career change cover letter reddit

Explore Jobs

• Jobs Near Me
• Remote Jobs
• Full Time Jobs
• Part Time Jobs
• Entry Level Jobs
• Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

• $15 Per Hour Jobs
• $20 Per Hour Jobs
• Hiring Immediately Jobs
• High School Jobs
• H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

• Business And Financial
• Architecture And Engineering
• Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

• What They Do
• Certifications
• Demographics

Best Companies

• Health Care
• Fortune 500

Explore Companies

• CEO And Executies
• Resume Builder
• Career Advice
• Explore Majors
• Questions And Answers
• Interview Questions

How To Write A Career Change Cover Letter (With Examples)

• Cover Letter Examples
• Best Cover Letters
• Cover Letter For Internship
• General Cover Letter Templates
• Career Change Cover Letter
• Promotion Cover Letter
• College Student Cover Letter
• Entry Level Cover Letter
• Legal Cover Letter
• Creative Cover Letter
• Cover Letter For Government Job
• Cover Letter With No Experience
• Short Cover Letter Examples
• How To Send An Email Cover Letter
• How To Write A Cover Letter For A Job With No Experience In That Field

Find a Job You Really Want In

Summary. To write a career change cover letter you should first start with a professional header with your information as well as the hiring managers information. Be sure to find the hiring managers name to address the letter but if you are unable to, use their position title. Your opening line should be captivating and catch the readers attention.

Even though changing your career may feel dramatic or drastic, the reality is that it isn’t an unusual step to take. The key, however, is to explain your reasons for the change to the hiring managers in your industry of choice, and your cover letter is one of the best places to do this.

In this article, we’ll walk you through how to write a cover letter for this situation and show you some examples you can use as a reference.

Key Takeaways

Your cover letter should be concise (200-400 words), so you’ll need to grab the reader’s attention and get to the point quickly.

Explain both why you decided to leave your old career and why you chose this particular new one in your cover letter.

Show that you understand the position and company you’re applying to and explain why you’d be a good fit in your cover letter.

How to Write a Career Change Cover Letter

Career change cover letter example, email cover letter example, tips for writing a career change cover letter, career change cover letter faq, ask the experts.

• Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs

Chances are you have researched several different cover letter examples and are still trying to settle on the perfect one. The good news is that all great cover letter templates will have a relatively similar structure. It should formatted in the normal business letter layout .

Remember that cover letters should be short; about half a page long, with 200-400 words (shorter is usually better), and 3-4 paragraphs.

Include the following sections in your cover letter:

Header (only for physical copies of your cover letter)

Opening paragraph

Body paragraph(s)

Closing lines

Sign-off and signature

You should think of a cover letter as a way to sell yourself to potential employers. That means expressing your qualifications, showing that you’ve been researching the company , and detailing why you would be perfect for the new job.

You never want to have just another generic cover letter, so here’s more on the specifics to craft your perfect cover letter :

Cover Letter Header

If you’re sending a physical copy of your cover letter, you should start with a professional header. Include the following information, formatted in the same way:

[Your name] [Your address] [Phone number] [Email] [Current date] [Hiring Manager name] [Title] [Company address]

Tom Timmins 34 Apple St., New York, NY (555)-555-5555 [email protected] 4/28/2021 Sara Bilson Director of Sales New Company 55 New Road, New York, NY

Cover Letter Greeting

Always do your best to find the name of the hiring manager . Check the job posting, the company’s website, and their LinkedIn page. If you strike out online, try calling the company and ask who the cover letter for your desired position should be sent to.

If you’re unable to find the hiring manager’s name, you can use “Dear Hiring Manager” or one of its better alternatives .

Dear Ms. Tanner, Dear Alix Sims, Dear Software Engineer Hiring Team,

Cover Letter Opening Lines

When writing a stellar cover letter, one of the “don’ts” is to open with a mundane sentence. Simply stating “I am reaching out to apply for [role] at [Company name]” will not set you apart from other job applicants or make a memorable first impression.

You want the opening line to be captivating while also remaining relevant to the position. Easy ways to do this are by sharing an experience that relates to the new job or expressing genuine enthusiasm for the role right away and why.

Remember, as a career changer, you want to highlight transferable skills and experiences. So, let’s say you’re trying to move from customer service to sales. A cover letter opening might look something like this:

Helping customers have positive experiences is a passion I’ve developed in over 4 years of customer service. With a proven track record of high customer engagement and retention, I’m ready to take my career to the next level by generating leads and sharing exciting opportunities with new and existing clients as a Sales Representative for XYZ Corp.

