Senior manager cover letter

Senior Manager Cover Letter (With Examples)

Cover letters are an important part of any job application, no matter the job you are applying to. It gives you the opportunity to speak directly to the person that is considering hiring you and lets you tell them, in your own words, why you would be the perfect candidate.

Resumes outline the barebones of your experience, but cover letters allow you to show off a bit of your personality, as well as explain how your particular skill set would make you perfect for the job.

Parts of a Cover Letter

Cover letters typically follow the same format, no matter the job you are applying to. Because of this, almost every word processor has cover letter templates you can use, including Microsoft Word and Google Docs. Try looking around to see which one appeals to you.

If you are building one from scratch, you’ll need an opening, a body, and a closing. First, you address the hiring manager, you explain why you would be the perfect addition to their team in the body, and you finish out the letter with a professional farewell.

Senior Manager Cover Letter Opening

To begin your document, make sure you are typing in 12 point Times New Roman font, single-spaced. Cover letters are not the place for Comic Sans.

The header of the document should include your full name, your phone number, and email. Keeping your contact info at the top of the document makes it easy to access when they inevitably want to contact you for an interview.

The first line of the document should be the date, formatted as Month Day, Year.

Then hit enter to start a new paragraph. In this next section, you are going to provide the address of the letter, like you were going to put the letter in the mail, even if you are providing the letter electronically. Include all the information you know about the person who will be reading the letter, usually a hiring manager or a supervisor.

Using the hiring manager’s full name is typically the way to go, as it is usually included in the job listing. If you cannot find the name there, try doing some preliminary research on the company, either through their website or LinkedIn, to see if you can find someone with the title of a hiring manager.

Don’t be afraid to do a little digging, as companies would love to see that you’ve demonstrated interest in what they do and who they employ.

Once you have their name, consider using a prefix, such as Mr. or Ms., especially if the workplace seems more traditional. Even if you believe they are a casual group, it’s best to err on the side of professionalism. The only exception to this rule is if you are unsure of the person’s gender, like if their name is Jessie or Pat. In that case, just the full name is fine.

If you can not find their name, don’t worry. Though adding a full name can be a bit of a personal touch, it is certainly not required, especially if this information is not readily available.

The address in full should include their name, their job title, the company’s name, and the company’s address. Then, in a new paragraph, enter in your introductory line, “Dear Mr. So-and-So.” In the end, the opening should look something like this:

Senior Manager Cover Letter Body

Now that you have the easy part out of the way, we’re going to go into the middle section. The body will be a bit more freeform than the previous section, but it still follows a general outline.

You’re not here to beat around the bush, so start out your letter by stating your intention. Hiring managers could be hiring for multiple positions, so be sure to let them know which position you are applying for and where you found it.

You can also use your opening to tell a little bit about yourself or what drew you to the job listing. For example:

Next, you will explain to the reader why you think you would be a good fit for this position by highlighting some of your most important and relevant skills.

To begin, take a look at the job listing itself and what skills or traits they are asking for. Note which of these skills you have, and make sure to list those first. You can even use the same phrasing used in the job listing to describe the skills you have.

For example, if the job listing describes the ideal candidate as someone who can manage and delegate large teams effectively, you could write:

You can also choose to list off some of the most important skills in a bulleted list. Keep this brief, though, limiting yourself to about four or five entries.

Here is an example:

After listing off what makes you a great candidate, take a moment to talk about your experience. This does not mean repeating what is on your resume but rather taking a deeper dive into what your resume may gloss over.

Talk about your most recent positions and what skills you gained while working there. You can speak to a particular project you are proud of or an obstacle you overcame. This is your chance to tell your story.

Talk about your accomplishments, especially those that can be backed up with data and numbers. It is more impactful to say, “I simultaneously managed a team of ten employees and completed four large-scale projects,” rather than “I managed large teams and big projects.”

Brag about your stats, as this helps the hiring manager understand the magnitude of what you have accomplished. Try speaking to the most relevant experiences on your resume while staying upbeat and positive.

After you have emphasized all you wanted to show the hiring manager, write a concluding statement. Something to the effect of “I believe my unique set of skills would make me an ideal candidate for this position with ABC Company” would work nicely.

Senior Manager Cover Letter Closing Lines

The good news, the hardest part is over. Next, it is time to wrap things up.

Thank the reader for their time and their consideration. Reiterate your excitement to hear from them soon. List out your contact information one more time so they know how to reach the writer of this fantastic cover letter, and then end the letter with a formal farewell. “Sincerely” and “Regards” are both good. Finally, add your full name.

It should end up looking something like this:

Example of a Senior Manager Cover Letter

Once it is all put together, your cover letter should look something like this:

Final Thoughts

Writing a cover letter can be a daunting task, especially if you are like so many who do not enjoy talking about themselves. However, with the several templates available, and the nearly never-ending amount of advice to be found, writing a cover letter can be another skill that you add to your repertoire.

There is nothing stopping you from creating a cover letter that helps you stand out from your competition; all it will take is a little practice.