How to Write an Impressive Letter of Intent (+ Tips and Examples)

What is a letter of intent?

A letter of intent, also known as a letter of interest, is a letter that expresses your desire to work for a particular company and provides an overview of your professional  accomplishments. It may sound like a cover letter, but it serves a different purpose.

The letter of intent is used when there are no job openings that fit your job search criteria, unlike a cover letter, which is used for a currently available position. It can also be used to connect with a recruiter you’ve met or connected with at an event.

An employer might also request a letter of intent if they see your potential but have no current openings that match your credentials. They’d like to know what you could bring to the table and what you have accomplished in your career.

Letter of intent example

How is a letter of intent different from a cover letter?

A letter of intent and a cover letter are documents sent by a job seeker to express their interest in employment at a particular company.

Both the letter of intent and cover letter:

• Use a cover letter format, which is the standard business letter format.
• Bring attention to your skills and accomplishments.
• Present what you can provide to the company.

However, a cover letter is used with a job application. It is added as a complement to your resume, and the content is tailored to a job advertisement. In other words, when you write a cover letter, you fit your career into the job position to be considered by a company.

On the other hand, a letter of intent:

• Can be sent if there is no job advertisement.
• It’s for the company in general, not a position.
• It’s not limited by a job description.
• May not need a resume or CV.

Letters of intent are a great tool when you have the skills and experience that could help a company succeed, even if they don’t have a position that fits at that precise moment. It also allows you to connect with recruiters and be added to a candidate pool on your own terms.

Let’s say there are two job seekers, both software product managers interested in the healthcare industry. One applies to an open position, the other is expressing interest through a letter of intent.

The cover letter could look like this:

This is what a letter of intent could look like:

Now, let’s look at how the letter of interest and cover letter compare side by side.

Realized you need a cover letter instead? Here are a few resources from our cover letter expert that will help you create a cover letter that gets interviews

• Cover letter examples
• How to write a cover letter
• Cover letter templates
• Cover letter formatting
• 5 Qualities found on every successful cover letter

How to write a letter of intent

With a letter of intent for a job, you must make a powerful statement in a one-page document. In three to four paragraphs, you must tell the recruiter or hiring manager:

• Who you are
• What you do
• What you can do for them
• Why you want to work for them

Let’s look at the steps to create a strong with the help of letter of intent sample:

1. Research the company

You’ve set your eyes on a company and want to work for them. Fantastic. What do you know about them? What attracted you to them? What current or past projects excite you? Before you start writing, find the answers to these questions and use them in your letter. This will show recruiters that you took the time to get to know and understand the company.

You can learn about a company from:

• Social media
• Their company website
• By searching the news
• Job postings
• LinkedIn profile

2. Pick an eye-catching template and use the right format

A letter of intent is a professional letter, which means it uses a business letter layout. You can use a cover letter template because it follows the same format.

The letter of intent format includes: header, salutation, body paragraphs, closing and signature.

This means you should:

• Use single spacing in paragraphs, double spacing between paragraphs.
• Keep the body of the letter left-justified.
• Use a professional font.

3. Impress from the opening paragraph

Make a good impression from the beginning. Find the name and position of the person you want to address, and use a proper salutation. If their pronouns are unknown, it is acceptable to use both names. You’re trying to make a human connection, which means you should avoid using To Whom It May Concern.

Examples of salutations:

• Mr. Smith
• Ms. Ortiz
• Alex Parker

Now, for your opening paragraph, find an angle and work it. There is a personal  reason you’re interested in this company. Make the human connection to hook them from the start.

For example:

4. Wow recruiters with your accomplishments

The second paragraph will highlight your career achievements and skills. A great benefit of the letter of intent is that there is no need to include keywords or box your career into a position’s requirements. You can speak freely about your career, while still catering to the company’s needs.

For example:

5. Address why you want to work for this company

Now that the employer knows a bit more about you, it’s time to tell them why you want to work for them. You could mention current and past projects or the company’s unmet needs that you noticed while researching. Use this approach to also show what you can provide the company.

6. Close with a call to action

Time to ask for what you want. Request a meeting or interview to discuss your career and how you can help the company succeed. Be assertive, yet affable. After your closing paragraph, keep the letter of intent format by adding a professional closing and your signature.

Expert take on writing a letter of intent

“Most common mistakes are not doing enough research [about the company] and figuring out what it is that they should be sharing with the party,” says Debra Wheatman, president of Careers Done Write and certified professional career coach with 20 years of experience.

“You have a very limited time to make an impact in these settings, and we need to demonstrate things quickly and clearly,” she says.

To create a powerful and effective letter of intent, the job seeker must convincingly answer three questions. “What is your value proposition? What is [the company’s] problem? How you’re going to solve it? Those are the things you need to share. And how you’re going to solve it comes from what you know about them, and also from the examples in your work that inform that success,” she explains.

Job seekers know that finding their next position is not easy, whether they’re applying through a traditional cover letter or sending a letter of intent.  “It’s not a question of “if”, it’s only a question of “when”. You will get something, and you’ll get the right something. Maintaining positive, maintaining focus, advocating for yourself and absolutely leveraging your network. Those are going to be the things that will work to your advantage,” encourages Wheatman.

Tips to write a letter of intent: 

• Always customize your letter of intent for the company.
• Show a glimpse of your personality.
• Don’t call attention to negatives, like a layoff or bad relationship with your current manager.
• Express excitement about working for the company.
• Quantify your accomplishments by adding numbers.
• Be clear on the value you would provide to the company.
• Always include a request to meet or continue communication with the recruiter.
• Connect with the reader on a human level.
• Follow our letter of intent sample to guide your writing.

Letter of intent important takeaways