How to Write a Letter of Interest (With Examples)

Since graduation, you've been dreaming about working for that company. Unfortunately, you can't find a single job advert.

Heard about the hidden job market? Rumor has it that 70 – 80 % of all job positions remain unadvertised.

How do you go about applying for a role that may or may not exist?

Write a letter of interest to make a statement and connect with recruiters in the company.

The letter of interest may not lead to an immediate job offer, but it will raise your career prospects, helping you remain on top of the application pile.

Have we won you over? Read on to get inspired by:

• What is a letter of interest, and when should you send one?
• Letter of interest vs cover letter: what is the difference?
• KISS (Keep It Short and Simple) and other ground rules to writing your letter of interest;
• The 10 must-have elements that make up the structure of your letter of interest.
• Real-life examples and templates to write your letter of interest in the blink of an eye.

What is a letter of interest?

A letter of interest goes under many names, like prospecting letter, expression (or statement) of intent (or inquiry).

Whatever the case, the letter of interest helps you get one foot through the door of your dream company – to see if you'd be a good fit for any potential job openings.

The letter of interest is a formal introduction, demonstrating initiative and enthusiasm, qualities hiring managers value.

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When should you write a letter of interest?

Send a letter of intent, if you have recently:

• read an article about the company;
• found a social media post about a new business or expansion;
• seen that the organization accepts resumes for further consideration;
• heard about a job opening that hasn't been announced.

When you choose to write a letter of interest, you are setting yourself apart from the rest by taking the initiative in finding a job within a specific organization that brings you excitement.

I enjoy getting letters of interest, they show true enthusiasm, career focus and determination, and don't happen often.

Jessica Hinkle, state government worker, and hiring manager

Letter of interest versus cover letters

Here are the similarities between the letter of interest and the cover letter. Before writing either, you need to research the organization to add an element of personalization.

Within both letters, you'd need to introduce yourself and answer why your experience would be an asset to the company.

Now, let's look at how a letter of interest differs from a cover letter.

The letter of interest expresses your broader interest and flexibility to adapt to a potential role.

On the other hand, a cover letter highlights why you’re the best candidate out there for the job.

The letter of interest is unsolicited – it is more general and may not be directed to a specific hiring manager or a particular job.

Some job openings require a cover letter – it should note the exact job title and company you're applying for, as well as a greeting to the hiring manager.

The main focus of a letter of interest is to point out why you admire the company (its culture, mission, and values) and how you'd contribute to its future success.

A cover letter may contain similar elements but would be more centered on communicating your skills, experience, and achievements that are relevant to the job.

What makes a good letter of interest?

A good letter of interest should excite the hiring manager or department head to meet you. Thus, leading to an informal, informational interview, or helping you to stay on top of everyone's mind when a new role becomes available.

So, before you start writing, here are the six things that benchmark all successful letters of intent.

Research the company

Dive into information about the company and industry via press releases and news articles; the corporate website and mission statement; LinkedIn and other social media platforms.

Remember that the more specific, company-relevant details you can disclose in your letter of interest, the more likely you'd impress with your knowledge.

Personalize your greeting

Start your letter of interest with a personalized salutation to a human resource specialist, currently recruiting in the company, or a department manager, you'd wish to work with.

Avoid generic greetings like “To whom it may concern” or “Dear sir/madam”.

Instead, take the time to find the relevant contact and note the department head’s or manager’s full name and job title.

Attention-grabbing hook from the get-go

Here's the cold, harsh truth about the letter of interest – no one is expecting your application or has any obligation to respond to your message.

Prove that your profile is worth the company's time by showing you've done your homework on the organization and the specific value you can deliver.

Refer to your research to look out for noteworthy, recent projects or business updates (e.g. opening a new store or entering a new market).

In your letter of interest, point out how you see yourself driving this enterprise ahead by showing your past track record of success.

Professional tone and language

When writing your letter of interest, double-check your grammar and spelling to show you pay attention to even the smallest details.

Use a polite tone to balance your enthusiasm and confidence, without sounding too cocky or pushy. Yet, avoid sounding too much like a robot, as the company may think you've written your letter of interest with AI.

Often humor helps you to stand out, but, in this case, we suggest you avoid cracking jokes, as they might not resonate with your readers.

Persuasive and specific offer

Aim to stay on target by explaining exactly why you'd fit the company culture.

Use LinkedIn to research current employees working in the role you wish to have and discover their key skills.

