Posted by CV Nation on
When applying for project management jobs, you’ll usually be required to submit a CV and a cover letter. Preparing a good CV and cover letter that makes you stand out can be the difference between landing job interviews and falling into the ‘no’ pile.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to write a project management cover letter that gets results.
View our guide to preparing an effective project management CV, which includes two project management CV samples.
By following a specific structure, you’ll ensure your cover letter covers all the necessary points and sells you as effectively as possible.
Here is our six-step process to preparing a great project management cover letter:
1. Introduction
2. Overview of knowledge and expertise
3. Key selling points
4. Why you want to work for the company
5. Key skills
6. Polite ending and call to action
Let’s take a look at these steps in more detail.
Start your cover letter with a professional, concise introduction. You may want to briefly highlight your reason for applying for the job or your suitability for the role.
Provide an overview of your knowledge and expertise. This will demonstrate your suitability for the role.
This part is where you can stand out from the competition by showing what makes you unique. Have you got a track record for improving project efficiency? Have you delivered multiple multi-million-dollar projects on time and within budget?
Identify what makes you unique and ensure to communicate this to the reader in your cover letter.
You will need to do some research for this part. Researching the company that you’re applying to work for will enable you to show how you are aligned with their values and culture.
For example, if they’re committed to diversity & inclusion, you could touch on how you are passionate about promoting diversity in the workplace.
Of course, you should never lie on your cover letter. But you can use your research to show how you are genuinely aligned with the company’s values and culture.
Ensure to convey your key skills in your cover letter. When reading your cover letter, recruiters will be trying to determine if you possess the skills they are looking for in candidates.
We will cover the key skills for project managers later in this guide.
Bring your CV to an end with a polite ending. Thank the reader for their time and add a concise call to action. Your call to action, in most cases, should ask the recruiter to get in touch with you if they would like to discuss your application further.
As we mentioned earlier, it’s important to convey your key skills on your project management cover letter. Recruiters will be looking to see if you possess the essential skills highlighted in the job description.
What are the most important key skills to include on your project manager cover letter?
1. Project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall etc.)
2. Risk Management
3. Communication
4. Negotiation
5. Decision-Making
6. Stakeholder Management
7. Change Management
8. Budget Management
Take a look at the example project manager cover letters in this guide and note how we drew attention to the project managers’ key skills.
When writing a cover letter, research is vital. It enables you to tailor your cover letter and show how you are aligned with the company’s values and culture.
By showing that you have done your research, you will also show that you genuinely care about the job.
View the project management cover letter templates in this guide and note how the use of research makes the letters more personal.
If you’ve got no experience in project management, focus on your transferable skills. For example, have you got experience leading teams? Have you got experience managing small projects?
If you have undertaken any project management training, ensure to make this a key aspect of your cover letter.
When sending your cover letter by email, the formatting of your letter should be slightly different.
The key difference is that you don’t need to include your address at the top of the letter, as you do with hard copies of your cover letter. Instead, simply include your email address and contact number under your name at the end of your cover letter.
Here is an example:
‘Your sincerely,
Bob Smith
Enc.: CV
Email: example@exampleemail.com
Tel: +44 (0) 123 4567 890
Furthermore, when sending cover letters by email, you should not insert your name at the top of the document.
If you know the name of the person who will be reading your cover letter, use the salutation ‘Dear [Name]. If you don’t know their name, use the salutation ‘Dear Sir/Madam’.
Cover letters for those in Britain should end with ‘yours sincerely’ if using ‘Dear Name’. If you’re using ‘Dear Sir/Madam’, end your letter with ‘yours faithfully’.
In the United States, end your letter with either ‘yours faithfully’ or ‘yours truly’.
If you’re submitting your cover letter alongside your CV, it’s appropriate to inform the reader that your CV is attached.
Stating that your CV is enclosed couldn’t be easier. Simply insert ‘Enc.: CV’ under your name at the end of your cover letter.
When attaching or uploading your cover letter, should you use Word or PDF format?
Attach your cover letter in PDF format. Unlike Word format, PDF maintains its shape on all devices, ensuring your cover letter doesn’t become unreadable.
We hope you have found this guide to project management cover letters helpful. If you feel you coudl benefit from our CV service, feel free to explore our Premium CV package.
Feel free to view our guide to writing a project management CV. Or take a look at our guide to project management job interviews, which includes 20 common job interview questions and answers for project managers.
