Project managers are integral in achieving company objectives, communicating, budgeting, and delegating to lead teams to complete projects on time with excellent deliverables. Project managers like you often need to collaborate with other project teams while serving as a liaison who shares team questions, concerns, and ideas.
Your job skillset brings people together to get things done and surpass new company goals. To advance your project manager career, you’ll need to create a project manager resume and cover letter that’s as well-rounded, cohesive, and detail-oriented as you.
Almost everyone dreads writing cover letters! But luckily, we’re here to inspire and guide you with three project manager cover letter samples, a few useful tips, and an outline to get you on your way!
Why this cover letter works
- Spotify has an artistic company culture with an emphasis on interpersonal connection, so Jillian leads with a similar tone. She follows up with abilities and phrasing from the job description and company site.
- Besides ensuring that the company will remember your project manager cover letter, nab the opportunity to show your past and present alignment with the company’s focus and values.
- Jillian consistently uses keywords and terms from the job description and Spotify’s mission statement throughout her cover letter, providing examples of relevant experience as a project manager. Her metrics also bridge the gap between her role at Etsy and what she could do for Spotify.
- If you’re struggling to pick which experiences, examples, or metrics to reference, revisit the project manager job description. Even if you don’t have an exact match, sometimes parallel qualifications will work if they align strongly with the company vision.
Technical Project Manager Cover Letter Example
USE THIS TEMPLATE
Why this cover letter works
- Timothy goes beyond the basics, detailing how Zoom affected his personal life and inspired him to put his relevant qualifications to use for the company. He pulls language from the company mission statement and job description for reinforcement.
- Connecting on a personal level is a great move! In your technical project manager cover letter, seize the opportunity to offer skills from the job description and tie in background information that aligns you with the company’s mission statement.
- Timothy demonstrates the versatility that Zoom’s job listing calls for—both in his varied work history and in how he addresses the well-rounded management style they emphasized. He also references specific tech skills like NodeJS and Agile that Zoom requires.
- Never hesitate to research more. The job description should give you a wealth of information—and if the job ad is vague, the company’s website ought to be more lucrative.
Senior Project Manager Cover Letter Example
USE THIS TEMPLATE
Why this cover letter works
- Cynthia’s anecdote establishes a powerful connection with PharmaCord’s purpose. She mentions the experience and specific qualities from the job description that qualify her for a senior role.
- A relevant anecdote can be effective if you keep it brief. Provide qualifications that relate to the job role, too, as this is your senior project manager cover letter—and not material for your next slam poetry event!
- This cover letter skillfully emphasizes the “senior” part of the job description by highlighting the more complex leadership qualities the company requests. Cynthia spotlights the scope and longevity of her work as well as her interpersonal versatility and metrics-driven results.
- Observe the company culture and job description’s tone, and work a similar feel into your letter. Look through the company’s “about” section online for ways to show that you, as a senior project manager, have spent years overcoming obstacles like the very ones they currently face.
Project Manager Resume
Need a resume to pair with your project manager cover letter?
How to Write a Cover Letter for a Project Management Job
While you’re contemplating the above examples and outlining your own project manager cover letter, remember these three tips for an outstanding final piece: Always learn about the company and job you’re applying for, spotlight your best achievements, and polish your tone.
Write to the project management role and company
So many cover letters get pushed into the abyss for being generic. You don’t want your cover letter to be like everyone elses! So, look for details in the job description and “about” sections on the company website that other candidates will overlook. Research the company and role thoroughly, seeking out specific and unique needs that resonate with you.
Project managers are sought after for their ability to bring innovative ideas and prioritized information together for a streamlined game plan, so your cover letter should demonstrate you’ve done this! Research the company’s objectives and use their previous projects as grounds to establish a connection when possible. Look on the company site for specific mission statements or values, and spotlight them when you discuss your qualifications called for by the job ad.
Share your best project management success
You’ll have limited space to work with since your project management cover letter must remain under a page. But on the flip side, don’t simply repeat the bullet points from your resume, either! Pull one or two of your most incredible accomplishments from your resume and then go beyond the bullet points to show the positive impact you made.
For instance, how did you lead a software development project that wound up increasing sales or customer retention rates? Did you meet an impressively high percentage of your team’s project deadlines—er even exceed expectations? What about the time you collaborated with other project managers on a cross-departmental SaaS project that dramatically boosted company profits?
