Communications specialist cover letter

Communications Specialist Cover Letter (With Examples)

It should come as no surprise that Communications Specialists specialize in communication. It is in the name, after all.

The ability to communicate a company or organization’s messaging is the foundation of the role. Communicating with the media, crafting and coordinating press conferences, presentations, and events all fall under your purview.

While including a cover letter is always an excellent idea, including a cover letter with your Communications Specialist resume is hardly optional.

A role like this requires excellent, expert-level communication skills. Both written and verbal communication skills matter, given the duties expected. Your cover letter provides you with an opportunity to display your mastery of the written word.

Your job as a Communications Specialist is to build a company’s relationship with the media and the public. If you can’t connect with your potential employer through your cover letter, they will never believe you can fulfill the job’s requirements.

Parts of a Communications Specialist Cover Letter

Just like any other form of written communication, a cover letter has very specific writing guidelines. You want to deliver a well-written and properly formatted cover letter, or you send the wrong message.

Hiring managers are intimately familiar with the standard formatting of both cover letters and resumes. They know what elements a cover letter should include and will likely see something amiss with a cursory glance.

Familiarize yourself with the key elements of a cover letter before writing your own.

1. Header. Similar to a formal business letter — which is essentially what a cover letter is — you will need to begin your letter with a proper heading.

   There are several required, and some optional, elements that you will need to include in your header. But formatting is up to you in a way. You can simply left-align the entire heading, or you can match the header on your resume for your personal contact information.

   Required header elements are:

   • Your first and last name

   • Your phone number

   • Your professional email address

   • The date of submission

   • The hiring manager’s name

   • The hiring manager’s professional title

   • The company name

   You also have the option to include:

   • Your professional title

   • Your current address or city of residence

   • Your LinkedIn

   • Your personal website

   • Your online portfolio

   Example:

   Alexander Gibbons
   152 Comm Avenue
   Los Angeles, CA 90001
   555-123-4567
   alexgibbons@email.com
   linkedin.com/in/alexandergibbons123

   January 1, 2021

   Illeana Gray
   Director of Human Resources
   CommYou, Inc.
   123 Business Avenue
   Los Angeles, CA 9001

2. Greeting. This is a letter, so you will need to address your cover letter to someone. That someone should always be the hiring manager. As someone who needs to be adept at research, there is no excuse for a generic cover letter greeting.

   Your cover letter greeting should always begin with “Dear.” Unless you have a personal relationship with the hiring manager, you should use their last name. Additionally, you should never assume marital status. It should always be “Mr.” and, if you do not know marital status, “Ms..”

3. Opening paragraph. The first few lines of your cover letter are critical. This is your introduction, your first impression, and you want to immediately grab the reader’s attention — and keep it.

   As with any communications you will be handling, you want to be clear and concise here. In addition to hooking in the reader, your opening paragraph should do two things:

   • Tell the hiring manager what position you are applying for.

   • Highlight an attention-grabbing achievement, convey your genuine excitement, showcase your passion, or do some combination of the three.

4. Body paragraph(s). If the opening paragraph is your first impression, then the body of your cover letter is your sales pitch. You have their attention; now you need to prove you deserve it.

   You need to show your potential employer more than your ability to fulfill the job duties mentioned in the job description. The body of your cover letter should show them why you are the ideal candidate for this role and their company.

   There are options when it comes to the formatting of your cover letter body. You can:

   • Include one body paragraph

   • Include one body paragraph with an attached bulleted list of achievements

   • Include two body paragraphs

   • Include two body paragraphs with a bulleted list of achievements attached to the first

5. Closing lines. Like your opening paragraph, your closing lines are critical. You got their attention and dazzled them with your abilities; now you need to get the interview. You need to close strong and have them reaching for the phone before they even move on to the next application.

   Before you give them a reason to reach out, you should thank the reader for their time and reiterate your value to them.

6. Sign-off. You will need to include a professional close to your letter. This should consist of a professional sign-off and your first and last name. Additionally, you can include your contact information again below your name.

   “Sincerely” is the expected sign-off, but many are tired of using it and opt for a different sign-off. You can also use:

   • Regards

   • Best Regards

   • Best

   • Respectfully

   • Thank you

7. Postscript (optional). This is an additional opportunity for you to really grab their attention and entice them to schedule that coveted interview. Since a P.S. is so infrequently used on cover letters, it is straying from the typical format.

   This will likely be the first thing the hiring manager notices. If you are going to include one, it should be just as strong (if not stronger) than your opening.

Communications Specialist Cover Letter Opening

As a Communications Specialist, you should have a mastery of the written word. Your cover letter should most definitely display this skill. But, first, you need to convince the hiring manager to read it.

Outside of the overall format (and a postscript if you’re including one), this is what the reader will see first. These lines are your make it or break it.

A strong opening will capture the hiring manager’s interest and convince them to read on. A poorly written opening will earn you a one-way trip to the discard pile.

Use your writing abilities and your talents to stand out from the other job applicants. Give the hiring manager a reason to choose you above the others.

Communications Specialist Cover Letter Body

You may not be familiar or comfortable with the art of selling. But, you should definitely be familiar with persuasive writing. It is one of the expected skills for a Communications Specialist.

Put your skills to good use here.

Use your experience, your qualifications, and your achievements to show them you are their ideal candidate. Use the job description to help you decide which to highlight. We’ll say that again: use the job description.

The job listing will have much of what you need to write a cover letter that truly speaks to what the company needs. They tell you exactly what duties and qualifications they want and what expectations they have. This may not mention soft skills, but you will want to include them in your cover letter as well.

Here are some skills a Communications Specialist should have:

• Strong writing skills

• Public speaking skills

• Presentation skills

• Attention to detail

• Research skills

• Problem-solving skills

• Decision-making skills

• Interpersonal skills

As a Communications Specialist, you need to be intimately familiar with a brand’s messaging. Normally, you research a company before the interview. Do your research before you write your cover letter.

Show the hiring manager that you already know their brand voice and understand their messaging. Demonstrate what you could provide them if they choose to hire you.

Communications Specialist Cover Letter Closing Lines

Your opening paragraph hooked them. Your body paragraphs kept them engaged. Your closing lines are your opportunity to reel them in and claim the prize -- the interview.

Clear. Concise Convincing. Use your final lines to leave a lasting impression that has them reaching for the phone. Give them a reason to reach out.

Example of a Communications Specialist Cover Letter