33+ Cover Letter Tips and Advice to Stand Out in 2024
Looking for cover letter tips and advice to really stand out? Want cover letter mistakes to avoid and other dos and don'ts? You've come to the right place.
Christian Eilers
Career Expert
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- Project Manager Cover Letter: Examples for 2024 (+Template)
Project Manager Cover Letter: Examples for 2024 (+Template)
You’re accountable for the success and failure of projects each day. Now is the time to wow the hiring manager with your abilities. Do so with an interview-winning PM cover letter.
What’s the next project you need to implement? A project manager cover letter that oozes professionalism.
You’ll need one that showcases your strong leadership skills, decision-making abilities, and organizational skills. Ready to execute?
In this article, you’ll get:
- Two sample cover letters for project manager jobs: a senior project manager cover letter for an experienced candidate and an entry-level project manager cover letter example for a candidate with no experience.
- Easy project management job tips and advice on how to write a cover letter sure to get more interviews.
- A cover letter project manager template you can copy, personalize, and have fully prepared in under 15 minutes.
What does a perfect cover letter for a project manager look like? See below—
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Looking for other cover letter examples for managerial positions? See:
- Account Manager Cover Letter
- Business Cover Letter
- Consulting Cover Letter
- Copywriter Cover Letter
- Digital Marketing Cover Letter
- Executive Cover Letter
- Event Manager Cover Letter
- Manager Cover Letter
- Marketing Cover Letter
- Product Manager Cover Letter
- Program Coordinator Cover Letter
Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Cover Letter Examples.
As promised, here are two project manager cover letter examples to start with:
1. Project Manager Cover Letter Samples
First, let’s look at Yolanda. Yolanda likes to paint, enjoys swimming, and loves stand up comedy.
More importantly, she’s a skilled project manager with an industry-leading certification to back it up. And that’s great. The job Yolanda is applying for requires an experienced candidate who can create project deliverables, manage stakeholder communications, and complete projects on time without any problems.
See how Yolanda markets herself in this sample project manager cover letter:
Example #1: Mid-Level Digital PM Candidate With Experience
Yolanda Matthews, PMP
Project Management Professional
320-464-1888
yolanda.matthews@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/yolandamatthews
September 24, 2019
Kristin Timko
HR Manager
HGL International
2313 Jewell Road
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Dear Kristin:
It was exciting for me to come across the digital project management job opening at HGL International. As a marketing project manager with over 3 years of experience and success in project initiation, planning, documentation, and execution, I am positive that I’d be a perfect choice for this role, as well as an ideal candidate for helping HGL deliver its upcoming goals.
It states in the job description that you are searching for a project manager with at least a CAPM recognition and skilled in the best PM approaches, such as benefits realization management and iterative and incremental project management. As a project manager for the marketing department at Tantor Media, I successfully managed 5 large-scale marketing campaigns from ideation through to completion. My managed projects all came in under budget (11% on average) and ahead of schedule (1.5 weeks on average). I am sure I could bring that same fast-paced, detail-oriented approach to project management over to HGL International.
I enjoyed reading up on HGL before applying for this project manager role, and I was quite pleased with what I found. I admire your commitment to socially-conscious marketing, and I would be proud to be a member of your staff.
Could we discuss your upcoming projects and targets and how I might be helpful as a project manager?
Sincerely,
Yolanda Matthews
320-464-1888
yolanda.matthews@gmail.com
That was a sample cover letter project manager employers would be sure to enjoy.
But, what if you’re making a project manager cover letter with no experience? You'll need to highlight your skills as an entry-level candidate.
Meet Matthew. Matt enjoys Dungeons & Dragons, practicing German, and color-coordinating his sneakers with his sweater vests.
The downside to Matt? He doesn’t have project management experience but recently earned the entry-level CAPM certificate (Certified Associate in Project Management) from the Project Management Institute. This should help him score this junior PM position.