Cover Letter Body Paragraph(s)

In your cover letter’s body paragraph(s), you want to show recruiters that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to your skills.

There are your easily measurable hard skills , such as certifications, computer programs that you are proficient in, etc.

Then come your soft skills , which are character-based traits such as being detail-oriented, having superior time management skills, or being able to work in high-pressure environments. Speak to these soft skills that may not be as apparent within your resume and emphasize how they would be valuable in the new position.

A pro tip for choosing which transferable skills to focus on within your cover letter is to take a look at the job description. There you will find certain keywords that should definitely be featured within your letter.

ABC Inc. needs a Sales Representative who understands clients’ needs and can demonstrate unique value propositions to build trust and credibility. In my time as Customer Service Representative with XYZ Corp., I provided a high level of client service that earned me 99.7% positive customer reviews. I also worked closely with a team, mentoring and training new members to help achieve corporate goals and quotas. XYZ Corp. recognized my contributions by naming me “Customer Success Employee of the Month” in June 2020. I achieved this by maintaining spotless organizational skills to schedule calls, meetings, and client appointments most efficiently. When raised to a supervisory position, I quickly adapted to the demands of the new role by meeting with management to make sure our goals were aligned. This ensured that my team stayed on high-priority tasks, leading to a 17% reduction in customer wait time.

Notice how the candidate outlines her performance in previous jobs while focusing on transferable skills and experiences. Candidates that are already within the industry that you are applying for will likely have concrete examples of how they previously excelled in a similar role.

Even though you are just entering into this new career pathway , you still want to tell recruiters about your previous accomplishments.

If you increased sales, secured client acquisitions, received certain awards for reaching benchmarks, these are all concrete performance indicators. Being able to show how you excelled in other roles can translate to potential successes you may have within the new company. The job title might be different, but a win is a win.

Cover Letter Closing Lines

Your closing statement is as important as your opening lines, since it’s what the reader will walk away remembering most clearly.

A good way to end your cover letter is with a positive statement expressing your enthusiasm for the job and thanking the hiring manager for their time. A brief overview of your work background and a call to action are also appropriate to include.

Here’s an example of what this could look like:

I believe I’d be a great fit for this role and that my background in customer service would serve me well as a Sales Representative. I’d love to further discuss this opportunity with you and share how my experience could serve ABC Inc. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Cover Letter Sign-off and Signature

After you wrap up your letter, close with a professional “Sincerely,” followed by your signature. Here’s what this would look like for a hard copy letter:

Sincerely, [Your handwritten signature] [Your typed name]

And for an email or digital copy:

Sincerely, [Your typed name] [Your address] [Your phone number] [Your email address]

Now that you have all the basics of writing cover letters, it is time to craft your own. Take a look at the professional cover letter examples below, but keep in mind that they should be altered to your liking. Every cover letter should be tailored to the actual position, so also make sure to change the template as needed for each and every potential employer.

[Your name] [Your address] [Phone number] [Email] [Current date] [Hiring Manager name] [Title] [Company address] Dear Mr. Smith, Over the course of the last few months, I have had the wonderful opportunity to begin organizing events within my community for those experiencing financial hardship during COVID. Being able to assist those in need has awakened a passion within me for being able to empower communities, which is why I found City of Lake County’s job requisition for Community Engagement Specialist very exciting. Although my previous experience is primarily within the sales industry, I believe that my professional experience still translates well into this new industry. While at Telco Sales Corp, I was able to achieve the following: Acquired 50 new partnerships in Q1 2020 Increased sales overall by 102% year-over-year Maintained a 98% customer retention rate As a Community Engagement Specialist, the goal is to cultivate relationships and secure funding for community programs. My sales background has proven that I am able to build and maintain relationships while driving revenue. I also won several awards during my tenure, including back-to-back Employee of the Year acknowledgment and Lead Customer Care Advocate. I am ready to make this career transition as I have found my calling when it comes to bettering my community. The analytical and customer service skills from my previous industry paired with my planning and management capabilities would make me the ideal Community Engagement Specialist with Lake County. I appreciate you taking the time to learn more about my qualifications and experiences, and I look forward to learning more about the opportunity. Sincerely, (Signature for hard copy letter) [Your name]

Email cover letters will be exactly the same as a standard career change cover letter. However, there are additional considerations to be made with the actual execution.

You will want to include your full name and the role you are applying for within the subject line. Some job postings will specifically state whether the cover letter should be sent as an email attachment or within the body of the email, so pay close attention to requisition details.

