Tips for Writing a Knockout HR Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter is arguably one of the most dreadful parts of the application process.  

And yet, if you’ve worked in Human Resources before, you know that a cover letter should never be neglected. After all, a cover letter can help give recruiting managers a fuller picture of what you’d bring to the table. As a candidate, it can also provide you with the opportunity to expand on highlights from your resume (e.g. gaps in employment or your personal referral to the job or company).

Since it’s a key part of the application process, in this blog post, we’ll outline a few steps you can take to write a strong cover letter for an HR position.

 

General tips for writing an HR Cover Letter:

Intro: At the top, list the recipient’s full name, contact details and your full name and contact details. If you don’t know the hiring manager’s name than instead of “Dear Mr. or Ms. {last name}” use “Dear Hiring Manager.”

The intro paragraph should also contain details on how you heard about the role and why you’re applying to the position. Avoid using cliches or generic statements that could be applied to any position or sound vague.
 

Body: In this section, it’s important to explain why you’re qualified for the job. Spell out the number of years you’ve worked, the abilities you’ve gained and examples of how you’ve succeeded in your past positions. These examples should be quantifiable – something that can be measured and shows tangible results that prove you’re a strong candidate. To help the hiring manager easily track your qualifications, consider using bulleted lists.

Beyond that, it’s important to demonstrate that you have the right HR expertise. With all the fast-paced and massive shifts taking place across Ontario workplaces, businesses want better – and even the best – in HR practice and new approaches. They obviously need expert and skilled HR professionals to deliver it. Equity, diversity and inclusion, mental health, employee retention and talent development are just some of the current hot topics in HR that you should be well-versed in to land an interview. Check out the webpage Issues Affecting the Profession for more trending topics.

 

Don’t forget to also add a personal touch to your letter. For example, explain why you’re passionate about HR, why you’re a great fit for the role and/or how you can enhance the organization’s HR efforts.  

 

Conclusion: Wrap up the letter with a call to action such as a desire to interview for the role or a desire for additional information from a recruiter. Sign-off with your name and a thank you. Don’t forget to refer to the attached resume and any other accompanying documents in the concluding paragraph of the letter. To take things to the next level, consider adding a postscript (P.S.) to shine a spotlight on one of your other achievements.

Remember, cover letters should be one page or less in length and customized to ensure you stand out. After you finish, be sure to carefully review and edit your cover letter. Spelling mistakes can easily get your cover letter tossed in the rejection pile.

 

Other Types of Cover Letters:

HR Cover Letter with no experience

If you’re applying to an entry-level HR position with little to no experience in the HR field, then be sure to give details about the transferable skills and relevant education you may have. Some skills necessary for an HR position include:

• • Emotional intelligence
  • Communication skills
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Organizational skills
  • Efficiency and time management

These soft skills will often be listed in the job advert so be sure to read this section carefully to tailor your cover letter accordingly.

 

Networking or Cold-Call Cover Letters

The first type of letter/email is to network with a colleague or an acquaintance or anyone that can support you in your job search. Typically emailed through LinkedIn, with this type of letter/email it’s important to be brief and straight to the point as to why you’re reaching out.
 

Cold-Call letters, on the other hand, should grab a reader’s attention because you’re not responding to a specific job post but instead reaching out to a company or recruiter directly. Consider your opening sentence to be something that showcases your best achievement or answers a specific company issue.
 

Writing an e-note

An e-note is a letter sent in the body of an email rather than the traditional cover letter in a separate attachment. It’s basically just writing the cover letter in the email itself. Like the cover letter, the e-note should be customized to your job and focus on your relevant experience.

Most of the time an e-note can be an appropriate option except for when it’s being submitted to a database, emailing a senior executive leader (like a CEO) or told by the recruiter to add as an attachment. Under those circumstances, it might be a wise idea to submit a traditional cover letter.  

 

Sample HR Cover Letters:

Here are some sample HR cover letters by ResumeBuilder you can download for FREE