how to include interpersonal skills in cover letter

Strong Interpersonal Skills: Example Usage on Resume, Skill Set and Top Keywords in 2024

Here are the top ways to show your Interpersonal skills on your resume. Find out relevant Interpersonal keywords and phrases and build your resume today.

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In This Guide:

What are interpersonal skills, what traits, skills, and abilities help you demonstrate strong interpersonal skills on your resume, how to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills on your resume, common misconceptions and pitfalls to avoid when demonstrating interpersonal skills on a resume., interpersonal skills: key takeaways for your resume.

In the corporate world, interpersonal skills are a set of skills that define one's ability to successfully work with others. These include communication skills, ability to listen, positive attitude, dispute resolution, emotional intelligence, etc.

Interpersonal skills are key to effective interaction on the job. Co-workers with well-developed interpersonal skills are considered to be core team players. Generally speaking people with good interpersonal skills know how to behave in society, understand what the norms are, and know what is expected of them. They can also read very well social signals or interpret verbal interaction and adjust their behavior to smoothen communication and improve workflow.

Interpersonal skills are also known as employability skills or people skills. Simply put you might be the best IT engineer in the world but if you lack interpersonal skills chances are that you will not be employed at all.

Why are Interpersonal skills important on your resume?

Interpersonal skills are important on your resume because without them you will not get along with your co-workers making any process in the organization impossible.

Communication is key to everything. If you can not interact properly with others you become the weakest link in the organization and the overall level of the organization is decreasing. Colleagues would prefer to do more work themselves instead of trying to seek help from you. A bad attitude could affect the morale and the performance of the organization in a very negative way and it spreads quickly.

Interpersonal skills are considered a top priority by HR interviewers. This is because it can be difficult to evaluate one’s long-term performance within the organization. Judging by the interpersonal skills you demonstrate through your resume and during the interview, the hiring manager could project how you fit within the organization.

• Communication skills: Clear and effective communication is crucial for the success of the organization. Communication could be verbal, including written communication and nonverbal (gestures, expression, tone, body language, etc.). In case you lack some of these skills you will be able to learn them If you have the right attitude
• Emotional intelligence: Trying to put yourself in your co-worker’s shoes is key to understanding her or him. If you are aware of their feelings and overall values, beliefs, and current situation you will find the right approach.
• Positive attitude: Negative attitude is a disease. It was not a coincidence that during WW2 defeatism was criminalized. A positive attitude on the other hand makes you a desired partner and an approachable person. People will do things for you. The positive attitude has an enormous power to overcome the hardest problems. Statistics show that in extreme conditions those who keep a positive attitude have a higher rate of survival.
• Social intelligence: People with high social intelligence know that to achieve anything they need to communicate and form relationships with others in a proper manner. Social intelligence works hand in hand with emotional intelligence. It helps understand roles, social settings, and how you should behave. The non-fancy word for social intelligence could be “tact”.
• Conflict Management: Conflict is inevitable. A good set of interpersonal skills always includes constructive criticism, counseling, mediating, problem-solving, mentorship, and other abilities that help resolve conflicts. Avoiding and managing conflicts is critical for the workflow. Some estimates show that American companies lose 359 billion per year because of conflicts at the workplace with nearly 35% of the workforce being involved in some sort of conflict.
• Teamwork: Collaboration is another key element of a successful team.Sure some tasks could be completed by individuals but usually, group efforts are those that make a difference. Look at the pyramids.
• Responsibility: Employers value serious and responsible people that they can depend on. With micromanagement getting harder and costlier process people you can depend on become even more valuable.
• Patience: In some cases, patience can help avoid conflict. Patience is also a key ingredient while building a team or mentoring someone. Sometimes the same message delivered prematurely will be rejected but delivered at the right time will be accepted.
• List examples from your job experience that demonstrate interpersonal skills
• Think of major achievements and breakthroughs made possible by your interpersonal skills
• If you speak foreign languages emphasize this because people who master a few languages usually have excellent interpersonal skills
• If you were in a multicultural environment add this as well
• Use keywords such as “supported”, “resolved”, “improved”, “mentored”, “solved”, “counseled”, “guided”, “encouraged”, “helped”
• List specific courses or certificates related to interpersonal skills
• Make sure to add if you were mentoring or trained someone
• Do not forget to add if you practiced public speaking or debating
• List all technical communication tools that you can work with
• Give examples of problem anticipation and prevention
• List any innovation and improvements that were implemented as a result of your efforts to solve a crisis

Writing “Strong interpersonal skills” on your resume is simply not sufficient. You will need to convince the hiring manager through examples and achievements.

