Vice president cover letter

Vice President Cover Letter (With Examples)

Where a resume is considered a necessity when applying for jobs, a cover letter is often thought of as an optional addition. You need to change your way of thinking — especially when applying for jobs at an executive level.

More than half of hiring managers will give your application more attention if you include a cover letter in addition to your resume. It’s your opportunity to demonstrate why you’re the right person for this particular position.

A resume simply lists your accomplishments and relevant experience in chronological order. A cover letter, on the other hand, helps to paint the hiring manager a picture of what you will bring to the company and the position you’re trying to fill.

Your application is your first impression. Don’t you want your first impression to be a lasting one -- one that leads to an interview? Your cover letter can help you stand out.

Parts of a Vice President Cover Letter

You want both your resume and your cover letter to display professionalism fitting for an executive team member. Keep this in mind when crafting your cover letter for any vice president positions you will be applying to. Don’t get fancy with your fonts or formatting; stick with the standard.

There are several different cover letter templates you can choose between when formatting your VP cover letter. You are not simply another employee, but a VP — regardless of whether that is VP of a specific department or vice president of the entire company. No matter which template you choose, your resume should include all of the following parts:

1. Header. The header should include your contact information, the information of the company you are applying to, and usually the date the cover letter is submitted. You may also want to include your LinkedIn here.

2. Greeting. You should open your cover letter with a professional greeting. “Dear” is the standard choice on cover letters. Be sure to address a specific person.

   If the hiring manager’s name is not included in the job description, check the company website, try LinkedIn, and call if you have to. You should never address a cover letter meant for a vice president position with “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”.

3. Opening paragraph. This should be an attention grabber that conveys your value as a potential employee.

4. Body paragraph(s). This is your sales pitch. Be sure to include keywords from the job description.

5. Closing paragraph. How do you close a sales pitch? With a final note and a clear CTA. Your closing paragraph is no different.

6. Sign-off. Your sign-off should be professional and include your full name. You may want to include your contact information here as well or instead of in the header.

Vice President Cover Letter Opening

As with the opening paragraph of any form of written communication — books, articles, academic papers — you want to immediately grab the attention of your reader. In this case, you want to appeal to the hiring manager.

Each position you apply for will have dozens, if not hundreds, of other applicants. Hiring managers are busy; they only have so much time to dedicate to each application so be clear and concise in your writing.

You want to show that you are very interested in this position and this company without coming off as fake. Your opening paragraph should be demonstrating that you are not just suitable for this position, you are their best possible choice.

Vice President Cover Letter Body

The body of your cover letter may be one or more paragraphs. This is your chance to truly sell yourself as the perfect candidate for this role. What is it that makes you stand out from the competition?

Use this section to convey that you are not only the right fit for the role but a good fit for the company. Try to focus less on what you’ve already done — your resume covers your experience — and highlight what it is you can do for them in this position.

The first paragraph of your body (or the second paragraph of your cover letter) should include relevant qualifications and experiences. Don’t copy your resume word-for-word here; though bullet points are often included in this section. Some use the second paragraph to highlight their hard skills.

If you are including an additional body paragraph, use it to push knowledge of the company. Show them that this isn’t a canned response and you have done your research. Use what you’ve learned to really push that you are the best fit.

It is important to include the correct keywords in this section. Many companies will use AI to scan incoming applications for the right words — consult the job description. Generally speaking, a VP should have:

• Leadership skills

• Management skills

• Financial skills

• Attention to detail

• Time management skills

• Communication skills

• Problem-solving skills

Vice President Cover Letter Closing Lines

This is typically one paragraph at the end of your cover letter but can be separated into two. As with any sales pitch, you want to summarize and provide a CTA.

This isn’t the place to rehash the rest of your letter or your resume. Instead, you want to once again express your enthusiasm for the company and this position while reiterating what you could bring to the role. Leave with a clear CTA to reach out.

Example of a Vice President Cover Letter