HR Cover Letter: The Complete 2022 guide to writing an HR Cover Letter
How to write an HR cover letter?
If you are someone struggling with this question, then fret not! You have just hit the jackpot.
After searching on various platforms you finally land upon a near-perfect human resources job for you.
You are ready with a perfect resume and have prepared yourself for every possible interview question for the post of an hr assistant or a hiring manager.
But then the realization dawns on you that it requires you to have an hr cover letter along with your resume.
And you are wondering how to write a cover letter to hiring manager, how to write a cover letter introduction, how to address a cover letter, how to write a cover letter with no experience, etc.
But do not panic, we are here to help you.
This blog will walk you through:
- Difference between a cover letter, a letter of interest, and a letter of introduction
- What is a cover letter
- Different types of cover letters with examples
- How to write a cover letter to hr
- How to address a cover letter
- How to write a cover letter with no experience
Cover letter vs. Letter of Interest vs. Letter of introduction
First, let us clear some doubts about an employment cover letter. People usually confuse a cover letter with a letter of interest or a letter of introduction. There is a slight difference between these three.
Let us first have a look at the letter of interest vs cover letter and letter of introduction vs cover letter section below:
-
A letter of interest is written to a company, to show interest, which is not currently hiring
-
A letter of introduction is written to build connections. It may lead to job opportunities and other business-related functions. It may further be used to introduce someone to the person whom you are writing to
-
A cover letter is written to apply for an open position
What is a cover letter?
First things first, we need to have a basic idea about a cover letter before we move on to an hr cover letter.
A cover letter is a document that you submit with your resume or CV. It contains your introduction, your professional background and, how you would prove to be a good fit for the post.
The purpose of a cover letter is to provide additional information about your skills and qualifications. It is written to convince the hiring manager that you are a perfect fit for the job.
Types of cover letters
Cover letters are broadly divided into three types:
-
Application letter: this is written in response to a job advertisement or a known job opening
-
Prospecting letter: this type of letter is written to inquire about the possible openings or positions
-
Networking letter: this type of letter is written for assistance in your job search, seek advice, or seek an introduction to another professional in the field
To know about cover letters in detail you may refer to the cover letters blog of Hiration. You can also find some cover letter samples.
Human resources cover letter
Cover letters do follow a fixed format but what goes in it is customizable. You can customize it according to the requirements of the job position or the company you are applying to.
So a human resources cover letter needs to be customized according to the job you are applying for, how you are qualified for it, what you can offer to the employer, etc.
An hr generalist cover letter will have a different set of skills and approach than an hr manager cover letter. The same applies in the case of an hr coordinator cover letter or an hr assistant cover letter.
The tricky part while writing a human resources cover letter is that the one who would be reading that cover letter is from the same field. It is a matter of a glance for him to shortlist the same. So you need to be wary while writing your hr cover letter.
Addressing a cover letter
We all have come across the phrase Well begun is half done. So the way of addressing a cover letter and a cover letter introduction matters a lot. An hr cover letter address is as important as the hr cover letter itself.
When you think about your hr cover letter the first thing that comes to your mind is how to address a cover letter, let us have a look at it.
While addressing a cover letter, have a clear idea of who to address a hr cover letter to. So when you are writing a cover letter to hiring manager you might know or might not know his name. This is when the question of how to address a cover letter becomes relevant.
- When you know the name of the hiring manager and if they have titles like Dr., Professor, etc.; do use them. This exhibits your respect towards them and would make them feel good about it. Below are some examples:
- Dear Kevin
- Dear Dr. N. Stalin
- Dear Professor Klein
- Mr. John Buchanan
- Dear Ms. Kentucky
- Now comes the tricky part; when you do not know the name it becomes difficult while addressing a hiring manager.
All you need to do is do not go overboard; keep a formal address while writing your cover letter to hiring manager. In simple words, you need to play safe here. Here are some examples:
- Dear hiring manager
- To the hiring team
You can find our cover letter dedicated blog here. Having found the answer to how to address cover letter to hr, let us move to the other key areas of an hr cover letter.
The first paragraph
After addressing a cover letter comes the opening paragraph. The purpose of the first paragraph of an hr cover letter is to captivate the reader so that he is urged to dwell on it for long.
For example, the introduction of a cover letter for hr assistant can start something like:
I am thrilled to apply for the position of HR Assistant with your company XYZ Ltd. As a zealous follower of your company and its initiatives and goals, I am looking forward to getting associated with it. With an experience of 3+ years and a history of increased responsibility, I have a track record of successfully streamlining the routine processes and the recruiting process. I am motivated to join XYZ Ltd. to use my skills, qualification, and experience and grow as a Human Resource professional.
And this is how the introduction of the cover letter for hr assistant is sorted. Let us move forward.
The second paragraph
It is all about you and the company. In this section, you have to convince the employer why you are a suitable candidate for the company.
Describe your achievements that are useful for the employer. But do not over-stress or brag about them.
For example, this section of an hr generalist cover letter may include the responsibilities undertaken. Such as providing employees information about their interests and benefits. You may also mention your efficiency while handling different areas of your work.
The third paragraph
This is about the company and you. Phrase the paragraph correctly to convince the employer why the company is a perfect fit for you.
For this research about the company, find out their goals and objectives and what they are looking for in a candidate.
Mention what you have learned in your previous company that can be useful for the company or their upcoming project to be specific.
For say, an hr manager cover letter may include:
In my role as an HR Manager, I sharpened my abilities in talent management and contributed to providing a concrete infrastructure for the recruiter position. I am thrilled at the prospect of contributing my talent, skills, and proficiency to teamwork towards your team efforts. I am looking forward to building strong professional relationships for XYZ Ltd. which has been a constructive asset throughout my career.
The closing paragraph
End your hr cover letter with a focus on how you can fulfill their requirements. Leave no option for the employer other than to contact you and schedule an interview. And do not sound desperate. An hr cover letter may end something like:
Please consider my enclosed resume for an analogy of my work history, experience, and achievements to that of XYZ Ltd. I would appreciate the opportunity to have an interview with you and further discuss my personality and professional background that fits this recruiter role.
No experience? No problem
There might be some individuals who are keen to find how to write a cover letter with no experience; here is some advice for you:
- Research the website of the company and the requirements of the job
- Introduce yourself after greeting the person
- Mention the skills you have; relevant to the position
- Explain why you are a suitable candidate and what you can offer the company
- Request for an interview
- Proofread the cover letter a few times to make sure it is error-free
Key takeaways
An hr cover letter can make it or break it. It can intrigue the hiring manager to look in-depth or can make him ignore your resume altogether.
- Make sure you research the company, its objectives, and the post well in advance before writing your cover letter.
- From the introduction to the closing paragraph, make sure you seem relevant for the post
- Do not include your skills as it is from the resume
- Do not brag or lie about your skills; be honest with your hr cover letter
- Appear excited and not desperate about the job opening
- And make it 100% sure to keep it in the professional boundary
You can further use our services to build your resume and cover letter with our resume builder and cover letter builder.
Or you can get them built by us from scratch.
We can also assist you to prepare for your interview. With an extensive database of 20,000+ questions and sample answers for 150+ work profiles, Hiration is the one-stop destination for getting you closer to your dream job.
With this, we come to the end of our blog, for further assistance or queries reach out to us at team@hiration.com, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.