Example 1: Show your interpersonal skills in your experience bullet points

• • Evaluated the current HR practices and made recommendations to reduce contemporary HR issues by 20%
• • Executed labor and employee relations activities that improved productivity and efficiency by 30%
• • Improved product margins by 5% and cycle time efficiency by 1 week through by outsourcing activities.
• • Achieved and maintained a healthy client portfolio by client retention rate of 75% by presenting and organizing events.
• • Developed customized exercise patterns to achieve over 20% weight loss targets.
• • Worked with National team to develop the new structure of sports club funding for future 5-year plan
• • Deploying and upgrading Microsoft 2008 & 2012 servers across small to medium sized organisations.

Example taken from our Relationship Management on Resume guide

Example 2: Demonstrate interpersonal skills in your resume summary

Example taken from our Change management resume guide

Example 3: Use your achievements to make the point

Example taken from our CEO Resume Guide

Top related skills to strong interpersonal skills:

• Project Management
• Business Development
• Communication
• Time Management
• Negotiation
• Customer Service
• Problem Solving
• Change Management
• Microsoft Office
• Process Improvement
• Emotional Intelligence
• Social Intelligence
• Conflict management
• Gossiping: It could seem that gossiping will make you look like a popular person, but in the long term it will create tension, and you will lose credibility. It is hard to tell if you will be gossiping from your resume, but a skillful interviewer can tell during the interview.
• Sharing information: Conveying information is not communication. It is a one-sided process. You should make sure you deliver what is needed and tailored to the one who receives it. Communication is a dialogue. Make sure to point out you understand this on your resume.
• You said it once: To deliver a message, you need to make sure you use the right medium. Then repeat your message if you feel that the response is low. Sending an email to your plumbing team in the field is not a good idea. Give examples of various communication methods, tools, and systems that you use on your resume. Did you measure the results of your communication? How?
• Patronizing: People with good communication skills know it, and sometimes they can feel superior to a co-worker just because they can express themselves better. Being communicative without empathy and the right attitude is not enough.
• Interpersonal skills are a gateway to employment
• Interpersonal skills are about two-way communication, understanding the other person, the social setting, and the norms
• Interpersonal skills should be demonstrated indirectly on your resume through examples of communication skills, emotional intelligence, social intelligence, conflict solving skills, etc.

• Resume Skills

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How to list contract work on your resume, the novice guide to creating a plain text resume (including templates), how to list an associate degree on resume, how to choose which resume format is right for you, dates on resume: how to format, templates & tips.

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28+ Top Interpersonal Skills in 2024

You may be the most skilled professional in your field…

You may have won dozens of awards and titles…

But without this one type of skill, you're never going to reach your full potential.

Yes, you guessed it: we’re talking about interpersonal skills .

Interpersonal skills, in a nutshell, dictate how well you get along with other people. 

But what else is there to know about interpersonal skills, and how can you develop them? Well, we’ll cover both these topics in this article!

What Are Interpersonal Skills?

7 types of interpersonal skills, how to show off your interpersonal skills, 10 most in-demand interpersonal skills for jobs in 2024, how to develop interpersonal skills.

So, let’s get started!

Interpersonal skills are skills that dictate your ability to get along with and understand other people. 

Interpersonal skills are not just a single skill - rather, they consist of several soft skills . These include:

• Emotional intelligence
• Communication (both verbal and nonverbal)

...And several others (we’ll cover the full list a bit down the line).

And yep, they ARE in demand for any type of job.

For people-related roles, good interpersonal skills are, obviously, essential. After all, jobs that involve people require communication, teamwork, and emotional intelligence, among others.

Interpersonal skills also come in handy for very individual-focused roles.

Say you’re a writer. You may think that as long as you can just sit down and write, you don’t have to deal with those pesky people skills, right?

Not exactly.

To be a really good writer, you need to be able to communicate well with other people:

• You need to communicate with your readers and understand why they like/don’t like your books.
• You need to communicate with your publishers and make sure that there are clear expectations and responsibilities set both ways.
• You need to have a good understanding of what people are like so that you write accurate characters in your book.

And that’s where interpersonal skills come into play!

Interpersonal Skills Examples

As we mentioned before, interpersonal skills are more of a mixture of different types of people skills.

Some examples of interpersonal skills are:

• Collaboration

Now that we went over the theory, let’s see what interpersonal skills are in practice. 

#1. Communication 

Communication is a very large chunk of interpersonal skills.

After all, no matter how good you are with other types of interpersonal skills (teamwork, conflict management, leadership, etc.), it doesn’t really matter if you can’t effectively communicate with other people.

Here are some examples of skills associated with communication: 

• Verbal communication
• Active listening
• Nonverbal communication

#2. Teamwork 

Teamwork is when a group of people works together to efficiently achieve a common goal or complete a task.  

Teamwork is an interpersonal skill required for, well, almost any job ever.

Whether you’re a football player or a computer scientist, you need to (effectively) work with a team to achieve your goals.

Examples of teamwork skills include (but are not limited to):

• Team facilitation
• Problem-solving

#3. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence refers to being able to understand and manage emotions - both yours and other people’s. 

