cover letter good communication skills

6 Communications Cover Letter Examples

Communications professionals excel at conveying messages clearly and effectively, bridging gaps and fostering understanding. Similarly, your cover letter is your chance to communicate your professional journey, skills, and passion in a way that resonates with recruiters. In this guide, we'll delve into the best cover letter examples for Communications professionals, helping you to articulate your unique story in a compelling manner.

Cover Letter Examples

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The best way to start a Communications cover letter is with a strong, engaging opening that immediately grabs the reader's attention. This could be a brief anecdote about a relevant experience, a compelling fact about your skills or achievements, or a bold statement about your passion for the field. Be sure to tailor your introduction to the specific role and company you're applying to, demonstrating your knowledge of their work and how you can contribute. Remember, the goal is to make a memorable first impression and encourage the reader to continue reading.

Communications professionals should end a cover letter by summarizing their interest in the role and their qualifications. It's important to reiterate how their skills and experiences align with the job requirements. They should also express enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute to the company's communication efforts. For example, they could say, "I am excited about the opportunity to bring my strategic communications skills to your team and help drive your brand's message. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing my qualifications further." Finally, they should end with a professional closing like "Sincerely" or "Best regards," followed by their name. It's also a good idea to include their contact information below their name for easy reference.

A Communications cover letter should ideally be about one page long. This length is enough to succinctly present your skills, experiences, and your interest in the role without overwhelming the hiring manager with too much information. In terms of word count, aim for 300-500 words. Remember, the goal is to provide a snapshot of your qualifications and how they align with the job requirements. As a communications professional, your ability to convey information clearly and concisely is key, and your cover letter is a great place to demonstrate this skill.

Writing a cover letter with no experience in Communications can seem challenging, but it's all about showcasing your transferable skills, passion for the industry, and eagerness to learn. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it: 1. Start with a Professional Greeting: Address the hiring manager by name if possible. If not, use a professional greeting like "Dear Hiring Manager." 2. Open Strong: Begin with a compelling opening paragraph that explains why you're interested in the role and the company. Show enthusiasm for the industry and the opportunity to start your career in Communications. 3. Highlight Transferable Skills: Even if you don't have direct experience, you likely have skills that are relevant to a Communications role. These could include writing, public speaking, project management, or social media skills. Use specific examples to demonstrate these skills. For example, if you managed a project for a college club, explain how you communicated with team members and stakeholders. 4. Show Your Knowledge: Research the company and the industry and demonstrate this knowledge in your cover letter. This shows that you're proactive and genuinely interested in the field. 5. Education and Training: If you've studied Communications or a related field, be sure to mention this. Include any relevant coursework or projects. If you've attended any workshops or completed any online courses in Communications, include these as well. 6. Show Your Passion: Employers want to hire people who are passionate about their work. Show your passion for Communications by talking about why you're interested in the field and how you plan to contribute to it. 7. Close Professionally: Thank the hiring manager for their time and express your interest in discussing the role further in an interview. 8. Proofread: Make sure your cover letter is free of errors. This is especially important for a Communications role, as it demonstrates your attention to detail and communication skills. Remember, everyone starts somewhere. Even without direct experience, your enthusiasm, transferable skills, and willingness to learn can make you a strong candidate for a Communications role.

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• 11 Best Communication Skills...

11 Best Communication Skills for Your Resume (With Examples)

11 min read · Updated on February 13, 2024

Are you properly conveying communication skills in your resume?

When it comes to employment skills, few are more important than the ability to effectively communicate with others. No matter your profession, chances are that you'll need some level of communication skill to interact with co-workers, managers, subordinates, and customers. As a result, employers who are evaluating potential hires always want to see evidence of communication skills in a resume.

But which communication skills should you include in your resume to make the best possible impression on employers?

In this post, we'll explain why you need to highlight these skills in your resume, examine 11 of the top communication skills, and offer tips to help you demonstrate those abilities. We'll also provide examples that show you how to include this critical information.

Why should you include communication skills in your resume?

While your hard skills - specific, measurable, job-related abilities - typically form the core of any job description's required qualifications, soft skills cannot be overlooked in your resume. In fact, those interpersonal abilities can play a significant role in any hiring decision that involves two otherwise equally competent candidates. If you're competing for a job against someone with equivalent technical capabilities and experience, that difference in soft skills may determine who gets hired.

When you include communication skills in your resume, you're letting an employer know that you have interpersonal abilities that can make you a valuable member of their team. That's an important consideration for any employer, of course. Companies want new hires who can do more than just fulfill their duties; they want team players who fit well within their organization.

Related post : The Essential Steps of Your Communication Process

Types of communication skills

It's important to understand what we mean when we talk about communication skills. For our purposes, we can categorize these skills into three distinct types:

Verbal skills . These communication skills include everything from conveying information or persuading others to public speaking and dealing with customer complaints.

Written skills . Many jobs require the ability to write in a concise and informative manner. These skills can include everything from informal emails to professional briefs, client presentations, and detailed reports for superiors.

Interpersonal skills . The third type of communication skill involves all those abilities that you use to interact with others. They can include things like empathy, active listening, and conflict resolution.

  What are the top 11 communication skills employers want to see?

Below are 11 of the top communication skills for resumes. As you might expect, there are many others that you might want to consider as well. However, these 11 skills are among the most sought-after that employers are looking for in job candidates.

1.     Active listening

Active listening is a prized communication skill. This ability goes well beyond simply hearing what others say, and instead involves the ability to actively understand their message. People with these skills can connect with others, build trust, and participate in collaborative problem-solving efforts.

Active listening includes a host of other skills, including the ability to ask probing questions, provide nonverbal and verbal cues that show that you're paying attention, and paraphrase what you're hearing to confirm your understanding of the message.

Related post : What are the Types of Listening Skills? 8 Types Explained

2.     Empathy

Empathy is a vital interpersonal trait and one of the most important leadership communication skills. People with empathy tend to be more curious and open-minded, have a keener sense of self-awareness, and are less likely to be hostage to their own natural biases and preconceptions. They value other people's perspectives and are willing to entertain ideas that challenge their beliefs.

3.     Conflict management and resolution

Conflict is an inevitable feature of human interaction - including in the workplace. If you have excellent conflict resolution skills, it's important to highlight them in your resume. Employers will be interested in knowing that you're capable of resolving interpersonal conflict in your work setting, since that can have a direct and positive impact on productivity and workplace harmony.

4.     Presentation skills

There are many jobs that require the ability to make presentations to superiors, customers, shareholders, or even coworkers. Good presentation skills enable you to compellingly convey information to others, persuade them to consider your point of view, or simply keep your target audience apprised of relevant developments.

5.     Writing skills

Effective writing skills are important in virtually every industry and a wide variety of roles. Obviously, many jobs will require simple writing tasks like composing emails, but there are a whole host of other writing abilities that employers may be looking for. These can include everything from legal briefs or technical writing to advertising copy, marketing presentations, contract creation, and more. Depending on the job you're seeking, including these important communication skills in your resume could be vital.

6.     Team building

The ability to build and work with teams is another important leadership communication skill for your resume. Whether you're interested in a managerial or executive role, this skill set is something that you'll need to succeed in that leadership position. Effective team builders know how to work with others to solve problems, are skilled in delegating work to competent subordinates, and know how to help team members reach their full potential.

Related post : 20 Key Leadership Competencies for Success (Plus Tips!)

7.     Motivation

Employers also appreciate candidates who possess useful motivational skills. While the ability to set goals, maintain a positive attitude, and rally others to achieve a shared objective is essential for leadership, it can also be an invaluable skill for anyone who works in a collaborative setting. By including these communication skills in your resume, you can ensure that employers recognize your ability to inspire others and drive productivity in the workplace.

Related post : 6 Qualities of Managers Who Practice Inspiring Leadership

8.     Openness to feedback

Hiring managers also want to see that you're capable of receiving feedback, whether it's constructive criticism or praise. These skills reflect a commitment to teamwork and continual improvement, both of which are highly prized by today's employers. It's a bonus if you're also adept at providing feedback to others. That desire to develop as an employee and help others to reach their full potential can make you an attractive candidate for many jobs.

