank the hiring manager for their time in your cover letter’s conclusion. Suggest the next step in the process, whether it’s speaking with them on the phone, meeting them in person for an interview, or providing any additional information they may desire.
Finally, make sure your cover letter is polished. This is your first impression, so you don’t want to send them a sloppy first draft. Edit it, read it aloud, and check your spelling. Have a friend or family member review your cover letter for you. They can provide you with a fresh set of eyes and constructive advice that can help you present yourself in the best light possible.
Sample Career Change Cover Letter
Here is an example of a career change cover letter:
While pursuing a new profession can present many challenges, make sure that your career change cover letter best represents you. Show that you are well qualified for the new career and that you are enthusiastic about working for the company. Even if you may feel as though you do not have the proper background for the career, highlight your skills and expertise in other areas to display that you are competent and willing to grow. If necessary, you can also update your resume to reflect your new professional goals.
Featured Resources
70+ Online Degrees
If you’re ready to reach your full potential, an online degree can help you get there. Discover the possibilities for what’s next in your career.
Request Information
Complete the form below for detailed course information and to be contacted by phone and email.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Your cover letter should be a strong endorsement of your ability to succeed in the new career. The decision to change careers is not done lightly but it can be done successfully by writing a persuasive career change cover letter
Expert tips on writing a career change cover letter that will get you that dream job. Let's take a look at a career change cover letter written by Janet, a marketing specialist with a passion for teaching
A cover letter is your chance to introduce yourself to a potential employer and spark their interest in reading your resume. Here are the key points to know about cover letters, plus the steps to follow to write one
Body of your career change cover letter – be upfront. Use the body of your career change cover letter to reassure the hiring manager that you are genuinely committed to being part of a new industry
The cover letter to your career change resume acts as a personal introduction to your potential employer. The first paragraph of your career change cover letter should be positive and to the point
If you feel as though you lack transferable skills or the proper educational background,pursuing an online degreeor certification can help you gain the credentials you need to excel in your new career path