It takes emotional intelligence to work in positions that require one-on-one interaction and a lot of emotional labor. 

Nurses make a good example of this. On top of physically taking care of patients, they also need to be empathetic towards their emotional needs and look after their mental state.

However, emotional intelligence also comes in handy in the workplace - being able to “read” colleagues’ emotions and act accordingly can go a long way in building good relations.  

Emotional intelligence is associated with: 

• Sensitivity

#4. Leadership 

Leadership is the ability to motivate, encourage and inspire others and lead a team towards achieving a common goal. 

Leadership is required to succeed in all sorts of roles, including:

• Management positions like CEO, director, team lead, etc.
• Positions where you need to inspire other people. This includes teachers, brand managers, and other creative roles.

Think of the difference between an average and a truly great teacher. The latter has the ability to motivate students to learn, encourage them to go after their dreams and inspire them to become whatever they wish. If those aren’t the qualities of a leader, then we don’t know what is.  

Examples of leadership skills are: 

• Encouraging

#5. Conflict Management 

Conflict management is the ability to resolve disagreements or disputes in such a way that minimizes negative results and maximizes positive ones. 

As a professional skill, conflict management has a wide range of uses that are not limited to specific industries. At one point or another, you will most likely need to manage a disagreement in your work environment - even if it’s between you and a colleague, supervisor, or client. 

Conflict management involves: 

• Conflict Resolution

#6. Influencing skills 

Influencing skills encompass the ability to convince people of the way you think on a certain matter without using force or coercion, and while taking their opinion into consideration. 

Influencing skills are required if you want people - be it your supervisor, colleagues, or clients - to see things from your point of view and act a certain way that benefits you, the team, or your career path. 

Influencing skills consist of: 

• Negotiation

#7. Positive Thinking

Positivity is a skill, attitude, and mindset. 

How is it a skill? Because it involves practicing to see the best in every situation and not allowing yourself to get demotivated by life’s drawbacks. 

And since drawbacks, difficulties, and challenges will be a part of life no matter what your profession is, positive thinking is nothing short of vital. 

If you’re wondering how a mindset can be an interpersonal skill, consider this - when you have a positive attitude, you are happy and optimistic. Hence, you are more likely to build constructive relationships with your colleagues and be a beneficial member of the work environment. 

Here are some examples of positive thinking: 

• Friendliness
• Sociability

Even if you have amazing interpersonal skills, you need to somehow show it to prospective employers.

Here’s our advice on how you can best showcase your interpersonal skills for your job search:

Step #1. Scan the Job Ad

Scan the job ad and find the right interpersonal skills for the job. Not ALL interpersonal skills are relevant for all jobs.

If you’re a software engineer , for example, clear communication and teamwork is what’s required of you.

If you’re a software engineer team lead , though, the job will need you to have (again) communication skills, leadership skills like mentoring and perseverance, and organizational skills.

So, scan the job ad you’re applying for, and make a list of the relevant interpersonal skills.

Step #2. Add These Skills to Your Resume

Mention the relevant interpersonal skills in the following resume sections (whichever is relevant):

• Resume Summary
• Work Experience
• Skills Section

Keep in mind, though, that you don’t want to just slap these skills on your resume and call it a day - you want to back them up, too.

Here’s what we mean by that:

If you mention Communication Skills in your skills section, the recruiter reading it doesn't really get much value. Sure, you’re saying that you have communication skills, but how can they know for sure?

If, on the other hand, you add a bit in your work experience section to talk about how you used these communication skills to excel at your last job, THEN your skills will shine a whole lot brighter!

• Communicated with 3 different departments - marketing, finance, and HR - to bring Project Z to conclusion successfully.
• Strong Communication Skills

Step #3. Add (Relevant) Skills to Your Cover Letter

In addition to your resume, you can also mention your interpersonal skills in your cover letter!

In your resume, you’re a bit limited by space on how many details you can mention - all you’ve got are bullet points, after all.

Well, in your cover letter, you can expand on whatever you already mentioned in your resume, but in more detail.

Let’s expand on the previous example. In your cover letter, you could say:

“During my last role as Senior Product Manager, I had to implement a workflow management software that would be used by 3 departments - marketing, finance, and HR. I understood the needs of each department and used it to source a software solution that worked for everyone.”

Step #4. Talk About Your Interpersonal Skills During the Interview

During the job interview, you’re bound to get asked a lot of questions about your soft skills. And rightfully so!

97% of employers think that soft skills are as important (if not more important) than hard skills. Meaning, you might be the perfect candidate in terms of hard skills, but if you lack the interpersonal skills to get along with your team, your chances of getting the job go down significantly

When answering such interview questions, though, don’t just say something like, “Oh, I’m a great leader” and stare at the interviewer, waiting for them to move on.

Instead, give a concrete example of a situation where you’ve used this interpersonal skill before, and how it helped you excel.

