Whether you’re a researcher with years of experience or a recent grad fresh out of a computer science program, landing your next data scientist position doesn’t have to be complicated. An exceptional data scientist cover letter can provide the winning edge you need in a competitive job market.
From machine learning and data analysis to data mining and data visualization, data science is one of the most exciting fields of the 21st century. Going after the best jobs requires an application that shows off your strengths, highlights your accomplishments and maximizes your chances of landing your dream position. Naturally, a well-crafted resume that effectively summarizes your qualifications is an essential component. But by design, the resume has limitations as a stand-alone document.
In this guide, we’ll discuss one of the most important steps overlooked by many applicants — writing a great cover letter. This document gives you the chance to focus on your data scientist work experiences that matter most. It’s your best opportunity to impress the employer by making a personal connection.
With Resume.io’s tips, tools and resources, you’ll be able to create a highly polished data scientist application that makes your credentials stand out. Our cover letter examples from many different professions may offer some inspiration.
This guide, along with an effective data scientist cover letter example will:
Before we dive into the how of writing a cover letter, let’s clarify the what. A cover letter is one of the most requested application materials for good reason. This one-page document (roughly 200 to 400 words) allows you to make a great first impression without ever having to set foot in the door for an interview.
You’ve probably noticed that your resume is great for conveying certain pieces of information like dates, names and degrees. But that’s not everything you have to offer. Your cover letter is the perfect opportunity to discuss your perspectives, personality traits and the relevant soft skills that make you the right fit. You can even use this document to answer any potential questions that may arise from your resume, like gaps in work history.
What if the job application DOESN’T require a cover letter?
Sometimes, the job description fails to mention whether a cover letter is required or describes the document as “optional.” So does this mean you don’t need to submit one?
While other job seekers may try to take the easy way out by submitting only a resume, this is likely to prolong their job search. A cover letter is one of the best ways to make your application stand out and give yourself the best chance of landing the job. Unless the applicant instructions specifically ask you NOT to, it’s always a good idea to write and submit a cover letter.
Now let’s take a look at an actual data scientist cover letter sample:
Dear Mr. Bearstead,
Data science is at the bleeding edge of supply chain excellence. When you have 8,000 SKUs, modeling and analyzing the data at every point of their life cycle is crucial. Over the course of my 12-year data science career, I estimate that I have saved over $32m for my employers.
My award-winning models utilized 132 data sets and created the foundation for three previous employers to invest millions in redesigning operations. When you are sure of the data, you know that there will be a return on investment. I was a regular participant in FMCG Koggle competitions and created 100+ articles and podcasts.
Five years ago, on a consultancy assignment, I developed a proprietary machine learning algorithm that is now used by 200+ food and beverage manufacturers in the U.S. It makes supply chains shorter by up to 25%, achieving cost savings of up to 16%. My predictive analysis forecasting tool did the job of a team of 20 (who can now be proactive to use the data that is at their fingertips).
My Data Science degree from Cornell initiated my passion for data science academia. I have had fifteen white papers peer-reviewed to date. It goes without saying that I am a proficient programmer, with more than a decade’s experience in the most prevalent programming languages and data visualization tools. Big data science is complex if you do not have enough tools at your disposal.
I enjoy working as an in-house data scientist as you are able to influence the minutest of decisions. I would value an interview to discuss how I can help you move forward in your big data agenda.
Yours sincerely,
Gregory Matthis
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our related Information Technology cover letter examples.
A great cover letter is all about one thing: maximizing your chances of landing your dream position. While it’s true that data scientists are in high demand, not all jobs are created equal. If you’re looking for opportunities with comfortable salaries, room to grow and the chance to make a difference, then you’re going to be competing with the best of the best.
Let’s imagine a hypothetical applicant pool for a data scientist job. Only half of the candidates, including you, have some knowledge of machine learning and big data. Out of those, only half have mastered Python. Now it’s down to you and just a handful of others.
On paper you all seem relatively equal, but as the hiring manager reviews your cover letters, she notices you’ve made an effort to address why you’re the right candidate to help the publisher use data to market books in the digital age. Your attention to detail and interest in the industry is impressive, and your cover letter has helped you land an interview.
The importance of tailoring your cover letter
One of the most important things you can do to make your cover letter stand out from other applicants is to tailor it with the exact skills and personality traits needed for each individual job position and employer.
This means choosing the most relevant examples from your past work history and incorporating them in a way that highlights your potential contributions to your new employer. This added effort will help your cover letter stand out and maximize its chances of landing you the job.
Tailoring your cover letter is not only about words. You should also make sure your formatting matches the look and feel of the employer. Use the company’s website and social media to get a sense of its tone. Then, choose a template that captures the right sense of formality for the position.
Many applicants fear the cover letter writing process because they think it lacks structure. Luckily, you don’t have to be among them. In this chapter, we’ll break cover letter organization into manageable sections so you can quickly check off all the essentials.
Here are the key components:
Learning to write a great cover letter is a skill that will benefit you for the rest of your career, since the format doesn’t change much between positions or industries.
Your cover letter header serves two important roles. The first is to help identify your document with your name and the necessary contact information. When submitting your cover letter through an online application system, you’ll want to keep the header brief. Just make sure those who come across your letter know who you are and how to get in touch should they want to set up an interview.
You don't have to include a full home address in the cover letter and you definitely shouldn't include an inside address of the employer. That convention can be left in the past.
The second purpose of your cover letter header is to add a touch of attractive formatting to an otherwise bland document. This will help catch the reader’s eye and make your application stand out.
The goal of this section: Identify your cover letter with your name, phone number and other personal data; create professional and attractive formatting.
