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Whether you’re a seasoned customer service associate looking for a different employer, or you’re new to the field, nailing that cover letter is going to play a big part in you getting a new job.
Your cover letter is your first impression in many cases. It’s what gets you noticed and can help push you along in the hiring process. But the modern cover letter is not the same as the standard cover letter from the past. There are some important things to note when writing a cover letter.
Short. Cover letters should only be one page.
Grab attention. Cover letters often don’t get read. They might only read the first line. This is why you need to grab their attention right away.
Try bullets. Bullet points in the middle break up text and make it easier to skim.
Perfection. You can’t tolerate errors, so proofread until your cover letter is perfect.
Professional. No matter what job you’re applying for, this is a professional business letter and needs to look and sound like one.
Point to resume. At the bottom, make sure you encourage them to read your resume and that you include your resume.
That’s a lot of information, and that’s just an overview. When we dive specifically into a customer service associate cover letter, there’s even more to know.
Zippia is an expert in your field and all others. We’re your career specialists and are here to help you find the job of your dreams. That’s why we’ve compiled some tips just for you, and we’re giving you a sample cover letter that can help you write your own. You can use some cover letter templates to get your formatting correct, but these tips will help you with the actual writing.
Looking for a job? These position are hiring now near you:
A blank page can be intimidating, especially if you’ve never done this before. The best approach is to start with the basics. The essential parts of a cover letter for a customer service associate cover letter are the same as the critical elements in any other cover letter.
So, let’s start with them -- fill in what you can and then come back later and customize it with your own personal touches of creativity.
Your contact information. This is a great place to start because this is something you know, and it goes right at the top of the letter. You can place this information in the left-hand corner or center it at the top. This makes sense as an opener because you want them to be able to contact you easily.
Salutation. The salutation is who you address the letter to. If you don’t know who to address a cover letter to, the best solution is to write “Dear Hiring Manager.” But that’s not the best approach if you really want to get their attention.
If you can, do a little digging and find out who will be reading the cover letter, it’s a great idea to use their name and personalize your letter.
Opening. Here it is, the first big writing challenge. You’re about to make a first impression. Try to get noticed and get people interested in you as a candidate. Let your personality and experience shine, and use active words when possible.
Cover letter body. The letter body can be intimidating, so break it down. Ideally, it only has three paragraphs. They’re all meant to be pretty short, so you need to be bold and to the point.
First paragraph. What are your qualifications? Do you have experience? Are there any accomplishments you feel would be good to point out? This is where you connect the dots between your abilities and the job. Make sure this is customized for the job you’re interested in.
Second paragraph. Now, let them know why they want you. What, other than your job skills, makes you someone they should hire?
Third paragraph. Wrap up the letter, let them know you’re enclosing additional information (you should enclose your resume at the very least). You should offer to be available if they have questions or if they’d like to schedule an interview.
Closing. Remember to keep it professional, and we’d even suggest keeping it forgettable. Stick to classic closes like “Sincerely,” “Best Regards,” or “Appreciatively.”
Signature. In an email cover letter, your typed name is good enough. There’s no reason to add a handwritten signature. Simply skip a line between the closing and then add your name. Even better, underneath your name, reiterate your contact information.
Attachment. You should include your resume with your cover letter as an attachment. It’s a good idea to note that there’s an attachment, so the reader knows there’s supplemental information.
This will be the first part of the letter that requires some creative thinking, and it might be the most difficult. We suggest writing the first thing that comes to your mind, then going back later and editing and tweaking it. Don’t let the idea of writing it prevent you from going further.
Remember, you want your finished cover letter to have an opening that is personal and exciting and grabs the reader’s attention. Let’s look at our sample below:
Friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable are three of the characteristics that are consistently used to describe me. I currently work in customer service at Big Box and would love to be considered for your open Customer Service Associate position. I think you’ll see that my experience, attitude, and enthusiasm not only make me a great Customer Service Associate, but also a good employee for Superstore.