“I believe that I’m great at managing people. We were always both ahead of schedule and under budget in every client account, I’ve managed. This one time, due to a mix-up with HR, several of my team members took time off at the same time, and it was too late to change this.

Regardless of the mistake, I borrowed team members from different departments, got them up to speed with the tasks, and still managed to complete the pressing project on time.”

I’m an amazing manager.

Step #5. Show Your Skills During the Interview

Talking about your skills is one thing. Unless you actually demonstrate them during the interview, though, the recruiter will remain unconvinced.

For example, if you’re saying you’re a charismatic leader, and you’re bumbling through every interview question, that’s not too convincing, right?

Want to make sure that you’ll ace that upcoming interview? Preparation is key! Check out some of these most common job interview questions (and learn how to answer them):

• What are your biggest strengths?
• What are your biggest weaknesses?
• Why should we hire you ?
• How did you hear about this position?
• Why did you decide to apply for this position?
• What do you know about this company/organization?
• What are your salary requirements?
• What are you looking for from a new position?
• Tell me something about yourself .
• Are you considering other positions in other companies?
• What is the professional achievement you’re most proud of?
• What kind of working environment do you work best in?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• Do you have any questions for us?

Some of the most sought-after interpersonal skills in the job market today include:

• Conflict resolution

Interpersonal skills CAN be developed, although at first glance they seem like traits people are born with (e.g. being empathetic, friendly, or inspirational). 

Given, acquiring interpersonal skills is not as easy as learning hard skills - you can’t just register for a class in kindness, learn how to be kind in a semester and get a certificate in the end. Instead, interpersonal skills require commitment and daily practice to develop. 

That being said, here are some ways to develop your interpersonal skills: 

• Preserve your relationships: Don’t remove college friends or past colleagues from your life - you never know where life will take you, so burning bridges is never a good idea. Grab a coffee, call them, or, at the least, send them an email from time to time. It’s called networking.
• Put yourself in other people’s shoes: Seeing things from other people’s perspectives will help develop your empathy and compassion, and give you new eyes to look at old problems.
• Look for the positives in others: Practice finding something good - like a positive trait - in the people you work with. It might not be easy, we know, but it will definitely help you be kinder, more tolerable and more open.
• Control your emotions: Letting your emotions get the best of you can seriously influence your ability to solve problems, listen to others, and resolve conflict.
• Pay attention to body language: A big part of communication is understanding what was not said - verbally, that is. Body language, on the other hand, always has something to say, so the more attention you pay, the better you’ll get at reading nonverbal cues.
• Own up to your mistakes : Look, humans are fallible beings - they make mistakes. You probably appreciate people who have the courage to admit they were wrong and the desire to do better. Then, make sure to practice what you preach next time you make a mistake. Do keep in mind, however, that owing to your mistakes without the desire to do better will just make you unbearable.
• Don’t stop practicing when you get off work: To really develop your interpersonal skills, do it all the time. Pay attention to your mindset by not letting things you can’t control irritate you (e.g. morning traffic), or by practicing friendliness with strangers. By making this a part of your routine, interpersonal skills will become a part of you in no time - and you’ll notice their benefits outside of the office, too.

Key Takeaways

And that sums up all you need to know about interpersonal skills!

Now, let’s recap some of the most important points we’ve covered in this article:

• Interpersonal skills dictate your ability to get along with and understand other people.
• Interpersonal skills are not just a single skill - rather, they consist of numerous soft skills
• You can use your resume, cover letter and job interview to show off your interpersonal skills.
• There are ways to improve your interpersonal skills. Those include putting yourself in other people’s shoes, controlling your emotions and paying attention to body language (among others).

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Top Interpersonal Skills Employers Look For

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Top Interpersonal Skills Employers Look For was originally published on Forage .

Often known as people skills, interpersonal skills are the soft skills you use to interact with others. In the workplace, these skills are essential to being an effective team player and contributing to a positive work environment. 

Yet some interpersonal skills are more valuable than others, especially in today’s workplace. This guide will help you understand what interpersonal skills employers are looking for and how to identify your own. We’ll cover:

What Are Interpersonal Skills?

What interpersonal skills are employers looking for right now, how to identify your interpersonal skills, how to include interpersonal skills in a job application.

Interpersonal skills are the skills you use when connecting with someone else. Anytime you talk with a team member, friend, or family member, you use these skills. They help you better relate to, understand, and collaborate with others. In addition, we use them to develop strong, trusting relationships.

At work, “interpersonal skills are the soft skills key to our employability and ability to thrive on the job,” Trie Angeleva, mindful living and career transformation expert, says. “Also known as emotional intelligence, they include the aspects of a person’s personality and demeanor that make them an asset to others around them.”

