Purchasing manager cover letter

Purchasing Manager Cover Letter (With Examples)

Though some job listings insist that including cover letters is optional, in truth, they are an essential part of any job application.

Resumes only tell part of the story. Cover letters, however, allow you to speak directly to the hiring manager or supervisor and enable you to explain to them why you are the candidate they are looking for.

Writing the perfect cover letter may seem like something out of your reach, especially if you are prone to imposter syndrome or simply aren’t very good at talking about yourself.

Have no fear. Luckily, there is no shortage of cover letter advice, and there are thousands of templates you can use as inspiration -- almost every word processor has them, including Microsoft Word and Google Docs. We’re also going to take you through, step-by-step, to make sure that you are producing the best cover letter possible.

Parts of a Purchasing Manager Cover Letter

To make this task a bit more manageable, we will be splitting the letter into three parts: the opening, the body, and the closing.

The opening tends to follow the same formula, and it closely resembles the information you would be including if you were writing a physical letter to be mailed. This means it starts with today’s date, the company’s address, and a formal greeting.

The body is your time to shine. This is where you will explain what job you’re applying for and why you would be a perfect fit. You can highlight your skills and experience, as well as talk about things your resume may just gloss over. This will take up the bulk of your letter.

Finally, the closing includes some concluding words and a farewell.

Purchasing Manager Cover Letter Opening

To start, make sure your document is using 12-pt Times New Roman font, single-spaced. In the header of your document, include your name, phone number, email address, and any other information you would like the hiring manager to find with a quick glance.

The first line of your document will be today’s date, formatted as Month Day, Year.

Next, you are going to include the information of the hiring manager. Sometimes their name will be included with the job listing, but if you cannot find it there, try doing some preliminary research on the company. Check out their LinkedIn and other social media pages to see if you can find someone with a title like “hiring manager.”

Once you’ve found it, consider how to address the person. If the company seems to have a more formal or traditional attitude, consider using a prefix such as Mr. or Ms. before the person’s name. If they seem more casual, use just their full name.

Also, use their full name with no prefix if you are unsure of which prefix they would use -- say, they have a gender-neutral name such as Alex or Morgan.

If you cannot find the name of the person, simply addressing them as “Hiring Manager” is fine.

After this, you’re going to do a bit more digging to find the company’s main address. Scan their website or do a quick internet search to find this. If they have multiple locations, use the address that you will be going to each day if you get the job.

Then, start a new paragraph, and address the hiring manager. Using “Dear So-and-So” is an acceptable format.

Once you’ve compiled all of this information, it should look something like this:

Purchasing Manager Cover Letter Body

This is probably the most challenging part of the letter to write; however, it still follows a general outline. First, you want to state what position you are interested in, as hiring managers may be hiring for more than one role at a time. Be sure to capitalize the job title you are applying for.

The following sentence should tell the hiring manager, in a single phrase, why you are a good fit for the position. You can get into specifics later on in the letter, so for now, illustrate that you will check off their biggest boxes.

For example,

Once your opening sentence is complete, you now have the opportunity to explain your skills and experience to illustrate why you are perfect for the job. The easiest way to start is to return to the job listing itself. Make a note of what skills and traits they are looking for and which of these you possess. This then becomes your list of things to mention.

When describing your skill set, use language similar to the language used in the job listing itself. You can also choose to list off your more technical skills in bullet points since they tend not to require much explanation. Try to keep this short, to around four or five bullet points. For example,

In this section of the letter, you can also take a few lines to describe your career journey so far. Talk about your education, your certificates, and past experiences. Talk about your past responsibilities and how the skills you learned in your last job can help you in this one. For example,

This section is also a chance for you to underline some of your accomplishments, whether that be a project you’re proud of or an obstacle you overcame. Try using data to back up your claims, as using data makes your claims more credible and helps the hiring manager understand the scale of your achievements.

This section can be the hardest to write, but this is your time to shine. You deserve to have your hard work recognized. Don’t be afraid to brag a little, as this is the time and place to do it.

Purchasing Manager Cover Letter Closing

Now that the hard part is over, it’s time to wrap up your letter with a conclusion and a farewell. Just like the opening, there is a formula to follow.

Start by reiterating your interest in the position.

Include your contact information one more time. Thank them formally, and end with a professional signature.

“Regards” and “Yours” can also be appropriate closings.

Example of a Purchasing Manager Cover Letter

Once you’ve completed your cover letter, it should look something like this:

Final Thoughts

Though it can be scary for all of us, writing a cover letter does not need to be difficult. It actually can make good practice, as writing a cover letter allows you to work on pitching yourself to someone who doesn’t know you, which is an essential skill in any interview.

Cover letters are what set you apart from the competition, especially since you will be far more likely to catch the eye of the hiring manager and possibly land the highly coveted interview. Luckily, there is no shortage of resources out there that make writing a cover letter as easy as possible.