As a graphic designer, you know the importance of creating content that conveys the right message without sacrificing aesthetics. It’s why you choose every element meticulously, though users may never realize the effort you pour into every design.
Long hours you spend on writing briefs, sketching concepts, and preparing presentations for clients, means you have less time for creating a graphic designer resume. As much as you want your portfolio to be reason enough to hire you, you’ll also have to create a cover letter that’s equally stunning.
Don’t despair—we’ll guide you through the application process, starting with five graphic designer cover letter examples. Use our tips and AI cover letter generator to make a cover letter, and even find a resume template to match.
Why this cover letter works
- Throughout his graphic designer cover letter, Percival appeals to the company’s goals with phrases like “impart positive emotions” and “inspire kindness, creativity, and joy.” Tying his own goals to the museum shows he’s aligned with its mission and will further it if hired.
- Find a value you and the company share. Whether it’s creating fun art that helps social justice causes or using designs to further company engagement, mentioning how you share an employer’s ideals is a winning strategy.
- Per the job description, Percival supplies several clearance documents to reassure employers of his background. Because they’re separate requirements, he lists them individually beneath “Enclosures.”
- Not all jobs will require more than your resume and portfolio, but you should always read the graphic designer job description thoroughly to confirm. Government organizations will require some form of security clearance even if you don’t work in a high-risk area, so take care to provide all necessary documentation.
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Graphic Design Specialist Cover Letter Example
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Why this cover letter works
- If there’s one thing employers loathe reading, it’s generic cover letters. Marguerite’s graphic design specialist cover letter is anything but—she outlines her motivations, goals, and accomplishments from the start: “I’m ready to use my design and management experience to help you continue to attract the best customers and generate more revenue.”
- Use strong words to convey what you’ve done and how you plan to help your future employer. It might take a few tries, so don’t be afraid of rewrites.
- Your cover letter isn’t a dumping ground, so choose achievements that best match the job description.
- Marguerite focuses on a large-scale skill (partnership/management) and a targeted set of skills (photography/videography). In doing so, she shows her capability on both a large and small scale while also demonstrating her dedication to all projects.
- You don’t always have to include the biggest components of the job ad; sometimes, targeting a preferred qualification can give you an edge.
Freelance Graphic Designer Cover Letter Example
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Why this cover letter works
- Creativity reigns supreme in graphic design, but a dash of numbers can translate that prowess into quantifiable wins. The key is to let the data paint your success story.
- Did you increase the social media engagement for your most recent client via eye-catching designs? Or do you recount when your visually appealing infographics improved a client’s website traffic by, say, 23%? Whatever your quantified wins, don’t hesitate to highlight them in your freelance graphic designer cover letter.
Graphic Designer No Experience Cover Letter Example
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Why this cover letter works
- Doesn’t crafting the perfect graphic designer no experience cover letter seem like a steep climb, given the cut-throat competition? However, personalizing your experience with the company can work wonders.
- See how Aaron recounts in example his deep dive into the potential employer’s publications. If possible, narrate your experience with the company’s proprietary tool. Either way, it highlights your familiarity with the company, signaling a potential solid fit.
Why this cover letter works
- A good opener is essential to making the right impression. Rory addresses the employer and relates the mission statement to his personal goals.
- Build a bridge as soon as possible. Maybe you’ve used the company’s products, or maybe you’ve always loved its creative approach to design, or like Rory, you may share similar values.
- Every senior graphic designer cover letter needs metrics. Metrics demonstrate your positive impact at your previous workplace, and they provide hard evidence for your success.
- If you can, find numbers relating to sales, marketing, or customer service. Choose metrics that apply to the position you’re seeking, and make sure they align with your future employer’s goals.
Edit a matching graphic designer resume
Making your resume gets a whole lot easier when the resume format and template are already done for you. There’s no reason in the world that both your graphic designer cover letter and resume can’t shine! You can start editing this resume and be on your way.