If there is no specification, you can simply put the salutation (skip the preceding contact information that is in a standard cover letter ) and paste your letter into the email. Here is a simple, email career change cover letter sample:

Subject line: Sports Content Writer — [Your name]

Dear [Hiring manager name], Nothing is better than being able to create content that readers love to consume. Last year, I launched my sports blog and quickly realized that what started out as a hobby was my true passion. That is why though I have been working as a Regulatory Specialist the last five years, the Sports Content Writer role at Sports Co. would offer the perfect career transition. With my website, I was able to average over 7,000 unique visitors a month without any paid search campaigns. I also launched a community of over 10,000 sports fans on Facebook where readers are able to engage and ask questions related to the industry. My YouTube channel also currently has over 2,000 subscribers and counting, with new videos produced on a weekly cadence. As a Regulatory Specialist, I had to review a large volume of applications on a daily basis and ensure accuracy. I also had to update applications and send out correspondence for any missing information. This has helped me become a skilled proofreader , meaning that my content is publication-ready and requires little time to edit. Additional achievements while in this role have included: Maintaining an 100% accuracy rate on approved applications Receiving multiple Processor of the Month awards for completing the most applications over a 30-day period Being named Quality Assurance Lead for consistently proofing and sending over 100+ pieces of correspondence within a 7-day period Sports Co. is a company built on providing fun and engaging sports information to fans. Being that your site averages 100,000 views per day and is considered an authority in the sports industry, I feel like my skill set would only help add to the overall readership. Unlike other companies, Sports Co. also caters to less popular sports such as darts and pool. I have experience writing about these sports and numerous others on my own blog, with a knowledge of just about every sport imaginable. I believe that being able to work in a fast-paced environment, familiarity producing high volumes of content, and having a wide breadth of sports knowledge make me an ideal candidate for the Sports Content Writer position. I appreciate your time in reviewing my qualifications and I look forward to learning more about the opportunity. Best, [Your name] [Address] [Phone number] [Email] [LinkedIn Profile URL (optional)]

Explain why you’re seeking a career change. This is a question that just about any applicant seeking a new career would likely receive in a job interview , so it’s great to disclose it in your cover letter.

Employers generally want to know why you left your last employer and making a complete career change naturally leaves questions. Your reason could be as wanting to try something new in a post-COVID job market . You may have a friend that is in the industry and you feel that your skill set more closely aligns with a role more similar to theirs.

There really is no right or wrong as far as your reasoning; just make sure to give the hiring manager an idea of why you want the position even though your experience is elsewhere.

Although I excel at customer service, I find that I’m most engaged and performing at my highest level when I’m helping a customer find a new solution rather than fix a problem with their current product. When my supervisor commented on how no customer service rep she had managed had higher conversion rates than me, it stuck with me.

Show passion for your new direction. This is where you can truly shine and completely differentiate yourself from other applicants. Why are you passionate about the industry, and more specifically, this particular role?

You want to explain why you are excited to be on this journey and how you would be an excellent fit for the team. Discuss where this passion comes from to add a personal touch, then explain why having this drive will help you succeed in the role.

Being able to help customers find quality solutions while maintaining brand loyalty is a real passion of mine. I hope to bring your company’s product and services to a wider audience because I truly believe that there’s no better POS service around than what you offer.

Prove you understand the company. Hiring managers want to hire people that have a genuine, vested interest in their organization. Do you have personal reasons as to why you want to join the company? Do they have a social impact team whose efforts and initiatives you admire?

Scrape beneath the surface and do research. Show the recruiter how your core values align with those of the company.

You can start with looking at the company’s website , but you should dig deeper by also visiting LinkedIn. Take a look at the different profiles of employees, paying close attention to those that might have a similar role to the one you are applying for. You can learn more about a company from the people that work there versus website boilerplate.

I notice that you have a corporate motto of “Listen First,” which really resonates with me. Sales, like customer service, is all about accurately identifying pain points and offering solutions that may not be apparent to the customer at first. I make it a point to allow clients free reign at the start of a discussion, so as to better inform my strategy for helping them.

How long should a career change cover letter be?

A career change cover letter should be about half a page or three and four paragraphs. Your letter should only be between 200 and 400 words so it’s important to be concise and to the point.

How do you state that you are changing a career in a cover letter?

You should explain to the reader why you are seeking a career change and show passion for your new direction when stating a career change in a cover letter.

A potential employer will want to know why you left your previous employer and they will wonder why you left the field completely. Explaining your reasons will help give them a better understanding.

What should be avoided when writing a cover letter?