9.     Honesty

You might not think of honesty as a communication skill, but it is. Whether you're an entry-level worker or a manager, it's important for others to know that they can trust your words. Of course, honesty encompasses more than just being truthful. It also includes character traits like trustworthiness, responsibility, accountability, and reliability. Honest people are seen as authentic and confident, traits that all good leaders possess.

10.  Emotional intelligence

As the workplace has grown more complex in recent years, hiring managers have placed greater emphasis on employees' emotional intelligence. That's a fancy term that simply describes your ability to manage your own emotions, understand your own interactions with others, and use that knowledge and insight to control stress, relate to others, communicate in a clear and effective way, and manage conflict.

People with high emotional intelligence often excel at interpersonal relations in the workplace and tend to be competent leaders. Their ability to recognize their own emotions and the feelings of others around them can help them to make more informed decisions. Including examples of your use of emotional intelligence can help to highlight those critical interpersonal communication skills in your resume.

11.  Negotiating

Negotiation skills are also highly prized in most industries, so make sure that you highlight these abilities in your resume too. Successful negotiators are adept at problem-solving, persuasive communication, and conflict resolution - skills that are useful in nearly every industry. Include an achievement in your professional experience section that highlights your negotiation skills, demonstrating how those abilities provided measurable value to a previous employer. 

Tips you can use to highlight these skills in your resume

Of course, being familiar with these different communication skills is just the first step. You also need to know how to highlight them in your resume. The following tips can help you with that process.

Match your skills to keywords in the job posting

Always make sure that you review the job posting to identify specific communication-related skills that are listed as job requirements. Wherever possible, use those exact terms in your resume as you describe various communication skills that you've used in previous jobs. That will help to ensure that your resume is found by an applicant tracking system when an employer conducts a search.

Focus on measurable achievements

Don't just say that you have certain communication skills. Show that you have them by including them as achievements in your resume summary or professional experience section. Make sure that you describe how you used those skills to produce measurable value for your employer. Use real numbers to help the reader understand the type of value you can provide as a potential hire.

Always be brief and to the point

Brevity is important, since hiring managers often sift through dozens or even hundreds of resumes. Make sure that you highlight communication skills and other abilities as concisely as possible to optimize space in your resume. Remember also that your writing skills will be on full display as you create the resume, so you probably won't need to spend much time boasting about them.

Communication skills: resume examples you can use

As we noted, there are several ways that you can highlight communication skills in your resume. You can include mention of them in your resume summary, list several within your core competencies section, and highlight examples of their use in your professional experience section. Below are some examples to show you how this is done.

Communication skills in your resume summary

Detail-oriented Office Manager with 10 years of experience managing office operations and interdepartmental communications. Managed 21-person team responsible for accounts totaling $123 million a year. Researched, drafted, and implemented interoffice communication changes that reduced waste by 22%, expedited internal processing and increased departmental revenue by 19% in the first year.

Communication skills in your skills section

Including these communication skills in your core competencies, or skills, section is a simple matter. Pick the skills that most closely align with the job requirements, and list them in bullet point form alongside other key soft skills and your technical proficiencies. For example:

Copywriting

Email management

Media communications

Presentations

Team building

Training management

Office management

Organization

Time management

Decision-making

Communication skills in your work experience section

When it comes to including your communication skills in a work experience section, you again need to focus on notable achievements. Use real numbers that demonstrate value and create several bullet point accomplishment examples for each job listing in this section. You only need to include a couple of examples of how you used your communication skills, of course, since you'll likely also want to highlight other core job-related skills too. Here are some examples that show how to do this:

Reorganized office information flow to speed up client onboarding and account management, resulting in growth of 12% in client acquisition and an increase of 40% in retention

Created an innovative training program for new office transfers, focused on new skills and employee growth. Program resulted in 60% drop in employee attrition, contributing to a 13% increase in revenues in the first quarter of implementation

Negotiated resolution to client conflict that saved a $2 million project contract and led to a 30% expansion in business with the customer over the next two years

Related post : 47 Accomplishment Examples for Your Resume: Expert Picks

Achieve job search success by including communication skills in your resume

Much of your resume will be devoted to highlighting your job-related skills and experiences, but that's no reason to neglect these important soft skills. Conveying effective communication skills in your resume can be a terrific way to demonstrate that you're the best candidate for any job, and may be just what you need to differentiate yourself from your competition!

Are you still not sure if you've properly included your communication skills in your resume? Get a free resume review from our team of experts today!

Recommended reading:

Soft Skills Explained - and the Top 7 for Your Resume

What Are Skills? (With Examples and Tips on How to Improve Them)

These 14 Leadership Traits Can Fuel Your Career Success

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

See how your resume stacks up.

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4 Cover Letter Examples (Plus Tips on How to Write Yours)

We love having examples. It’s so much easier to decorate a cake, build a model, or yes, even write a cover letter when you know what the end product could look like. So that’s what we’re going to give you—all the cover letter examples and tips you need to make yours shine (unfortunately we’re not experts in cake decorating or model building). 

You'll see that writing a cover letter is all about highlighting your relevant skills, professional experience, and accomplishments, while emphasizing your interest for the role in an engaging manner.

Want to get right down to business? Skip ahead to:

1. The traditional cover letter example

2. the impact cover letter example, 3. the writing sample cover letter example, 4. the career change cover letter example, bonus cover letter examples, a few more cover letter tips, why bother with a cover letter at all.

We bet when you see a job listing that says “ cover letter optional ,” you breathe a sigh of relief, gleefully submit your resume, and move on. But you’re truly doing yourself a disservice by not including a cover letter (or by writing one that’s super generic or formulaic).

“When you’re writing a resume you’re oftentimes confined by space, by resume speak, by keywords—you’re up against a lot of technical requirements,” says Melody Godfred, a career coach and the founder of Write in Color who’s read thousands of cover letters over the course of her career. “In a cover letter you have an opportunity to craft a narrative that aligns you not only with the position you’re applying to but also the company you’re applying to.”

Whether you’re writing a cover letter for a data scientist or marketing manager position, an internship or a senior-level role, a startup or a Fortune 500 company, you’re going to want to tailor it to the role, company, and culture. A strong, customized cover letter will help you explain your value proposition and stand out from the stack of applicants. 

If there’s a gap in your resume , you have the opportunity to explain why it’s there. If you’re changing careers, you have the chance to describe why you’re making the switch. If your resume is pretty dull, a cover letter helps you show some personality . And yes, cover letters still get read.

Deep in the job search, or just browsing? These open jobs on The Muse could be your ideal next step »

What do I write in a cover letter? The 3 basic elements

You'll notice from our cover letter examples that the body of your text can vary a lot depending on factors like the position you're applying for, your career stage, and the type of cover letter requested by the hiring manager. For instance, a writing sample cover letter is different from a traditional professional cover letter (we'll get there soon.)

However, there is some information that you can't leave out. It's important to highlight your most relevant experience, skills, and qualifications for the role in any type of cover letter. Plus, make sure to write an engaging first paragraph to grab the reader's attention, and an effective final paragraph, ideally followed by a call to action, in order to leave a lasting positive impression.

You could say that cover letters are a little like puzzles. When you put each component in its proper place (and remove any parts that don’t fit), you create a complete picture. Even though that picture is always different, the types of pieces are basically the same. We've broken down these three key elements for you:

1. An engaging opener

How you start a cover letter is everything. Your opening lines influence whether someone keeps reading—and you want them to, right? “Starting with something that immediately connects you to the company is essential—something that tells the company that this is not a generic cover letter,” Godfred says. “You have to say something that tells the employer, ‘I wrote this just for you.’”

It can be a childhood memory tying you back to the company’s mission. It can be a story about the time you fell in love with the company’s product. It can be an anecdote from another job or experience showing how hard of a worker you are. Whatever you decide to open with, make it memorable.

