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How to Write a Cover Letter in 2023 [Step-By-Step Guide]
So you need to write a cover letter. Where do you start? How long should it be? Do yourself a favor: follow our guide on making the best cover letter the recruiter has ever seen.
You've managed budgets, deadlines, and teams like a pro, but does your cover letter showcase those skills? When it comes to navigating the job market, your cover letter might be stuck in the planning phase.
Fear not! We're here to help you construct a project manager cover letter that's as solid as your foundation, making hiring managers eager to bring your expertise on board.
This guide will show you:
- A project manager cover letter sample better than 9 out of 10 others.
- Cover letter examples for project manager jobs that puts you in control.
- How to write a cover letter for project manager jobs with lasting benefit.
- How to pick achievements for your cover letter for project manager roles.
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.
Sample cover letter for a resume—See more cover letter samples and create your cover letter here.
Send your cover letter for project manager jobs with a job-winning project manager resume. See our guide: Project Manager Resume: Sample & Complete Guide
Considering similar positions too? See other cover letter examples for jobs in your industry:
- Consulting Cover Letter
- Executive Cover Letter
- Digital Marketing Cover Letter
- IT Manager Cover Letter
- Manager Cover Letter
- Nonprofit Cover Letter
- Project Coordinator Cover Letter
- Product Manager Cover Letter
- Program Manager Cover Letter
- Event Manager Cover Letter
- Construction Cover Letter
Want to explore your options further? See our full selection of cover letter examples for every career: Sample Cover Letters for All Professions.
Need a sample letter to the HR manager?
This project manager cover letter template shows your mastery:
Project Manager Cover Letter Sample
Your Name
Project Manager
Current Company (If Any)
Mailing Address
Phone Number
Email Address
Date
Hiring Manager Name
Title
Company Name
Mailing Address
Dear [Hiring Manager Name],
Slashing costs by 32% and boosting revenue $500,000 in 5 months at Bragis-Reitland Global was no small feat. That success came from my passion for Lean Project Management and my skills in Agile and Scrum.
That's why I was so excited to learn about the Project Management opportunity at Crosshares IT. I've been following your Lean journey in articles in Tech Times and Business Insider. Your commitment and approach to Continuous Improvement fit perfectly with my belief that lower costs and higher quality should go hand-in-hand. That thinking is borne out by these accomplishments that fit your needs:
- Lean Training. Implemented Lean and Agile training for all 87 employees. Achieved 100% buy-in to our Lean journey, collecting 1,200+ new employee improvement ideas per year.
- Standardized Work. Led a project to create and enforce standardized work across all 18 departments. Raised efficiency by 22% and received the Shingo Bronze Medallion in 2018.
- Project Scheduling. Migrated 228 employees to a new scheduling system, improving cost management and increasing productivity by 22%.
I'm happy to discuss why your opening is the perfect fit for my career and PMP skill set.
Best Regards,
Katherine Macri, PMP
PS—I'd also love to share how I saved $330,000 in 2014 by installing hour-by-hour monitors as an IT specialist at Bragis-Reitland.
Delivered.
That’s one of the best project management cover letters on record. It’d make Willy Wonka notice you.
Now, here’s how to write a project manager cover letter like the one above:
1
Pick the Best Project Manager Cover Letter Template
Your project management cover letter is just another project.
And this cover letter template handles it.
It proves you’re pretty much Iron Man with a Scoro subscription.
Sample Cover Letter for Project Manager—Checklist
- your contact info
- the company’s info
- dear (hiring manager name)
- paragraph #1: big job-fitting accomplishment
- paragraph #2: key skills + achievements
- paragraph #3: an offer to meet
- best regards + your name
- PS: sweeten the deal
Pro Tip: Are there things you love about the company? Share them in your cover letter for project manager jobs. Mention news articles, awards, or other things that turned your head.
Not sure how to format your cover letter for project manager roles? Wondering about margins and line-spacing? See our guide: Cover Letter Format: A Complete How-To Guide
2
Start Your Project Manager Cover Letter Right
What’s the best way to start a cover letter for project manager jobs?
Hint—don’t do it by rambling.
The hiring manager’s so busy she can hardly see.
Save her time (and your employment hopes). Start with a strong fact that gets attention like the Three-Gorges Dam.
These IT project manager cover letter examples show how:
Project Manager Cover Letter Examples [First Paragraph]
The first of these project manager cover letter examples could be Johanna Rothman:
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Katherine Macri Project Manager PMP 792 Griffin Street Phoenix, AZ 85034 480-273-4139 katherine.k.macri@gmail.com
3/4/19
William Motter Operations Manager Crosshares IT Inc. 1885 Coplin Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85012
Dear Mr. Motter,
Slashing costs by 32% and boosting revenue $500,000 in 5 months at Bragis-Reitland Global was no small feat. It came from my passion for Lean Project Management and my skills in Agile and Scrum. |
Think they’ll notice?