Have a look at Matt’s entry-level project manager cover letter sample:
Example #2: Entry-Level Candidate (No Experience)
Matthew Yolander
Certified Associate in Project Management
320-464-8111
matthew.yolander@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/matthew.yolander
September 24, 2019
Kristin Timko
HR Manager
HGL International
2313 Jewell Road
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Dear Kristin:
As a recent college graduate and CAPM recipient, I was quite happy to find the opening for an assistant project manager at HGL International. With my strong communication skills, attention to detail, and management experience from my previous job as a shift supervisor, I believe that I have the right foundation needed to be a great junior project manager and member of your staff.
You mentioned in the job description I found on LinkedIn that you’re seeking a junior project manager able to assist the lead PM in their roles of creating, structuring, and implementing key deliverables. During my university studies, as well as through my CAPM training, I became quite knowledgeable in the management of project scope, project integration, project scheduling, and project costs. I would love to put that expertise, as well as my high level of interpersonal skills and technical abilities, to work as the assistant project manager at HGL.
It would be a great honor for me to discuss with you further how I may be a particularly great fit for managing your upcoming company KPIs and targets.
Sincerely,
Matthew Yolander, CAPM
320-464-8111
matthew.yolander@gmail.com
Not bad and not so tough, right? You’ve just witnessed two easy-but-effective project manager cover letter samples. Now it’s your turn.
If you need a helping hand, we’ve got simple, fill-in-the-blanks project manager cover letter templates for you to copy and use for yourself.
By the way, what about your project manager resume? Are you sure your resume for project management jobs is ready for the employer to view? Check out these guides to be certain:
2. How to Write a Cover Letter for Project Manager Jobs Step by Step (Template)
Here’s how to write a project manager cover letter that’s bound to succeed:
1. Format the Project Manager Cover Letter Template
Whether you’re a project manager in construction, IT, or healthcare, you know how important it is to plan your steps to properly execute your project.
First, you’ll do things such as creating a detailed project scope and getting approval from stakeholders.
The same holds true in cover letter writing. Don’t just start writing. First, you must format the cover letter right.
Here’s how to format a PM cover letter template:
- Choose a cover letter font that matches your project management resume.
- Don’t justify-align any text; keep everything aligned to the left side of the page.
- Keep a 1-inch border around the entire document and use single line spacing.
- Stick to a one-page cover letter. If you spill over, it’s time to trim it down.
Expert Hint: Project managers are expected to grow 33% (33 million new jobs) by 2027. On top of that, the better jobs pay well over $100K. However, if you want to seal the deal on one of those top jobs and beat out the sea of other applicants, don’t slack on your PM cover letter, and definitely no generic cover letters!
2. Head a Project Manager Cover Letter with Contact Info
The header on a project manager or program manager cover letter is easy peasy—It’s just your deets, a date, and their info. However, many PM job applicants mess this part up because it seems so simple.
Use this template to ensure yours is right:
Product or Project Management Cover Letter Sample Heading
[ Your Name] (Optional Post-Nominal Letters)
[ Your Job Title ] (Optional)
[ Telephone Number ]
[ Email Address ]
[ LinkedIn Profile ]
[ Date of Writing ]
[ Hiring Manager’s Name ]
[ Hiring Manager’s Job Title ]
[ Company Name ]
[ Company Street Address ]
[ City, State, Zip Code ]
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3. Introduce Yourself and Identify the Project Manager Job to Which You’re Applying
Now it’s time to actually begin the cover letter. All eyes are drawn to the first lines.
In the salutation, use the manager's name. Visit the company’s website or LinkedIn profile page to locate it if you don’t already know it. Next is the first paragraph.
There, you’ll want to give them an introduction to you as a candidate. List the specific job you’re aiming for and highlight how your professional background helped you build your project management skills and professional background so far.