Select up to three of your strengths to tell the story of how your experience aligns with the ideal candidate profile.

Remember to always include your achievements by a tangible metric (e.g. percent increased) to be even more specific.

Keep your letter of interest to the point

How likely are you to read a letter of intent that just pops out of the blue in your mailbox one day and that goes on and on and on…

Not very likely.

Your persuasion letter should be up to a page long (around 200 – 300 words). That is around three paragraphs that should be single-spaced.

Follow the standard business letter format to highlight how you can contribute to the company.

Your resume should be attached to your letter of interest, painting the full picture of your experience.

Enhancv's resume builder allows you to create a perfectly streamlined document that will further elevate the impact of your letter of interest. If you think your resume needs a refresh, follow our guidelines in the article, How to Write a Great Resume.

How to write a good letter of interest

When sitting down to write your letter of intent, there are two rules of thumb you need to follow.

• Rule number one – you should focus on what you have to offer rather than what you're seeking in a new employer.
• Rule number two – the goal is to pique interest, not provide a detailed account of your career history.

Having that in mind, let's get down to writing your letter of interest!

The structure of your letter of interest

1. Header – include your name, and contact details (email, phone number, and address). Also, the contact's name, job title, and company name. Don't miss out on the date.
2. Greeting – take the time to find out who you're writing to and always personalize your salutation.
3. Introduction – to grab the reader's attention with relevant information.
4. Body paragraph – to show how you'd bring value to the organization.
5. Closing paragraph – aim to end with a call to action.
6. Signature

The introduction paragraph of your letter of intent

Kick off your letter of interest with a brief introduction of your current job title or relevant experience to the company.

After this first sentence, note the specific job or department you'd like to be a part of and briefly summarize why.

Next, highlight why you're drawn to the company (e.g. their big-picture vision, products or services, strategic growth, etc.). If you can identify any specific challenges they face, jot them down in this sentence.

End your introduction with a statement that highlights that you know there are no current openings, but you believe your expertise would be a valuable asset.

The body of your statement of interest

Use the body of your letter of interest to make a lasting impression so that the recruiters remember you when a role becomes available.

While it may be challenging to highlight why you'd be the perfect fit for a non-specific role, there are a few approaches you can take.

Identify two or three specific issues within the company or department.

Describe how your current job equips you to address these challenges, by focusing on your accomplishments, paired with tangible metrics (e.g. numbers of products sold in a month, etc.).

Show how your achievements and skills align with the company's needs.

• Emphasize hard skills (or the technologies you can use) and soft skills (your people and communication talents) that bring value to the company.
• Select notable accomplishments that set you apart from other industry professionals. Use bullets to draw attention to them, and add numbers to show the results of your success.
• Highlight your specific experience or qualifications in a niche, that the company values. If you are a recent graduate, with no experience, use your volunteer experience or extracurricular activities to make your case.

The closing paragraph of your persuasion letter

Finish your letter of interest with a call to action, inviting the hiring manager to reach out to discuss potential opportunities.

Thank them for their time and consideration and suggest exploring ideas in a live meeting (e.g. an informational interview or a casual coffee chat).

Emphasize your flexibility to accommodate their schedule, and make it clear that you look forward to exploring the opportunities further.

Don't forget to add how they can get in touch (via email or telephone).

Ready for some real-life examples of writing your letter of interest? Let’s explore one that is completely wrong:

Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to express my interest in joining Battleships Inc. I have over 12 years of experience as a software developer, and I believe my skills and expertise make me an ideal candidate for your team. Throughout my career, I have consistently demonstrated my ability to deliver high-quality software solutions, and I am confident that I can bring significant value to your organization. I have worked on numerous high-profile projects, and I have always been the go-to person for solving complex problems. My technical skills are top-notch, and I have a deep understanding of various programming languages and technologies. I am an expert in Java, Python, C++, and JavaScript, and I have extensive experience with frameworks such as Angular, React, and Spring. My ability to quickly learn and adapt to new technologies has always set me apart from my peers. In my previous role at Meta, I led a team of developers to successfully complete a major software overhaul project, which resulted in a 30% increase in system efficiency. I have always been recognized for my leadership skills and my ability to motivate my team to achieve outstanding results. My strong communication skills have also enabled me to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, ensuring that projects are completed on time and within budget. I am particularly proud of my ability to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks in software systems. In one instance, I was able to reduce the load time of a critical application by 50%, significantly improving the user experience. My keen attention to detail and my dedication to writing clean, efficient code have always been my strengths. Looking forward to hearing from you! Sincerely, Jackson Statham

Notice how Mr Statham has focused solely on his experience and achievements? He hasn't pinpointed in any way the company he is applying to – its culture, unique problems, or goals.