Graphic Designer Resume
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3 Tips for Writing a Stellar Graphic Designer Cover Letter
Writing an outstanding graphic designer cover letter isn’t unlike designing content for your clients; stay true to your purpose, include the right details, and hit the right tone. Follow our guide to craft a stunning graphic designer cover letter one step at a time.
Step 1: Understand the organization and its needs
Every design you make has a message and purpose. Your cover letter also has a message and purpose—to explain why you’re the best fit for the role and to land a job.
Proving you’re the best fit includes demonstrating you understand your employer’s mission, vision, and values. To do that, research is required. Analyze the graphic designer job listing for company information, and look up the company’s website to study its history and recent news.
If you’re struggling to understand what the company wants, try framing its values as questions: a company’s promise to “promote clients by creating custom marketing materials” becomes “can you promote clients by creating custom marketing materials?” Do this to any requirements or statements in the job listing you’re uncertain about, and weave your answers into your cover letter.
Step 2: Get detailed about a couple of successes
No one likes a copycat, so your graphic designer cover letter can’t simply be another version of your resume. Just like your portfolio, your cover letter and resume should be separate entities that show off a variety of your talents.
Even though your resume and your cover letter can include the same experiences, each one achieves different goals. Think of your graphic design resume as a series of snapshots, capturing some of your best career moments. On the flip side, your cover letter is a home video that shows individual moments in great detail, creating a profound story.
Still stuck? Take a closer look at this sample from one of our graphic designer cover letters to spark some ideas.
Example
Currently, as the marketing and graphic design specialist at George Mason University, I design print and electronic marketing products to boost brand awareness and engagement. However, I recognized a need for more personal content, so I turned to photography and videography. My “Life at George Mason University” video series had a 3-percent conversion rate, and by the end of 2021, I had more than doubled our followers on Instagram and Twitter, resulting in an 11-percent rise in prospective student applications.
This example stays focused on one goal or talent (photography/videography). Although the candidate could have just focused on responsibilities, they focus instead on how their efforts helped the company.
Step 3: Win with your tone & message
Now, it’s time to breathe life into your graphic designer cover letter; it shouldn’t read like a book report. Instead, it should draw the reader in, enticing them to learn more.
To accomplish that, you need to have a professional tone. This is no casual conversation (save your LOLs and TTYLs for your best buds), but nor should you be archaically formal. Choose active verbs and strong nouns that are vibrant but appropriate in a business setting.
Professionalism alone, however, won’t engage readers. Once you’ve nailed the professional part, try to make your content read like a narrative. It doesn’t need to be poetry, but it should encourage the reader to linger. Entwine your purpose, your message, and the company’s story into a cohesive unit that sounds engaging and interesting.
Once you’ve nailed the professional part, try to make your content read like a narrative.
After you’ve completed your cover letter, condense it to a page. Then, it’s back to the drawing board for one last step: revision. Just as no design is perfect from the first sketch, no cover letter is complete without editing. Ask some colleagues to review it so they can catch minor errors you may have missed.
Then, all you need to do is hit submit and start dreaming of your future!
The Handy Outline for Your Graphic Designer Cover Letter
Writing anything from scratch is difficult, but it’s even more challenging when there’s a job at stake. But with a good structure to follow, you can breathe easy as our outline will help you choose what to include and how to include it, so you can worry less and write better.
How to start a graphic designer cover letter
Your contact info: Don’t make finding your contact information difficult. Assuming you’re using a template, fill in your email, number, and address (city and state) at the top of your graphic designer cover letter. Also, include your LinkedIn profile if you have room since many employers require it.
Date: It’s a huge help to employers (just think of all the cover letters they have to sort through). Plus, a date can help you keep track of when you applied for the job. So, jot down the date after the address.
Inside address: Include the company’s address even if you’re not sending your letter via post. This inclusion, known as the inside address, immediately informs the employer you’ve researched their company and you’ve tailored your cover letter accordingly.