Use this template to guide you along:
Assistant or Senior Project Manager Cover Letter Example: Greeting & Opening Statement
Dear [Employer’s Name]:
When I came across your advertisement looking to fill the [Specific Project Management Job Title] position at [Company Name], I was immediately excited. As a [Previous or Current Job Title or Certification Title] having [###] years of expertise, I’ve developed and become highly skilled in [Several PM Skills, e.g., Project Design, Vision, Scope, Agile, SCRUM, Forecasting, Problem Solving, Cost Control, Time Management, etc.].As such, I believe I would make a perfect choice for the position and your company’s upcoming goals,
Expert Hint: Want to show them you’re all in when it comes to a career in project management? Get certified! Choose a prestigious and world-renowned organization, such as the Project Management Institute (PMI) and their certifications.
4. Showcase Your Project Management Skills & Strengths
You’ve planned for this moment—now is the time to execute. In the following paragraph, give them what they want.
They’ll want to see your skills and experience match with the project manager job description, specifically in the job requirements section. In this paragraph, show them you’re the right choice for the construction or technical project manager role by explaining how you meet and exceed their expectations.
Check out this example:
Cover Letter for Project Manager Jobs: Middle Paragraph
According to the job ad, you are trying to find a [Project Management Job Title] with experience in [List Several Job Requirements From the Advert]. During my time at [Most Recent or Current Company] as a [Most Recent or Current PM Job Title],I succeeded in [PM Accomplishments]. I am sure that this experience, along with my skills with [List PM Skills, e.g., Leading Cross-Functional Teams, Cost Control, Value Management, Construction, etc.] would allow me to effectively replicate them at [Company Name].
Expert Hint: One recent study found that, more and more, the “virtues and vices” of project managers are being taken into consideration. Showing soft skills, such as courage and truthfulness, as well as a lack of weaknesses, will certainly score you more points.
5. Inform Them Why You Want to be Their Project Manager
Following that paragraph, show a little love. They want an effective and efficient leader as they scour construction or IT project manager cover letters. But—
The company also wants someone who wants to work there and who’ll fit like a glove, from the company culture to the team members you’ll supervise.
So, throw in a compliment or two. Find a fact about the company to praise. Show some enthusiastic desire to be a part of their growth.
Have a look at this template:
Project Manager Cover Letter Example: Your Motivation
I particularly love [Company Name] and your [Something You Admire About Them, e.g., Values, Leadership Team, Employees, Company Culture, Contributions, etc.]. These points about your company and the team are quite admirable, and it would be a dream come true for me to be granted the [PM Job Title] at [Target Company Name].
6. Finish the Project Management Cover Letter With a CTA & Formal Closing
As you end a cover letter, emphasize your value and offer.
Request a Zoom/Google Teams chat, face-to-face, or phone call, and inform them that you have more to say and you’d like to discuss further.
Here’s a sample PM cover letter closing for reference:
Sample Cover Letter for Project Manager Jobs: CTA & Close
Could we have a talk about how my project management skills and professional background can help [Company Name] complete its upcoming project targets and deliverables?
Sincerely,
[Digital Copy of Signature]
[First & Last Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
Also, consider attaching a project portfolio alongside your project manager resume and cover letter:
Feature samples of your work. Show hiring managers tangible samples of past work and projects. Include a portfolio URL, code repository links like GitHub or Bitbucket, links to your active mobile apps, or a link to your blog to demonstrate your successes.
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Key Points
Here’s what to remember as you write a cover letter for project manager jobs:
- Format your product or construction project manager cover letter prior to writing.
- In the PM cover letter salutation, address the director or hiring manager directly.
- Start your cover letter by introducing yourself, identifying the role you’re targeting, and giving a quick breakdown of your professional history.
- Scan the project management job description and use the body paragraph to show them you meet and exceed their applicant expectations.
- As you wrap up your IT or technical project manager cover letter, explain to them it’s more than just a job with some enthusiasm and praise.
- Close the PM cover letter with a CTA (call to action) and request to discuss more.
Need more cover letter related resources? Check out these guides:
Got any questions about writing a cover letter? Not sure how to add achievements onto a cover letter for construction project managers or web PMs? Let’s talk below in the comment area, and thanks for reading!
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