Interpersonal skills examples include:

• Active listening
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Conflict resolution
• Creative thinking
• Decision-making
• Dependability
• Flexibility
• Inclusivity
• Negotiation
• Verbal Communication

Interpersonal skills are essential at work because you’ll always need to collaborate with others. Yet some of these skills are more valuable than others, primarily because of how the workforce has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The shifting professional geodynamics COVID created have put a spotlight on communication and empathy as two of the most in-demand interpersonal skills employers are looking for today,” Gretchen Skalka, leadership and career development coach, says. “Going remote, often overnight, forced employees and employers to rethink everything they thought they knew about effective communication. Communication in a post-pandemic world means we need to ask deeper, more purposeful questions of each other. We need to communicate with transparency, empathy, and an open mind. We need to listen more and check in with each other about more than the work.”

Angeleva agrees that employers want better communication — specifically mindful communication that focuses on empathy and respect — in the current work landscape.

“Mindful communication is most valued for two reasons,” Angeleva says. “First, fewer face-to-face meetings and interactions and more Zoom meetings, calls, texts, emails, and remote working can compromise clarity. Second, the huge range of generations in today’s workplace can result in a whole lot of frustration, awkwardness, and misunderstanding if communications aren’t mindful.”

Not only is mindful communication important for getting our work done well, but also for creating a respectful, positive work environment.

“For example, the ways a 60-year-old and a 22-year-old speak — in terms of pace, terminology, pitch, culture references, formality and authority — are dramatically different,” Angeleva says. “Appreciating and respecting these differences and being able to bridge these differing styles with openness, compassion, patience, humor and warmth is going to continue being one of the most sought-after interpersonal skills of 2023 and beyond.”

Even if you don’t have formal work experience, you likely have interpersonal skills from everyday interactions. Whether you’ve volunteered with an organization, worked at a coffee shop, or led a group project, you have interpersonal skills that you bring to the table — and can bring to the workplace.

To identify your interpersonal skills, Skalka recommends asking yourself these questions:

• Am I a good listener?
• Am I good with people?
• Do I communicate easily?
• How well do I take feedback?
• How do I handle conflict?
• How would other people describe me?

“Your answers to these questions will give insight into your skills related to communication, empathy, collaboration, respect, self-awareness, confidence, flexibility, open-mindedness, and more,” Skalka says.

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Because interpersonal skills are soft skills (versus hard skills) , you won’t necessarily list them on your resume in a skills section. Instead, you should elaborate on these skills in your resume experience descriptions, cover letter , interview, and even LinkedIn profile and posts.

First, identify what interpersonal skills the employer is looking for in their job description. What do they say about the team dynamics? What kind of team member are they looking for? These are the skills you want to elaborate on in your application materials.

Then, to demonstrate that you have these skills, explain how you’ve used them in your past experiences. Again, if you don’t have professional work experience, that’s OK! You can still elaborate on these skills by describing how you’ve worked with others before, even if it wasn’t in a formal work environment.

Let’s say, for example, you and a peer had conflicting work styles. You can discuss how you worked to improve or solidify your relationship.

“Perhaps you invited them to a coffee chat to discuss any issues, asked their advice on a project, or just took the time to get to know them better,” Skalka says. “These are activities that will help you get a better understanding of the whole person and not just the part you see or interact with at work. This can foster relationship-building, trust, communication, respect, and much more.”

>>MORE: Crush the interview with Comcast’s Unspoken Interview Fundamentals Virtual Experience Program . 

The Bottom Line

Employers will always value interpersonal skills because they reflect how you fit into and adapt to a team environment. Yet, in a post-COVID world, specific interpersonal skills — like communication and empathy – are even more critical for navigating remote and hybrid work environments, new technology, and unique work challenges. 

Looking to build more professional skills? Check out Standard Bank’s Accessing the World of Work Virtual Experience Program .

Image credit: mentatdgt / Pexels

The post Top Interpersonal Skills Employers Look For appeared first on Forage .

Find out the interpersonal skills you need to include in your cover letter to land that dream job.

Your interpersonal skills determine how you interact or engage with others. The skill is by far the most crucial one that employers look out for when recruiting personnel for their companies. The first contact that employers have about you is through the cover letter even before they meet you in person. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that you will be able to make a good impression through the cover letter. It is essential that you bring out your strongest interpersonal skills in the letter, to give the employer more reasons to slot you in for the interview and to even hire you afterward. These skills include creative thinking, problem-solving skill, ability to communicate effectively, ability to adapt and networking skills.

Creative thinking

It is one of the skills you should bring out clearly in your cover letter. Outline how you have put to use your creativity in trying to solve any given problem. Creative thinking is about addressing an issue in a manner that is efficient and effective than the usual way.

Problem solving

It goes hand in hand with creative thinking. With problem solving one can devise solutions to resolving the problem that the organization is facing. It entails, identifying a problem, analyzing it and then coming up with useful and practical solutions that can solve the problems.

Networking skill

The ability to network and create networks that will benefit the companies you are seeking to work in is very crucial. Ensure you highlight your previous networking success and how that will benefit the company that wants to hire you. Show them that you indeed have what it takes to establish new networks while also strengthening the existing networks.