2. A clear pitch

Use the next few paragraphs of your cover letter to “hit them with the strongest results you have that are aligned with the opportunity,” Godfred says. Ryan Kahn , Muse career coach and founder of The Hired Group , calls this your pitch. In other words, the part where you’re “selling yourself for the position and why you’re qualified for it.”

Additionally, Godfred says, “If you’re someone who’s transitioning careers, and you need to explain that transition, you do it there.”

This section should have a balance of soft and hard skills . Talk about your experience using Salesforce or doing SEO work, but also highlight your ability to lead teams and communicate effectively.

“Companies are embracing authenticity, they’re embracing humanity, they’re looking for people who are going to fit their culture,” says Godfred. “So what are your values? What do you stand for? These values should be as much a part of your cover letter as the super specialized hard skills.

3. A great closing line

Your closing line could include your next steps or a call to action, Kahn says, such as “ I welcome the opportunity to speak with you more about how I can contribute to the team ,” or, “ I would love to schedule a time for us to discuss this role and my experience. ” But more importantly, “You want to make sure that you’re gracious and thanking them,” he says. While seemingly cliché , it never hurts to end on a simple, “ Thank you for your consideration. ”

Does that sound a bit overwhelming? Don’t panic! We’ve got examples of four types of cover letters below: a traditional cover letter , an impact cover letter , a writing sample cover letter , and a career change cover letter . So let’s take a look at these examples, why they work, and how you can use them to craft your own.

A traditional cover letter is similar to what you’d come up with using position-based cover letter templates . It moves in reverse chronological order through your career history, highlighting parts of your past jobs that make you well suited for this position.

You might want to use this type of cover letter if:

• You’re applying to a more formal company (like a law firm or major healthcare company ) or a more conventional role (like a lawyer or accountant).
• You want to play it safe and conservative with your application materials.

What does the job description say?

Imagine you’re applying to a paralegal job opening at a law firm. The job description might include:

Responsibilities

• Draft routine legal documents for review and use by attorneys
• Coordinate and organize materials and presentations for legal proceedings
• Research legal and related issues and report findings and conclusions to team
• Provide overall legal administrative support to the legal team
• Maintain calendars and ensure timely filings

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent of relevant education and work experience
• Strong communication skills (oral and written)
• Strong organizational , multitasking, and prioritization skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and LexisNexis
• Trustworthy, positive, energetic, and optimistic attitude with a willingness to roll up your sleeves

The cover letter example

Here’s an example of a traditional cover letter you could write for this role—keeping things strictly professional but without sounding too boring or jargon-y:

Dear Ms. Jessica Sanchez,

In my five-year career as a paralegal, I have honed my legal research and writing skills, and the attorneys I’ve worked with have complimented me on my command of case law and litigation support. Spiegel Law Firm’s 20 years in practice proves that the firm has strong values and excellent attorneys, and I’d be eager to join such a talented team.

I currently serve as a paralegal for Chandler, Chandler, and Greene, where I work closely with the partners on a number of high-priority cases. During my time here, I implemented a new calendar system that ensures timely filing of court papers. This system has prevented missed deadlines and allowed for better organization of internal and client meetings.

Previously, as a paralegal for the Neuerburg Law Firm, I received praise for my overall support of the legal team and my positive attitude. While working there, I came up with and implemented a plan for digitizing their old files while still ensuring security and privacy. This led to more efficiency when preparing for client meetings and legal proceedings.

My further qualifications include a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University, a paralegal certificate, and training in LexisNexis, Westlaw, and Microsoft Office Suite.

I would love the opportunity to discuss how I can contribute to your legal team. Thank you in advance for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Chase Broadstein [email protected] (222) 222-2222

Download this example

Why this works

This cover letter example is short, sweet, and to the point. It shows the candidate has a knack for getting things done in a thorough and timely manner and a track record for helping out wherever needed. The opening lines also express a genuine interest in this specific firm. Plus, there are some important keywords in there like “calendar system,” “bachelor’s degree,” “paralegal certificate,” and “LexisNexis.”

The impact cover letter puts your accomplishments front and center rather than organizing your paragraphs by past roles. You might use a cover letter like this if:

• You’re applying for roles where you’re expected to deliver on certain goals or results (for example, if the jobs involve sales quotas or marketing metrics).
• You haven’t followed a straightforward career path and your past job titles don’t show the extent of your qualifications.
• You want your personality to stand out a bit more than it might in a traditional cover letter.

What does the job description say

Imagine you’ve come across an opening for an email marketing manager . Part of the job description states:

• Manage email marketing strategy and calendar, including copywriting, optimization, monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on campaigns
• Improve campaign success through conversion optimization, A/B testing, and other experiments
• Collaborate with the design team to ensure brand guidelines are followed in emails
• Partner and collaborate cross-functionally with sales, product, product marketing, and data teams
• 3+ years in email marketing
• Experience with Constant Contact, Google Analytics, HTML, CSS, Photoshop, and Microsoft Excel, a plus
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) and an eye for copyediting
• Strong interpersonal , relationship-building, and stakeholder management skills
• Excellent project management, problem-solving , and time management skills, with the ability to multitask effectively

Here’s an example of an impact cover letter where the writer’s hard skills and successes stand out:

Dear Russ Roman,

I have a problem. See, my inbox currently (and embarrassingly) hosts 1,500 unread emails—including newsletters from at least 50 different brands.

But this problem only fuels my passion for creating emails that are worth opening. Because from my perspective, as someone who can barely get through their own stack of mail, that’s a true win.

I’ve been following Vitabe for years, and can proudly say that I open every single email you send to me. I’m a sucker for a good subject line—“Take a Vitamin-ute—We’ll A-B-C You Soon” being my favorite—and the way your email content feels both fun and expert-backed really speaks to me. This is why I’m thrilled to submit my application for a role as email marketing manager at your company.

I have over four years of experience working in the email marketing space. In my current role at Westside Bank, I was able to implement new email campaigns centered around reengaging churned clients. By analyzing data around the types of clients who churn and the engagement of our current email subscribers, as well as A/B testing headlines and newsletter layouts, we were able to increase email subscribers by 15% and convert 30% of those subscribers to purchase our product, a significant increase from the previous year. 

I also launched a “Your Credit Matters” newsletter focused on educating our clients on how they spend and manage their credit—which became our highest performing campaign in terms of open-rates and click-through to date.

Previously, as a member of the marketing team at Dream Diary Mattresses, I collaborated with the sales and product team to understand how I could best support them in hitting their quarterly goals. One specific project involving creating personalized emails for customers drew more people to come back to our site after 30 days than direct paid ad campaigns, leading to a 112% increase in revenue from the last quarter.

I take the content I write and the calendars I manage seriously, editing and refining beyond detail-oriented and into meticulous territory, and I feel my experience and drive would greatly help Vitabe further develop their email program for success.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Lad Miller [email protected] (987) 654-3210

This sample cover letter concisely highlights the applicant’s most significant, relevant achievements. By adding context to how their projects were created, monitored, and completed, they’re able to show just how results-driven they are and how they’ve successfully leveraged some of the skills the company is looking for.

One thing worth noting: This person didn’t include keywords such as Constant Contact, Google Analytics, HTML, CSS, Photoshop, or Microsoft Excel—all of which are listed in the job description. But those skills are most likely in their resume already, and leaving them out gives them the space to discuss specific projects and tell a story not visible on other parts of their job application.

For roles where written communication is key, such as PR, copywriting , or journalism jobs, your cover letter will likely be the first writing sample your future employer sees. So it’s just as important to show your skill set in action through eloquent writing.

• Writing or editing is a key component of the role you’re applying to.
• You want to show off your creativity.

