If you see a new job position open at the company you’re currently working at, you may be wondering if you can and should apply for that new role. This is especially true if it’s in a department you’ve been interested in working at for quite some time. This type of job application would benefit from an internal position cover letter, also called a letter of interest. It’s an extremely effective way to scout for a new job within the same company. Here’s what you need to know about writing this type of cover letter.
Dear Mr. Smith,
I have wanted to work in the marketing department of Company Name for the over eight years that I’ve worked here. This provided me with the motivation to work even harder at my current position as a sales manager. I have consistently met and exceeded my goals in the current role, with sales as high as 10% above the average community rate. I am proud to know and understand exactly what our customers want.
As a sales manager at this company, I have consistently shown that I know how to work both in teams and independently on my own. I communicate effectively with others. I have also creatively solved problems that have plagued this company for years and created sales concepts that have ended up paying off. It was a rewarding experience to have collaborated extensively with the marketing department, most notably in the creation of Product Name.
I believe that my skills and work experience developed in my current position make me the ideal candidate for an internal promotion to this new position in marketing. As an ideal candidate, I can push forward initiatives that will change the way the company functions as a whole. My supervisor will provide a letter of reference discussing all the positive benefits I have provided in my current job title. Let me know when we can sit down and talk about this open position.
Sincerely,
Hugh Berg
This is a short cover letter example, but it’s a great starting point for any new job you want to pursue.
At the top of your cover letter, add your header and salutation. Include your full name and contact information, including your phone number, location, email address and any professional networking links, such as the link to your LinkedIn profile. Don’t address the cover letter with generic introductions, such as “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam.” Address the letter with the hiring manager’s name. Now it’s time to learn about the actual cover letter format.
In the first paragraph, you need a hook. The applicant in this sample cover letter notes that for over eight years, he’s been interested in working in the marketing department. That indicates to a recruiter that this is an internal cover letter.
Your second paragraph is where you get to expand on your skills and experiences. In this example, the applicant states that he works well both in teams and on his own and that he’s created sales concepts that have completely paid off. Additionally, he brings up that he’s already worked on marketing department collaborations, which would make it much easier for him to assimilate into that department.
In the final paragraph, you get to ask for a job interview actively. This closing paragraph may be a bit more robust than you would find in a random cover letter, as you can also include anyone in the team that would be willing to vouch for you. This call to action gives a hiring manager even more of a reason to bring you in for an interview.
Yes. Although it may seem silly to write a professional cover letter for a job posting made by the company you’re already working for, going through the official application process shows that you care about showing off the best parts of yourself. If you want to write the perfect cover letter, you can use the ResumeNerd cover letter builder.
Your promotion cover letter length should usually be the same as a cover letter for any other job opening. On average, you’ll find that the best cover letter is between half a page and 3/4 of a page long, which is usually 250-350 words. This length allows you to discuss your career goals and experience without boring a recruiter or making them skip your letter entirely.
One of the most important cover letter tips to remember when trying to write a letter for an internal job is that you should never lie or even slightly stretch the truth. While a company probably won’t be able to verify everything you say in a more traditional job search cover letter, they absolutely can when you’re referencing work experience that you’ve done for them. Be completely truthful. You’ll find that it makes a good cover letter anyway.
