Discover what you should include in a letter of interest, and find templates to help you get noticed by recruiters and hiring managers.
Everything you need to create and format a formal letter of interest.
What is a letter of interest?
A letter of interest is a way to introduce yourself to a target company without applying to a specific position. Also known as a letter of inquiry or statement of interest, a letter of interest is like a cover letter you’d include with a job application, but in this case, the target company has no open positions that fit your qualifications.
When should you send a letter of interest?
A letter of interest has multiple uses relating to your job search. If a professional connection refers you to a job posting that fits your skill set but hasn’t been released publicly yet, you can use a letter of interest to inform a recruiter of your interest before other applicants. If you plan to relocate or pursue a more specialized job search, or you discover a company with a mission and values that align with yours, you can use a letter of interest to introduce yourself. Show the Human Resources department how eager and prepared you are to work there, regardless of current job openings.
Why send a letter of interest.
Even when not actively hiring, recruiters and hiring managers are always looking for potential employees who are driven to succeed. With a letter of interest, you can make your skills and abilities known and ensure that you will be considered when a potential job does open up. In addition, you can demonstrate your ability to market yourself through personal branding, a key trait for any modern professional.
Basic components of a letter of interest.
A letter of interest should include:
- Contact information: As in a cover letter, introduce yourself while also letting employers know how to get back to you. Include your name, date, phone number, email, website, and possibly your address.
- Company contact information: To write an effective letter of interest, find a specific person within the company to address. Use LinkedIn and other online job boards to find that information. (“To whom it may concern” will often get your letter lost in the shuffle.)
- Opening paragraph: Introduce yourself and your intentions in the first paragraph. Before you start, think about why you would like to work at that particular company, and incorporate that into your opening.
- Experience/qualifications: In the body of the letter, state how you can contribute value to the organization. With no job description to base it on, you have to be more broad in the explanation of your skills and interests. Still, you should be straightforward and succinct; choose two or three of your best qualities and offer supporting examples from your work experience.
- Closing paragraph: Thank the reader for their time, and offer your earliest availability for an informational interview. Informational interviews are great opportunities to learn more about the company and make connections. Set up as many as possible to learn as much as you can about the organization.
Make sure your letter is one page. Recruiters and managers are busy, and they will move on if your letter is too long.
Get a jump on your letter of interest.
Easily and quickly create and customize a letter of interest from a free Adobe Spark cover letter template or letter of intent template. It may not get you hired immediately, but a letter of interest will pique recruiters’ curiosity about your potential fit.
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