Social worker cover letter

Social Worker Cover Letter (With Examples)

When you’re applying for a job, a cover letter is one of the most important parts of your application. Ironically, employers often don’t ask for it and instead assume that you’ll submit one if you want to.

You should always find a way to include one, though, unless specifically asked not to. It’s your opportunity to convince the hiring managers that you’re the best person for the job or that you at least deserve an interview.

While a resume can tell hiring managers if you check the boxes as far as skills go, a cover letter is your opportunity to demonstrate how you’ve put those skills to use and how they all work together with your passions, interests, and goals to make you into an ideal candidate.

This is especially vital in a field like social work that requires a combination of passion and skill to be successful.

In this article, you’ll learn what you should include in your cover letter, and you’ll find a sample cover letter that you can use as a reference.

Parts of a Social Worker Cover Letter

1. Your Contact Information

2. The Date

3. The Recipient’s Information

4. Salutation

5. Opening Paragraph

6. Body Paragraphs

7. Closing Lines

Social Worker Cover Letter Opening

Since it’s usually a good idea to format your cover letter as a formal business letter, you’ll need to put your name and contact information at the top of the page, whether you make it part of the letterhead or simply type it in a column.

After that, you’ll need to add the date that you’re sending the letter, followed by the recipient’s name (if you have it), job title, company name, and company address.

Start your letter with “Dear” and the recipient’s designation (Ms., Mr., Dr., etc.) and their last name. If you don’t know their gender, use both their first and last names, and if you absolutely can’t find a specific person’s name to write to, you can simply use their job title.

Now it’s time for your introductory paragraph. It’s essential to start your cover letter strong since yours is likely only one in a stack of documents that hiring managers need to sift through and keep track of.

If the company you’re applying to has a creative and casual tone on its website, you can try to match this in your cover letter with a creative intro. You don’t have to, though, and if you’re in doubt or if the organization uses a formal tone on its website and other communications, it’s best to keep it basic and professional.

However you go about opening your cover letter, you should always mention the name of the company and position title that you’re applying for. This will help hiring managers keep better track of your application.

It’s also a good idea to include the highlights of your qualifications that set you apart from other candidates. Pick one or two that you especially want the hiring managers to come away remembering, and mention them right off the bat. You can go into more detail about them later on in your letter.

Here’s an example of what your cover letter opening may look like:

Social Worker Cover Letter Body

The body of your cover letter will be unique based on your experiences and the position you’re applying for, but there are a few elements that you should be sure to include.

1. Explain how your skills match those listed in the job description. Hiring managers don’t want a one-size-fits-all cover letter; they want to know that you’re serious about this particular position and that you truly qualify for it.

   To show that you know what you’re getting into, go through the job description and note the qualifications they’re looking for in a candidate. Then, in your cover letter, demonstrate how you have those qualifications and how you’ve put them to use in the past.

   Whenever possible, offer anecdotes and quantitative evidence backing up your claims to show that you truly do have those skills and experiences.

2. Describe your passion for the position. Being good at social work requires heart, tenacity, and a love for the job, so an employee who is coming into a position already passionate about their work is a valuable asset to employers.

   Talking about why you love social work, in general, can be beneficial, but you should focus on why this particular position piqued your interest. Is it the set of responsibilities? The community you’ll be working with? Provide as many details as you can in order to paint a complete picture for hiring managers.

3. Talk about how the organization’s values, mission, and vision align with your own. Just as hiring managers want to know why you’re interested in the particular position, they also want to see that you have a desire to be a part of the organization.

   Employers want to hire employees who are on board with the company's culture and mission, so talk about what specifically stood out to you about this particular organization. Discuss how its goals and values align with yours and how you’d help further them.

Take a look at this example of cover letter body paragraphs:

Social Worker Cover Letter Closing Lines

Your cover letter closing is almost as important as your opening, as it’s the last thing hiring managers will read in your letter.

This section doesn’t need to be long, but you should include a call to action, which is usually a request to discuss the position further and for them to contact you at their earliest convenience. Always include a note of thanks for their consideration as well.

Below your last paragraph, sign off with a professional “Sincerely” followed by your full name. You should hand sign your letter if you’re formatting it as a formal business letter, and you should add your contact information after your name if you’re sending an email.

It should look something like this:

Example of a Social Worker Cover Letter