You should avoid any spelling or grammar mistakes in your cover letter. It can be seen as unprofessional if you misspelled anything in your letter. You should also avoid making your letter generic because your recipient will be able to tell. Be sure to tailor it to each company that you are applying to and try to find the name of your recipient as well.

How To Write A Career Change Cover Letter

Nicole Ozburn Human Resources Director

Some things are industry specific but can be quickly learned due to your similar experience in another industry. For instance, if I were looking to change my career from Human Resources to Marketing, I would talk about my recruitment skills and how I have marketed jobs in the past. I would also advise to describe the reason for the change in career. If it is due to COVID-19, the economy, or recently acquiring additional skills through education, the employer may be compelled to give my resume some consideration.

Kevin Daniels Owner and Lead Copywriter

The idea of capturing the reader’s attention at the outset is an excellent one–that has proven to be effective.

You could even start with a quote from a known expert in the field of interest (or simply a famous person)–and use this as a jumping-off place for the content of your letter. Also, using a bulleted format for the body of the letter can be eye-catching (because it’s different)–and will provide structure for seamlessly popping tailored content in/out of your letter as needed.

Translatable skills are extremely important with transition cover letters (and resumes too). First, try Googling “Work Skills” and then “Work Traits.” You will get many, many examples of each (which will help you discern the difference)–and will help you choose ones that ring true for you; ones that are aligned with your professional brand.

Also, remember to avoid too much content (or any) content unique to the industry you’re leaving.

In my 14-year career with Boeing Commercial Airplanes, I became a noted expert in DfX and APQP methodologies…

In the recent decade-plus of my experience, I have achieved noteworthy SME status in Lean/Six Sigma and related compliance directives delivering millions of dollars of recurring savings to the business…

This uses the far more universal “Lean” and Six Sigma” references that will have meaning in any business or manufacturing environment, as opposed to pigeonholing yourself as Aerospace-centric.”

Harvard Extension School – Resume and Cover Letters

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

Matt Warzel a President of a resume writing firm (MJW Careers, LLC) with 15+ years of recruitment, outplacement, career coaching and resume writing experience. Matt is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing Focus) from John Carroll University.

Recent Job Searches

• Registered Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Truck Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Call Center Representative Jobs Resume Location
• Customer Service Representative Jobs Resume
• Delivery Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Warehouse Worker Jobs Resume Location
• Account Executive Jobs Resume Location
• Sales Associate Jobs Resume Location
• Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Company Driver Jobs Resume

Related posts

Cover Letter Spacing and Margins

How to Sign a Cover Letter (With Examples)

How To Start A Cover Letter (With 30 Examples)

How To Write A Cover Letter With No Experience

• Career Advice >
• Cover Letter >

How to Write a Cover Letter in 2024 + Examples

After weeks of heavy job search, you’re almost there!

You’ve perfected your resume. 

You’ve short-listed the coolest jobs you want to apply for.

You’ve even had a friend train you for every single interview question out there.

But then, before you can send your application and call it a day, you remember that the job ad requires a cover letter.

Now you’re stuck wondering how to write a cover letter ...

Don’t panic! We’ve got you covered. Writing a cover letter is a lot simpler than you might think. 

In this guide, we’re going to teach you how to write a cover letter that gets you the job you deserve.

• What’s a cover letter & why it’s important for your job search
• How to write a convincing cover letter that gets you the job (step-by-step!)
• How to perfect your cover letter with the Novoresume free checklist
• What excellent cover letter examples look like

New to cover letter writing? Give our resumes 101 video a watch before diving into the article!

So, let’s get started with the basics!

What is a Cover Letter? (and Why It’s Important)

A cover letter is a one-page document that you submit as part of your job application (alongside your CV or Resume). 

Its purpose is to introduce you and briefly summarize your professional background. On average, your cover letter should be from 250 to 400 words long .

A good cover letter can spark the HR manager’s interest and get them to read your resume. 

A bad cover letter, on the other hand, might mean that your application is going directly to the paper shredder. So, to make sure this doesn’t happen, it’s essential to know how to write a convincing cover letter.

How does a good cover letter look, you might ask. Well, here’s an example:

Keep in mind, though, that a cover letter is a supplement to your resume, not a replacement. Meaning, you don’t just repeat whatever is mentioned in your resume.

If you’re writing a cover letter for the first time, writing all this might seem pretty tough. After all, you’re probably not a professional writer.

