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Business Cover Letter Examples and Tips for 2024

When applying for any position in business, you should submit a cover letter along with your resume and job application. On this page, we’ll give you business cover letter examples and the tips you need to write a strong cover letter, and increase your chance of getting a job interview.

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By Ho 5 minute read
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Free business cover letter example

Here’s a free cover letter example for a business job that you can copy, paste and adapt for your own letter.

Dear Mr. Smith,

As an administrative assistant, I once had to spend six weeks going back and forth organizing a gigantic event. I wanted to make certain that every person in the company was able to attend and have a phenomenal night. Though it was hard work, I pulled off an event that multiple higher-ups said was the best they had ever attended. This infused in me a desire to keep being the best in every organization I have ever been part of. That’s why I am applying to be an administrative assistant at [Company Name].

My years of experience working as a business assistant means I’m able to handle a variety of demands, including requests surrounding healthcare, social media and various benefits within a company. I find joy in managing assignments for someone else, which means I like being able to complete tasks like creating schedules, helping format a company website and organizing events.

With my work experience and knowledge of the process of administrative assistance, I am the perfect person to help your executives do more with their time. I look forward to speaking with you and telling you more about my skills in helping executives focus on their work instead of details.

Sincerely,
Anthony Hiser

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Resources for Your Next Career Move

Explore our complete cover letter examples selection for tips and resources tailored to every career path.

Business cover letter: 5 key tips

Look at the expertly written cover letter examples on this page for inspiration and wording suggestions and then follow these five expertly written cover letter tips to write your best cover letter for business.

1

Start your letter with the right hook

In your first paragraph, do your best to introduce yourself with a hook and list your best achievements. A typical candidate will open with a phrase such as “I’m excited to be applying for this position,” but does that really set you apart from other candidates? Instead, start your cover letter with a piece of relevant experience that really catches the recruiter’s eye. Did you improve sales by a significant percentage? Did you suggest a cost-cutting measure that saved the company a lot of money? Did you create a social media campaign that added thousands of followers? Start your letter with something specific, relevant and catchy.

2

Show you understand the company and its goals

Before you submit your business cover letter along with your job application and business resume, do your homework and research the company that you want to work for. Is there something in the company’s mission or culture that aligns with your goals? Did you read an article about the company in the Harvard Business Review? If yes, include why you’re a good fit based on your company research. Convince the prospective employer that you understand the company and can benefit the team in the new business role.

3

Quantify your results with hard numbers

While it’s okay to say that you performed a task successfully, it will not make an impact on the hiring manager unless you provide a quantitative result. Provide detailed, in-depth information about your past experiences you’ve had in your relevant area of business to show your measurable successes. For example, you could write “My A/B test of five different advertisement headlines produced a winner headline beating out the standard with an improved response rate by 28%”. Refer to the “cover letter for business” samples on this page to get a feel for how to effectively feature hard numbers.

4

Present a mix of hard and soft skills 

When you perform a role in a business industry, you’re doing it with a combination of hard skills and soft skills. Your hard skills are technical abilities such as marketing skills, sales, financial, business management, administration, data analysis, strategic planning and many more. Hard skills are obtained through training, experience and education. Your soft skills demonstrate your personality and ethics in the workplace. Soft skills such as communication, customer service and interpersonal skills give hiring managers a glimpse into how well you’ll fit in with the team and seamlessly perform necessary tasks. You can find the required skills in the job description.

5

Proofread your letter before you send it

It’s safe to say that most areas of business expect employees to work with a keen attention to detail. The easiest way to show that you pay attention to detail is by submitting an error-free cover letter for business, resume and job applications. When you finish writing, read your cover letter carefully and correct any typos or grammatical errors. If you need assistance, ask a friend or relative to review your letter. For extra help, use our ResumeHelp Cover Letter Builder, which offers a spell check that ensures a typo-free cover letter for business.