Here’s part of a job description for a staff writer position:

• Pitch and write articles, reporting on timely issues and trends
• Collaborate with editorial and other teams to launch each digital issue and other special projects on schedule
• Evaluate content performance and digital trends on a daily basis to constantly adjust pitches and packaging
• Utilize CMS tools, strategically select photos and videos, and request original graphics to optimize all written content for maximum engagement
• At least 2-3 years of experience creating content at a digital-first outlet
• Strong writing and reporting skills, and the ability to write clearly and quickly
• Familiarity working in a CMS and with analytics tools such as Google Analytics
• Deadline-driven, strategic thinker with a knack for crafting click-y headlines
• Strong collaborator who thrives in fast-paced environments

Have fun with this one, but triple-check for spelling and grammar mistakes, and make sure you’re showing off your best writing. Here's the cover letter sample:

Dear Tai Chen,

Since I could walk, I’ve been dancing. And since I could read, I’ve been glued to Arabesque Weekly. At one point, you featured one of my local heroes—a ballerina who struggled with an injury early in her career and went on to become a principal dancer at Pacific Northwest Ballet—and I plastered the article above my childhood bed. It’s still there today.

That article—and so many others you’ve published—taught me that dancing was about more than just pirouettes and arabesques and that the right kind of writer can shed light on aspects of the art that make it surprising, impactful, and universal. I can be that writer.

As an editorial assistant at TheImprovGroup.com for the past two and a half years, my main responsibility was to get all of our content ready to go live on the site. This included fact-checking, proofreading, adding in HTML where necessary, and finding photos, videos, and GIFs that would complement the content and optimize audience engagement. 

As I tinkered with each post, I became intimately familiar with our internal CMS. Reviewing every single article we published and following reactions and engagement helped me gain a deep understanding of what makes a piece really land with our audience.

But by far my favorite aspect of this role has been writing. Each week, I pitch and write at least one article, from 250-word news items to 900-word advice pieces to even longer profiles, features, and personal essays. I love the challenge of developing pitches that align with the trends we see in the data, reflect with the company’s brand and mission, and allow me to flex my creative muscles.

Collaborating with my team to form the best content library we can has been a dream come true. I would be so excited to use my experience to help Arabesque Weekly achieve its goals. And I hope to one day write a story that another little dance lover tapes to their wall forever.

It would be an honor to be a part of your editorial team, and I look forward to the possibility of discussing the opportunity with you.

Hoping to be your next staff writer,

Marlee Wood [email protected] (555) 666-4433

This candidate is clearly passionate about this specific publication and leads with a unique personal anecdote tied to the company’s mission that demonstrates their ability to tell stories in a compelling way. There are relevant keywords and phrases, sure, but they’re not just thrown in there. Their voice comes through in every sentence, proving this person knows how to communicate effectively and creatively.

Cover letters can play a big part in helping career changers prove their qualifications—especially when it’s unclear how their skills transfer over to this new field.

You might write a career change cover letter if:

• You want to highlight the transferable skills you have that relate to the job description.
• You want to explain why you’re making the switch and what’s driving you toward this specific industry, company, or position.

Imagine you’re someone who has experience supporting a sales team as an administrative assistant , and you’re now looking to become a sales representative. You come across a job posting that includes:

• Develop new sales techniques and strategies to build pipeline and hit team goals
• Coordinate with other teams to increase lead-generation efforts
• Assist in the processing of new business, including contacting customers to finalize sales and service transactions
• 1-3 years of successful sales experience
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment
• Ability to work independently to plan, set priorities, and effectively organize work
• Proven ability to be persuasive, persistent, and confident in closing a sale

Typically, this type of cover letter should include a compelling narrative about your career change and how you can transfer your past experiences to this new role. Here’s how you might translate your past experience over to this new (and exciting) prospect:

Dear Maria Russo,

The head of sales at Sunshine Inc. was in a bind. She needed six client meetings scheduled, 18 service transactions processed, and a summary of the team’s new lead generation campaign drafted before getting on a flight to Austin—in three hours. So she turned to her cool-headed, sales-savvy administrative assistant for help. That assistant was me. Not only did I execute everything on her to-do list, I did it all before her plane left the ground.

For three years, I worked in lockstep with a busy, growth-oriented sales leader to support the business development team. As the sole administrative assistant in the department, I balanced a swath of competing priorities, ranging from coordinating meetings and inputting data to contacting customers, finalizing transactions, and creating promotional materials. This role helped me develop a comprehensive understanding of the sales cycle, sales strategy, and pipeline growth.

Like many others, my career path hasn’t been entirely straightforward. After leaving Crabapple Media, I enrolled in a local coding bootcamp. Six months later, I emerged with a certificate in computer programming and a certainty that I did not want to be a coder. But education is never wasted. I’m now an aspiring sales representative with experience supporting a thriving sales team and extensive knowledge of the tech space.

Here’s a little bit more about how my experience would translate into this role:

• At Crabapple Media, I assisted in coordinating three annual sales strategy rollouts, yielding an average increase in pipeline of 26% YoY.
• At Sunshine Inc., I supported 12 independent team members in their lead-generation efforts. I also assisted in processing an average of 300 sales transactions every quarter.
• I thrive in busy, ever-changing environments that require me to communicate clearly and concisely. Supporting a high-volume team and a busy executive helped me to hone these skills—I typically sent more than 200 emails a day!

I would, of course, love to schedule a time for us to discuss this role and my experience, and I truly want to thank you for considering me.

All the best,

Olu Abiola [email protected] (123) 456-789

The opener draws you in and makes you want to learn more. It toots the person’s horn, but in a way that’s substantiated. Then, the next couple sections explain their experience in the sales space and other relevant qualifications, before eventually tying that back to why they’re applying to this specific job. 

Similar to the impact cover letter, the author lists some of the more important qualities they bring to the table, doing a bit of keyword inclusion and resume gap explaining along the way.

To further guide you, check out some more cover letter examples:

• Pain point cover letter example
• Internship cover letter example
• Recent graduate cover letter example
• (Another) career changer cover letter example
• Stay-at-home parent returning to work cover letter example
• Sales cover letter example
• Email marketing manager cover letter example
• No job description or position cover letter example (a.k.a., a letter of intent or interest)
• Example cover letter with no experience

Let’s break down one of our example cover letters real quick

All three professional cover letter examples have some key elements that make them great and able to grab the hiring manager's attention. Check out this handy infographic that breaks down our impact cover letter:

Here are a few more tips to help the cover letter process:

Start with a “brain dump” 

If you’re staring at a blank page, Godfred always recommends that her clients start by getting all their ideas on the page without paying attention to length. Then “ask yourself how you can cut half of it,” she says. You’ll likely find that repeated information and very generic phrases are the first to go. (If it’s still too long, here are some tips for getting your cover letter down to one page .)

Don’t just repeat your resume

You only have so much space to get your point across, so focus on the information that isn’t stated elsewhere rather than simply regurgitating your resume. A good cover letter should complement your resume, so use the opportunity to elaborate your skills and qualifications further, as well as your accomplishments and why you're a good fit for that position.

Focus on quality over quantity 

Target the jobs you’re most closely drawn to and qualified for and give them all your energy, rather than trying to churn out hundreds of cover letters, Kahn says. You may not be able to apply to as many jobs, but you’ll have a better response rate.

Remember the ATS 

Much like your resume, an applicant tracking systems, or ATS , will be sifting through your cover letter. So you’ll want to scatter relevant keywords from the job description throughout your pitch where it makes sense.

Don’t stress over formatting 

You may see flashy cover letter examples across the internet, but for the most part, it just isn’t necessary. An ATS can’t read text that has been formatted beyond using bold, italics, underline, and color, so keep your font and layout simple—especially if you’re submitting your cover letter through an online portal.

Don't forget your contact information

Include your contact information on every page, including your name, phone number, and email. “Imagine you come across a cover letter and you print it out with a bunch of applications to review and it doesn’t have the person’s contact information on it,” Godfred says. “You never want to put yourself in a situation where you’re the right person and they can’t find you.”

Edit your cover letter before submitting

Never submit a cover letter right after you finish writing it—there could be critical errors that you didn't notice while typing. Take some time away from your text, then revisit it like you're reading someone else's letter. Be sure to double-check all the information you've included, paying special attention to:

• The company's name
• The hiring manager's name
• The job title
• Your contact information
• Basic grammar and spelling

You're ready to go

If you've come this far, you're equipped with all the information you need to craft a great cover letter. Hopefully these cover letter examples help as you go to tackle your own. Remember: This is just one small step in the process! Take your time, but learn to move on when you’ve given it your all.