The thing is, though, you don’t need to be creative, or even any good at writing. All you have to do is follow a tried-and-tested format:

• Header - Input contact information
• Greeting the hiring manager
• Opening paragraph - Grab the reader’s attention with 2-3 of your top achievements
• Second paragraph - Explain why you’re the perfect candidate for the job
• Third paragraph - Explain why you’re a good match for the company
• Formal closing

Or, here’s what this looks like in practice:

How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter (And Get Hired!)

Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, we’re going to guide you through the process of writing a cover letter step by step. 

Step #1 - Pick the Right Cover Letter Template

A good cover letter is all about leaving the right first impression.

So, what’s a better way to leave a good impression than a well-formatted, visual template?

You can simply pick one of our hand-picked cover letter templates , and you’ll be all set in a jiffy!

As a bonus, our AI will even give you suggestions on how to improve your cover letter on the go.

Step #2 - Start the Cover Letter with a Header

As with a resume, it’s important to start your cover letter with a Contact Information section:

Here, you want to include all essential information, including:

• Phone Number
• Name of the hiring manager / their professional title
• Name of the company you’re applying to

In certain cases, you might also consider adding:

• Social Media Profiles - Any type of profile that’s relevant to your field. Social Profiles on websites like LinkedIn, GitHub (for developers), Medium (for writers), etc.
• Personal Website - If you have a personal website that somehow adds value to your application, you can mention it. Let’s say you’re a professional writer. In that case, you’d want to link to your blog.

And here’s what you shouldn’t mention in your header:

• Your Full Address 
• Unprofessional Email - Make sure your email is presentable. It’s pretty hard for a hiring manager to take you seriously if your email address is “[email protected].” Whenever applying for jobs, stick to the “[first name] + [last name] @ email provider.com” format.

Step #3 - Greet the Hiring Manager

Once you’ve properly listed your contact information, you need to start writing the cover letter contents.

The first thing to do here is to address the cover letter to the hiring manager .

That’s right, the hiring manager! Not the overly popular “Dear Sir or Madam.” You want to show your future boss that you did your research and are really passionate about working with their team.

No one wants to hire a job seeker who just spams 20+ companies and hopes to get hired in any of them.

So, how do you find out who’s the hiring manager? There are several ways to do this. 

The simplest option is to look up the head of the relevant department on LinkedIn. Let’s say you’re applying for the position of a Communication Specialist at Novoresume. The hiring manager is probably Head of Communications or Chief Communications Office.

So, you do a quick lookup on LinkedIn:

And voila! You have your hiring manager.

Or let’s say you’re applying for the position of a server. In that case, you’d be looking for the “restaurant manager.”

If this doesn’t work, you can also check out the “Team” page on the company website; there’s a good chance you’ll at least find the right person there.

Here are several other greetings you could use:

• Dear [Department] Hiring Manager
• Dear Hiring Manager
• To whom it may concern
• Dear [Department] Team

Step #4 - Write an Attention-Grabbing Introduction

First impressions matter, especially when it comes to your job search.

Recruiters get hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of applications. Chances are, they’re not going to be reading every single cover letter end-to-end.

So, it’s essential to catch their attention from the very first paragraph .

The #1 problem we see with most cover letter opening paragraphs is that they’re usually extremely generic. Most of them look something like this..

• Hey, my name is Jonathan and I’d like to work as a Sales Manager at XYZ Inc. I’ve worked as a sales manager at MadeUpCompany Inc. for 5+ years, so I believe that I’d be a good fit for the position.

See the issue here? This opening paragraph doesn’t say pretty much anything except the fact that you’ve worked the job before.

Do you know who else has similar work experience? All the other applicants you’re competing with.

Instead, you want to start off with 2-3 of your top achievements to really grab the reader’s attention. Preferably, the achievements should be as relevant as possible to the position.

So now, let’s make our previous example shine:

My name’s Michael and I’d like to help XYZ Inc. hit and exceed their sales goals as a Sales Manager. I’ve worked with Company X, a fin-tech company, for 3+ years. As a Sales Representative, I generated an average of $30,000+ in sales per month (beating the KPIs by around 40%). I believe that my previous industry experience, as well as excellence in sales, makes me the right candidate for the job.

See the difference between the two examples? If you were the hiring manager, which sales manager would you hire, Jonathan or Michael?

Now that we’ve covered the introduction, let’s talk about the body of your cover letter. This part is split into two paragraphs: the first is for explaining why you’re the perfect person for the job, and the latter is for proving that you’re a good fit for the company.

So, let’s get started...

Step #5 - Explain why you’re the perfect person for the job

This is where you show off your professional skills and convince the HR manager that you’re a better fit for the job than all the other applicants.

