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Land an interview with a strong cover letter (no experience needed)
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When applying for a job, a cover letter gives you a chance to impress a potential employer and convince them to interview you for the role. But what if you don’t have experience in the job you’re applying to? If you want it, go for it—but you’ll need to write your cover letter a bit differently. This guide explains how to write a cover letter when you lack relevant experience. We’ve even included an example letter and template for you to use on your own job hunt. Keep reading to persuade a recruiter to take a chance on you, all thanks to a great cover letter.
Things You Should Know
- Carefully read the job posting and research the organization thoroughly. Note any specific skills and qualifications required for the role.
- Explain why you are interested in the role. Discuss your skills and background, and describe how they are transferable to the job you’re applying to.
- Emphasize your talents, personality, work ethic, and other attributes that make you qualified for the job. Explain why the company aligns with your career goals.
Steps
Section 1 of 3:
Writing Your Cover Letter
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Carefully read the job posting and research the organization. Review the posting several times and note any keywords for specific skills, qualifications, and experience. Learn as much as you can about the organization and the work they do. You’ll use this information to draft your letter in the next steps.
- Make a list of your own skills, qualifications, and previous work experience that could be applicable to the job.
- For instance, if you’re applying for a teller position with a local bank, you can list previous customer service work, experience handling money, and your overall trustworthiness and work ethic.
- Visit the organization’s website to learn about their work. For a bank teller position, for example, you could learn about the specific financial products and services offered by the bank.
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Put your name, contact information, and the date at the top. Put your name in bold in the upper left. Include your street address on the next line, followed by your city, state, and zip code on the third line. Lastly, put the date beneath the address. [1] X Research source
- You can also include your phone number and email beneath your mailing address, above the date.
- For a fancier look, center your contact information at the top of the letter, just as you would on a resume. If you do this, place the date on the left, two lines beneath your contact information.
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Place the recipient’s name and organization below your contact info. Skip a line after the date and include any honorifics like “Dr.” or “Professor” before their name if needed. On the next line, state their title or position, then list the organization or company name on the next line. Use the next two lines for the recipient’s mailing address. [2] X Research source
- For example, if the recipient was a professor and department chair at a university, you could write “Prof. Emily Smith” followed by “Chair, Department of Physics” on the next line.
- Align this information to the left, two lines below the date.
- If you don’t know who will read the letter, exclude the recipient’s name and title. Be sure to put the organization’s name and address.
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Include a formal greeting. If you know the recipient’s name, greet them with “Dear”—for instance, “Dear Mr. Brown.” If not, use “Dear Hiring Manager,” or “Dear Hiring Committee.” Place the greeting below the recipient’s contact information (or below the organization's name and address, if the recipient’s name is unknown). [3] X Research source
- Use a comma after a “Dear” greeting, such as “Dear Mr. Brown.” Use the recipient's name whenever possible since this makes your cover letter more personal.
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Inform them that you are writing to apply for a specific job. Begin your opening paragraph by specifying the job title and company you’re applying to. Mention the posting where you learned about the position. Then briefly explain why you are interested in the position. [4] X Research source
- You could say “I’m writing to apply for the position of Instructor at Lotus Yoga Studio. I came across this opportunity on your website.”
- You could then add “I have practiced yoga for several years and would be excited for the opportunity to teach it to students.”
- If you learned about the position from a specific person, you can reference that person in your opening paragraph: “I was made aware of this opportunity by my close friend, Abby Smith, who was previously an instructor at your studio.”
- You don’t need to introduce yourself by name, as in “My name is Sofia Romero.” The recruiter will see your name at the top of the letter.
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Explain how your skills and experience are relevant to the job. Use the second paragraph to discuss specific skills and explain how they are transferable to the role you’re applying for. Explain how the work you did in previous jobs could help you succeed. [5] X Research source
- Use keywords from the job posting that refer to specific skills. For example, “customer service,” “teaching experience,” or specific programming languages like “Javascript” could be keywords.
