A business analyst (BA) plays an essential role, often acting as an intermediary between end-users and project managers. You have outstanding communication skills, and since the BA role is so varied, it’s critical to study the exact job you’re applying for and carefully create a cover letter for the specific company and business analyst job description.
Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to write a cover letter and business analyst resume to grab employers’ attention with your experience and grasp of their needs.
If you’re stuck, you’ve come to the right place! We’re here with five business analyst cover letter samples and guidance on formatting and wording. Don’t miss our free cover letter templates below, free cover letter generator, and matching resume templates.
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Entry-Level Business Analyst Cover Letter Example
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Why this resume works
- Struggling to get your foot in the business analysis arena as a beginner? It’s understandable, but do you know that spotlighting a relevant academic project in your entry-level business analyst cover letter could be your golden ticket?
- This approach demonstrates your ability to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical setting. See how Alejandro shares his experience dissecting data with Excel and unveiling trends and predictors using Power BI in a class project.
Why this resume works
- Taking Mia’s lead, a personal anecdote related to the role infuses a dash of character and intrigue into your business systems analyst cover letter.
- Better yet, have the narration showcase you playing the hero who identified the issues and implemented the solution. After all, who wouldn’t want to work with a business analyst with the savvy to tackle real-life issues head-on?
Business Analyst Resume
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How to Write a Business Analyst Cover Letter
Stay tuned as we walk you through the three steps to help you create the best cover letter for a business analyst role.
Step 1: Read the job description carefully
If you’ve prepared your resume, then you know the importance of tailoring it to the specific business analyst job ad. This is also true for your cover letter. Research the company and the role. Use this info to ensure your cover letter addresses the unique needs mentioned in the job listing. This will benefit you when you’re facing a slew of business analyst interview questions.
Let your research be the foundation that demonstrates your interest in the role and company. What does the job ad tell you about an initiative the role needs to handle or a gap that needs to be filled?
- For example, let’s say the company mentions a current project to develop a new product.
- Talk about how your commitment and skills will facilitate their progress.
- Perhaps they need to improve best practices around business requirements gathering.
- Discuss your training, background, or certifications related to business analysis and/or project management.
Take advantage of anything in the job description where you can highlight your abilities and experience for the specific business analyst role.
Step 2: Hone in on your business analyst achievements
Focus on specifics from the job listing that shows you can give the company what it needs in a business analyst. But, avoid repeating skills or experience you’ve already provided in your resume. Your cover letter should be fresh, containing additional information employers can’t glean from your resume.
Use your business analyst cover letter to share your achievements or progress, which aren’t as easily incorporated into a resume. Since a resume must be succinct and objective, you can, for instance, use your cover letter to point out something you did that may not have objective measurements.
- For example, perhaps you’ve used your outstanding personal skills to mentor business process owners and other analysts on how to best use existing reports and databases.
- The cover letter is a good place to expound on examples of your soft skills that are not always appropriate for a resume that demands your attention to more technical skills.
- This also offers another opportunity to customize your letter to show your knowledge of the company and its specific needs.
Step 3: Convey the right tone
While your cover letter is a good place to describe skills and successes you might not be able to explore in-depth in a resume, do keep your letter to less than one page. Limit it to a few of your best examples. Eliminate wordiness and keep it professional and sincere, avoiding pleasantries and brown-nosing.
Avoid clichés, colloquialisms, and filler words. This is a business position you’re applying for, after all. It’s okay to be somewhat conversational—maybe use a contraction here and there depending on the company—but be professional.
Avoid clichés, colloquialisms, and filler words. This is a business position you’re applying for, after all.
Not only do you need to revise, edit, and condense your cover letter text (keeping it to one page or less), but it’s also critical to proofread. Go a step further and invite others to review your work. Accept feedback, consider it, and make the needed edits.
Once you’ve completed the above steps, save your file with a logical and professional name (like MWatkins.AgileBA.CoverLetter.2023), and be confident that you have a solid cover letter to send to your prospective employer.
How to Format a Business Analyst Cover Letter
How do you start writing a fabulous cover letter? Well, if you’re staring at your screen and having trouble knowing where to begin, then build from one of our cover letter templates for a business analyst above. Next, we’ll explain each section of your business analyst cover letter.
Business analyst cover letter header and greeting
Your contact info: When using a template, carefully fill in the letterhead to match the job role. Don’t miss revisions to any of the generic text or forget to include your contact information (like your name, email, and phone number).
- Formatting: Creating a letter from scratch? Including your address is acceptable and typical. Many cover letter templates will prominently display your name on the letterhead; however, a basic but professional block letter should omit your name as it’ll be obvious on the signature line.
Date: Hopefully you’re writing your cover letter well in advance of submitting it, but don’t forget to edit the date to reflect when you actually send the letter.
- Formatting: Use the full date, e.g. January 13, 2023.
Inside address: If at all possible, use the name of a specific person. Include their title, full company name, and mailing address for the person/company.
- Formatting: Each part of the address should be on a new line. Double space between the inside address and greeting.
Example
Kenneth Heaps
Chief Information Officer
Latham & Watkins LLP
1271 W 50th Street
New York, NY 10020
Greeting: Start on the right foot with your new employer, so avoid a generic greeting (AKA a salutation) like:
- Dear Manager,
- Dear Hiring Department,
- To Whom it May Concern:
It’s often a challenge to sleuth out the name of the hiring manager for many jobs. Many companies use staffing agencies or their HR departments.
