In today’s competitive job market, a strong business cover letter can make all the difference in securing interviews. As a business professional, think of your cover letter as a value proposition or proposal. Start by identifying the company’s needs and how your unique skills and industry knowledge can help the business grow and excel. Then, provide tangible examples of you successfully achieving positive business outcomes throughout your career. Below are business cover letter examples and expert tips to help translate your career into an impactful marketing document.
Business Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
How To Write a Business Cover Letter
To write an engaging business cover letter, your content should reflect the potential value you can bring to prospective employers. Start by analyzing the job description and identifying the needs of the organization you’re applying to. For example, suppose a company is seeking a candidate for a business analyst position. In this situation, emphasize how you’ve leveraged data analytics to identify new business opportunities, financial trends, and potential risk factors. Below, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to walk you through every section of a business cover letter:
1. Contact information and salutation
The header of your business cover letter should list all essential contact information, including your name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn URL. It’s also important to address the hiring manager by name — Mr. or Ms. [Last Name]. If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager.” This adds a personal touch to your business cover letter and shows that you’ve done your research before applying.
2. Introductory paragraph
Create a strong opening paragraph to introduce yourself and convey your interest in the position. Lead with an eye-catching achievement backed with a strong metric to draw the hiring manager in at the start of your business cover letter. Be sure to highlight specific skill sets or qualifications that match the job description.
For instance, if a company is seeking a candidate with a strong background in change management, you might include an example of you transforming business processes and strategy to drive long-term growth and profitability.
Example:
I’m reaching out regarding the Business Operations Director role with Brooklyn Beverage Co. As a senior business manager for New York Brewing, I defined pricing strategy and conducted business planning for a craft beverage product line generating over $20 million in annual revenue. I am confident that my expertise in business strategy will allow me to achieve similar results for your organization.
3. Body paragraphs
In the body paragraphs of your business cover letter, continue to showcase your qualifications for the position. Mention something specific about the company’s reputation, products, or culture and why this draws you to apply for the opportunity. This displays your genuine interest in the organization and can help your application stand out during the job search.
Next, create a list of bullet points featuring achievements from your work experience to demonstrate your financial and business expertise. Provide basic context for the accomplishment and include hard numbers for the results. If you can’t quantify an achievement, only list it if you can explain the value it brought to the company.
Example:
Brooklyn Beverage Co’s reputation for its innovative craft beer and seltzer products draws me to apply for this position. With over 10 years of experience within the food and beverage industry, I can offer unique insights to help you expand your market share. Below, you’ll find some of my prior career achievements:
- Defined pricing strategy for a suite of craft beer beverage products based on competitor analysis and identified opportunities to enhance product efficiency, resulting in a 40% increase in sales
- Negotiated with vendors to secure optimal pricing for production materials and ingredients, which reduced costs by $500,000 over two years
- Managed P&L valued at over $10 million, analyzed company financials, defined strategies to aid the business in scaling operations, and improved margins by 5%
4. Key skills and qualifications
It’s not advisable to provide a list of key skills on your business cover letter, as this section should already be covered thoroughly in your resume. That said, it’s important to show hiring managers how you’ve applied your business knowledge to generate results throughout your career. As you build your content, be sure to infuse key terms from the job posting into your paragraphs. Below is a list of skills you may encounter while applying for business-related positions:
| Key Skills and Qualifications | |
|---|---|
| Business administration | Business analytics |
| Business modeling | Business strategy |
| Change management | Data analytics |
| Data-driven decision making | Finance |
| Financial analysis | Financial reporting |
| Investment strategy | MS Excel |
| P&L | Project management |
| Sales strategy | Tableau |
5. Closing section
Think of your conclusion as a call to action. Invite the hiring manager to schedule you for an interview or for additional information on your background. Reinforce how your business knowledge could be a strong asset to their team. Be sure to thank the hiring manager for their time and consideration in the last sentence of the paragraph.
Example
I hope to hear back from you soon for an interview to tell you more about how my expertise in the beverage industry can aid the growth of Brooklyn Beverage Co. Feel free to contact me at your convenience to schedule a time via phone or email. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jake Robertson
Business Cover Letter Tips
1. Emphasize your business acumen
To make your cover letter stand out, focus on your business acumen and experience using tangible examples from your career. Demonstrate your ability to define business strategies based on market indicators and operational capabilities. Show potential employers that you can bring a fresh perspective to their organization and help their business scale.
2. Quantify your business achievements
When detailing your career achievements, be sure to incorporate hard numbers, metrics, and monetary figures to establish a sense of scope for your contributions. In addition to drawing the reader’s eye, numbers help to paint a clearer picture of your professional experience for the hiring manager. This is especially important for business-related roles, as companies will want to see you analyze and interpret financial data effectively.
3. Feature your leadership capabilities
Leadership and management skills are essential for many business occupations. As you craft your content, demonstrate your ability to manage personnel, interface with cross-functional teams, and communicate effectively with diverse clients. Provide examples of you mentoring team members and building strategic business partnerships. This shows you’re a dynamic candidate with both strong interpersonal and business management skills.
Business Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
Yaling Zhang
Business Operations Analyst | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | Portland, OR 12345 | LinkedIn
January 1, 2024
Roger Smith
Hiring Manager
Portland Med Device Inc.
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]
Dear Mr. Smith,
I’m interested in applying for the business operations manager position with Portland Med Device Corporation. During my time with SouthWest Medical, I analyzed critical business operations and identified process improvement opportunities for a leading manufacturer of medical devices. My experience within the health care manufacturing space could be a strong asset to your organization.
Portland Med Device Corporation’s reputation for operational excellence is what draws me to apply for this opportunity. I am confident my ability to identify creative business solutions would bring value to your company based on my career achievements:
- Evaluated critical business operations, identified process gaps, and proposed business solutions to streamline product delivery, which reduced costs by 10%
- Analyzed resource allocation for manufacturing processes and recommended enhancements to staffing, which reduced labor costs by $60,000 per year
- Developed financial reports for senior leadership on findings and attended meetings with the business operations team to discuss process improvement opportunities
I look forward to speaking with you regarding how my business analysis expertise can refine operations and reduce costs for your organization. You may contact me via phone or email for any additional questions you may have about my background. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Yaling Zhang
Business Cover Letter FAQs
How do I make my business cover letter stand out?-
To differentiate yourself from other applicants, highlight specific aspects of your business background that align with the job description. Generic content won’t make a lasting impression on the hiring manager. They want to see examples of how you can help their company reduce costs and improve profitability.
Why should I include a business cover letter?-
Not every job will ask for a cover letter, but including one is never a bad idea, especially if it’s properly tailored to the company you’re applying to. This allows you to convey why you’re the right fit for the organization’s culture and display the nuances of your industry expertise as a business professional.
How long should my business cover letter be?-
It’s best to keep your cover letter concise, limited to only three or four paragraphs. Think of your cover letter as a value proposition or business proposal. The goal is to capture the hiring manager’s attention by highlighting your most relevant and marketable skill sets. An overabundance of content can distort your sales pitch and make it difficult for the reader to see the value you can bring to the company.
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