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Write a business cover letter in 5 steps

You may apply to a variety of jobs in your business career but you’ll want to tailor each cover letter for every job application. Your cover letter is a chance to show your written communication skills and attention to detail. Use the business cover letter samples on this page and follow these five writing tips to create your perfect cover letter.

1. Cover letter header/contact information

Start with a cover letter header that includes your full name, and contact information with your phone number and related social media links like LinkedIn or a portfolio of your best samples. Make sure that your contact information is up-to-date and your professional cover letter header is prominent so the hiring manager or potential employer can contact you to schedule a job interview.

Example:

Julie Jones
123 Street Name
City, State Zip Code
Juliejones@emailaddress
(123) 000-0000
Portfolio link or professional profile link

2. Cover letter salutation

Begin your cover letter greeting by addressing the hiring manager or team member handling the hiring directly. This makes the reader feel as though you are writing the letter especially for them. Avoid using generic terms such as “Dear Hiring Manager” unless after deliberate research, you could not find a contact name. It is strongly advised to not start with a generic “To Whom It May Concern”. Need more information? Check out our Cover Letter Dear Hiring Manager page.

Examples:

Dear Ms. Cooper,

Dear Mr. Cooper:

3. Cover letter introduction

The opening paragraph of your cover letter is your chance to make a great impression. Catch readers’ attention and make them want to continue reading the letter to learn more about you and your qualifications, by mentioning specific skills or past work experiences that are unique to you as a job candidate, and fit the job. Mention why you’re passionate about working in your particular business field. Maybe as a small child, you worked in your grandfather’s fruit store and picked up a love for selling and earning money for your family. A quick, punchy story can make you a memorable candidate.

Example:

I read with great interest your recent posting for a business analyst with Greenville Media. As a junior business analyst with two years of assisting marketing operations teams on six successful campaigns and solely leading the analysis on our recent fall marketing campaign, I’m confident I can be a valuable asset on your marketing team.

4. Body paragraph(s)

In your body paragraphs, provide more information about how you’re the best fit for the job. List your most relevant skills, experience and impressive business accomplishments. What you feature here should show employers why you’re a top job candidate in the business role you’re applying for. List a few key achievements and point out how they make you different from other candidates. In today’s competitive business world, meeting the requirements of a job role is not enough. Be bold and mention why you would make an exemplary addition to the company.

Example:

Not only did the senior marketing manager assign me as lead business analyst on our fall marketing campaign, he awarded me with the “employee of the month” award when the campaign exceeded our goal with a growth profit of 11%. I continue to receive direct requests to work with new and existing clients. My focus is helping to formulate detailed planning insights, market strategies and budget forecasts that contribute to each company’s overall growth.

5. Closing and sign off

The closing paragraph is where you thank the reader for their time and consideration and place your call to action. A call to action in a cover letter is to subtly request an interview for the job opening. Wording such as “I look forward to speaking with you” encourages the hiring manager or potential employer to call you. This is also a good place to remind the reader about why you’re a good fit for the job and make valuable contributions to the team.

Your formal sign-off should use professional wording, like “Sincerely yours” or “Best regards,” reinforcing you as a respectful, qualified candidate.

Example:

Thank you very much for your consideration. With my work experience and knowledge of the marketing analysis process, I look forward to demonstrating my skills in your marketing analyst role. I look forward to speaking with you and telling you more about my accomplishments and how I can contribute to the successes at Greenville Media. 

Yours Sincerely,
Julie Jones

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Key skills for a business cover letter

No matter your role in business, whether it’s in marketing, finance, accounting, human resources, sales or operations, there are certain key skills that are good to mention in your cover letter for business. Present a mix of hard (or technical) skills that are learned with education, training or on the job experience, and soft (or intangible) skills. Hard skills are what you need to perform major job responsibilities. Soft skills are those skills that make up who you are and how well you can work with those around you.

Here are some skills that will help you land a business role:

Hard skills for a business cover letter

Soft skills for a cover letter

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Create your business cover letter (and resume) with our help

Not sure where to begin with your cover letter? No worries. ResumeHelp offers you the best tools, templates and examples to create a business cover letter and accompanying resume in minutes. Look at these helpful pages to get started:

Cover Letter Builder: Step-by-step guidance to write a professional cover letter in minutes!