The constant "I" comes across as a bit arrogant, creating an endless account of his success.

Here is how Mr. Statham can improve his letter of interest:

Dear Mr. Jones, This letter expresses my interest in joining Battleships Inc. as a software developer. With over 12 years of experience in the field, I feel my Java and Angular skills align with your specific company's needs. For me, Battleships Inc. stands out due to its commitment to cutting-edge technology and its ambitious goal of revolutionizing the maritime software industry. In my previous role at Meta, I led a team of developers to successfully complete a major software overhaul project resulting in a 30% increase in system efficiency. Other key achievements include identifying and resolving performance bottlenecks in a critical application, and reducing load time by 50%. Eager to explore how this background and skill set can be leveraged to support the innovative projects at Battleships Inc. A meeting or informational interview would be welcomed to discuss this further. Thank you for considering this application. Looking forward to the possibility of contributing to your team and helping Battleships Inc. achieve its ambitious goals. Sincerely, Jackson Statham

From the get-go Mr. Statham expresses his interest in a specific role, highlighting his unique skill set and why he chose the company.

The body of his letter of interest highlights two key achievements with tangible metrics.

The ending includes a call to action.

Four good letter of interest examples

In the next part of this guide, we’ll present you with four real-life industry professionals’ letters of intent.

Take note of their initial mistakes and how to make their writing sound more specific to match the company.

Project manager letter of interest

What happens when you send out a generic-sounding letter of interest?

Dear Hiring Manager, This letter expresses interest in potential project management opportunities at ViaStock. With extensive experience in leading successful projects, enthusiasm surrounds the possibility of contributing to your team. Eager to learn more about available roles and discuss how project management expertise can support ViaStock's goals. Sincerely, Timothy Allias

The candidate doesn’t build his case as to how he could contribute to the company. Mr. Allias’s letter of interest sounds generic and robotic, at best.

Here is how he edited it:

Dear Mr. Thompson, this letter is to express interest in a Project Manager position at ViaStock. ViaStock’s reputation for pioneering digital solutions and its recent initiative to enhance user experience through advanced AI and machine learning applications resonate deeply with me and my career goals to leverage technology to drive business success. With over a decade of experience managing digital projects, my extensive experience in agile project management, and my strong technical background, have equipped me with the tools to effectively manage challenging and flexible project lifecycles, like the ones at ViaStock, from inception to completion. In previous roles, leading diverse teams to deliver complex digital projects on time and within budget has been a hallmark. Notably, spearheading a comprehensive website overhaul for a major e-commerce client resulted in a 40% increase in user engagement and a 25% rise in conversion rates. Thank you for considering this application. If you'd like to explore my profile further, during an informational interview, my availability is on weekdays between 10:00 to 18:00.Looking forward to discussing how my project management expertise can align with ViaStock’s goals Sincerely, Timothy Allias

Mr. Allias’s letter of interest works now as it’s:

• Personalized and targeted to the reader.
• Shows exactly why he’s interested in the company.
• Highlights relevant experience, skills, and noteworthy accomplishments.
• There’s a clear call to action at the end.

Data scientist letter of interest

The letter of intent is where you should avoid being overconfident:

Dear HR, I am writing to express my interest in the Data Scientist position at your esteemed organization. With my unparalleled skills and expertise in data analysis and machine learning, I am confident that I am the best candidate you will find. Throughout my career, I have consistently outperformed my peers and delivered groundbreaking insights that have propelled companies to new heights. My ability to think outside the box and my strategic mindset have always set me apart from other data scientists. I look forward to hearing from you soon to discuss how I can revolutionize your data analytics department and lead your organization to unparalleled success. You would be lucky to have someone with my talent and vision on board. Best regards, Jasmine Tookes

Notice how Ms. Tookes’ letter of intent:

• Comes across as overconfident and arrogant.
• Focuses too much on her individual achievements.
• Offers no insights as to how she succeeded.

Want to see how she fixed her persuasion letter?