Amanda Cardoso contributed to the latest version of this article.

Module 14: Finding a Job

Writing effective cover letters, learning outcome.

• Identify characteristics of an effective cover letter

What Is a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a letter of introduction, usually three to four paragraphs in length, that you attach to your résumé. It’s a way of introducing yourself to a potential employer and explaining why you are suited for a position. Employers may look for individualized and thoughtfully written cover letters as an initial method of screening out applicants who may lack necessary basic skills or who may not be sufficiently interested in the position.

Often an employer will request or require that a cover letter be included in the materials an applicant submits. There are also occasions when you might submit a cover letter uninvited: for example, if you are initiating an inquiry about possible work or asking someone to send you information or provide other assistance.

With each résumé you send out, always include a cover letter specifically addressing your purpose.

This purpose is to let the receiver know how well you match their needs. It is a careful blend of the direct and persuasive letters you read about earlier in this book.

Characteristics of an Effective Cover Letter

Cover letters should accomplish the following:

• Get the attention of the prospective employer
• Set you apart from any possible competition
• Identify the position you are interested in
• Specify how you learned about the position or company
• Present highlights of your skills and accomplishments
• Reflect your genuine interest
• Please the eye and ear

The following video features three tips on how to create a letter that highlights your strengths and how they are relevant to the employer.

Practice Question

Cover letter resources.

• Practice question. Authored by : Susan Kendall. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• College Success. Authored by : Linda Bruce. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/waymaker-collegesuccess/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• 5 Steps to an Incredible Cover Letter. Authored by : Aimee Bateman. Located at : https://youtu.be/mxOli8laZos . License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : Standard YouTube License

• Search Search Please fill out this field.
• Career Planning
• Skills Development

Important Communication Skills for Resumes & Cover Letters

What Are Communication Skills?

Types of communication skills, written communication, verbal communication, nonverbal communication.

• Reconciliation / Conflict Management

Communication Mediums

More communication skills.

Regardless of the job you're applying for, employers will expect you to have excellent written and verbal communication skills . Depending on the position, you will need to be able to communicate effectively with employees, managers, and customers in person, online, in writing, and on the phone.

As with any other skill set, your communication abilities are demonstrated by your professional employment history. In your application materials and your interview, you can draw attention to how your prior experiences exemplify your communication skills.

Some jobs require different skills than others, so review the job posting to see what the employer is seeking in applicants.

Then take the time to  match your credentials to the job requirements , so you can show the employer you're a strong match for the job.

It may seem simple enough to say, “I know how to communicate.” However, those with little experience communicating with people from different walks of life don’t realize how complicated communication can be.

How many times have you ever said or written something to someone that they took the wrong way? This happens in the workplace all the time. The best employers need leaders that can exercise care in their ability to listen and respond to customers and fellow employees.

Employers look for applicants with superior written and verbal communication skills for almost every job they hire for.

Writing well is a major component of your professionalism. Many talented people often do not write well. Poor writing not only makes an exchange of ideas and information less efficient, but it also makes you look unintelligent. Learning to write well has an important side effect; because clear, readable text is also well-organized, straightforward, and concise, learning to write also teaches you to speak and to think better.

• Advertising 
• Business Storytelling
• Content Management
• Content Strategy
• Correspondence
• Microsoft Office
• Speech Writing
• Technical Writing  

Verbal (also called “oral”) communication skills  are essential for those with jobs in a traditional workplace and for employees whose tasks include extensive use of telephones. While verbal communication skills are probably most important for those in sales, customer service, and public relations, anyone who has to interact face-to-face with supervisors and colleagues needs to be able to express themselves clearly and succinctly.

• Articulating
• Multilingual
• Negotiation
• Presentation
• Public Speaking
• Telephone Etiquette

Nonverbal communication  includes vocal tone, eye contact patterns, body language, and more. Nonverbal communication often carries more weight than verbal communication and has a much greater impact on rapport and trust. Learn the nonverbal signals you need to present yourself well. And if you have non-standard body language (for example, if you are on the autism spectrum or have a physical disability), you will have to find ways to avoid or correct misunderstanding.

• Life Skills
• Active Listening
• Quick Thinking
• Visualization
• Problem Sensitivity
• Emotional Intelligence

Reconciliation and Conflict Management

Simple friendliness, politeness, and respect go a long way to create rapport and improve communication. Part of conflict management is simply being kind and considerate with everyone so that they can model your behavior. Say “please,” “thank you,” and “I’m sorry” as needed. Remember to ask people how they’re doing and listen to their answer. As the workplace becomes more diverse, conflict management is a communication skill increasingly sought after.

• Collaboration
• Friendliness
• Interpersonal
• Open-Mindedness
• Social Skills
• Team Building

Communication can be in person, “snail-mail,” email, telephone, through text message, or video. Each medium has its advantages and disadvantages, and each adds something different to the message you are trying to convey. Some messages are better suited to particular media than others. For instance, most people prefer to have bad news delivered in person. But people also vary widely in how they respond to different media.

For example, people who lack confidence in their written communication prefer talking on the phone. Others prefer the slower, more thoughtful pace of email and prefer to avoid phones.

You have your own preferences, but part of communicating well is being able to identify the preferred medium of the  other  person for any given situation.

Communicating well is one of those abilities that is often overlooked, and yet those who have it are at a substantial advantage to those who are not. Fortunately, many communication skills can be learned.

• Creative Thinking
• Imagination
• Logical Thinking
• Social Media
• Information and Communications Technology
• Mobile Devices
• Brainstorming
• Versatility
• Encouragement
• Positive Reinforcement
• Negative Reinforcement
• Human Resources
• Interviewing
• Integration
• Project Management
• Paraphrasing
• Approachability
• Lie Detection

How to Make Your Skills Stand Out

Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume: As you scan the job posting, highlight the specific qualifications and skills mentioned and be sure to incorporate those keyword phrases into your resume.

Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter: Take the time to write a quality cover letter that focuses on your most relevant skills for the job.

Use Skill Words in Your Job Interview: Are you comfortable talking with people in different settings? If you know this is not your strong point, be sure to prepare for the interview in advance.

Watch Now: 6 Soft Skills Every Employer Wants

Related: Best Resume Writing Services

The 46 Best Cover Letter Examples: What They Got Right

Published: May 22, 2024

I’ve sent plenty of cover letters throughout my career, so I know it isn’t usually fun to write one. Fortunately, the cover letter examples I painstakingly gathered below show that it’s possible to have a little fun with your job search — and maybe even make yourself a better candidate in the process.

I was shocked upon learning 45% of job seekers don’t include a cover letter when applying for a job. I definitely don’t recommend following the crowd on this matter because your cover letter is a chance to tell the stories your resume only outlines.

It’s an opportunity for you to highlight your creativity at the earliest stage of the recruitment process.

Are you ready to showcase your unique skills and experience? Or are you looking for more tips and cover letter inspiration?

Keep reading for 40+ cover letter examples, then check out tips for cover letter formatting and what makes a cover letter great.

5 Free Cover Letter Templates

Five fill-in-the-blank cover letter templates to help you impress recruiters.

• Standard Cover Letter Template
• Entry-Level Cover Letter Template
• Data-Driven Cover Letter Template

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Table of Contents

Customizable Cover Letter Examples

Best cover letter examples, short cover letter examples, creative cover letter examples, job cover letter examples, career cover letter examples, what’s on a cover letter, what makes a great cover letter.

In a hurry for a cover letter example you can download and customize? Check out the ones below from HubSpot’s cover letter template kit .

1. Standard Cover Letter Example

9. The Bare Bones Cover Letter

In today’s job market, cover letters aren’t always necessary. Even though many recruiters won’t ask for or even read them, cover letters can still be effective and convey personality to a reader.

Writing a strong cover letter can help you better convey your interest in the position and company.

This template from The Balance Careers puts together the essential components of a short cover letter: excitement about the position, your qualifications, and a call-to-action for the recruiter to follow up with you.