Cover Letter Templates: Find the perfect cover letter template to use as a base for your great cover letter!

Cover Letter Examples: Get extra inspiration from our library of other cover letter examples for many different jobs and industries.

How to Format a Cover Letter: Create a cover letter with the right fonts, colors, spacing and other formatting tips.

Business Manager Resume Example: If business manager is your job title, you’ll want to look at this resume example for inspiration.

Business Analyst CV Example: In-depth advice on creating a comprehensive CV to showcase your extensive experience.

Business Development Resume Example: Here is a great resume sample to look at whether you’re entry level or a business development manager.

Business Administration Resume Example: This resume example is great for a variety of business professional resumes.

Business Entrepreneur Resume Example: Use this resume example if you’re a budding or seasoned entrepreneur.

Director of Operations Resume Example: Here is a resume example to land a management position in the operations area of a company.

Operations Manager Resume Example: Job seekers interested in joining the operations team should look at this resume example for wording suggestions.

CEO Resume Example: Check out this professional CEO resume sample written by ResumeHelp experts.

CFO Resume Example: Here’s a sample resume expertly created for the CFO of the company.

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FAQ: Business cover letters

Have questions? We’re here to help.

How do you write a business cover letter?

When writing your business cover letter, highlight your experiences in business through relevant accomplishments and proficient skills. Explain what makes you the ideal candidate for the job role. If your passion for a specific area of business stemmed from a situation in your past, tell the story so you become memorable and stand out among your competitors. Try to focus on unique achievements that will impress the prospective employer. Since business is mostly about numbers, use measurable accomplishments, whether improving performance through monetary figures, social media followers, site visits or high ratings.

What are the four parts of a cover letter in business?

  • Contact information/header: Prominently feature your name, phone number, email address, location and links to your professional profiles or portfolio in your business cover letter header. Address your letter directly to the hiring manager’s name.
  • Opening paragraph: In elevator pitch style, quickly capture the hiring manager’s attention by  mentioning the specific position you’re applying for, passion for the business and how many years of experience you hold in a specific field like finance, sales, creative, HR, operations or management.
  • Body paragraph(s): Further explain your relevant qualifications, work experience, skills and training by mentioning your most impressive accomplishments and specialized business expertise. Use bullet points to make important achievements stand out.
  • Closing/salutation: Thank the hiring manager for their time and consideration, remind them about your passion and excitement about the business job role, and suggest a job interview to provide further information. Use a professional salutation such as “Best Regards.”

To be sure you present your information in a professional format, use one of our expertly prepared templates to give you the ideal layout.

Do I really need a cover letter to get a business job?

It’s always a good idea to include a cover letter with your resume, no matter what job you’re applying for. If you’re not well-versed in cover letter tips, use the ResumeHelp Cover Letter Builder. Here, you can find whatever you need to streamline your job search and ensure you have a business cover letter template that works for you. Also, take a look at a sample cover letter for the specific job role that you’re applying for.

How long should my cover letter be to get a business job?

Ideally, you should be targeting anywhere between half a page and 3/4 of a page. The length of your cover letter may vary depending on what relevant professional experience you have, as well as what soft skills and hard skills you want to list. But it should typically not be longer than a full page or significantly shorter than half a page, especially if you’re submitting it as its own document.

Does this cover letter example work if I don’t have a lot of experience?

Yes, the business cover letter sample found on this page will work. An entry-level cover letter or career change cover letter will need to be modified slightly so it focuses more on your academic achievements and your skills rather than on your past work. Use your cover letter to connect your existing experience in the industry and what you plan to do to help the company you’re applying to.

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WRITTEN BY Ho

Ho is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and editor with two decades of experience in content strategy, creation, and development. He holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University and his background includes experience aiding military veterans as they transition to civilian careers.

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