That cover letter for project manager jobs just works. Here’s why—
- It starts with a shocker.
- It proves a coveted PMP job skill.
But this assistant project manager cover letter example is like a crane collapse:
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| I’ve got six years of experience working for various firms, handling all aspects of project scheduling, negotiation, cost control, and risk management. My project management experience has fully utilized my skills at working with cross-functional teams to manage all deliverables. |
Ow.
The hiring manager is yawning. She’s read 50 project management cover letter examples like that since lunch.
It brags, but it doesn’t have a snip of evidence that you can do the job.
But what if you don’t have experience?
An entry-level project manager cover letter should get attention like Dubailand.
So—
List project management achievements from non-PM jobs.
For instance?
Maybe you’ve:
- Scheduled projects
- Managed resources
- Lowered risks
- Worked in Agile teams
- Worked with cross-functional teams.
If you’ve done any of those to great effect, you’ve found a hook for your project manager cover letter. You can also list examples of project management projects you’ve done.
Haven’t got a big PM achievement?
Here are four ways to start a project manager cover letter with no experience:
- A fact you really like about the company
- A big name you can drop
- Something about you that shows passion
- An award or news item that touts company strengths.
Pro Tip: In a project management cover letter email, you don’t need the snail mail info at the top. Your email and phone number at the end is plenty.
How can you start a cover letter for project manager jobs with name-dropping? See our guide: How to Start a Cover Letter: Sample & Complete Guide
3
Write a Solid Project Manager Cover Letter Middle Paragraph
You did it.
Your great project management cover letter opening made the employer’s pulse pound.
Now don’t let go.
Keep piling on the proof. The goal? To get that manager to slow down and spend an hour with your resume.
Your cover letter for project manager jobs can do that, if it:
- Shows the hiring manager you understand the job.
- Lists more wins that prove you could’ve built the ISS.
These senior IT project manager cover letter examples show how:
Project Manager Cover Letter Examples [Middle]
The next of our project manager cover letter examples is Steve McConnell-level:
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That's why I was so excited to learn about the Project Management opportunity at Crosshares IT. I've been following your Lean journey in articles in Tech Times and Business Insider. Your commitment and approach to Continuous Improvement fit my belief that lower costs and higher quality should go hand-in-hand. That thinking is borne out by these accomplishments that fit your needs:
|
Top rung.
Did the job ad ask for skills in Lean training, standardized work, and project scheduling? If so, that project management cover letter example fills the bill.
But the next of our technical project manager cover letter examples collapses:
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| I’ve always been extremely passionate about managing costs and scheduling projects to get the best result in the most efficient manner. Even back in college, whenever someone said, “If you want to get something done, ask a busy person,” that usually meant me. |
Yawn.
The PM hiring manager just dozed off. That cover letter for project manager roles is part of the landscaping.
It says everything but, “Let me show you why I’m perfect for this PM job.”
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to dig into the company before you write that cover letter for project manager jobs. Look at their website, at news items, and do a couple informational interviews.
Should a project management cover letter fill the page? See our guide: How Long Should A Cover Letter Be? Sample & Guide
4
End Your Project Manager Cover Letter With a CTA
Don’t trail off into the Meadowlands.
A project management cover letter needs a call-to-action at the end.
It also doesn’t hurt to use some interview bait.
Watch how these sample project manager cover letter endings do it:
Cover Letter Examples for Project Manager [Ending]
The first of these project manager cover letter samples would excite Bas de Baar:
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I'm happy to discuss why your opening is the perfect fit for my career and PMP skill set.
Best Regards,
Katherine Macri, PMP
PS—I'd also love to share how I saved $330,000 in 2014 by installing hour-by-hour monitors as an IT specialist at Bragis-Reitland. |
That’s motivational.
Make promises like that in your cover letter for project manager jobs to land the interview.
But this construction project manager cover letter sample is a vacant lot:
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| I’m very grateful for your time. My resume is attached. Please give it a careful read. I’m available to start as early as next week. |
Ouch. Who invited Captain Needy? The last of those cover letter samples for project managers sounds like a real pain.
Pro Tip: Can’t think what to offer to the PM hiring manager? Talk about your growth potential in the job. Longevity sounds great in a project management cover letter.
Did your last boss give you a nice compliment? That’s a great way to end a cover letter for project manager jobs. See our guide: How to End a Cover Letter
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Customize a resume template here.
When you’re done, our free resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.
Key Takeaway
Summary:
How to write a project manager cover letter:
- Use the 3-paragraph project manager cover letter format. It turns heads like the Beijing Airport.
- Lead off with a big accomplishment. A project management cover letter has only seconds to stand out before it’s in the trash.
- Give evidence. Show you’ve used job-fitting project manager skills to help a previous employer.
- End with a CTA. A cover letter for project manager jobs should ask for the interview. It should also offer something tempting.
Do you have questions about how to write the best project management cover letter you can? Not sure how to get attention with your cover letter for project manager roles? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!
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