Combining these central aspects in a well-written, compelling narrative will go a long way in convincing readers to hire you.

In an increasingly digitized world, where customer-centric strategies are vital for business success, I am thrilled to apply for the [Job Title] position at HubSpot."

Unhelpful Cover Letter Introduction:

"To Whom it May Concern,

I am applying for the [Job Title] position at HubSpot. I have some experience in marketing and can help your clients grow their businesses."

Relevant Professional Experience

It can be tempting to use the same cover letter for every job. After all, it‘s about your experience, isn’t it? But it's not enough to rephrase the work history in your resume.

Recruiters and hiring managers are looking to fill a specific role, so you need to show how your experience translates to their unique needs.

So, the body of a great cover letter should showcase the specific professional experiences that are relevant to the job you're applying for. Emphasize your accomplishments and skills that directly relate to what the job needs.

To speed up this part of the cover letter writing process, start by creating a list of your transferable skills . Drafting this list can help you quickly focus on the skills to highlight in your cover letter.

Then, use AI tools to summarize job descriptions and narrow in on where your experience and the needs of the role you're applying for overlap. This post is full of useful AI assistant tools if you're new to AI.

Helpful Cover Letter Experience:

“At [Company Name], I had the opportunity to assist a global ecommerce retailer in enhancing their online customer experience. By conducting in-depth market research and customer journey mapping, I identified pain points and areas of improvement in their website navigation and user interface.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Experience:

“I also worked with an ecommerce retailer to improve the customer experience. We did some surveys and training, and they were happy with the results.”

Useful Examples

To make your cover letter stand out, add specific examples that show how you've solved problems or gotten results in past roles.

Quantify your accomplishments whenever possible, using data to give the reader a clear understanding of your impact.

Helpful Cover Letter Example:

“I lead a team of five content writers while increasing website traffic by 18% year-over-year.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Example:

“I have a great track record of leadership and achieving fantastic results.”

Research and Company Knowledge

Hiring teams aren‘t hiring anyone with the skills to do the job. They’re hiring a person they'll work alongside at their specific company.

So, to show that you‘re not just looking for any job anywhere, share your knowledge of the company’s industry, values, and culture in your cover letter.

Spend some time on the company website and take notes on what makes this business interesting to you and why you would want to work there.

Then, explain how your skills align with the company's mission and goals and explain how you could add to their chances of success. This will showcase your interest in the company and help them see if you are a good cultural fit.

Helpful Cover Letter Research:

“I was particularly drawn to HubSpot not only for its industry-leading solutions but also for its exceptional company culture. HubSpot's commitment to employee development and fostering a collaborative environment is evident in its recognition as a top workplace consistently. I strongly believe that my passion for continuous learning, self-motivation, and dedication to contributing to a team will make me a valuable asset to HubSpot.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Research:

“I have been inspired by HubSpot's commitment to inbound marketing and its comprehensive suite of solutions. HubSpot's dedication to providing valuable content and fostering meaningful relationships aligns with my own values and aspirations.”

Clear Writing

Your cover letter needs to pack in a lot of important information. But it's also important that your cover letter is clear and concise.

To accomplish this, use professional but easy-to-understand language. Be sure to remove any grammar or spelling errors and avoid lengthy paragraphs and avoid jargon or overly technical language.

You may also want to use bullet points to make your letter easier to skim. Then, proofread your cover letter for clarity or ask a friend to proofread it for you.

• Guide to Becoming a Better Writer
• Tips for Simplifying Your Writing

Helpful Cover Letter Writing:

"In addition to my academic accomplishments, I gained valuable practical experience through internships at respected law firms.

Working alongside experienced attorneys, I assisted in providing legal support to clients. This hands-on experience helped me develop a deep understanding of client needs and enhanced my ability to effectively communicate complex legal concepts in a straightforward manner."

Unhelpful Cover Letter Writing:

"Furthermore, as a complement to my academic accomplishments, I have garnered invaluable practical experience through internships at esteemed law firms.

Throughout these placements, I actively collaborated with seasoned attorneys to conduct due diligence and furnish clients with comprehensive legal support. Notably, these experiences fostered a profound comprehension of client necessities, whilst honing my legal acumen to articulately convey intricate legal principles within a lucid and concise framework, adhering to applicable precedents and statutes of limitations."

Genuine Interest and Enthusiasm

Find ways to convey your passion for the role and how excited you are to contribute to the company you're applying to. At the same time, make sure your interest feels authentic and outline how it aligns with your career goals.

Your ultimate goal is an enthusiastic letter that feels honest and leaves a lasting positive impression.

Showing excitement in writing doesn't come naturally for everyone. A few tips that can help you boost the genuine enthusiasm in your letter:

• Record audio of yourself speaking about the role, then use voice-to-text technology to transcribe and add these sections to your letter.
• Choose your words carefully .
• Write in active voice.

Helpful Cover Letter Tone:

“I am genuinely enthusiastic about the prospect of joining [Company/Organization Name] as an accountant. My combination of technical proficiency, eagerness to learn, and strong attention to detail make me an ideal candidate for this role. I am confident that my dedication, reliability, and passion for accounting will contribute to the continued success of your organization.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Tone:

“Honestly, I can hardly contain my excitement when it comes to reconciliations, financial statement analysis, and tax regulations! Engaging in spirited discussions with professors and classmates has allowed me to foster an unbreakable bond with the fascinating world of accounting, and I'm positively bursting with enthusiasm at the prospect of applying my skills in a professional setting.”

Memorable Conclusion

End your cover letter on a strong note. Summarize your top qualifications, restate your interest in the position, and express your interest in future communication.

Then, thank your reader for their time and consideration and include your contact information for easy follow-up.

To make your conclusion memorable, think about what parts of your letter you‘d most like the hiring manager to keep top of mind. Then, consider your word choice and phrasing. If you’re feeling stuck, this list of ways to close an email can help.

Helpful Cover Letter Conclusion:

"Thank you for considering my application. I am excited about the opportunity to further discuss how my qualifications align with the needs of Greenpeace. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience to arrange an interview.

Together, let's make a lasting impact on our planet.

[Your Name]"

Unhelpful Cover Letter Conclusion:

"Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing my qualifications further and how I can contribute to Greenpeace's mission. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience to arrange an interview.

I’d like to add another stage to the job search: experimentation.

In today’s competitive landscape, it’s so easy to feel defeated, less-than-good-enough, or like giving up your job search.

But don’t let the process become so monotonous. Have fun discovering the qualitative data I’ve discussed here — then, have even more by getting creative with your cover letter composition.

I certainly can’t guarantee that every prospective employer will respond positively — or at all — to even the most unique, compelling cover letter. But the one that’s right for you will.

So, get inspired by these examples and templates. Write an incredible cover letter that shows the hiring team at your dream job exactly who you are.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. This article was written by a human, but our team uses AI in our editorial process. Check out our full disclosure to learn more about how we use AI.

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

How to Write an Internship Cover Letter [Expert Advice & Examples]

How to Start a Cover Letter That Gets You Your Dream Job

General Cover Letter: 15 Cover Letter Templates to Perfect Your Next Job Application

Is a Cover Letter Necessary in 2024?

Letter of Interest Tips, Templates & Examples [A 2023 Guide]

The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Cover Letter

Eight Cover Letter Greetings for Every Situation

7 Expert Cover Letter Tips to Get the Job

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The Most Important Collaboration Skills (With Examples)

• What Are Hard Skills?
• What Are Technical Skills?
• What Are What Are Life Skills?
• What Are Social Media Skills Resume?
• What Are Administrative Skills?
• What Are Analytical Skills?
• What Are Research Skills?
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Find a Job You Really Want In

Collaboration skills are crucial, regardless of the job you work or the industry you’re in. Your collaboration ability will dicate how well you’re equipped to work as a team, which is something hiring managers and supervisors are always looking out for.

So, if you’re a job seeker, or someone who’s already part of a team at work, you’re in luck. We’ll go over what collaboration skills are, the different types of skills and their uses, and provide collaboration skills examples to help you work more effectively in a team throughout your career.

