Human Resources cover letter example

You’re in human resources, so your cover letter really has to stand out. You know what you look for in an application, but how do you stand out in a crowd of professionals who all have that same information?

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Whether you are looking for your first job or are aiming to move up to human resources manager, let Resume.io help you leverage the skills and knowledge you have to elevate your candidacy.

In this cover letter guide, along with the corresponding human resources cover letter examples, we’ll cover the following topics to help you write the best cover letter possible:

• How to choose the best cover letter format and what paragraphs the cover letter should include
• How to make the most of each cover letter paragraph (header, greeting, intro, body and conclusion)
• What tone and style to use when writing your cover letter
• What mistakes to avoid when writing your human resources cover letter.

So, what is the best way for you to show off your talent and answer that all important question? What will set you apart from the other candidates? The guide below will analyze the details (you can also check out our library of 125+ cover letter examples).

Best format for a human resources cover letter

You have probably read at least a few cover letters in your career, but have you thought about how the best ones were structured? We bet they contained the following elements:

• The cover letter header
• The greeting / salutation
• The cover letter intro
• The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
• The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)

At times, human resources departments don’t require a cover letter, but you know that it’s better to have more information about a candidate than less, so go ahead and write it. The cover letter complements your resume and allows you to get into more detail. It also shows that you can  adopt the correct tone and address the needs of each company you apply to, which means personalizing your applications. 

The comprehensive cover letter guide is an impressive stop for  general advice on writing cover letters, but this text gets deeper into each paragraph and the specifics of writing for an accounting and finance position.

The human resources cover letter example below gives an overview of how to create your own application:

Cover letter header

Have you or a colleague ever given up on a candidate because you couldn’t read or find their contact information? Then you know how important the header is. If it is difficult to contact a candidate, you move on. There are plenty of others.

Use this section to get the attention of the recruiter with a clean, but eye-catching design that includes your name, email and phone number.

The aim of this section: Get your contact information in front of the recruiter and add a pleasing graphic element.

Cover letter greeting

How do you like to be addressed? Certainly with the correct title and spelling of your name. You need to make the same effort you expect of others, so here’s where your human resources letter personalization begins. The best cover letters use the name of the hiring manager or your prospective boss. 

Then, we recommend “Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms. Surname.” You will note that our cover letter examples use this greeting. Remember to triple check that you have the spelling and title correct. There’s no quicker way to lose points (or the interview) than to misspell someone’s name or get their gender wrong.

If you know for sure the company has a casual style, you can use “Hi and a first name” or, if your attempt to get a name was fruitless, you can go with “Dear People People” or something equally cute. Otherwise, stick to a more formal greeting. “To whom it may concern” is fine.

The aim of the cover letter greeting: Set the tone for your letter with a personal greeting that fits the style of the company you are applying to.

Cover letter introduction

The best human resources cover letters open with a clear message and launch directly into why the writer is a great candidate for the job. So why are you a great candidate and why do you want this job? Before you sit down to write, you should know the answer to this all-important question and how you will illustrate it.

Choose the highlight of your career that best matches the new role you want. Avoid using a day-to-day example. You want to show that you can handle the toughest personnel issues or find a great candidate in a tight job market. Add a few positive descriptors of your work style. Don’t be afraid of sto pat yourself on the back a bit. Have you ever recommended a candidate that didn’t say positive things about themselves?

Your cover letter should express your confidence in your ability to do the job well and to add value in your new department.

The aim of the cover letter intro: Deliver your key message with confidence and show that you understand the nature of the job.

Cover letter middle part (body)

You’ve enticed your future colleagues with the best you’ve got and now they are ready to read more. The middle part of your human resources cover letter gives you space to show off your people and administrative skills. The achievements you choose to highlight and the words you use to describe yourself reveal a lot about who you are, so you need to write carefully and compellingly.

Target each employer with examples that illustrate how you communicate the company’s benefits and practices, how you recruit new employees and how you cope with complaints and difficult employee situations. Most human resources professionals can deal with the regular routines of their jobs, but it is handling extreme circumstances well that could tip the balance in your favor.

Break out three or four of your biggest wins and turn them into bullet items that serve as a graphic element within the type, but also call attention to your achievements.

Take a paragraph to show off your problem-solving skills and your views on employee retention and hiring. Answer at least one of the following questions: What is it like to work with you? How do you communicate? What do you think makes a great employee? Answering that last one says a lot about you as a candidate, too.

The aim of the body of your cover letter:.Offer details that confirm your main message and explain what you will bring to you new company.

How to close a human resources cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)

This is your big finish. You want to leave on a high note by restating why you are the right person for the job, but the conclusion has two other purposes:

1. Pique the recruiter’s interest and leave room for follow-up questions. Give a little insight into who you are with a personal tidbit such as a hobby that dovetails with your work, a hire you made and mentored into a starring role or the reason you love your career.
2. Request an interview. The entire goal of your application is to get that interview, so make it clear that you are ready to meet with a call to action.

Our human resources cover letter gives you one method for politely asking for an interview without sounding pushy. Close respectfully, but with the confidence that says, “I know I will do a great job for you!”

The aim of the close: Use a confident tone to remind recruiters why you are a great candidate and politely request an interview.

Writing psychology: how to convey your work ethic in your cover letter

Think about the cover letters that have stood out during your career. Did they show you who they are as workers without resorting to plateaus such as “I am a very hard worker who communicates well with others”? Here are some ways to accomplish that:

• Tell a compelling success story. Use examples of times when you communicated a difficult message or improved the company’s benefits without costing anyone money.
• Offer a cohesive philosophy on the role of human resources. A sentence or two that demonstrates your thinking goes a long way toward understanding your work style.
• Talk about a collaborative project. This shows your collaborative nature, but also allows you to enumerate another achievement.

How to avoid basic mistakes in a human resources letter 

1. Spell check, grammar check, proofread! You may forgive a small typo or you may not. Do you want to take that chance? If you can’t get it perfect when you want the job, what will happen after you have it?
2. Use natural language. Sometimes, we get caught up in industry jargon. It’s fine to use the language of your trade, but make sure your message remains clear.
3. Keep your stories short. If an example needs too much explanation, it’s best saved for the interview.

Key takeaways for a human resources cover letter

1. Consider what you find compelling in others’ cover letters when you write your own.
2. Use examples that show you can handle difficult situations, not the routine aspects of your job.
3. Don’t be afraid to be bold in describing yourself and your talents.
4. Pick examples that illuminate how you will add value to the company.

If you’re looking for additional inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our related human resources cover letter samples:

• HR cover letter example
• Recruiter cover letter example
• HR assistant cover letter example