But first things first - before you even write anything, you need to learn what the most important requirements for the role are. So, open up the job ad and identify which of the responsibilities are the most critical.

For the sake of the example, let’s say you’re applying for the position of a Facebook Advertiser. You scan the job ad and see that the top requirements are:

• Experience managing a Facebook ad budget of $10,000+ / month
• Some skills in advertising on other platforms (Google Search + Twitter)
• Excellent copywriting skills

Now, in this section, you need to discuss how you fulfill these requirements. So, here’s how that would look for our example:

In my previous role as a Facebook Marketing Expert at XYZ Inc. I handled customer acquisition through ads, managing a monthly Facebook ad budget of $20,000+ . As the sole digital marketer at the company, I managed the ad creation & management process end-to-end. Meaning, I created the ad copy , images, picked the targeting, ran optimization trials, and so on.

Other than Facebook advertising, I’ve also delved into other online PPC channels, including:

• Google Search

Are you a student applying for your first internship? You probably don’t have a lot of work experience to show off in this section. Learn how to write an internship cover letter here.

Step #6 - Explain why you’re a good fit for the company

Once you’ve written the last paragraph, you might be thinking - I’m a shoo-in for the job! What else do I need to write? I’ll just wrap up the cover letter and hit that sweet SEND button.

Well, no. You’re not quite there yet.

The HR manager doesn’t only look at whether you’ll be good at the job or not. They’re looking for someone that’s also a good fit for the company culture.

After all, employees that don’t fit in are bound to quit, sooner or later. This ends up costing the company a ton of money, up to 50% of the employee’s annual salary . 

Meaning, you also need to convince the HR manager that you’re really passionate about working with them.

How do you do this? Well, as a start, you want to do some research about the company. You want to know things like:

• What’s the company’s business model?
• What’s the company product or service? Have you used it?
• What’s the culture like? Will someone micro-manage your work, or will you have autonomy on how you get things done?

So, get to Googling. Chances are, you’ll find all the information you need either on the company website or somewhere around the web.

Then, you need to figure out what you like about the company and turn that into text.

Let’s say, for example, you’re passionate about their product and you like the culture of innovation / independent work in the organization.

You’d write something like:

I’ve personally used the XYZ Smartphone, and I believe that it’s the most innovative tech I’ve used in years. The features such as Made-Up-Feature #1 and Made-Up-Feature #2 were real game changers for the device. 

I really admire how Company XYZ thrives for excellence for all its product lines, creating market-leading tech. As someone that thrives in a self-driven environment, I truly believe that I and Company XYZ will be a great match.

What you don’t want to do here is be super generic for the sake of having something to write. Most job seekers tend to mess this one up. Let’s take a look at a very common example we tend to see (way too often):

I’d love to work for Company XYZ because of its culture of innovation. I believe that since I’m super creative, I’d be a good fit for the company. The company values of integrity and transparency really vibe with me.

See what’s wrong here? The example doesn’t really say anything about the company. “Culture of Innovation” is something most companies claim to have. 

The same goes for “values of integrity and transparency” - the writer just googled what the values for the organization are, and said that they like them.

Any hiring manager that reads this will see through the fluff.

So, make sure to do a lot of research and come up with good reasons why you're applying.

Step #7 - Wrap up with a call to action

Finally, it’s time to finish up your cover letter and write the conclusion.

In the final paragraph, you want to:

• Wrap up any points you couldn't in the previous paragraphs. Do you have anything left to say? Any other information that could help the hiring manager make their decision? Mention it here.
• Thank the hiring manager for their time. It never hurts to be courteous, as long as you don’t come off as too needy.
• Finish the cover letter with a call to action. The very last sentence in your cover letter should be a call to action. You should ask the hiring manager to take some sort of action.

And now, let’s turn this into a practical example:

So to wrap it all up, thanks for looking into my application. I hope I can help Company X make the most out of their Facebook marketing initiatives. I'd love to further discuss how my previous success at XYZ Inc. can help you achieve your facebook marketing goals.

Step #8 - Use the right formal closing

Once you’re done with the final paragraph, all you have to do is write down a formal “goodbye” and you’re good to go.

Feel free to use one of the most popular conclusions to a cover letter:

• Best Regards,
• Kind Regards,

And we’re finally done! Before sending off the cover letter, make sure to proofread it with software like Grammarly, or maybe even get a friend to review it for you.

Does your cover letter heading include all essential information?

• Professional email
• Relevant Social Media Profiles

Do you address the right person? I.e. hiring manager in the company / your future direct supervisor

Does your introductory paragraph grab the reader's attention?