Key Takeaways:

Collaboration is the effective and efficient work two or more people do together.

Important collaboration skills include active listening, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and delegation.

Collaboration is important because it maximizes strengths and compensates for weaknesses in people.

Improve your collaboration skills by setting clear objectives, using helpful software, and celebrating diversity.

Show your collaboration skills on your resume by highlighting specific experiences that had tangible results.

What are collaboration skills?

Types of collaboration skills, why is collaboration an important skill, how to improve your collaboration skills, how to highlight your collaboration skills during a job search, the challenges of collaboration, collaboration skills faq, final thoughts.

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Collaboration skills are skills that enable individuals to work together efficiently and effectively . Whenever two or more people are working towards a common goal, collaboration skills are at play.

Collaboration skills are made up of a constellation of soft skills as they relate to group efforts. Working together increases productivity, reduces wasted time on redundant or duplicate tasks, and enhances each individual’s personal impact on a project.

Collaboration skills also foster a more organically motivated workplace, where everyone has a clear role to play and the proper means to achieve the duties of that role.

Types of collaboration skills include:

Active listening

Communication

Open-mindedness

Brainstorming

Emotional intelligence

Conflict resolution

Accountability

Reliability

Adaptability

In the end, good collaboration requires a spirit of cooperation and respect from all parties.

Collaboration skills are composed of several soft skills that can fit into many categories. We’ll start by covering the skills directly related to collaboration, then working our way through tangential skills that you can apply towards greater collaborative prowess:

Active listening. We’re starting off with active listening because it’s just so important for effective collaboration. Active listening is all about fully absorbing what your team members express and asking key questions when you don’t fully understand something.

Communication. Anyone who’s tried to get work done in a group setting knows the importance of good communication . What you say and how you say it are both essential components of effective communication.

Open-mindedness. People often get stuck in one way of doing things and fail to question them. Keeping an open mind to different ideas and perspectives will help your team make positive changes and keep things from growing stale.

Persuasion. There will inevitably be differences of opinion in the workplace. The ability to advocate for your ideas is essential for solid collaboration. Innovation relies on people proposing bold new processes and strategies, but to get those ideas listened to, you’ll need good persuasion skills.

Compromise. Sometimes (or oftentimes), team members will have differing opinions on the best way to get something done. Being able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement through compromise is key to making everyone feel respected and listened to.

Brainstorming. Brainstorming is a judgment-free time where there’s no such thing as a bad idea. When companies need to find innovative solutions to emergent problems, it’s essential to consider all the angles.

Emotional intelligence. We all know about IQ, but employees often overlook EQ (or emotional intelligence). Employers, on the other hand, never dismiss the importance of emotional intelligence for effective collaboration.

Conflict resolution. Conflict in the workplace will undoubtedly arise at one point or another. And that’s okay – it’s how team members handle the conflict that matters.

Diplomacy. You don’t have to be in the UN to be a diplomat. Each and every one of us practices diplomacy on a daily basis. You (hopefully) know that it’s better to calmly suggest that your roommate do the dishes rather than lash out and call him a lazy SOB right away.

The same premise applies to the business world. Diplomacy is all about respecting differences of opinion and framing your solutions tactfully and productively. Great diplomats know how you suggest an idea is just as important as the merits of the idea itself.

Accountability. Nobody likes the guy who never owns up to his mistakes. In anything we do in life, we’re bound to make errors. The important part, though, is how you react to those mistakes. Throwing other people under the bus is a surefire way to make sure nobody wants to collaborate with you again.

Delegation. This one’s more for leaders than employees, but it’s critical nonetheless. Effective delegation involves many different elements – organization , clear communication, and goal-setting, to name a few.

Feedback. Both giving and receiving feedback positively is crucial for solid collaboration. Sometimes, you’ll need to tell a coworker, supervisor , or employee how they could improve, and it’s essential to be diplomatic about it.

Try sandwiching a piece of negative feedback between two compliments to make sure your listener doesn’t think you’re going out of your way to attack them.

Rapport. Rapport is about more than having a good working relationship; it’s about having a good relationship with your coworkers, period. When team members feel like they’re friends as well as coworkers, great things happen.

Reliability. Nothing slows down the wheels of progress more than an unreliable team member (as any former-student who worked on a group project can attest to).

Adaptability. Business is not a static thing; new challenges emerge when and where you least expect them, exposing flaws in even the best-laid plans. The ability to adapt on the fly is important individually, but it’s downright essential in a group setting.

Collaboration is an important skill because it allows for the whole of everyone’s contributions to be greater than its parts. Each of us has a set of skills that complements those around us.

For example, a manager isn’t able to effectively delegate and plan strategies unless their administrative staff organizes and presents all pertinent information. Employees can’t do their part to achieve corporate goals if the manager doesn’t communicate those clearly.

For every function that someone performs at their job, they’re usually relying on at least a couple of other people to handle some part of the process as well. A salesperson doesn’t usually generate leads, perform outreach, respond to inbound calls, create marketing tactics, perform demos, and plan sales strategies.

That would be terribly inefficient — it makes more sense for one individual (or team) to focus solely on one task and create the most effective flow based on the repetition of this process.

In short, collaboration is the reason we’re able to have highly specialized occupations and departments that advance and improve more rapidly.

From a job seeker’s perspective, collaboration is an important skill because hiring managers will always be more impressed with a candidate with a demonstrated ability to work well with others than a person who prides themselves on independence.

Collaboration skills aren’t build overnight, unfortunately. Even if you consider yourself an expert at collaborating in your current work environment, every new job you take will bring its own collaborative issues.

Here are some ways to start refining your collaboration skills:

Set clear objectives . A project is doomed to failure if nobody knows what the ultimate goal is. Setting and communicating clear objectives (and keeping them at the forefront throughout the process) are essential steps for effective collaboration.

Utilize software. With tools like Slack being omnipresent in business today, learning how best to leverage communication software is vital to becoming an effective collaborator. No one likes that guy who wastes everyone’s time with a long and unfocused email chain.

Get together outside of work. It’s great to know your team’s work-personalities, but you’d be surprised how much of a boost you’ll get out of spending time with your coworkers outside of work.

Celebrate diversity. It’s often hard to hear and accept ideas that diverge from our own thinking of what constitutes the best way of doing something. But great collaboration skills involve keeping an open mind and trying new things once your team decides to go in a direction you wouldn’t have chosen on your own.

You have three main options for showing off you collaboration skills during your job search :

On your resume. Collaboration skills fit under the soft skills category, which makes it a weak choice for your resume’s skills section, which should be devoted to hard skills that relate to on-the-job expertise.

Instead of flat-out writing “Good collaboration skills,” which is very hard to prove on a piece of paper, discuss your collaborative achievements throughout your resume. For starters, you can include a word like “collaborate” in your resume summary statement to draw attention to the team-based activities of your past job.

Also, be sure to include a couple of group accomplishments in your resume’s work experience section. While it’s good to focus on your particular impact on the company’s success, taking a step back to acknowledge your team’s collective efforts shows humility and a good sense of the bigger picture.

On your cover letter. A cover letter afford you more freedom to discuss your successful collaborative efforts at length. Pick one big collaborative success or a handful of smaller ones.

In an interview. Behavioral interview questions are among the most common you’ll hear, and the STAR method is your ticket to consistently winning answers. When it comes to questions centered on collaboration, be ready to tell stories about your past performance.

Collaboration is great when it works, but life isn’t perfect, and collaboration is no exception.

Some challenges include:

Lack of trust or buy-in. Collaboration requires people to trust each other and agree to the goals of the project. Without it, people will be more likely to focus on their own self-interests at the expense of the group.

Competition. People can be competitive in the workplace for a variety of reasons. This means that they may see collaboration as a threat to their own success, which is not necessarily true. It is important to be aware of competitive attitudes and channel them constructively.

Poor leadership. Whether it’s a supervisor, or an appointed peer or two, groups need direction. However it is implemented, the leadership’s objective should be to keep everyone on task to achieve the goal at hand.