Ability to adapt

It is also imperative to show the recruiting panel that you are a flexible person and that you are very comfortable and can be willing to go to extra lengths to do other tasks that are not even listed on your list of roles. Try to portray yourself as a person who can work in any environment without any struggles.

Communication skills

No company will want to hire an individual who does not know how to express him or herself. Therefore, in your cover letter, ensure that you adhere to good writing skills and that you can communicate effectively. Give evidence of some of the relevant instances.

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3 Keys to Writing Cover Letters That Stand Out

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3 Keys to Writing Cover Letters That Stand Out was originally published on Vault .

It's a myth that high quality job openings are few and far between thanks to Covid. The truth is, despite the economic uncertainty created by the pandemic, there are many great openings out there. And to get them—or, at least, have a chance at getting them—you first need to capture the attention of hiring managers. And the best way to do that is to write compelling cover letters. So here are the three keys to writing cover letters that stand out.

1. Convey your personality, quirks and all.

Showcasing your uniqueness and allowing your personality to shine through in your cover letters can magnetize hiring managers, sending instant messages that you might be the candidate they're looking for. The secret to achieving this is to use specific details, rather than vague ones.

For example, the following was recently used by an applicant when applying for a Head of Marketing position (shortly after sending this, the candidate was interviewed and then hired):

“I have a passion for data and analytics. I enjoy spending (a little too much time) geeking out in Google analytics, advertising platforms, and BI tools (Tableau and Looker), digging deep into data to identify opportunities that can be leveraged to drive growth and inform testing strategies for campaigns, websites, and products.”

Now compare the above to the below (which has less personality and fewer details, and thus would likely not stand out):

“I am well versed in data analytics, and I am experienced with Google analytics, BI Tools, and other advertising platforms. I have a proven ability to inform testing strategies for campaigns for websites and products.”

Here's another example of cover letter phrasing that captures the attention of hiring managers:

“I'm rather obsessed with personal organization. I read three organizational blogs on my own time, and I've organized my desktop folders into color-coded sub-categories. My friends laugh at me for saying things like, ‘An organized space equals an organized mind,' but I don't like wasting time looking for things.” 

Now compare that to this less specific phrasing:

“I have a proven track record of being organized, and I have a passion for it. I have a proven knack for keeping files organized on an ongoing basis, and I have put organizational processes and procedures in place for my department. The bottom line is organization is always my highest priority.” 

2. Prove your level of dedication to your profession.

Another way to stand out is to illustrate specific things about your dedication to your field. In the following example, a candidate showcases her dedication to her profession, proves that she spends a lot of time thinking about driving results in her field, and shows that she takes concrete steps in order to be a high quality contributor in her field. All of which goes a long way when it comes time for hiring managers to decide which candidates to interview. 

“I believe that a good marketing strategy requires seeking out the latest trends and staying one step ahead of the competition. I've attended the Traction conference two years in a row and completed the 2018 Reforge Growth Series, a highly credible and exclusive course that only accepts 10 percent of applicants and is built by leaders from Hubspot, Uber, and other firms. Through these professional developments, I've opened my mind to uncommon marketing methods, and I pride myself on thinking outside the box to develop strategies that create sustainable, low-cost customer acquisition loops that lead to long-term positive ROI.” 

Now compare the above to the below, which is less detailed and includes less specific phrasing:

“I have the skills and requirements for this position, and I believe I would complete every task asked of me to the highest standard expected. My background and experience make me an excellent fit for this position for many reasons. I am very interested in marketing, and I think I would be a great asset to the team.”

3. Include concrete, quantitative results that show your value.

In any written application, you'll need to showcase some form of quantitative results to stand out. Note that even if you don't have a lot of shiny results in your career yet (or even any relevant experience—which is okay!), you can still use words to capture someone's attention with what you have done. And if you do have a record of achieving quantifiable results, then by all means include them, like in the below:

“I developed several Google ad campaigns that were worth more than $500,000 and that resulted in high-level customers. Also, through testing and optimization, I increased newsletter sign-ups by more than 200 percent.”

Now compare that to this bland sentence:

“I have experience in Google ad campaigns, as well as experience in testing and optimization.”

A final note

When trying to convey your personality, get across your dedication, or communicate your value, there's a big difference between saying you're a good fit for the job and actually showing it.

So, when writing your cover letters, try to hold these words in mind: I know you (the hiring managers) don't know me, so let me show you exactly why I'm completely invested, committed, and passionate about doing this specific type of work. And let me show you the specific reasons why hiring me, over all other candidates, would be beneficial to you.

If you hold all this in mind, the right details and words will flow right out of you—and into your cover letters.

Natalie Fisher is best known for helping professionals land their ideal roles and achieve explosive salary growth (even with little experience). If you want to dive deeper on the topic of your career mindset and become a person who knows exactly how to land their dream job offer, listen to her on the podcast Get a Six Figure Job You Love .

