Retail Sales Associate
Cover Letter Example

If you’re great with people and can maintain a positive attitude under stressful circumstances, you’re a great fit for retail sales associate positions.

To prove you’re the right person for the job, showcase your sales associate skills in a stellar cover letter.

Follow these three tips to write a retail sales associate cover letter that boosts your chances of a callback:

1. Highlight your retail sales associate skills

As a sales associate, you ensure customers have a positive in-store experience and make sure you meet your sales targets. Because there are few formal requirements for the job, your soft skills are a priority.

Highlight important sales associate skills in your cover letter to show employers you’re what they’re looking for. For example, people skills and sales skills are vital for interacting with different types of people, recommending the right products, and finalizing transactions.

Here’s a list of key retail sales associate skills to highlight:

• Communication skills
• Customer service skills
• Patience
• Empathy
• Active listening
• Persuasiveness
• Interpersonal skills
• Adaptability
• Multitasking
• Prioritization
• Ability to remain calm under pressure
• Problem-solving skills
• Language skills
• Brand and product knowledge
• Numeracy
• Point of sale (POS) systems (for example, Loyverse)

2. Use proper cover letter format

Because sales associate roles have few technical requirements, they’re common entry-level positions for people seeking part-time or full-time work. Hence, the hiring process can be competitive.

To boost your chances of getting an interview, use proper cover letter format to ensure your job application leaves a positive impression on hiring managers.

Here’s how to format your cover letter correctly:

• Place your contact information in the header
• Set your margins to 1” to 1 ½” on each side
• Select an appropriate cover letter font and set your font size to no smaller than 10.5 points and no bigger than 12 points
• Use standard business letter formatting: an introduction, at least two body paragraphs, and a conclusion
• Keep it straightforward and only include relevant information. The best cover letters are typically 200–400 words in length.
• Before signing your name, end your cover letter with “Sincerely,”

Organizing your qualifications properly shows employers you’re serious about the job.

3. Emphasize your customer service skills

As a sales associate, you’re likely to encounter stressful situations during customer interactions. So employers seek people who can empathize with customers while maintaining a positive attitude at all times.

In your cover letter, emphasize your customer service skills to show them you can build a loyal customer base and drive sales.

For example, talk about how you’ve implemented a customer-centric sales approach when working with customers and your experience upselling products on the basis of their past purchases.