Write an amazing letter of interest - Get hired even if there isn't a job (yet)

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Is there a company you want to work for but they aren’t advertising any suitable positions you can apply for?

This is a great opportunity to send that company a letter of interest and your resume. If they have a position open that they aren’t advertising to the public, they might call you in for an interview. And if they don’t have any jobs open for you now, they might need you sometime in the future.

You’ll find free downloadable sample letters of interest later in this post.

If you need to update and refresh your resume, why not sign up to our free 5-day Resume Star challenge by clicking HERE.

What is a letter of interest?

A letter of interest lets a company know that you are interested in working or spending time there. It is a formal way to reach out and ask them to contact you if a job comes up that matches your education, skill set and experience. A letter of interest is also known as an inquiry letter, a letter of intent, a prospecting letter, or a statement of interest.

The difference between a letter of interest and a cover letter

A letter of interest is not the same as a cover letter:

A letter of interest is sent to any organization by any person, at any time. This letter is not for a specific open position at a company. You could even send a letter of interest to a medical school you want to attend, an NGO you want to volunteer at, or a company where you want to ask for an internship (for little or no pay at all).

A cover letter is for a specific job that is advertised. A cover letter gives all the information the Hiring Manager needs to decide if they want to interview you for that job. It tells the Hiring Manager about your skills and experience related to that job, not anything else. Click here to get a cover letter sample and find out what to put in your cover letter.

Watch the full guide below on the difference between a cover letter and letter of interest, and when to send each:

How to prepare to write a letter of interest

It is important to do a little work and research before you start writing your letter of interest. Here’s tips on to get ready to write your letter of interest:

Tip #1: Do some research on the company

Start by researching the company. The more you know about the organization, the more you can tailor your letter of interest to show that you can give the company what they want or need.

Try to find out:

About the culture in the company – is it formal and professional, relaxed, project-driven, etc.
What industry does the company operate in? Are there any major challenges facing this industry?
Has the company been in the news lately? For what?
What are the company’s mission and values (check their annual report or About Us page on the website)
Who are the biggest competitors?
Are there any reviews from employees about working for this company?
Who is the Hiring Manager? It’s important to know who to address your letter of interest to.

Tip #2: Reach out on social media

Look at your friends on social media and LinkedIn to see if you have any contacts working there. If you do, ask them if they know of any positions or projects where you might be able to add value. Can they speak to someone in the company to see if they need your skills?

Tip #3: Identify solid information to prove your strengths

Looking at the company’s challenges, projects and environment, what strengths and value could you bring to the organization? Can you give statistics and data to back this up?

Read the following examples from a letter of interest. Who would you call when a position opens up in your team?

Applicant A letter of interest:

I have worked in three big state hospitals over the past 10 years.

Applicant B letter of interest:

As head of the nursing team in 2019, I increased productivity by 10% and job satisfaction by 12% according to ABC hospital’s annual internal survey.

Applicant B is giving proof that if you hire them, they know how to increase productivity and job satisfaction in a team. This is especially useful if Applicant B knows from research that the company is struggling to keep staff members or meet deadlines.

How to format a letter of interest

You can print a hard copy of your letter of interest and deliver it to the right person at the company or send them an email. Either way, here are some tips to format your letter properly:

– Don’t make your letter longer than one page

– Make your font big enough to read: use a font size of at least 10-12

– Choose a font that is easy to read: the most popular business fonts are Arial, Verdana, Calibri

– Make sure there’s white space on the page and that the line spacing is consistent

– Provide links to your portfolio, blog, or samples of your work if you have this

– Always check your spelling and grammar before sending out your letter of interest. Ask someone else to check it for you if you want a second opinion.

How to address a letter of interest: Finding the hiring manager

Wondering who to write the letter to? If you start your letter with ‘To whom it may concern’ or ‘Dear Sir’, the person will probably ignore it or leave it for later. These are very formal greetings and they know this is a ‘cold call’.

You need to find the right person to contact (see Tip# 1 above). To find the hiring manager, you could check the following resources:

The organization’s website: Look on the website to find contact details for the recruitment department. Look for an ‘About Us’ page or do a search for ‘Jobs’ or ‘We’re Hiring!’
Google: Do a search on Google to find the hiring manager’s name and email address. If nothing comes up, try a targeted Google search by typing in the following: site:companyname ‘hiring manager’
LinkedIn: Visit the company’s LinkedIn page and see if you can find the contact details for the hiring manager there.
The company: If all else fails, call the company and ask for the hiring manager’s name, surname and email address. Tell the receptionist that you are sending a letter of interest and need these details to get your resume to the right person.