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Office Manager Cover Letter Examples For 2024 (20+ Skills & Templates)

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Looking to score a job as an Office Manager?

You're going to need an awesome cover letter. This guide is your one-stop-shop for writing a job-winning Office Manager cover letter  using our proven strategies, skills, templates, and examples.

All of the content in this guide is based on data from coaching thousands of job seekers (just like you!) who went on to land offers at the world's best companies.

If you want to maximize your chances of landing that Office Manager role, I recommend reading this piece from top to bottom. But if you're just looking for something specific, here's what's included in this guide:

• What To Know About Writing A Job-Winning Office Manager Cover Letter
• The Best Skills To Include On An Office Manager Cover Letter
• How To Address An Office Manager Cover Letter
• 3 Office Manager Cover Letter Examples

The 8 Best Office Manager Cover Letter Templates

3 tips for writing a job-winning office manager cover letter.

Here's the step-by-step breakdown:

Office Manager Cover Letter Overview: What To Know To Write A Cover Letter That Wins More Job Offers

What do companies look for when they're hiring an Office Manager?

Companies love candidates with strong organizational and multitasking abilities to manage office operations. They also look for individuals with outstanding communication and interpersonal skills to coordinate with staff and external partners.

Companies also appreciate candidates adept in office software and administrative tools for scheduling and data management tasks. Lastly, a proactive approach and problem-solving mindset are essential for addressing challenges and enhancing office processes.

Your cover letter should show the company that your personality and your experience encompass all of these things.

Additionally, there are a few best practices you want to follow to write a job-winning Office Manager cover letter:

• Properly address your letter: Begin your letter by addressing the hiring manager or team. Don't forget to state the specific Office Manager job you are interested in!
• Express your understanding of the company: Clearly articulate that you are well-familiarized with the company's products and the market, and tie this up with your skills, demonstrating how they align with their needs.
• Highlight your skills: Showcase your most relevant skills for the role, such as Management, Communication, Operations, and more.
• Tailor your cover letter for the job description: Emphasize your experience to meet the job requirements listed in the description.
• Be concise and clear: Your cover letter should be short and easy to read. Keep it to one page and focus on the good stuff!
• End with a call to action: Close with an effective call to action, expressing enthusiasm for the opportunity and inviting further discussion on how you can contribute to the company's success.
• Proofread: Make sure to thoroughly proofread your cover letter for any grammatical errors or typos. A well-written, error-free letter can make a strong first impression. I recommend using Hemingway App or Grammarly to do this.

Let's dive deeper into each of these, so you have the exact blueprint you need to see success.

The Best Office Manager Skills To Include On Your Cover Letter

Keywords are one of the most important factors in your cover letter. They show employers that your skills align with the role, and they also help format your cover letter for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

If you're not familiar with ATS systems, they are pieces of software used by employers to manage job applications. They scan cover letters for keywords and qualifications and make it easier for employers to filter and search for candidates whose qualifications match the role.

If you want to win more interviews and job offers, you need to have a keyword-optimized cover letter. There are two ways to find the right keywords:

1. Leverage The 20 Best Office Manager Keywords

The first is to leverage our list of the best keywords and skills for an Office Manager cover letter.

These keywords were selected from an analysis of  real Office Manager job descriptions sourced from actual job boards. Here they are:

• Communication
• Administrative Support
• Coordination
• Point Of Contact
• Interpersonal
• Professionalism

2. Use ResyMatch.io To Find The Best Keywords That Are Specific To Your Cover Letter And Target Role

The second method is the one I recommend because it's personalized to your specific cover letter and target job.

This process lets you find the exact keywords that your cover letter is missing when compared to the individual role you're applying for.

Here's how it works:

• Open a copy of your updated Office Manager cover letter
• Open a copy of your target Office Manager job description
• In the widget below, paste the job description and hit scan!

ResyMatch is going to scan the target job description and show you the exact keywords and skills that are relevant to the role and that you should weave into your cover letter.

If you're ready to check it out, grab your target job description and run your first scan here:

To start, paste your target job description (or multiple job descriptions) into the box below:

Scan to help you identify keywords and skills within your target job description.

Scanning...

If you're more of a visual learner, here's a video walking through this whole process so you can follow along:

How To Address A Office Manager Cover Letter

Personalization is what makes a cover letter stand out. That starts from the very first sentence where you greet the person reading your cover letter! There are two ways to do this well:

1. Use The Hiring Manager's Name

The first, and best, is by including the hiring manager's name. Let's say that you discovered the hiring manager's name from a post on LinkedIn or via an informational interview.

This is the jackpot! All you need to do is use their name in the introduction, like this:

2. Use This Formula: To The [Department] Team at [Company]

If you don't have the hiring manager's name, no problem! You can address your cover letter to the team that you're applying to.