Find possible opportunities where you can highlight how your experience as a project manager has benefitted others in ways that parallel what the job description and company need.
Mimic the tone of the company
Many hopeful applicants struggle with polishing their cover letters; you’ve described your accomplishments in-depth with eye-catching details and tailored your skills to the job ad after researching the company—and all in under a page! But what now? Next up, you’ll perfect your cover letter’s tone and resulting overall message.
If you’ve checked all the boxes but still don’t feel like you’ve nailed it, revisit the job listing and company website with fresh eyes. This time, now that you’ve got all your ducks in a row in terms of your qualifications and background, focus on the personality that’s demonstrated in the job description—and especially on the company site. What’s the company culture like?
Study the tone of the organization: Do they sound more corporate, sticking with formal terms and efficient wording? Or do they cultivate a more laid-back atmosphere with a conversational tone and occasional touches of humor?
Focus on the personality that’s demonstrated in the job description—and especially on the company site.
Whatever tone the company uses, revise your cover letter to match it and show that you’re the one who gets it! You may spend a little extra time editing and revising, but it’ll be well worth it to showcase what a stand-out candidate you are.
A Cover Letter Outline for Project Managers
Let’s break things down so that your letter will be downright incredible! If you find a resume outline helpful, we dare say that this handy outline—complete with examples from the letters you read earlier—will be vital for understanding the nuances and taking your next steps with confidence.
How to start a project manager cover letter
Your contact info: Include your name, address, phone number, and email address (plus your LinkedIn or other professional social media) if you’re using a cover letter template.
- Formatting: Leave your name out of your address if you’re using a block format.
Example
513 Made-up Street
Upland, CA 91784
(123) 456-7890
Date: This should reflect the exact submission date of your application materials, e.g., January 5, 2023.
- Formatting: Write out the full date—it’ll look more professional than the shortened version.
Inside address: This is just the address of the person receiving your application materials. Always look up and include their name, company and role, and address.
Example
Isabelle Brody, Hiring Manager
PharmaCord
150 Hilton Dr.
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
- Formatting: Each part of the address should be on a new line. Remember to double-space between the inside address and greeting, too.
Greeting: Your greeting, also known as your salutation, is the first impression you’ll make in your cover letter—and first impressions are critical! Hunt down the name of the person you’re writing to (LinkedIn is your friend here), always avoiding generic terms like “Dear Sir/Madam.”
- Formatting: You can follow your greeting with a comma if the overall company tone is more casual. When in doubt, use a colon.
Example
Dear Mr. Iglesias,
Dear Ms. Brody:
How to write your project manager cover letter
Body: The body of your cover letter is the stage for your career highlights and qualifications to shine. Write three to four paragraphs that develop your interest, credentials, and enthusiasm for future contact and discussion.
Opening paragraph: To put it bluntly, most cover letters are terribly boring and unenthusiastic—and the company will be just as unenthusiastic about a candidate with a bland cover letter, regardless of how qualified they might be. Compare the following examples to see how you can write an eye-catching opening paragraph for your project manager cover letter.
Bad
I didn’t really like having to use Zoom at first, but now I like it. I’d like to work for the company too and I’m great at organizing stuff so I’m a great choice.
Why It’s Bad: Oh no—what was that?! It should go without saying to never reference the company in a negative way—there’s no redemption after that. Besides, this opening paragraph is much too informal and lacks examples of how the candidate is supposedly “great at organizing stuff” that could connect them with the company’s goals.
Good
Like countless others across the globe, I experienced difficulties adjusting to a new lifestyle after 2020, but Zoom saved the day with a platform for everything from work-at-home meetings to connecting with my family for occasions that I otherwise would have missed. And thanks to my adaptability, SaaS experience, and PMP certification, I now hope to provide my coordination, organizational, and management skills to help Zoom deliver happiness to other folks as well.
Why It’s Good: While the candidate with the sketchy opener probably meant that they disliked having to use Zoom because of its association with the pandemic, this much-better opener is crystal-clear about how Zoom actually helped alleviate stress in a difficult situation. Then, we see a smooth transition into skills and experience that reference Zoom’s mission statement of improving communication.
Paragraphs 2-3: Now it’s time to put your money where your mouth is! These body paragraphs are meant to substantiate and expound upon the claims made in your opening paragraph. Think of when you revolutionized a company app’s infrastructure or brought various departments together to improve customer feedback—but stick to one achievement per paragraph since you don’t have much room.
