A good entry-level counseling cover letter shows you’re ready to apply your education and help people address drug abuse, mental health, or other issues. Express your interest in the hiring organization, and cite your related skills like treatment planning or finding solutions to complex issues.
This guide will help you write a cover letter that gets you interviews for your first job as a counselor.
Entry-Level Counseling Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
How To Write an Entry-Level Counseling Cover Letter
A good entry-level counseling cover letter usually has five sections, outlined below. When possible, connect each section back to the organization and its stated hiring needs. The following advice and examples show how you can use this strategy to optimize your letter for each application.
1. Heading
At the top of the page, include:
- Your resume contact header, which should give your full name, address, email, phone number, and LinkedIn or other social accounts if applicable
- The date
- The recipient’s name, title, organization, and contact information (when available)
Note: Feel free to omit this section when sending your cover letter as an email message as long as your contact details are part of your email signature. Look for instructions in the job posting on whether to send by email message or attachment. When the posting doesn’t specify, it’s your choice – just bear in mind email messages are increasingly common, but an attachment is often still better for more formal applications to large employers.
Example
Raymond Ortiz
123 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
April 11, 2024
Mr. Matthew Johnson
Hiring Manager
WFT Society
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
2. Salutation
Address your recipient by name as in the first example below – this is the quickest way to signal you’re sending a job-specific letter and not a boilerplate. If you can’t find the person’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager” so your greeting is still tailored somewhat to each job opening.
Note: While a colon is standard punctuation here, you can use a comma if you know your recipient or the company has a casual work culture (sometimes revealed by a company description on the job posting). In rare cases, you may also trade out the standard “Dear” for a more casual “Greetings,” “Hello,” “Hi,” or even “Good morning.” But again, use your discretion and take cues from the job posting when possible.
Examples
Dear Ms. Li:
Dear U.B.E. University Hiring Manager:
3. “Hook” or introduction
Catch the reader’s attention by citing an achievement from your resume or a key credential the employer seeks in applicants. Then, connect that highlight to your main strengths and overall candidacy for the advertised entry-level counseling role.
As an alternative to the work highlight approach, you can set yourself apart by networking. Begin your letter by citing any personal or professional connections you have with the hiring manager. If someone at the organization alerted you to the job, use a line like “I was excited to hear from your colleague [Name] about [Organization]’s new counseling position.” Or, if you’ve already met your recipient, mention that with a line like “It was great speaking with you at the [conference] last month.”
Example
During my recent substance abuse counselor internship, I was praised by my manager for performing thorough needs assessments and developing viable treatment plans for clients. I hope to bring that same level of diligence to your organization as a substance abuse counselor.
4. Job- or employer-specific paragraph(s)
This section is crucial, so think it through fully for each application in your job search.
On a separate document or sheet of paper, take 10 minutes to brainstorm why this entry-level counseling position or employer interests you based on the job posting. (See tip No. 2 below for some related ideas.)
When you’re done brainstorming, review your notes: Do any stand out as important or persuasive? Adapt those points into one or two brief paragraphs that speak to the job opening at hand. By making this description a central part of your letter, you’ll more likely persuade the manager to call.
Following this explanation, cite a few more of your counseling skills or achievements, possibly as bullet points.
Example
I’m intrigued by your group’s mission to reduce alcoholism in lower-income families, as that was the focus of my recent internships at two nonprofits. Through these experiences, I gained a passion for helping people take steps (however small) to recover from alcohol dependency through influential new mindsets and patterns of behavior.
My work highlights and qualifications also include the following:
- Compiled a new, expanded list of job placement agencies and support groups, offering individuals a better sense of local resources based on their specific life situation
- Recently graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology
- Nearly 11 months’ combined internship experience helping efforts to guide people out of alcohol addiction and dependency, with a focus on active listening and group facilitation
5. Conclusion
Finally, request an interview and thank the hiring manager for their time and attention. Consider briefly restating why this entry-level counselor job interests you and how you’d add to the organization’s success. To end your cover letter, use a simple closing like “Sincerely” or “Best regards” and then your name.
Example
I would welcome the chance to discuss my skills further. Please call or email me to arrange an interview. I will follow up soon to confirm you received my resume and see if you have any initial questions.
Sincerely,
Mina Sayed
Entry-Level Counseling Cover Letter Tips
1. Show you’re ready to apply your counseling education
Even without work experience, you can start your letter strong by naming a highlight from your degree program, internship(s), or any counseling-related volunteer work you’ve done.
Example
During a 90-day internship last fall, I was praised on all three formal reviews for my dedication to connecting recovering alcoholics to relevant social services. I hope to bring that same dedication to WFT Society as a substance abuse counselor.
2. Tell why you’re a good fit
When brainstorming points for your cover letter, think about what this entry-level counselor role has in common with your background or goals. For instance, maybe you share the nonprofit’s mission to help people address and overcome substance abuse. Or maybe the role focuses on underprivileged groups you’ve engaged with through your volunteer experience.
Example
Your job posting intrigued me as I’d love to support your goal of delivering timely and compassionate services to distressed students. This was the cause I found most engaging during my internship at my school’s health clinic.
3. Highlight your other strengths
Use your bullet points list to show success in key work areas for an entry-level counselor, such as active listening, appointment booking, or treatment planning.
Example
I can support these efforts based on my skill and experience in these areas:
- Collaboration: Built positive relationships with other members of the treatment team and submitted feedback and ideas that contributed to an updated mission statement
- Communication: Effectively engaged with diverse groups and individuals, making sound use of cognitive-behavioral intervention methods
- Organization: Created and continually honed an efficient system for managing intake forms and other client documents
Entry-Level Counseling Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Mina Sayed
123 Bridge Street, Boston, MA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
April 11, 2024
Ms. Meiling Li
Hiring Manager
U.B.E. University
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
Dear Ms. Li:
On completing a three-month, on-campus internship for my master’s degree in counseling, I earned high marks for my diligent support of and communication with a diverse student population. I hope to bring that same dedication to U.B.E. University as a Counselor for Student Affairs.
Your job posting intrigued me as I’d love to support your goal of delivering timely and compassionate services to distressed students. This was the cause I found most engaging during my internship at my school’s health clinic.
My work highlights and qualifications also include the following:
- Consulted closely with students to help them address personal crises and locate additional mental health resources in the region as needed
- Thrived on a cross-functional, 15-member team of student counselors and other health clinic professionals
- Recently completed Master’s Degree in Counseling with concentration in Clinical Mental Health
I would welcome the chance to discuss my skills further. Please call or email me to arrange an interview. I will follow up soon to confirm you received my resume and see if you have any initial questions.
Sincerely,
Mina Sayed
Entry-Level Counseling Cover Letter Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the most important part of a cover letter?-
Any explanation you give for why the specific job opening or employer interests you. These details distinguish the cover letter from your resume and other application materials and can help you get past applicant tracking systems (ATS). They also set up a good interview discussion about how you fit the role and the organization’s work culture.
Should I say “My name is…” on a cover letter?-
No. As long as your name appears in the letter’s closing section, you don’t need to state it otherwise.
What traits are useful to highlight in my cover letter?-
Desired qualities in counselors include empathy, patience, and attentiveness to each client’s concerns. Consider which of these traits best describe you, then give an example or two of how you’ve shown them in a work setting.
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