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Letter of Interest vs Cover Letter: What’s the Difference?

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Roma Kończak, CPRW
Roma Kończak, CPRW
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Is a letter of interest the same as a cover letter? When should you use each one? Get it wrong, and you’ll be fudging it. Like using the wrong bait on the fishing trip, you might get a few nibbles, but your competitors will land the massive lunkers. So—don’t get it wrong.

The short answer? A letter of interest is like a cold call. It’s for jobs that don’t exist. A cover letter goes with a job application. It’s for jobs a company is aggressively trying to fill. But be careful to follow the key steps for each letter type.

This guide will show you:

  • A sample cover letter and/or letter of interest you can adjust to fit your job search.
  • How to write a letter of interest or cover letter for a job that lifts you above the fray.
  • The three main parts that make a letter of interest and cover letter work.
  • Some key letter of interest and cover letter tips that make your job search work.

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.

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Sample cover letter for a resume—See more cover letter examples and create your cover letter here.

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Letter of Interest vs Cover Letter: What’s the Difference?

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Tom Gerencer is a career expert and Certified Professional Resume Writer who has published over 200 in-depth articles on Zety. Since 2016, he has been sharing advice on all things recruitment from writing winning resumes and cover letters to getting a promotion.

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