Can’t find an address? Start by scanning their job description, application, and website. If there’s nothing there, try a quick Google search or look at LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Facebook. One of those options should yield a usable address, or at the very least, a city and state.
Example
Christopher Nichols
Human Resources Director, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
10 Children’s Way
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Greeting: Every word in your cover letter must have significance, including the greeting (also known as the salutation). But don’t sweat it too much—stick to the tried-and-true “Dear Ms./Mr. Lastname:” to make a good impression.
Many cover letters skip the name, but a personalized greeting gets the reader’s attention and makes them feel valued. We all like to be addressed by name, so do your utmost to address the hiring manager specifically. Start looking at the job description and company website before venturing into Google, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor.
If you still can’t find anything, either address the head professional (such as the Human Resources Director), or the entire graphic design team (“Dear Graphic Design Team”).
How to write your graphic designer cover letter
Body: The body of your graphic designer cover letter should be only three to four paragraphs long, leaving room for white space between. Each paragraph needs to convey your interest, unique qualifications, and enthusiasm for future contact.
Opening paragraph: An excellent design catches and holds someone’s attention, and your opening paragraph should do likewise. A boring start can be the difference between getting in or getting tossed in the bin. The key to a great opener is quality, not shock factor, unlike this opening paragraph:
Bad
WOW! That’s exactly what you’re going to think when you see my work. As a graphic designer with 3 years of experience, I’ve done it all, from brochures, ads, social media posts, logos, and far more. I love making clients say, “You’re the best!” and creating content that stuns, amazes, and excites.
This is spot-on if you want to sound like a bad car salesperson, but it’ll turn employers away with its over-eager tone, lack of relevant details, and too-casual manner. Your cover letter opener should be professional and polite while providing evidence you’re the right fit for the job, such as this example:
Good
Based on your numerous awards, the Geronimo Hospitality group has a solid reputation in the hospitality industry. Moreover, you’ve created a memorable customer experience at all your locations, which is always my goal as a graphic designer. I’m ready to use my 4 years of design and management experience to help you continue to attract the best customers and generate more revenue.
Immediately, the employer can tell the candidate knows about the company, they share a common goal, and they have experience.
Paragraphs 2-3: Each paragraph needs to back your opening statements, but don’t fall into the trap of waxing poetic about your work. You have a limited amount of space and time to catch their attention.
Instead, focus each paragraph on one accomplishment, requirement, or credential. This will allow you room to elaborate, and it narrows your options, making your cover letter more of a highlight reel than a biography (which your employer will thank you for).
Each paragraph should be a mini-story unto itself, giving an example of how you have met your previous company’s needs and should thus inspire this company to hire you. It’s more than doable to offer up your experience without being dull or overwhelming:
Example
Earlier, as the lead designer with HyPier Haunts, I helped their growing brand with a high level of variety and creativity for independent and large-scale products. There, I created numerous projects, including several photography essays, a complete branding revamp on all merchandise, and multiple advertising and social media campaigns, including several video series. By the time I left, I had boosted the cost revenue ratio to 60 percent, increased social media engagement by 23 percent, and increased the number of new customers by 17 percent.
This gives context for the position and establishes the requirements expected of the candidate. Moreover, the candidate explains in detail how they met those requirements and created positive change.
Although writing these paragraphs can be intimidating, don’t worry about perfection the first time. Just like your sketches, all you need to do is start; revise them later as needed.
Closing paragraph: Many cover letters end with a hasty and vague close because the candidate feels there’s nothing left to say. Thus, employers read many boring closing paragraphs like this:
Bad
I have experience in graphic design and am passionate about creating art with a purpose. I know I can do good work for you if you will let me. Thank you for reading my cover letter, and please consider me for this position.
Nothing in this paragraph says anything significant about you or the company; instead, it could be from any number of candidates, and it comes off as both desperate and uninspired. Remember this is your chance to solidify your attributes before they review your portfolio and resume, so don’t waste it.
