Supervisor Cover Letter Sample

Writing a cover letter for a supervisor position requires you to show off your leadership skills and experience managing teams and/or projects. To emphasize your abilities, use the tips below.

1. Thoroughly read through the job description

Depending on your industry and the needs of the company, hiring managers will want to see different skill sets and experience levels. Make sure you carefully read through the job description so you know exactly what they’re looking for.

Don’t be afraid to use the exact language from the job description. For example, if the job post states, “Must have excellent interpersonal communication skills,” you should reference this directly in your cover letter and give an example of how your interpersonal and communication skills helped you accomplish something at your last job.

Targeting the job description in your cover letter lets the hiring manager know you have the skills they’re looking for and that you’re interested in this position specifically (not just using a generic cover letter).

2. Showcase leadership skills

As a supervisor, you’ll need to lead a team to success. Show hiring managers you can step into a leadership position by working some of the following skills into your supervisor cover letter:

• Problem-solving
• Interpersonal abilities
• Communication
• Knowledge of relevant software (like Microsoft Office)
• Delegation
• Decision-making
• Time management
• Organizational skills
• Project management
• Attention to detail

Whichever skills you choose to highlight, be sure to give examples of how you applied them. Following the ‘show, don’t tell’ rule will make your cover letter much more effective because hiring managers will have evidence of your abilities.

3. Keep it brief

Hiring managers are usually busy, and if your cover letter is too long, they may miss out on some of your best qualities if they only have time for a quick skim-read. Plus, being able to communicate your qualifications concisely shows great writing skills, which are valuable in many industries.

We recommend writing a short cover letter of about 300 words or less in most situations. This gives you plenty of space to showcase your most important qualifications and add context to your resume without taking up too much of the hiring manager’s time.

Successfully writing a brief cover letter requires you to cut wordy language like “I’m confident that…” or “This role would give me the opportunity to…” and opt for more straightforward and simple phrasing. This actually makes you come across as more confident and capable in many situations.