Dear Ms. Styles, I am writing to express my interest in the Data Scientist position at BubbleWish. I am particularly impressed by BubbleWish's commitment to pioneering digital solutions in the SaaS industry. Your dedication to innovation aligns perfectly with my career goals of leveraging technology to drive business success. With a proven track record in data analysis and machine learning, I am eager to contribute my skills to your dynamic team. My experience includes developing predictive models that significantly optimize operational efficiencies and drive strategic decision-making. Throughout my career, I have specialized in transforming complex data sets into actionable insights. For instance, I led a project at my previous role that reduced operational costs by 30% through optimized inventory management strategies. I excel in communicating technical findings to non-technical stakeholders, ensuring informed decision-making at all levels. I am eager to discuss how my expertise can contribute to BubbleWish’s growth and success. Please contact me at +584387597845478945 or jtookes@enhancv.com to arrange a meeting. I am flexible with my availability and look forward to exploring potential opportunities with your team. Thank you for considering my application. I am excited about the possibility of joining BubbleWish and contributing to your innovative endeavors. Sincerely, Jasmine Tookes

Reading Ms. Tookes letter of interest you can see exactly why she’s interested in a role at the company and can immediately pinpoint the impact she has had in her past roles.

In the conclusion paragraph, the recruiter can immediately find her contact details and reach out, when a suitable job becomes available.

Lecturer letter of interest

You want your letter of intent to hint at your attention to detail, so double-check your spelling, before sending it across.

Dear Hiring Committee, I am writing to express my intrest in a lecturer position at your university. With a strong background in medical science, I am excited about the possiblity of contributing to your institution. Having researched your university, I am impressed by it's commitment to academic excellence and research. I believe my teaching experience and dedication to medical science align well with your academic mission. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss my qualifications and how they may meet your needs. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience to arrange a discussion. Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to explore potential opportunities at your university. Sincerely, Precious Jonson

Apart from the spelling errors, due to potentially being pressed on time, Mr. Jonson’s letter is vague and doesn’t clearly state the role he is interested in.

Check out how Mr. Jonson improved his letter:

Dear Hiring Committee, I am writing to express my interest in a potential medical science lecturer position at the University of Minnesota. I am particularly drawn to the University of Minnesota's reputation for academic excellence and its commitment to innovative research initiatives in medical sciences. Your institution's interdisciplinary approach and collaborative research environment align perfectly with my career goals of advancing scientific knowledge and translating research findings into clinical applications. Throughout my academic journey, I have cultivated a strong foundation in medical science. I recently completed my doctoral research at the University of Utah, where I focused on the impact of genetic mutations on cancer progression. My research involved employing advanced molecular biology techniques such as PCR and Western blotting to analyze cellular pathways and identify novel therapeutic targets. In my role as a teaching assistant at the University of Utah I gained valuable experience in curriculum development, lecturing, and student mentoring. I am dedicated to fostering an inclusive learning environment that promotes critical thinking and academic excellence among students. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the University of Minnesota's mission of advancing knowledge and preparing future leaders in the field of medical science. My teaching experience, research background, and commitment to academic excellence position me well to contribute effectively to your department. Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to discuss how my qualifications and passion for medical science can contribute to the vibrant academic community at the University of Minnesota. Please feel free to contact me at +84349878678579 or p.jonson@enhancv.com to arrange a convenient time for further discussion. Sincerely, Precious Jonson

Recruiters can now understand Mr. Jonson’s specific academic background and expertise, and see the value his experience can offer.

QA Engineer (Intern) letter of interest

You may not have relevant experience, yet as a junior professional, you have other skills and qualities that would help you stand out.

For starters, don’t be too friendly in your letter of intent:

Hey there! I hope this message finds you well. I’m reaching out because I am super excited about the opportunity to join your team as a QA engineer intern. Your company seems really cool and I think I’d fit right in! I’ve been reading about your company online and I really like what you’re doing. Your products seem awesome, and I think I could learn a lot from being a part of your team. Plus, I heard your office has a great atmosphere and I’d love to be a part of that! I know I don’t have a ton of experience yet, but I’ve always been good at finding bugs in games and software. I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so I always make sure things work perfectly before I say they’re good to go. My friends always say I’m great at testing stuff out and finding issues that no one else notices. I’m really looking forward to hearing back from you and hopefully getting a chance to meet in person. I think we could have a lot of fun working together and I’m ready to jump in and start learning right away. Thanks so much for considering my application! Best regards, Marcie Darcie