Learn how to write a federal cover letter that impresses hiring managers and kick-start your career as a government worker.
Jobs for government or public sector positions might require you to submit a statement of qualifications (SOQ) as well as a federal cover letter or personal statement when applying for a job.
So in addition to your federal resume and SOQ, your federal cover letter should follow the agency’s application instructions and present you as a highly skilled professional.
Most agencies group their federal hiring requirements into three categories: general experience, specialized experience, and education, but the required qualifications will depend on the agency and the job
Our cover letter builder can make you a cover letter in as little as 5 minutes. Just pick the template you want, and our software will format everything for you.
Carefully research the government agency you want to work for, then once you understand their requirements, you can begin writing your cover letter.
Federal cover letter example
If you’re unsure how to format a federal cover letter or want to save time, use a cover letter template or download and customize this federal cover letter example:
Federal cover letter template
These are the key cover letter components that government agencies require:
- Cover letter header
- Date
- Hiring manager’s name and agency address
- Salutation
- Opening paragraph
- Body paragraphs
- Closing paragraph
- Professional sign-off
Match your cover letter header with your resume header to show you’re an organized applicant and make it easy for an employer to access your information.
We’ve made a federal job cover letter template below for you to copy, paste, and customize.
FIRST AND LAST NAME
Email | Phone number | Address, City, State, ZIP | LinkedIn URL
Today’s date
Hiring Manager’s Name
Organization Name
Address
Phone number
Email
Salutation
Dear Ms./Mr./Mx. (Hiring Manager’s Name),
Opening paragraph
After greeting the hiring manager with an appropriate cover letter salutation, introduce yourself by explaining how you found out about the job posting. You can also use the opening paragraph to briefly:
- state your USAJOBS job announcement identification number and prospective job title and mandatory federal markers (citizenship status, highest GS grade level, veteran’s preference, and availability date)
- mention any contacts you have at the agency
- list your educational background and years of professional experience
- express your enthusiasm for the role
- share an impressive piece of information about your previous accomplishments
Body paragraphs
Write 1–2 body paragraphs explaining your relevant work history. Use numbers and percentages as well as job-related keywords from the job ad when describing achievements to make your cover letter more impactful.
If you have years of relevant work experience, mention your hard skills. If you’re writing an entry-level cover letter, focus on your soft skills, emphasize your education, and tailor your experience to the agency’s goals, values, and challenges.
Closing paragraph
End your cover letter by thanking the employer for their time. Include a call to action with your phone number and email address to display confidence and invite the hiring manager to contact you directly.
Sign-off
Use an appropriate cover letter sign-off such as “Sincerely” or “Warm Regards” to convey a professional tone. Signing your cover letter is optional, but make sure you leave a space and write your typed name too.
5 tips for writing a cover letter for a government job
Use these five tips to make sure your cover letter meets agencies’ standards:
1. Follow the job ad’s instructions
Working for a federal agency means you need to follow clearly established procedures.
If your cover letter doesn’t meet the requirements, your application might get automatically rejected.
To get on the shortlist of applicants, carefully read the job description and criteria before sending your federal cover letter.
For example, federal agencies commonly require you to disclose your salary details and say whether you worked full-time or part-time hours. Some might also have specific preferences regarding cover letter formatting and word count, or they might provide you with a prompt they expect you to follow.
Check out the Federal Jobs and USA Jobs websites for more information on different federal and public sector positions, the exact qualifications you’ll need, and detailed formatting requirements for your application. Additionally, if you have a military background, check out specific Employment Schemes for Veterans for focused advice and opportunities.
2. Save your cover letter as a PDF
Unless instructed otherwise, submit your cover letter as a PDF file.
Saving your federal cover letter as a PDF preserves your formatting and ensures employers can open your cover letter without any issues.
3. Use a simple template design
Because federal agencies have such formal hiring procedures, you should stick to a clean, simple cover letter template that matches your resume.
Cover letters with vibrant colors and lots of design elements are more likely to hurt than help when it comes to government job applications.
Make sure that the template you choose uses an appropriate cover letter font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Georgia.
Additionally, space your cover letter by using 1” margins so employers won’t strain their eyes reading your cover letter.
If you’re having trouble fitting all of your content on one page, you can reduce your margins to a minimum of ½” to maintain the ideal cover letter length and still look professional.
4. Name your file correctly
Choosing an appropriate file name is important because it makes your file identifiable for hiring managers and shows you’ve paid attention to details.
Use your full name and the job title separated by dashes or underscores to name your federal cover letter, like this:
Robert-Wu-Budget-Analyst-Cover-Letter.pdf
5. Proofread your federal cover letter
Working in a government agency requires responsibilities such as dealing with sensitive information or handling large amounts of paperwork. So, communicate to employers you’ve got what it takes by presenting them with an error-free cover letter that you’ve proofread carefully.
If possible, ask a friend or family member to help proofread your federal cover letter for spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes before you submit it.
About the Author
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Samuel Johns is a Senior Content Editor and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) at Resume Genius. In his 7+ years of experience in the careers space, he has helped hundreds of job seekers craft high-quality resumes and cover letters, ace interviews, and land their dream jobs.
Born and raised in County Durham, England, UK, Samuel graduated with a BA in French from the University of Bristol, England, UK.
Samuel’s job-hunt advice has been published in numerous online outlets, including Dollar Sprout, The Enterprisers Project, and Tech Crunch. Feel free to reach out to Samuel through his LinkedIn if you’d like to collaborate.
Please note, we don’t accept guest posts and won’t reply to such requests.
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