Do some detective work, look at the company website, and see if you can find the department you’re applying to, or, better yet, if you can figure out who the hiring manager is. A specific name leaves an impression (a positive one). The extra time you spend hunting down a name does make a difference:
- Dear Mr. Heaps:
- Dear Mr. Hawkinson:
- Formatting: Use formal letter etiquette by using a colon at the end of the greeting. Comma usage is most likely too casual for a BA, but it truly depends on the company’s culture.
Business analyst cover letter introduction
Introduction: The objective of the first paragraph is simple. Speak to your interest in the job and your experience at a high level (years of experience, profession, certifications, education, etc.) leveraging what’s relevant to the role and company.
It’s common to see opening sentences like this one:
Example
I saw your need for a business analyst on Indeed, and I believe I’d be a good fit.
Does that grab your attention, though? It makes us yawn.
Stating where you saw the job listing for the business analyst role is unnecessary. They know where they posted the job, and they certainly know what the job is for, so consider something like this:
Example
Eczema is a condition I am all too familiar with, and I would love to dedicate my career to fighting chronic illness at TrialSpark. Not only will I bring my passion for the company mission, but I believe my experience aligns perfectly with what you need in an Agile business analyst.
This makes a strong statement and clearly demonstrates that you’ve done your homework and researched the company and its industry. You also display interest in the role and offer valuable experience. Tying a personal connection to business objectives shows that you’re serious about the job and confident in your expertise.
Business analyst cover letter body
Body paragraphs: Strive to make the content in your cover letter different from your resume. Focus each paragraph on a single achievement. Include short (two to three sentences), detailed, and quantifiable (if at all possible) descriptions of how you benefited past employers.
Take advantage of the third paragraph if you can as it will give you another chance to impress upon the reader how valuable your business analyst skills will be to the company. Use factual evidence of your credentials and achievements.
Business analyst cover letter closing
Closing paragraph: This is your final opportunity to leave a great impression on your potential employer and land an interview. Avoid clichés, trite phrases, or something like this:
Example
I feel I am the best candidate for this business analyst position, and I look forward to speaking with you soon.
Nope. Boring and indistinguishable from hundreds of other cover letters. If you use something similar, they’ll suspect you’re using a form letter or don’t care.
Be creative and original. Give employers something unique that shows how your values and qualifications align with the organization’s needs. Leverage your enclosures to save space and give them additional information. Convince employers you’re not merely looking for a job (even if you are).
Use your last sentence or two as a call to action. Indicate your anticipation of a follow-up or interview. For example:
Example
My keen attention to detail, in-depth understanding of enterprise systems, Agile expertise, and passion for creating innovative solutions will equip me to help TrialSpark perform more clinical trials and, ultimately, improve the quality of life for those with chronic illnesses. It would be an honor to grow with TrialSpark, and I’m eager to discuss the next steps with you at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your consideration.
Signature: Don’t forget to say “thank you” if you haven’t already done so in your closing paragraph. Always use a professional closing with your formal (legal) name.
- Formatting: If you print hard copies of your business analyst cover letter, quadruple space in this section to have room to sign your name. Use blue or black ink.
Example
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Bailey Hough
Enclosure(s): It’s important to include this line because it indicates that more follows your letter. Typical things to include are your current business analyst resume, application form, technical certifications, and possibly a reference letter, depending on the requirements in the business analyst job listing.
- Formatting: Use the singular or plural form of “enclosure” depending on how many things you’re enclosing.
Example
Enclosures:
Resume
Application
2 letters of recommendation
Add a Professional Business Analyst Resume
Congrats on creating an awesome cover letter for a business analyst role that’ll impress prospective employers. Is your resume up to the same quality? If you’ve already put in the work to update, upgrade, and polish your resume, nice! You’re well on your way to landing a great BA position.
On the other hand, if you’ve left your resume until last, don’t worry. We can help you with that! A strong business analyst resume for a technical candidate like you is crucial to your job search.
Our practical tools will enable you to make a resume, and our free resume templates will keep you from endless, frustrating hours of working in Google Docs or Word (we have those, too, though if that’s your preference—free Google resume templates and free Word resume templates).
We’re confident you’ll build a top-notch resume (like the one you can edit below) and cover letter that will empower you to win interviews and secure your next great business analyst role.
Agile Business Analyst Resume
Need a resume to pair with your agile business analyst cover letter?
Expanding on the achievements you listed in your business analyst resume is a great idea, but your cover letter should offer a fresh perspective. Talk about the aspects of your achievements that were difficult to quantify, forcing you to omit them from your resume. For instance, if you’ve refined your talent for resolving conflicts between stakeholders and getting them on the same page, dive into the details of your impact.
The “right” tone is something that varies for every business, so for each business analyst role you apply to, try and get a read on how laid back the company culture is and match it. As a general rule of thumb, though, try to be succinct and maintain a tone of professionalism while keeping it conversational enough that it doesn’t come across as stiff or like a legal document.
Show that you’ve taken this application seriously by mentioning the company’s core mission, values, and products and how they resonate with your skills and experience. If being data-driven is one of the core values of a company you’re applying to, highlight how this has been one of the driving forces of your career, and cite examples where you’ve waited for the data to support your decisions before making them.