Look how that opening starts. It’s unexpected; it’s not boring or traditional, making the reader want to know more. Not only that, but it’s customized to line up perfectly with the job opening.
The next step is the body of the cover letter. The first paragraph is more complicated than the second, and the third is the easiest of all. You can do it, just tackle one section at a time. Use the following for inspiration.
I began working at Big Box two years ago as a Customer Service Associate. I thoroughly enjoy this career and, as you know, Big Box will be going out of business, so I’m hoping to bring my talents and experience to Superstore. I think my qualifications and my dedication to helping customers make me an excellent choice for this position. My accomplishments include:
Worked as team lead in customer service whenever asked
Received several written compliments from customers
Been voted Employee of the Month twice
Trained 20+ new hires on our returns process
I’m proud of my achievements at Big Box, and I believe my go-getter attitude and desire to serve the public will make me a great fit with the Superstore culture. I’m already a regular shopper in your store and know the layout and product offerings very well. I could smoothly transfer my abilities to your company and then continue progressing in my career and making your customers happy enough to become loyal fans.
Thank you for taking the time to read my cover letter. I am enclosing my resume for your reference. Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional requests or questions.
The best approach is to sum it up quickly – be concise.
Appreciatively,
Craig Patrick
cpatrick@email.com
(111) 222-3333
Looking for a job? These position are hiring now near you:
Now that you’ve looked at all of the parts of a cover letter and you’ve gotten started on your own, it’s time to pull it all together. Your final cover letter should look something like this.
Craig Patrick
1 Harvest Heights
Central City, KY 42330
cpatrick@email.com
(111) 222-33333/30/2021
Rich Gibson
Hiring Manager Superstore
10 Hill Drive
Central City, KY 42330
(888) 999-7777
rgibson@email.comDear Mr. Gibson,
Friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable are three of the characteristics that are consistently used to describe me. I currently work in customer service at Big Box and would love to be considered for your open Customer Service Associate position. I think you’ll see that my experience, attitude, and enthusiasm not only make me a great Customer Service Associate, but also a good employee for Superstore.
I began working at Big Box two years ago as a Customer Service Associate. I thoroughly enjoy this career and, as you know, Big Box will be going out of business, so I’m hoping to bring my talents and experience to Superstore. I think my qualifications and my dedication to helping customers make me an excellent choice for this position. My accomplishments include:
Worked as team lead in customer service whenever asked
Received several written compliments from customers
Been voted Employee of the Month twice
Trained 20+ new hires on our returns process
I’m proud of my achievements at Big Box, and I believe my go-getter attitude and desire to serve the public will make me a great fit with the Superstore culture. I’m already a regular shopper in your store and know the layout and product offerings very well. I could smoothly transfer my abilities to your company and then continue progressing in my career and making your customers happy enough to become loyal fans.
Thank you for taking the time to read my cover letter. I am enclosing my resume for your reference. Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional requests or questions.
Appreciatively,
Craig Patrick
cpatrick@email.com
(111) 222-3333
Okay, you’re almost ready to pull everything together and hit send – but wait! We have a few more tips for you. At the top, we gave you some tips for general cover letter writing. But we do have some job-specific tips for getting a job as a customer service associate.
Stress soft skills. Soft skills are things you don’t learn in school, so they’re hard to put into a resume. But if you’re friendly, a people person, etc., these are key attributes for anyone who works in customer service, so you need to include them in your cover letter in some way.
Get a reference/recommendation. We didn’t include one in our cover letter because you really don’t need to write about it there. But if you can get one, make sure to mention in your close that you include a reference or a recommendation, and then you’ll have “attachments” at the bottom -- plural.
Specific skills or technology. Some customer service people are trained in using specific computer programs or even some office equipment. If you have these skills, detail them in your resume and your cover letter. Having someone who is already trained can be a big plus in your favor.
Relationships matter. This job is all about being friendly and building relationships. Try to tailor your letter to highlight how people like you and trust you. Let them know that you are focused on helping people and making them happy.