How to Write a Project Management Cover Letter

One of the essential parts of the initial stages of job seeking is writing a cover letter that will portray you as a specialist and define your chance of getting a position. While being relatively easy to compose at first glance, writing a cover letter for project manager may be pretty challenging in terms of quality self-presentation and providing appropriate information briefly. However, it's not a big deal if you follow the recommendations of experienced hiring managers. Keep reading to learn how to make your cover letters outstanding, so they move you closer to the desired job.

What's the purpose of a cover letter

A project management cover letter refers to an attachment for the CV that provides more detailed information about the candidate: their motivation, experience, recent projects, additional information, etc. Some job seekers consider such letters a more elaborate retelling of their CV, but this is misleading, as companies seek genuinely interested and motivated candidates by reviewing the cover letters. Hence, copying the CV significantly decreases your chances of being noticed and selected for further stages of recruitment.

Also, a cover letter makes the very first impression of a specialist and shows their professional communication skills. Therefore, as a potential candidate, you want to support your CV with a cover letter that makes your application convincing and vivid while demonstrating your competence.

What should project managers highlight in their cover letter

As a typical cover letter is expected to be brief yet exhaustive (generally about 250-300 words), it is important to outline crucial information and present it in the most favorable manner. Keeping this recommendation in mind, make sure your project manager cover letter consists of three following components:

• Yourself. First of all, start your letter by introducing yourself and specifying the letter's purpose. Then, give information about your working experience and list your top accomplishments related to the job requirements. This step will showcase your abilities and skills, so it plays a decisive role in determining whether your CV is worth further consideration. However, don't go for a plain list of your professional capabilities. Instead, include the necessary details in the text to make it look natural and comfortable to read.
• Company. Express your interest in the company's work by trying to answer what made you decide to apply, what you admire about your potential employer, and what your contribution will look like. However, it would be best if you did not try to sweet-talk the hiring manager, so remain relevant and sincere.
• Further communication. To conclude the letter naturally and politely, express your gratitude and provide contact details for the recruiter to be able to reach out to you. Try to emphasize your willingness to continue the dialogue so that even if your CV is rejected for some reason, you will have a chance to receive feedback. 

Five cover letter writing tips

Balance conciseness and detailing

‍Hiring managers share that they are tired of reading tons of wordy autobiographies full of unnecessary general information. Keep in mind that your goal is to stand out, so a well-composed specific cover letter will work more effectively than an irrelevant essay. Still, make the letter broad enough and elaborate on key points if you feel so. 

Personalize cover letters

‍Using samples or repeating descriptions while presenting your application to different companies is completely okay because your purpose of writing and the main content does not change. However, if your letter is basic and vague, the hiring manager may think your motivation or competence is not convincing enough. Always adjust your letters to each particular company and vacancy to avoid this.

Include data

‍Supporting the text with numbers and specific information will catch the eye of the hiring manager and look more convincing. Try replacing the phrases: "made more effective" with "increased the performance by X%"; "numerous projects" with "X completed projects"; "rich experience" with "X years of experience," and so on.

Provide relevant information

‍To make the letter on point, research and understand the company's values, then describe the common ground between you and the company. This reasoning will help outline why hiring you is a suitable decision in the recruitment process, or simple words, why you consider it an excellent match.

Polish the text

‍Check a couple of times whether your cover letter does not contain any grammatical, factual, or other errors which can spoil the overall impression. Typos are undesired as well. To avoid such unpleasant details, you can ask your friends to proofread the text or check it on several online tools. 

Project manager cover letter template

[Full Name]

[Phone Number]

[Email]

[Website]

[Date]

‍

[Hiring Manager's Name]

[Hiring Manager's Job Title]

[Company Name]

[Company Address]

‍

Dear [Hiring Manager Name],

My name is [your name], and I would like to introduce myself as an applicant for the [job title] position. I was thrilled to see an announcement for the recruitment campaign in [company name]. With my competence in [list applicable skills] and X-year background in [briefly describe appropriate experience], I am convinced I can contribute to [company]'s work on completing its current objectives.

In my previous role as a [current/previous position] at [current/previous company name], I was responsible for [briefly describe responsibilities and principal duties]. When working in this position, I successfully [list past projects and accomplishments]. In addition, I have improved my skills of [list your skills] and learned how to [share your professional insights]. I would be excited to bring this experience and knowledge to [company]'s development.

I have been following [company] for some time already, and I must admit that I am fascinated with its [name company's recent successful projects, top achievements, outstanding qualities, etc.]. So, as [company]'s [position title], I will be happy to [describe how you can contribute to the company's work].

I look forward to hearing from you to further discuss my experience and the position. Please contact me at [email] or [phone]. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

[Your Full Name]

Project manager cover letter examples

Example #1

Dear Mr. Smithson,

My name is Elizabeth Rustling, and I am an applicant for a project manager position at DFG Company. I saw an announcement for the start of the application process on DFG's social media, as I have been following the company's work for some time. So, I believe that my expertise in high-level project management will be helpful in contributing to DFG's rapid growth.

Previously, I worked in a similar position at JKL&co. My responsibilities were managing a department of 50 employees, running communication with clients, and creating strategies for optimizing the working process. Over three years of work, I managed to complete almost 30 successful projects dealing with various issues. In one of my recent projects, I aimed to design a new approach for the work of my department in the context of the company's rebranding. After intensive communication with stakeholders of different levels and thorough planning, the department's efficiency increased by 27% as the first result. During the project, I improved my negotiating and time-management skills, and I had a chance to test a new optimization strategy that appeared to be working and effective.

Besides, I would like to congratulate DFG on recently running a brilliant public campaign that has led to the significant expansion of operations. I find it very perspective, so I am eager to contribute to its development as a part of DFG's project management team. 

I would be very grateful if you had a chance to consider my application and continue our dialogue. Please don't hesitate to contact me at lizrustling@globemail.org or +8 888 888 88. I hope to hear from you soon!

Best wishes,

Elizabeth Rustling.

Example #2

Dear Ms. Teller,

As a manager with 7 years of working experience, I was happy to come across the SkyWind company's post about opening a new vacancy. It seems an incredible opportunity to become a part of its professional team and work on exciting projects.

Before applying for the position at SkyWind, I was working as a chief project manager at Cloudy, where I was responsible for orchestrating the work of a team of 8 project managers and outlining a global strategy for the company. Throughout my path at Cloudy, I successfully completed 40+ projects of different scales, which improved my competence in various approaches to leadership. From the most recent experience, I can mention a large-scale collaboration with the German affiliate of OPB that increased Cloudy's quarterly sales by 113%. The project was challenging because of the international level of cooperation and many specialists involved; however, my team and I managed to achieve the desired results with our communication and planning skills.

I would like to admit that I am impressed with SkyWind's global scope of operations, and I feel like working there would be a perfect chance to diversify my knowledge and develop professionally even more. I look forward to sharing my insights on international projects and contributing to SkyWind's growth.

I hope that you will have the possibility to consider my application. Please get in touch with me at samanthacollins1@mailme.com or +4 444 444 44 for further communication. Thank you kindly for taking your time!

Sincerely,

Samantha Collins.

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