For example, if you're applying for a Product Marketing Manager role at Discovery Education, you might start your cover letter like this:

This shows the reader that this letter has been written specifically for them and the content inside of it will support that.

It's much more relevant and personal than  “To Whom It May Concern!”

For more advice on writing a strong opening to your cover letter, check out this guide.

3 Office Manager Cover Letter Examples For 2024

Now let's take a look at all of these best practices in action. Here are three cover letter examples for different situations from people with different backgrounds who are all applying for Office Manager roles:

Office Manager Cover Letter Example #1: A Traditional Background

Our first example is a cover letter written by a candidate with traditional experience. Here is what an example of their cover letter might look like:

Office Manager Cover Letter Example #2: A Non-Traditional Background

Our second cover letter example comes from a candidate looking to transition from a background in education to an Office Manager role. This cover letter demonstrates how the author identifies and communicates their transferable skills:

Office Manager Cover Letter Example #3: No Experience

Our third example highlights an Office Manager with no experience. Here is what their cover letter might look like:

At this point, you know all of the basics you'll need to write an Office Manager cover letter that wins you more interviews and offers. The only thing left is to take all of that information and apply it to a template that's going to help you get results.

We made that easy with  our CoverBuild tool . It has 8 proven templates that were created with the help of recruiters and hiring managers at the world's best companies. These templates also bake in thousands of data points we have from the job seekers in our audience who have used them to land job offers.

Just click any of the templates below to start building your cover letter using proven, recruiter-approved templates:

Free Job-Winning Cover Letter Templates, Have AI Write Yours in Less Than 2 Minutes .

Choose a cover letter template below to get started:.

Great Choice! Now, how do you want to write your cover letter?

Let AI write your unique cover letter using our proven templates.

Or use our templates to write your own from scratch.

You're off to a strong start! But I've got a few more tips to help you take your cover letter to the next level:

1. Use CoverBuild.io To Write Your Cover Letter In <2 Minutes

All of these tips and best practices work, but you still have to implement them. Normally, that'd mean you sitting down and spending hours brainstorming ideas, typing, deleting, and typing again, and then feeling absolutely drained.

Now there's a way to work around all of that so you save your best energy for the writing and edits that matter most. Here's how it works:

• Head to CoverBuild.io
• Select the “2 Minutes” option to have AI write your cover letter
• Select a template for your cover letter, then follow the 3 step process for sharing info about your experience and the target job with CoverBuild's AI
• Click “Generate My Cover Letter” and watch the tool write a unique cover letter that's personalized to your experience and your target job!

To make it even easier, you can select a cover letter template from the widget below to get started:

If you'd like to see the process in action, here's a video walking through all of the steps above:

Note:  I do not recommend or advise that you simply copy and paste any AI-generated content and submit your application. You should always review, revise, and personalize the content yourself before applying.

2. Include Measurable Metrics And Outcomes

Too many job seekers only focus on the actions that they took and not the outcomes that resulted from those actions. As a hiring manager, it's impossible to differentiate between a dozen candidates who were all “Responsible for managing calendar and communication.”

If you want to win, your cover letter should speak to the specific outcomes that you drove in previous roles. That could be:

• The office workflow you helped improve
• The increase in productivity you helped achieve
• The costs you helped reduce

These outcomes will show hiring teams what you're capable of and make your value crystal clear!

3. Match Your Cover Letter And Resume Design

They're the exact same car, down to the year, make, and model. The only difference is the way the product was presented. Like I said, quality impacts perceived value.

One of the best ways to boost the quality of your cover letter is to make it look clean, professional, and have it match your resume. That's why the resume templates in our resume builder tool match the cover letter templates in our cover letter builder:

If you use both tools to create your cover letter and your resume, your entire application is going to be top notch.

Key Takeaways To Wrap Up Your Job-Winning Cover Letter

You made it! We packed a lot of information into this post so I wanted to distill the key points for you and lay out next steps so you know exactly where to from here.

Here are the 5 steps for writing a job-winning Office Manager cover letter:

• Start with a proven cover letter template from CoverBuild.io
• Use  ResyMatch.io to find the right keywords and optimize your cover letter for each role you apply to
• Start your cover letter with a personalized greeting for the hiring manager or team name
• Emphasize the measurable outcomes and value you drove in previous roles (include metrics!)
• Compare the draft of your cover letter to the examples on this page to make sure you're on the right path
• Use a tool like  Hemingway App or Grammarly to proofread your cover letter before you submit it

If you follow those steps, you're going to be well on your way to landing more Office Manager interviews and job offers.

Now that your cover letter is taken care of, be sure to check out our guide on writing a job-winning Office Manager resume (with examples!).

Paula Martins

Paula is Cultivated Culture's amazing Editor and Content Manager. Her background is in journalism and she's transitioned from roles in education, to tech, to finance, and more. She blends her journalism background with her job search experience to share advice aimed at helping people like you land jobs they love without applying online.

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