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Cover Letter Examples for All Job Applications in 2021

Geoffrey Scott | By | Reviewed by Mark Slack, CPRW

Paired with your resume, a well-written cover letter will help you land the job you want. We have 100+ cover letter examples by type and industry to help you make your cover letter persuasive.

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five cover letter examples stacked on top of each other — internal position, career change, relocation, entry-level, and professional cover letter samples together

The best way to start writing a cover letter in 2021 is to look at examples of good cover letters. Our extensive list of samples is perfect for all job seekers, whether you need a cover letter for a specific life situation (like a career change) or you’re just looking for the best cover letter format for your job title.

Table of Contents

  1. What Should a Cover Letter Say?
  2. Example 1: General Cover Letter
  3. Example 2: Professional Cover Letter
  4. Example 3: Creative Cover Letter
  5. Example 4: Entry-Level Cover Letter
  6. Example 5: Career Change Cover Letter
  7. Cover Letter Examples by Type
  8. Cover Letter Examples by Industry

1. What Should a Great Cover Letter Say?

A perfect cover letter for your resume is made of the following four parts:

  1. Salutation: A professional greeting that addresses the hiring manager by name
  2. Introduction: An attention-grabbing opening paragraph that introduces yourself, your intention to apply for the open role
  3. Body paragraphs: At least two paragraphs describing your relevant professional experience, achievements, skills, and education
  4. Closing paragraph: A cover letter ending that contains a call to action (CTA), asking the hiring manager to invite you in for an interview

The cover letter example below describes how to write each of these key sections:

Salutation

Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],

Opening Paragraph (Introduction)

Your cover letter opening should contain a self introduction. Write about who you are, where your expertise lies, where you found the job posting, and why you want to apply for the job.

Body Paragraphs

The second paragraph of your cover letter should respond directly to the job description written by the hiring manager. Describe how your previous job experiences, skills, and abilities will help you meet the company’s needs. To make that easier, you should include exact words and phrases from the job descriptions in your cover letter.

  • You can include a bulleted list of your accomplishments
  • Make sure to use numbers or percentages to emphasize your bullet points (e.g. Increased online revenue by 13%)

Do some research about the company and find out what their current activities and goals are. Explain how you can help them achieve those goals.

Closing Paragraph

Your cover letter closing is the call-to-action portion of your cover letter. Inform the hiring manager that you’d love to go in for an interview. Provide your email address or other contact information and tell them that you’ll reach out in a week if you don’t hear back. Thank them for spending their time reading your cover letter.

Sincerely,

Your Name

2. General Cover Letter Example

This general cover letter was written by a candidate with two years of work experience.

In the example, the candidate is applying for a mid-level digital marketing position. In the first paragraph, the applicant:

  1. used the hiring manager’s name (showing that effort was put into locating it)
  2. mentioned where she found the job posting (HR managers love this)
  3. highlighted relevant experience, establishing her qualification for the job

The cover letter example

An example of a general cover letter

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Why this is a great example of a cover letter

In the example above, the candidate is concise and straightforward. She conveyed much of the basic cover letter information in the opening paragraph.

Then the applicant lists specific job responsibilities from the job description, and explains that she has experience handling such work. She even gives an example of how her efforts have benefited her current employer. A cover letter like this goes beyond your resume, and helps a hiring manager quickly understand what they will gain from employing you.

Finally, the candidate signs off by mentioning that she’ll reach out if she doesn’t hear back from the hiring manager.

This call to action is a valuable part of a general cover letter. Write your own CTA to show you’re serious about the job, and willing to make the first move if necessary.

3. Professional Cover Letter Example

The restaurant manager cover letter below should give you an idea about what it takes to impress the employers at your next company.

Whether you’re a mid-level manager or a job seeker hoping to write a cover letter that highlights your professionalism, this example will demonstrate exactly how you should structure your cover letter.

The cover letter example

An example of a professional cover letter

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Why this is a great cover letter

The job candidate showcases the most relevant skills from their resume that they developed while working in the service industry, and highlights how they will take those skills to help make a positive impact on the prospective company’s future.

Another strong part of this cover letter template is how the writer mentions the company by name three times. It’s clear that they’re familiar with the business, and have a specific interest in joining the team. This kind of familiarity is appealing to a hiring manager, and demonstrates a level of investment that will set you apart from your competition.

4. Creative Cover Letter Example

A creative cover letter can make your job application stand out from the rest of your competition.

The example below was written by a candidate with over three years of work experience.

In the example, the candidate is applying for a senior level social media manager position. By the second paragraph, she has gotten the reader’s attention with a unique introduction. Then, she establishes her qualifications:

The cover letter example

An example of a creative cover letter

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Why this is a great example of a cover letter

This cover letter is effective for several reasons.