- If you’re a student, emphasize extracurriculars, leadership positions, and academic achievements. [6] X Research source
- If you’re applying for a math tutoring position for grades K-3, you could mention your academic performance in math classes. You could also discuss previous experience working with children, like babysitting or camp counselor roles.
- Discuss your temperament and work ethic too. For instance, you could say “I am patient, kind, and very comfortable working with groups of children in a learning environment.”
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Emphasize that you’re a great fit for the job. Use the third paragraph to explain how your interests, personality, and long-term goals align with the position. List specific short- and long-term career goals, and discuss how working for this organization would help you achieve those goals. Tailor your explanations to the company and the position you’re applying for. [7] X Research source
- For a sales job, you could say “I am very extroverted and thrive in fast-paced environments. I also enjoy the challenge of exceeding quotas. For these reasons, I believe I’m naturally suited for a career in sales.”
- You could also reference the company’s mission and values: “I am impressed by the quality of ABC, Inc.’s products and their commitment to their customers.”
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Ask for an interview. Conclude with a final paragraph stating that you would like to interview for the role. Reiterate your enthusiasm, skills, and your appreciation for the organization. Close by thanking them for their consideration. [8] X Research source
- You could write: “I would welcome the chance to interview for this position. I believe my background and skill set make me an excellent fit for this role, and I see a future myself at ABC, Inc. Thank you for your time and consideration.”
- If you know the recruiter or their managers by name, you could thank them personally: “Please send my warmest regards to Ms. Rhodes and the rest of the team.”
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End with “Sincerely,” followed by your full name. Put “Sincerely,” three lines below the last paragraph, aligned to the left. Make sure to include the comma. Then put your printed name three lines below. [9] X Research source
- If you sign the letter, sign it in the space above your printed name.
- Make sure your letter fits on one page. If it’s too long, consider cutting down some of the paragraphs, but avoid altering the margins or making the font too small.
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Proofread your letter carefully before sending it. Run your letter through a spell checker like Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or Grammarly. Read the letter out loud, or use a text-to-speech program to have it read to you. This will help you catch incorrect wording or other mistakes unrelated to spelling and grammar. [10] X Research source
- Set the letter aside for a few hours or overnight, then read it again with “fresh” eyes. This makes it easier to catch mistakes.
- Have a friend or family member read the letter and offer feedback. Ask them if any sections were unclear or confusing.
- Check the job posting again to make sure you’ve covered everything. If you forgot to include something important, add it to the letter now, then proofread it again.
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Save the final letter as a PDF and submit it. Use PDF format to ensure the letter’s formatting doesn’t change. Then submit the letter by attaching it to an email and sending it to the recruiter or hiring manager, or submit it through the company’s electronic job portal. [11] X Research source
- Check the PDF after saving it to make sure the formatting is right. Check the spacing and font, and make sure the letter fits on one page.
- If you send the letter by email, include a subject line like “Re: Cover letter for Marketing Position with ABC, Inc.” Write a 2-3 sentence email introducing yourself. State the position you're applying for, mention the attached cover letter, and include your contact information.
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References
- ↑ https://socialwork.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/cover-letters.pdf
- ↑ https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/allcoverlettersweb2011.pdf
- ↑ https://icc.ucdavis.edu/materials/cover-letters
- ↑ https://vp4.wne.edu/career-development-center/doc/The-Cover-Letter-2021.pdf
- ↑ https://careers.bloch.umkc.edu/blog/2021/10/20/7-tips-for-writing-a-cover-letter-with-no-experience/
- ↑ https://careers.bloch.umkc.edu/blog/2021/10/20/7-tips-for-writing-a-cover-letter-with-no-experience/
- ↑ https://careers.bloch.umkc.edu/blog/2021/10/20/7-tips-for-writing-a-cover-letter-with-no-experience/
- ↑ https://law.ubalt.edu/career/students/currentstudents/Cover%20Letter%20Guide.pdf
- ↑ https://career.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/QT_WriteACoverLetterCE.pdf
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