You’ve found a great company you want to work with, but don’t see any job postings on their website. Why not write a letter of interest letting them know who you are and that you want to join their team?
A letter of interest communicates your skills and experiences to a hiring manager. It’s a great way to get on a company’s radar, and when done well, it can lead to an interview when a position becomes available.
Below are tips and examples to help you write an eye-catching letter of interest.
What is a letter of interest?
Also known as a letter of intent, statement of interest or letter of inquiry, a letter of interest is a strong summary of your key skills, qualifications and experiences. It’s a great opportunity to introduce yourself to an employer, let them know of your interest in the company, and explain your value and what you can bring to the table.
A letter of interest may sound similar to a cover letter, but they’re slightly different. Here’s how.
Letter of interest vs. cover letter
While a letter of interest and a cover letter are both written following the guidelines of a professional business letter, their contents will vary.
A letter of interest can be sent anytime, especially when a company isn’t advertising any job openings and you want to express your interest in joining their team. On the other hand, a cover letter is usually sent when you’re applying for a specific job. In this letter, you explain why you’d be a good fit for the particular job. Both letters are sent with your resume.
For more on cover letters, browse our library of cover letter examples or take a look at our detailed guide on How to Write a Cover Letter.
How to write a letter of interest
Like a resume and a cover letter, a letter of interest should be tailored to the company you’re sending it to. There are, however, a few key sections that must always be included in any professional business letter:
- Your contact information
- The date you’re sending the letter
- Employer’s name and contact information
- Greeting
- Introduction
- Body paragraphs
- Closing statement
- Signature
Here’s how to put them together to write a compelling letter of interest:
Dear Mr. Howard:
While finding inspiration for a personal project, I came across Lime Agency’s campaign advocating for the environment. The brilliant use of photography and illustration caught my attention, as these are media that I’ve specialized in for over five years as a graphic designer. After looking through your other work and unique advertising approach, I felt compelled to reach out to you and inquire about opportunities to contribute to your company using my skills.
The world of advertising is changing and how we engage with our target audience matters now more than ever. As a professional well-versed in the latest trends, I’ve used my skills to create award-winning campaigns for various clients such as Lo Energy Drinks, You Cosmetics and Sun Children’s Hospital in both traditional and social media. At my current employer, I’m adept at working under extremely tight deadlines and delivering assigned artwork with turnaround times of less than 3 hours.
I can offer Lime Agency creative and original ideas that can positively impact its audience while making a strong graphic statement.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I’m looking forward to speaking with you about any future opportunities where I can put my skills to use for the benefit of your company. Attached you will find my resume and portfolio for your review.
Regards,
Jane Rogers
1. Address the letter to the right person
Before you start typing away, do your homework and research the company as thoroughly as possible to find the name of the person you want to address — this could be the head of the department you want to work in or the HR director.
Spending some time reading about the company will also help you determine what tone you should use when writing and make your approach seem genuine. The more you personalize it, the better.
For example, if you’re interested in joining an accounting firm that’s very traditional and results-driven, you might want to stick to a formal and more straightforward approach that highlights how good you are with numbers. But if the company you want to work for is in a creative field or you see on their website that they have a more casual work culture, you can be friendly and good-humored in your tone. Base the content of your letter on your research.
2. Write a strong introduction
Instead of starting your letter by introducing yourself, begin with a strong hook, such as how you came upon the company and what led to you reaching out to them. For example:
3. Describe your skills and experience
Use the body paragraphs for diving further into your skills, work experience and qualifications. Explain what you can offer to the company. For example:
4. Express excitement in your closing
The closing statement is your last chance to clarify that you look forward to possibly meeting with the employer in person (or through a video chat) to discuss further how your experiences and skills could benefit the company. Remember to also thank them for their time. For example:
5 Tips for writing a great letter of interest
As you can see, writing a letter of interest is pretty easy. Here are some tips you should always keep in mind before, during and after you’re done writing it:
1. Learn about the company. Again, we mention it because you must research the company (and the industry) and tailor your letter to address its particular needs. Not every company is the same.
2. Use your network, if possible. Know anyone that works in the company you’re interested in? Reach out to them and ask them for advice or tips on how to best approach the company.
3. Keep your letter short. You want to get your point across quickly and clearly, without taking too much of the employer’s time. Make sure your letter isn’t longer than a page.
4. Remember to proofread. It’s important to reread your letter a couple of times to ensure there aren’t any spelling or grammatical mistakes — don’t have your letter stand out for the wrong reasons.
5. Make sure your resume is up to date. Your letter of interest should support the content in your resume and vice versa. Use our Resume Builder to update your resume and make it employer-ready.
Letter of interest samples
Now that you know the basics, it’s time to write your letter of interest and get the employer’s attention. Use these examples as a foundation to write yours on our Cover Letter Builder. Our builder makes it easy for you by pre-formatting your letter (so no need to worry about margins or fonts), providing text options, and allowing you to spell-check your document before downloading.
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Maria Correa
Career Advice Expert
Maria Correa is a content writer at My Perfect Resume. She has a background in marketing, digital content creation and creative writing. Maria is passionate about creating compelling content and making information accessible to a wide range of audiences. She holds a B.S. in English Literature from the University of…
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