• Did you mention 2-3 of your top achievements?
• Did you use numbers and facts to back up your experience?

Do you successfully convey that you’re the right pro for the job?

• Did you identify the core requirements?
• Did you successfully convey how your experiences help you fit the requirements perfectly?

Do you convince the hiring manager that you’re passionate about the company you’re applying to?

• Did you identify the top 3 things that you like about the company?
• Did you avoid generic reasons for explaining your interest in the company?

Did you finalize the conclusion with a call to action?

Did you use the right formal closure for the cover letter?

5+ Cover Letter Examples

Need some inspiration? Read on to learn about some of the best cover letter examples we’ve seen (for different fields).

College Student Cover Letter Example

Middle Management Cover Letter Example

Career Change Cover Letter Example

Management Cover Letter Example

Senior Executive Cover Letter Example

Want to discover more examples AND learn what makes them stand out? Check out our guide to cover letter examples .

Next Steps in Your Job Search - Creating a Killer Resume

Your cover letter is only as good as your resume. If either one is weak, your entire application is for naught. 

After all, a cover letter is just an introduction. Imagine going through all this effort to leave an amazing first impression, but flopping at the end because of a mediocre resume.

...But don’t you worry, we’ve got you covered on that end, too.

If you want to learn more about Resumes & CVs, we have a dedicated FREE guide for that. Check out our complete guide on how to make a resume , as well as how to write a CV - our experts will teach you everything you need to know in order to land your dream job.

Or, if you’re already an expert, just pick one of our resume templates and get started.

Key Takeaways

Now that we’ve walked you through all the steps of writing a cover letter, let’s summarize everything we’ve learned:

• A cover letter is a 250 - 400 word document that convinces the hiring manager of your competence
• A cover letter goes in your job application alongside your resume
• Your introduction to the cover letter should grab the hiring manager’s attention and keep it all the way until the conclusion
• There are 2 main topics you need to include in your cover letter: why you’re the perfect candidate for the job & why you’re passionate about working in the company you’re applying to
• Most of the content of your cover letter should be factual , without any fluff or generalizations

At Novorésumé, we’re committed to helping you get the job you deserve, every step of the way! Follow our blog to stay up to date with the industry-leading advice. Or, check out some of our top guides…

• How to Write a Motivational Letter
• How to Write a Resume with No Work Experience
• Most Common Interview Questions and Answers

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

Privacy preference center

We care about your privacy

When you visit our website, we will use cookies to make sure you enjoy your stay. We respect your privacy and we’ll never share your resumes and cover letters with recruiters or job sites. On the other hand, we’re using several third party tools to help us run our website with all its functionality.

But what exactly are cookies? Cookies are small bits of information which get stored on your computer. This information usually isn’t enough to directly identify you, but it allows us to deliver a page tailored to your particular needs and preferences.

Because we really care about your right to privacy, we give you a lot of control over which cookies we use in your sessions. Click on the different category headings on the left to find out more, and change our default settings.

However, remember that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of our website. Finally, note that we’ll need to use a cookie to remember your cookie preferences.

Without these cookies our website wouldn’t function and they cannot be switched off. We need them to provide services that you’ve asked for.

Want an example? We use these cookies when you sign in to Kickresume. We also use them to remember things you’ve already done, like text you’ve entered into a registration form so it’ll be there when you go back to the page in the same session.

Thanks to these cookies, we can count visits and traffic sources to our pages. This allows us to measure and improve the performance of our website and provide you with content you’ll find interesting.

Performance cookies let us see which pages are the most and least popular, and how you and other visitors move around the site.

All information these cookies collect is aggregated (it’s a statistic) and therefore completely anonymous. If you don’t let us use these cookies, you’ll leave us in the dark a bit, as we won’t be able to give you the content you may like.

We use these cookies to uniquely identify your browser and internet device. Thanks to them, we and our partners can build a profile of your interests, and target you with discounts to our service and specialized content.

On the other hand, these cookies allow some companies target you with advertising on other sites. This is to provide you with advertising that you might find interesting, rather than with a series of irrelevant ads you don’t care about.

Career Change Cover Letter Example

Increase your chances of scoring a job and learn practical tricks for your new cover letter with our free, highly instructive Career Change cover letter template. Download this cover letter example for free or edit it directly using our powerful cover letter creator.

Career Change Cover Letter Example (Full Text Version)

Engracia Collazo

Dear Hiring Manager,

As a marketing professional with over three years of experience in digital advertising, I aim to help growing SMEs in Spain meet their HR goals by transitioning from marketing to human resources. Hence, I apply with enthusiasm for this opportunity.