Miscommunication. Poor communication will lead to misunderstandings that can compound the challenges of collaboration. Even if all the group members have the best intentions, poor communication will prevent those intentions from being enacted.

Collaboration takes effort, practice, and patience. There will be times where it doesn’t go smoothly. It’s important to recognize this as soon as possible and mitigate the factors interfering with collaboration by focusing on skills that can help remedy the challenges.

Is collaboration a skill?

Yes, collaboration is a valuable skill, especially in the workplace. Over 50% of all jobs in the US require teamwork, meaning that you’ll more than likely find yourself in a position where collaboration skills are beneficial.

For instance, having good collaboration skills will allow you to complete team projects more efficiently, or be able to align your schedule more easily with co-workers.

How much does collaboration increase productivity?

How do you measure collaboration in the workplace?

Collaboration in the workplace can be measured through financial KPIs that track Net Profit, Revenue Growth Rate, and Average Revenue Per User. Here are those metrics outlined:

Financial KPIs. This metric is used to measure and compare a company’s performance to others in the same industry. It entails measurements like revenue growth, profit margins, expenses, cash management, and more.

Revenue Growth Rate. Measuring how a company’s revenue changes over time can be a great way to identify the success of the collaboration. The rate of Revenue Growth is typically calculated by comparing the increase or decrease in annual revenue between two different time periods.

Average Revenue Per User (ARPU). For some companies ARPU is especially useful for measuring collaboration, as it shows growth among clients, users, or subscribers. ARPU is calculated by dividing the total revenue by the number of consumers who fit those categories.

Collaboration skills are an essential part of any functional venture that involves two or more people. Employees who collaborate effectively create a positive feedback loop. Management can trust their teams to get things done without annoying levels of oversight, and the teams can trust management to leave them to it most of the time.

Including a few collaboration skills on your resume will help you stand out as a candidate who would be a positive force on any team. If you’re sending out resumes now, try to incorporate quantifiable achievements that involved you and your team. Showcase how you put the common good above personal recognition, and we’re sure hiring managers will be impressed.

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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How to Write an Entry-Level Cover Letter [Example]

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How to Write an Entry-Level Cover Letter [Example] was originally published on Forage .

Writing an entry-level cover letter — when you have little to no work experience — can be confusing and stressful. What do you write when you feel like you don’t have work to talk about? How do you show a company you want to work for them when you haven’t worked much before? In this guide, we’ll cover:

Entry-level Cover Letter Example

Breaking it down: what goes into a good cover letter.

• Other Entry-level Cover Letter Writing Tips

>>MORE: How to Write a Resume With No Work Experience

Harriet Spacemen Brooklyn, NY 123-456-7890 [email protected]

January 3, 2023

Kate Norman Engineering Lead Example Company New York, NY

I’m writing to express my interest in the junior software engineer position at Company X. I’ve recently graduated with a computer science degree, and my technical skills and demonstrated passion for equity in health care make me an ideal candidate for this role.

During my time at Sample University, I deepened my understanding of software development through coursework in front-end engineering, programming, and quality assurance. In my senior year, I combined my advocacy for health care access and engineering skills by creating a web application — using Python and SQL — that helps patients find available doctor’s appointments near them that accept their insurance. Outside of my coursework, I volunteered at the local hospital and shadowed a nurse, giving me insight into hospital administration and patient pain points.

My experience working directly with health care patients and my passion for improving this sector give me an empathetic, patient-first focus in my engineering work. This focus aligns with your company’s mission, and I believe my engineering approach would be an asset to your team. I look forward to meeting with you and further discussing my qualifications. Thank you for your consideration.

Best, Harriet Spacemen

The header of your cover letter contains all your crucial contact information: your name, number, and email. It should also include the date you’re sending in your application.

In addition, the header should contain information about the company. You want to include the company name and the hiring manager’s name (if you have it — more on how to find that in the next section). 

Many cover letter examples also include addresses for both the applicant and employer. However, including a full address is optional, especially if you’re applying for a remote role. You can include it in the header if you’re applying for a position that requires you to be in a particular city or state. (There’s no need to include your full street address — just your city and state should do.)

For the greeting, you’ll want to use a professional salutation like “Dear,” and address the hiring manager by name.

“If the job description states the title of the person you’d be reporting to, you can try to find their name from the company’s LinkedIn page,” Daniel Catalan, professional resume and cover letter builder, says. “You can click on a list of all of the employees and put the manager’s title into the filters.” 

>>MORE: What Is a Hiring Manager (and How to Talk to One)?

If you’ve done your due diligence and still can’t find the hiring manager’s name, Catalan recommends not using the traditional “to whom it may concern.” Instead, he suggests addressing the letter to “Team X at Company Y.” 

You want to show the hiring team you’ve done your research right from the start.

First Paragraph: Share Your Enthusiasm

Use the opening paragraph of a cover letter to express your excitement about this role. However, this is not just about flattering the employer. You also want to show them why you’re specifically excited about the opportunity and how it aligns with your experience and interests.

“Candidates need to explain why they want the job and what experience, volunteer work, or education they have that is relevant,” says Wendy Reimann, owner and writer at Lighthouse Writing, a writing and editing services company. “It confuses managers and recruiters when someone with a major in biology applies for a job in marketing . Tell them why.”

Second (and Third) Paragraph: Show Your Skills

In this next section, expand on the experience and interests you mentioned in the first section. Don’t worry if you don’t have years of experience behind you.

“Recruiters don’t expect entry-level applicants to have a wealth of professional experience,” Tim Toterhi, CHRO and ICF certified career coach , says. “We do, however, expect you to be adaptable, teachable, and able to solve problems. Volunteer work, school projects, even hobbies can help you demonstrate your skill set.”

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Consider how all your experiences, whether professional or not, have prepared you for this role and what hard and soft skills you’ve learned. Remember, this cover letter complements your resume, so you don’t need to worry about stuffing every experience and skill into a paragraph or two. Instead, focus on what’s most relevant to the company and its goals.

“Read up on what the company is actively working on and show you can bring unconventional solutions,” Catalan says.

Closing Paragraph: Call to Action

The last paragraph of an entry-level cover letter is meant to restate your qualifications for this role, discuss the next steps, and thank them for their time. In the first sentence or two, summarize why you’re excited about the role and what makes you specifically right for the position. 

Then, mention next steps with a call to action. For example, you might say that you look forward to meeting with them in an interview or remind them how they can best reach you to discuss your application.

Finally, thank the reader for their time reviewing your application. It’s essential to end on a high note, so make sure you share some gratitude.

You’ve made it to the last (and perhaps easiest!) part of the cover letter! Your signature should include a professional sign-off and your full name. 

>>MORE: Learn eight professional email sign-offs to use and six to avoid with How to End an Email Professionally (With Examples) .

Other Entry-Level Cover Letter Writing Tips

• Write to the specific employer. It’s better to customize a cover letter for each application rather than use a general one. “Taking the time to write a targeted letter to a specific employer about a specific job demonstrates sincere interest,” Toterhi says. “Just be sure to keep it short and focused on how you can meet their needs. Remember, recruiters commonly receive hundreds of applicants for each open role. There’s no time to sift through fluff.”
• Don’t copy your resume . “Let the resume do its job and use the space in the cover letter to introduce yourself,” Reimann says. Your cover letter should expand on the achievements you’ve listed in your resume and demonstrate your relevant skills.
• Keep it short. While a cover letter is about sharing more in-depth details about your skills and experience, keep it concise. A single page (without fonts that are too small to read!) is standard. “If the text is too long or monotonous, it’ll lose the reader’s attention,” Catalan says. 
• Stay positive. Your cover letter isn’t for over-explaining a gap in your resume. “Don’t bring up anything negative or over-explain work gaps or educational mistakes such as making a D in a single class or taking a semester off for illness,” Reimann says. “Focus on the positive only and let your qualities speak for themselves.”

Learn more job search and workplace skills with Forage’s personal development virtual experience programs .

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The post How to Write an Entry-Level Cover Letter [Example] appeared first on Forage .