Align document styles!
One way to make sure your formatting leaves a great impression is to align the document styles of your data scientist cover letter and resume. This simple action will help you create a “personal brand,” a look and feel that makes your application stand out.
If you’re not sure how to start this process, resume and cover letter templates, like ones from Resume.io, can make matching documents much easier. Just make sure to do a quick Google search and research the public image of the company so that you can use colors and designs that are in line with its tone and mission.
The cover letter greeting is a small but mighty section. This is where you have the opportunity to establish that all-important personal connection and set a polite tone for the rest of the letter. In general, “Dear” followed by the correct salutation and the last name of the hiring manager works well for most professional situations. If you already have a relationship with the employer or you’re submitting your cover letter in the body of an email, “Hello” or “Hi” may also be appropriate.
The goal of this section: Establish a personal connection and a respectful tone by using the hiring manager’s name in your greeting.
The importance of names and addressed greetings
Addressing a hiring manager or employer by name is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure your cover letter makes a great first impression. You can also address more than one person by name or a hiring manager plus the name of the company.
However, in some large companies, hiring is done by a team and it might be nearly impossible to determine exactly who will be reading your letter. In that case, you have other options. Before resorting to the bland “To Whom It May Concern,” try using a warm but general word like “Hiring Team” or even “Family” if the branding is appropriate.
Your cover letter should be written for human beings. That means it needs to be interesting and fresh enough to catch and hold a reader’s attention. Nowhere is this more important than in the introduction paragraph. A hiring manager might only have the time to read your opening sentence before deciding whether or not to continue, so it’s worth paying attention to make sure this section conveys the right tone. A relevant anecdote, exciting personal statement or useful fact can all help lead into the body section of your letter.
The goal of this section: Catch the hiring manager’s attention with a relevant fact, interesting anecdote or exciting statement and encourage them to continue reading into the body section.
Dear Mr. Bearstead,
Data science is at the bleeding edge of supply chain excellence. When you have 8,000 SKUs, modeling and analyzing the data at every point of their life cycle is crucial. Over the course of my 12-year data science career, I estimate that I have saved over $32m for my employers.
The cover letter body is where you can finally dive into all the relevant experiences and skills that make you the right candidate for the job. Since this is the largest part of your cover letter, you can simplify the writing process by breaking it down into two subsections.
In the first, you can use the STAR method to describe a Situation, the required Task, your Action and the positive Result you achieved. Make sure to choose anecdotes that relate to situations you may encounter in your prospective position.
In the second paragraph you can focus on a mix of hard and soft skills and use strong action verbs to describe your potential contributions to the new workplace. Make sure that you share context where possible.
The goal of this section: Use the STAR method to describe previous successes and milestones, and give your prospective employer an idea of the potential contributions you could make to their workplace.
My award-winning models utilized 132 data sets and created the foundation for three previous employers to invest millions in redesigning operations. When you are sure of the data, you know that there will be a return on investment. I was a regular participant in FMCG Koggle competitions and created 100+ articles and podcasts.
Five years ago, on a consultancy assignment, I developed a proprietary machine learning algorithm that is now used by 200+ food and beverage manufacturers in the U.S. It makes supply chains shorter by up to 25%, achieving cost savings of up to 16%. My predictive analysis forecasting tool did the job of a team of 20 (who can now be proactive to use the data that is at their fingertips).
My Data Science degree from Cornell initiated my passion for data science academia. I have had fifteen white papers peer-reviewed to date. It goes without saying that I am a proficient programmer, with more than a decade’s experience in the most prevalent programming languages and data visualization tools. Big data science is complex if you do not have enough tools at your disposal.
Now that you’ve made the best argument for your employment, it’s time to finish your letter with the appropriate closing. To increase your chances of hearing back, you’ll want to create a call to action. This sentence expresses enthusiasm for the position and invites the hiring manager to contact you.
Then, end your letter with the appropriate signature based on the formality of the company and your relationship with the employer. “Best regards,” “Sincerely” and “Thank you for your consideration” can all work well.
The goal of this section: Create an effective call to action that encourages a hiring manager to contact you, then use with the appropriate signature to close on a positive note.
I enjoy working as an in-house data scientist as you are able to influence the minutest of decisions. I would value an interview to discuss how I can help you move forward in your big data agenda.
Yours sincerely,
Gregory Matthis
Humans love a good story. In fact, the positive response storytelling has on our brains has been well documented by science. Advertisers and businesses have long used this fact to their advantage (think about those inspiring and heartfelt commercials during the Olympics).
You can also make use of storytelling to create an emotional connection with the letter reader and compel them to give you a shot.
For those outside of the field of data science (likely your employer and the hiring manager), it may be hard to understand exactly what you do and how you do it. Instead of overwhelming the employer with technical knowledge, focus inside on the impact your work will have on them and their business.
A concrete example of a time when your research allowed a company to implement positive change is one of the best examples to share with your potential employer. Choose stories that mimic the type of work you’ll be doing in this new position and use a mix of quantitative and emotional evidence to support the fact that your work was well-received.
You may not be able to make the employer understand the ins-and-outs of data science, but you should convey an understanding of their needs and how you can work to solve their problems.
The importance of specificity
While you’ll want to avoid too much technical information and terminology, a few well-placed details can actually help your cover letter stand out. Facts, numbers and statistics all give weight to your accomplishments and help an employer see the truth about your value to a company.
Here are some all-too-common mistakes made by many candidates for data science positions:
With resume.io, you can create a perfect cover letter in just a few minutes. No uncertainty, no hassle. Go out there and win!