35+ Successful Cover Letter Tips, Advice & Guidelines (With Examples)
Cover letter writing tips for 2019—sure to turn any boring letter into something employers want to read.
This consulting cover letter sample works like Stephen Covey.
Why do you need it?
To stop the crickets you hear every time you send your resume.
You’ve got the skills. Your teamwork, creativity, and message are Deloitte-worthy.
But—
The hiring manager won’t know that unless she interviews you. And she won’t do that unless she reads your resume.
This consultant cover letter example gets that done.
This guide will show you:
- A consulting cover letter sample better than 9 out of 10 others.
- Consultant cover letter examples that let you plug in your core strengths.
- The workplan for how to write a cover letter for consulting positions.
- Why the right few achievements prove you’re the biggest shark in the tank.
Want to write your cover letter fast? Use our cover letter builder. Choose from 20+ professional cover letter templates that match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.
Consulting Cover Letter for a Resume—See more cover letter templates and create your cover letter here.
Considering similar positions too? See other cover letter examples for jobs in your industry:
- Business Analyst Cover Letter
- Business Cover Letter
- Data Analyst Cover Letter
- Executive Cover Letter
- Financial Analyst Cover Letter
- Investment Banking Cover Letter
- Manager Cover Letter
- McKinsey Cover Letter
- Project Manager Cover Letter
- Retail Cover Letter Examples
- Sales Cover Letter
Want to explore your options further? See our full selection of cover letter examples for every career: Best Cover Letter Examples
This consulting cover letter template proves you’re BCG material:
Consulting Cover Letter Sample
Your Name
Consultant
Current Company (If Any)
Mailing Address
Phone Number
Email Address
Date
Hiring Manager Name
Title
Company Name
Mailing Address
Dear [Hiring Manager Name],
Raising quality metrics an average of 20% for 75 business clients is a gratifying career accomplishment. Doing that while cutting costs $20+ million for those clients was the icing on the cake. That success comes from my passion for helping companies succeed in their Lean journey, and my skills in training, teamwork, and communication.
I was thrilled to learn about the opening at ATYX. Your reputation as a business management consultancy is unequaled. Your slogan of "every employee in every moment" has always mirrored my approach to teaching. You're looking for a consultant skilled in teamwork, training, and communication. These achievements show why your job is the perfect fit:
- Training. Conducted training sessions with 50,000+ students in seven years as a consultant. Trained students in Kaizen, Kanban, Pokayoke, Standardized Work, etc. with 99% positive reviews.
- Teamwork. Worked closely with a team of 12 consultants to coordinate schedules and trainings and develop materials. Facilitated production of 10+ consulting videos with $2.5M in revenue.
- Communication. Wrote "Making Lean Work," the best-selling lean instruction manual that received the Shingo Research Prize in 2018. Sold 20,000 copies to date.
I'm eager to talk more about why working for ATYX has been a long-term dream of mine.
Best Regards,
Bob Brugiere, Consultant
PS—I'm also glad to tell you how I won 100% employee buy-in from a firm once said to have "the most resistant workforce in the world."
That’s best of breed.
A consulting cover letter like that would get BCG’s attention.
Now, here’s how to write a consulting cover letter like that:
1
Use the Best Consulting Cover Letter Template
Let’s get your consulting cover letter buttoned down.
To do that, use this cover letter template.
It’s got all the value-adds to put you on the case.
Sample Cover Letter for Consulting—Checklist
- your contact info
- the company’s info
- dear (hiring manager name)
- paragraph #1: big job-fitting achievement
- paragraph #2: passion + key skills
- paragraph #3: your CTA
- best regards + your name + title
- PS: add value
Pro Tip: What excites you about the company? Do due dil before you craft your PWC or Boston Consulting Group consultant cover letter. That’ll help you frame your passion for the job.
How should you format a consulting firm cover letter? One-inch margins? Left-align? What about line-spacing? See our guide: Cover Letter Format: A Complete How-To Guide
2
Start Your Consulting Cover Letter Right
Three seconds.
That’s about how long you have until they decide not to read your cover letter for consulting jobs.
Then they’ll skim your resume and move on to applicant #173.
Stop them.
How?
With a mission-critical fact that grabs them like Bruce Henderson.
These consultant cover letter examples show how:
Consulting Cover Letter Examples [First Paragraph]
The first of these consulting cover letter examples is in the CGI Group zone:
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Bob Brugiere Management Consultant 770 Gateway Road Portland, OR 97212 503-860-8984 bob.brugiere@gmail.com
3/8/19
Jennifer Sharpe General Manager ATYX Inc. 2636 Hope Street Portland, Oregon 97232
Dear Ms. Sharpe,
Raising quality metrics an average of 20% for 75 business clients is a gratifying career accomplishment. Doing that while cutting costs $20+ million for those clients was the icing on the cake. That success comes from my passion for helping companies succeed in their Lean journey, and my skills in training, teamwork, and communication. |
You’ve got her attention.
What makes that consultant cover letter example tick?