First, the candidate doesn’t waste any time stating her interest in the position, some of her qualifications, and her specific skills. Hiring managers rarely have time to waste, so it’s crucial to be direct and straightforward in both your cover letter and resume.

Next, she presents her information in a casual, fun tone. A personal touch on your cover letter will go a long way toward presenting yourself as a creative, enthusiastic person. It will also make you a more memorable candidate.

However, you don’t want to be memorable for the wrong reasons. This style of cover letter is only appropriate when applying to companies with a more laid back office culture.

Finally, the candidate lists specific accomplishments from her previous job and explains how these achievements are relevant to the new position.

Providing information like this is essential to writing a great cover letter because it emphasizes your professional strengths. You’ll also show the hiring manager what they’ll gain by employing you.

5. Entry-Level Cover Letter Example

This entry-level cover letter was written by a recent graduate, who only has a little part-time work experience.

In our example, the candidate is applying for an entry-level IT technician position. She quickly establishes her enthusiasm for the company and highlights her relevant skills — demonstrating that she’s qualified for the role:

The cover letter example

Entry-Level Cover Letter Example

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What makes this a great cover letter

This entry-level cover letter sample stands out because the applicant convincingly markets their strengths.

She emphasizes her enthusiasm about the job opportunity in the first sentence. Employers know they’re taking a risk by hiring a recent graduate, so showing that you’re passionate about the role is especially important when you have no experience.

Then, the candidate calls attention to her most relevant skills from her resume. Although she doesn’t have any full-time work experience, she still highlights the experience she does have, and then connects her relevant coursework with the company’s goals.

She demonstrates to the hiring manager that she not only has the basic skills needed to excel, but has also researched the position, and is passionate about the work being done by the company.

6. Career Change Cover Letter Example

Writing a cover letter for a job in your current industry is pretty straightforward, but writing a career change cover letter requires some finesse.

The sample cover letter below includes the key elements you need to persuade a hiring manager when transferring industries, such as:

    1. One reason (or more) for the career change
    2. An example of a transferable skill in action
    3. Proof of commitment to the new field

The cover letter example

An example of a career change cover letter

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Why this is a great example of a cover letter

This is a great example of a career change cover letter because it’s sincere. It’s clear that the author is passionate about her target industry. From the start, she dives into her love for applying makeup and even provides a relatable story about her sister’s prom night to emphasize her sincerity.

The cover letter is also great because it’s transparent. You don’t want to give away all of your secrets in a cover letter, but letting the hiring manager know why you’re looking for employment in a different industry is important if you’re changing careers.

Additionally, this example connects the applicant directly to the company. The applicant specifically mentions the founder and her impact on the industry, which shows a real connection to the business and the vertical. Just make sure you’re being sincere, or such a reference will look like flattery.

7. Cover Letter Examples by Application Type

The following guides will show you how to write a variety of different cover letter formats and types:

8. Cover Letter Examples by Industry

Our robust collection of industry-specific cover letter examples is sure to have a cover letter for your unique situation. You can download all of these sample cover letters for free and customize them to fit your needs. We also have a sample cover letter template that you can use to quickly write the content of your letter.

Click your industry below to find examples for different jobs:

Accounting & Finance Cover Letter Examples

Administration & Office Support Cover Letter Samples

Management & Business Cover Letter Examples

Construction & Maintenance Cover Letter Samples

Creative & Cultural Fields Cover Letter Examples

Customer Service & Retail Cover Letter Samples

Education & Human Services Cover Letter Examples

Emergency Services Cover Letter Samples

Engineering Cover Letter Examples

Food Service Cover Letter Samples

Healthcare & Wellbeing Cover Letter Examples

Information Technology (IT) Cover Letter Samples

Student Cover Letter Samples

Marketing & Sales Cover Letter Examples

Personal & Child Care Cover Letter Samples

Spa & Salon Cover Letter Examples

Transportation & Logistics Cover Letter Samples

Once you’ve found a cover letter example for your target position, use a matching resume sample to help you write a resume and complete your job application.

Start Writing Your Best Cover Letter

The examples provided above should be enough to get you started writing the perfect cover letter for a new job. Whether you start fresh, copy and edit one of our examples as a template, or use our cover letter builder, take your time and make sure you give the employer the best showing of yourself.

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Geoffrey Scott

Written by Geoffrey Scott

Geoff Scott is the hiring manager at Resume Genius, where he enjoys sharing the freshest job hunting tips of the day with Resume Genius's international audience. Equipped... more

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