Example
While I thrive in creative environments, I never hesitate to take ownership of the technical aspects of project management as well. Etsy afforded a unique view into customer fulfillment infrastructures and key components like monitoring competitive bids and value engineering for the sake of maintaining profitability. By using Google Analytics to gauge and proactively improve the success of new product features, I boosted daily engagement by 21 percent.
Why It’s Good: This candidate draws compelling parallels between their experience at Etsy and their present potential to further Spotify’s goals. The two companies are quite different, but the applicant finds soft and hard skills coupled with metrics that translate beautifully between the two. The abilities mentioned in this paragraph also reference specific challenges and skills from the job description. Two thumbs up!
Closing paragraph: Your closing paragraph should summarize the highlights that make you the perfect candidate who’s ready to make the company’s needs and vision your own. Finally, end with a call to action that further emphasizes your interest.
Bad
Spotify’s great, I listen to it all the time. As you already saw, I’ve got all kinds of qualifications that would help your company. If you’re interested in more information, just ask.
Why It’s Bad: Well, this could be worse, but it’s still too informal and vague—not to mention a tad presumptuous. The candidate misses opportunities to work in specifics from the job description or company mission statement. The tone needs work, too: This reads more like a text than the conclusion of a cover letter.
Good
Thinking analytically, communicating proactively, and building trusting relationships that would drive Spotify’s initiative to create more meaningful connections between artists and fans excites me for the future. Music has been core to some of the most special moments in my life, and I am eager to create equally beautiful moments for millions of others by acting as Spotify’s project manager. I’d love to connect with you soon on how I can improve your reach.
Why It’s Good: This candidate leads with more relevant skills and an enthusiastic description of how they’ll further Spotify’s goals. Before the call to action, the applicant’s personal connection makes a return appearance and elegantly reinforces their reference to the company’s initiative.
- Formatting: Single-space your body text, but double-space between paragraphs for better readability.
Signature: Thank the reader for their time if you didn’t already do so in your closing paragraph. Otherwise, use a brief and professional closing phrase followed by your real name.
Example
Sincerely,
Cynthia Anderson
- Formatting: If you’re giving out hard copies of your project manager cover letter, quadruple space after your name, so you can sign by hand in blue/black ink.
Enclosure(s): This important piece tells the reader that there’s more good stuff to review after your cover letter. Project managers should include their resume, application, and any professional recommendation letters or required certifications.
Example
Enclosures:
Resume
Application
ACP certification
- Formatting: Check that you’re using the singular or plural form of “enclosure” correctly depending on the number of materials you attach.
Build Your Best Project Management Resume Next
Congratulations! You’re on the fast track to writing a superb project manager cover letter! But, we gotta ask—is your resume just as cohesive and spectacular?
In fact, it’s easier to start writing your cover letter once your project manager resume is done! That way, all your bullet points are laid out, making it simple to pick the most outstanding achievements to spotlight in your cover letter.
We’ll help you make a resume, and you can choose a modern Word resume template, a creative Google Docs resume template, or one of our own resume examples to edit like the one below. Building from the ground up is daunting, but we’re committed to getting you the right tools to ease the frustration of the job hunt.
IT Project Manager Resume
Need a resume to pair with your IT project manager cover letter?
You can use the same principles we’ve outlined for your cover letter to make a glowing resume, too: Tailor your resume to the job description’s specific skills and key company values. Before you know it, you’ll have hooked a potential employer’s attention—and they won’t forget you anytime soon!
Rely on the project manager job ad to guide your way here. For instance, if the company requires knowledge of project management methodologies like Agile or Lean Six Sigma, try to incorporate this into your cover letter. It also helps to make your career-defining achievement something that was achieved under your leadership, such as restructuring the marketing department or improving customer satisfaction.
Your cover letter gives you a unique chance to highlight why this can be a good thing. Let’s say you’re transitioning from a role where you were part of a team—highlight that you know the day-to-day life of an entry-level employee and that helps you create a project management strategy that aligns with high employee satisfaction and retention. Make sure to lean into other transferable skills, too, such as time management.
Yes! This is a powerful way to prove that you’ve done your homework and that you care about this company in particular. Don’t force it, though; if the company culture or mission doesn’t really resonate with you, try to instead express how your background in project management can bring things like more revenue, efficiency, or customer retention.