I am a Certified Human Resources Assistant with a working knowledge of all software programs needed for the position. These include BambooHR, Zenefits as well as Microsoft Office and Asana.

In my previous role as an Online Marketing Specialist at APPR Group, Inc., I was in charge of recruiting and supervising summer interns, co-managing marketing budgets, and creating content for company's social media accounts. During my time at APPR Group, Inc., I:

• Developed a new company online marketing strategy which led to an increase in brand awareness and reduction of unnecessary advertising expenses by 17%.
• Won the Employee of the Month Award for completing all assigned tasks and projects in a timely manner.

I see myself working in human resources in the future as I believe it is the right career path for me. On top of my communication and negotiation skills, I am a creative mind adept at working with people from different countries and cultures - this is mainly due to my international experience of working, studying, and living in Spain as well as the United States.

In addition to my career background, I hold a Master's degree in Marketing Management from Columbia University, and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.

I have enjoyed my time in marketing, and am looking for a new challenge. I now seek a full-time HR job opportunity that will enable me to grow both professionally and personally.

Please find attached my resume for your consideration. Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to hearing from you regarding next steps.

Yours sincerely,

Milan Šaržík, CPRW

Milan’s work-life has been centered around job search for the past three years. He is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer (CPRW™) as well as an active member of the Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Careers Coaches (PARWCC™). Milan holds a record for creating the most career document samples for our help center – until today, he has written more than 500 resumes and cover letters for positions across various industries. On top of that, Milan has completed studies at multiple well-known institutions, including Harvard University, University of Glasgow, and Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.

Edit this sample using our resume builder.

Don’t struggle with your cover letter. artificial intelligence can write it for you..

Let your resume do the work.

Join 5,000,000 job seekers worldwide and get hired faster with your best resume yet.

• Research & Collections
• Borrow & Request
• Computing & Technology

Career Choice & Change: Job Hunting, Internship Seeking & Discovering Your Career Path: Resumes & Cover Letters

• Career Change
• Career Exploration
• Social Media
• Resumes & Cover Letters
• Interviewing
• Academia & Higher Education Career Paths
• Accounting Careers
• Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Medicine & Allied Health
• Business Analytics Careers
• Communication, Mass Media & Marketing
• Computing, Data Science & IT Industries
• Economics Careers Resources
• Engineering
• Finance Careers Resources
• High Tech Industries
• International Careers, Jobs & Working Conditions
• Law and Legal Studies
• Library and Information Sciences
• Management & Entrepreneurship
• Military Career Resources
• Performing Arts
• Physics, Astronomy, Math
• Psychology and Education
• Visual Arts, Design & Architecture
• Industry Overviews
• San Diego Area
• Internships
• Study Abroad
• Further Reading
• UC San Diego Career Center
• Grad Students
• Off-Campus Access This link opens in a new window
• Career Readiness Passport Activities

Featured Books

For more information, check out books from the UC San Diego Collection!

Good First Impressions

Cover letters are often your chance to make a good first impression. Check out the information available below to learn how to make the most of this opportunity!

• Basic Cover Letter Tips - Learn basic tips from the UC San Diego Career Services Center (CSC) for creating a cover letter.

Cover Letter Resources for Job-Seekers - This page contains a wide variety of cover letter resources.

Need a quick overview of basics? Try the 2019 Triton Career Guide .

Craft Your Resume and Curriculum Vitae

Learn how to make the most of your abilities in your resume or CV with the following links.

• Resumes Learn basic tips for creating a resume.
• Curricula Vitae Learn basic tips for creating a CV.
• Resume Reviews for UC San Diego Undergraduates Have your resume reviewed to strengthen your resume.
• Resume Resources and Tools for Job-Seekers This page contains links to job-specific resume samples, guides, and tips.

UC San Diego Career Services Center

• UC San Diego Career Center Home

Frequently-used links:

• Events & Virtual Workshops
• Handshake The Career Centers one-stop shop for career fairs, interviews, internships, and more
• Individual Career Advising Includes drop-in advising and how to make an appointment
• Online Assessment Tools

Research Help

Search the Library's Collections

For more books to help you along, try searching using the following subject terms:

• Resumes (Employment)
• Cover Letters
• Job Hunting
• Vocational Guidance
• << Previous: Social Media
• Next: Interviewing >>
• Last Updated: Mar 21, 2024 11:04 AM
• URL: https://ucsd.libguides.com/careers