If you do your research and can’t get the right person’s details, start your letter of interest with: Dear Hiring Manager.

Starting a letter of interest is a lot like starting a cover letter, which I explain in this great guide to cover letters.

Once you have the name of the person, here’s how to write the salutation at the beginning of your letter:

Dear Mr. Jones
Dear Ms. Jones
Dear Dr. Jones
Dear Joe Jones
Dear Hiring Manager

What to put in the subject line for a letter of interest

If you’re sending an email to the Hiring Manager, keep your subject line clear and to the point. You can state this is a letter of interest and what position you are interested in. Try a subject line with a few companies and if you don’t get any response, then try something else to see if it works better.

Here are some examples of subject lines for letters of interest:

Letter of interest: Theater nurse roles available or opening soon
Qualified theater nurse who can add 10% job satisfaction to your team
Are there any internships available at [Company Name]?
Dedicated, hardworking professional seeking [position title] role

How to write a letter of interest

Once you have addressed your letter of interest to the right person, it’s time to start writing your content. There are 4 main parts to put in your letter. Let’s take a look at them now…

PART 1: Introduction

You aren’t applying for a specific role so you need to be very clear here why you are writing to the person. Here are some things to cover:

Tell them why you are writing this letter, even though you know they are not advertising at the moment. You want to get them excited about the skills and experience you can bring when they do have a position available.
Introduce yourself and tell them what you are looking for. Be specific about which department you want to work in and what role you will be good for.
You can also mention any challenges or opportunities you think the company is facing, and how you can help them.

PART 2: Let them know how you can add value (see tip #3 above)

This is where you want to give proof that you can deliver what they need (and why they should call you first when a position opens up). Back your claims with data, numbers and percentages if you can.

For example, talk about how many products you’ve sold to clients in the past year.

Talk about any training or skills you have that you know the company wants in its employees.

If you’re a graduate, give details on any relevant part-time work, internships, volunteer work or extracurricular activities.

PART 3: Encourage the reader to reach out to you

Give the reader your contact details and let them know that you are available to discuss any opportunities at any time, whether it’s in an interview or over a quick cup of coffee.

Ask them to get in touch with you – either through an email or a phone call. This is called a ‘call to action’ because it asks the reader to take action on the next step. Give your email address and phone number here so they don’t have to go looking for them.

Let them know that you’ve attached your resume for further information. If you need to create a resume or make the one you have even better, sign up for the free 5-day resume star challenge by clicking HERE.

PART 4: Closing and signature

You have reached the end of your letter of interest. Now to close it and sign it off.

Simply end your letter with ‘Sincerely’ or ‘Best regards’ and your full name.

Sample letter of interest for job applications and internships

Here’s a sample of what your final letter of interest might look like (see below the sample for a downloadable version for personal use):

Dear [Mr./Ms./Dr.] Hiring Manager’s Surname

I saw an interesting [interview/article/social media post] on [Google/Facebook/LinkedIn] about [Company Name] and the great things you are achieving in [industry/field]. This is a field I am passionate about and would like to ask if there are any [job title] positions available or opening soon in your company.

With 9 years’ experience in managing tech-based projects using both agile and waterfall methodologies, my PRINCE2 qualification and project management experience has enabled me to successfully deliver 3 local and 4 multinational projects during my tenure. On average, stakeholders see a 12% increase in revenue within a year of project closure.

I have attached my resume with more information about my skillset and the projects I have worked on. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you in person or to talk over the phone about the value I can add to your [team/organization]. My email address is: [email address] and my phone number is: [phone number].

[Sincerely/Best regards]

[Your Full Name]

Want to download this letter of interest template? Don’t forget to update the text in [] and change it to match your own skills and experience.

The file is a doc.x file and can be used with Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and on some Apple devices.

Download the sample letter of interest by clicking here: Letter of interest template – Tiara Tribe

Checklist on what to put in your letter of interest

Before sending out your letter of interest, be sure you have included the following:

Your name and surname
Your phone number and email address
Organization’s name
A greeting to the right person
An introduction
Details about your skills and the value you add
A call to action / next steps
Your resume

Conclusion

It’s easy to write an amazing letter of interest if you follow the steps in this post. Be sure to get the contact details of the Hiring Manager so you address your letter to the right person. Then include the 4 parts of an effective letter of interest: an introduction; a summary of how you will add value; a call to action for them to get in touch with you; and a closing.

And if you need a resume template, click here to see what professional recruiters have called ‘The best resume I’ve ever seen.’