It starts by showing two big wins that fit their needs.
It also shares passion and key skills.
But this management consulting cover letter example doesn’t pass the smell test:
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| I’ve been a management consultant for 12 years now working both in my own business and for multiple consulting firms. I’ve got deep experience in organizational change, with highly-developed skills in the areas of collaboration and cross-departmental communication. I’ve worked with many cross-functional teams to improve metrics at several client companies. |
I’m sorry, I dozed off.
Consultant cover letter examples like that say, “I’ve done a lot of stuff.” But were you good at it?
That letter brags, but doesn’t have a snip of evidence that you can do the job.
And if you don’t have experience like that first example?
Consulting Cover Letters With No Experience
Writing a management or leasing consultant cover letter? Or a consulting internship cover letter?
You still need to lead with leverage.
Use achievements from non-consulting jobs that prove consulting skills.
Or use:
- A name to drop
- A fact about the company that excites you
- An award or other honor the company received
- A fact about you that communicates your passion
Check out this cover letter for consulting positions example:
When XYZ Partnership received the Baldrige Award in 2017, I knew I wanted to work for you. The award shows your vision for leadership and your commitment to employee development. The growth I would experience as a consultant in your firm would...
See that?
That entry-level consulting cover letter example doesn’t just say, “hire me.” It says, “here’s why I’m so passionate about this job.” We like passion.
Pro Tip: Are you writing a consultant cover letter email? You can cut the street address from the beginning. Instead, put your phone and email after “best regards.”
Want to start a cover letter for consulting jobs with loads of passion? See our guide: How to Start a Cover Letter: Sample & Complete Guide
3
Write a Rockstar Consulting Cover Letter Middle
Here’s a bad dream:
You hooked the hiring manager with your consultant cover letter beginning.
But she lost interest. Now you’ll never get the facetime you deserve.
What went wrong?
You probably tried to boil the ocean in your cover letter for consulting jobs.
Focus.
Keep adding proof.
To do that, show:
- Your passion for the job
- Your understanding of the consulting job duties
- How you excelled at those duties in the past
Look at these management consulting cover letter examples:
Consulting Cover Letter Examples [Middle]
The first of these consulting cover letter examples shows your bandwidth. It shows passion, understanding, and proof.
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I was thrilled to learn about the opening at ATYX. Your reputation as a business management consultancy is unequaled. Your slogan of "every employee in every moment" has always mirrored my approach to teaching. You're looking for a consultant skilled in teamwork, training, and communication. These past achievements show why your job is the perfect fit:
|
That hits the ground running.
Do it like that consultant cover letter example and you’ll get in at Altran, Capgemini, or anywhere you want.
But the next of our consulting cover letter examples misses the low-hanging fruit:
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| I’m very passionate about consulting because at my core I love helping people. That’s what’s always motivated me. The joy I get from putting together a system that makes people’s lives better is what keeps me going. |
Not bad.
That cover letter for consulting jobs example has passion. But where’s the understanding? Where’s the proof?
Pro Tip: The more you know about the firm’s needs, the more you can target your consulting job cover letter. Try an informational interview to gain competitive advantage.
Should a sales consultant cover letter be a half page or longer? See our guide: How Long Should A Cover Letter Be? Sample & Guide
4
End Your Consulting Cover Letter With a CTA
Why didn’t you get that fat consulting gig?
Maybe you didn’t ask.
But you can’t just say, “Can I have a job,” or “interview me.”
You need deliverables.
Look at the difference in these sample consultant cover letter endings:
Cover Letter Examples for Consulting [Ending]
The first of these consulting cover letter samples promises a Greenfield opportunity:
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I'm eager to talk more about why working for ATYX has been such a long-term dream of mine.
Best Regards,
Bob Brugiere, Consultant
PS—I'm also glad to tell you how I won 100% employee buy-in from a firm once said to have "the most resistant workforce in the world." |
Total sea change.
A cover letter for consulting jobs like that will make them grab the phone.
But this consulting cover letter sample won’t get traction:
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| Thank you for your time. I’ve attached my consulting resume. I’d love to work for you and I think I’m perfect for the job. |
Not good. The second of those consultant cover letter examples is all ask and no offer.
Pro Tip: That PS at the end draws the eye like a 99% CAGR. Put a great achievement in it to make your consulting firm cover letter more tantalizing.
Can’t think of a great offer for the end of your consultancy cover letter? Sign off with enthusiasm instead. See how in our guide: How to End a Cover Letter
Key Takeaway
Summary:
How to write a consulting cover letter:
- Use the 3-paragraph consulting cover letters format. It gets noticed like Paul Hermelin.
- Kick off with a big achievement. A consultant cover letter has to grab them fast or else it’s trash can bait.
- Prove yourself. Reiterate the job duties. Then show you’ve handled them with style in past consulting jobs.
- End with a CTA. A cover letter for consulting jobs should offer to trade something for the interview.
Want more info on how to write a great cover letter for consulting? Wondering how your consulting job cover letter can get you noticed? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!