Trust us when we say that closers don’t have to be difficult. Instead, briefly sum up how your goals and experience will help the company’s mission. Then, end with a call to action regarding further contact. This example resolves the conversation politely but enthusiastically with a strong call to action:
Good
Everywhere I have worked, I have aimed to initiate positive change through successful, encouraging designs and innovative leadership. As your senior graphic designer, I will lead projects that will further your brand and meet your marketing goals. I look forward to meeting and discussing more with you about how my experience can be part of creating tech-inspired financial solutions that are easy, empowering, and flexible.
Signature: End on a good note with a professional “thank you” if you haven’t already said so in the closing paragraph. Then use a polite closing statement with your real name (no nicknames).
Example
Sincerely,
Marguerite Justine
Enclosure(s): This section is often forgotten, but it’s vital for graphic designers since it lists all the documents you’re sending to your employer. This includes your resume, the job application, and your portfolio among other things (check the job ad for any additional requirements). It reminds employers that more follows while also giving them a de facto checklist to ensure you’ve followed instructions.
Example
Enclosures:
Resume
Application
Official transcript
Portfolio
Cover letter format for a graphic designer
As a graphic designer, you may be really excited about using one of our cover letter templates above; however, if you’re looking for a basic business letter, you can use this template for your graphic design cover letter.
If you decide a business-style letter is for you, we’ll drop some formatting tips below this template.
Graphic Design Cover Letter
Cover letter formatting tips for a graphic designer
- Leave your name out of your address (save it for the signature instead).
- Write out the full date with the month, day, and year, eg. January 5, 2023.
- Each part of the address should be on a new line and double-spaced between the inside address and greeting.
- If the company you’re applying at is more casual and artsy, you can get away with a comma after the greeting.
- Single-space your cover letter throughout but double-space between paragraphs.
- If you’re presenting hard copies of your graphic designer cover letter, quadruple space to allow room for your signature in blue/black ink.
- Use the singular or plural form of “enclosure” depending on how many things you’re enclosing. (Don’t forget to enclose your design portfolio!)
Is Your Graphic Designer Resume Just as Awesome?
Congratulations, you’re done with your cover letter! But that doesn’t mean you’re done quite yet. Along with finishing your portfolio, job application, and cover letter, you need to submit a resume.
It may be tempting just to submit any old resume since you’re applying for multiple graphic designer jobs that likely have similar requirements. But even if the job skills and roles are similar, that doesn’t mean you should hand in whatever you have on hand.
Like a generic cover letter, a generic resume won’t win you any points with future employers. Every document you submit needs to be tailored, updated, and polished so you can make a positive impact before you meet your employer face to face.
But you’re not alone. Our resume builder features unique AI-powered advice to help create your graphic designer resume from a template like this one—by the way, you can edit this one right now if you like.
Graphic Design Specialist Resume
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Or, you can upload your current resume to see what improvements you can make as you take inspiration from our free graphic designer resume examples.
No matter what you need, let BeamJobs give you a helping hand so you can design a bright future!
We strongly recommend that you dig deep and try your best to find it. Attention to detail is crucial in graphic design, so going the extra mile will convey to the employer that you care and will go out of your way to make an impression. Check LinkedIn, the company website, and the job description carefully. However, if you really can’t find the name, you can use “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear [Company] Team.”
You can use this to your advantage and highlight your fresh look at the industry instead. Talk about your career goals, transferable skills (such as knowing how to communicate with stakeholders), and your love of design. Include a portfolio to underscore your skills.
As a graphic designer, you will likely work with a group of creatives in a rather dynamic workplace. This often gives you some leeway, but let the job description be your guide, as well as the company mission—if it’s all serious business, follow its lead. If the company sounds casual, you can adjust your tone to match, but always keep it a little more professional; if you’re not sure whether something is okay to say, it’s best to skip it.
