Full stack developers can do it all, literally from front to back, so a first-rate full stack developer cover letter must show depth and breadth – all in a one-page document that has to outshine the competition.
A stellar portfolio of your UX designs highlights part of your talents, but your full stack developer cover letter explains why you do what you do and how you juggle the myriad tasks your role encompasses. You’re a problem-solver whose ideas don’t always come during the workday.
With hundreds of cover letter examples and writing guides, Resume.io is an expert resource to help you land your next position. Within this cover letter guide and the full stack developer cover letter example, you will learn:
Software engineer Walter Guevara offers a hectic example of a day in the life. Your cover letter is the place to show employers that you can handle whatever is thrown at you during the day.
Formatting is an important part of any developer’s job and it’s just as important for your full stack developer cover letter. Before you jump into writing, you need to know its information architecture.
The format of a full stack developer cover letter should contain the following elements:
Below, you will find advice tailored to a full stack developer, but if you want more general ideas, check out the comprehensive cover letter guide.
This full stack developer cover letter example will give you a blueprint for writing your own cover letter:
Dear Mrs. Jenrings,
Six years of experience as a full stack developer with Lancet Digital working on a range of web and mobile applications allowed me to develop the operational, technical, and creative skills that will be essential at Doodle Inc.
In collaboration with the development team, we created 75 full stack web applications and optimized the quality and efficiency of the build process (time to market reduced by 25 percent). Three of our applications for one of your competitors supported a cumulative 4 million requests a month. I know that you have similar ambitions.
My proficiency in Python, Ruby, HTML, CSS, JavaScript and SQL has allowed me to bridge the gap between technical and non-technical audiences. Resolving client demands and simplifying technical issues was the key to my four quarterly service excellence awards. The development framework that I used with my team was subsequently adopted across the company. I also redesigned the help desk mechanism, resulting in 20 percent quicker bug resolution and a 14 percent bounce in user satisfaction.
I look forward to the opportunity of meeting for an interview to understand your plans and where my skills may come in useful. Your CTO Simone Cutter alerted me to the opportunity and would be able to provide a glowing character reference.
Sincerely,
Travis Horton
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our related IT cover letter samples:
What’s so special about a cover letter header? The aim of your entire application is to get that interview, so your contact information must be prominent. For a full stack developer, this is the only place in this document to show off your UX expertise. Your name and contact information should be visually appealing and easy to read.
The header consists of your name, best phone number and email to reach you. It should use the same or a complementary design to the head on your resume to create a consistent package, just as you would do for websites with many pages.
Although IT departments and developers in general are not known for their formality, when you are applying for a job, it is best to err on the side of courtesy titles. This rule is flexible, so if you know the company is casual, you can go with the “Hey IT team!” or a greeting akin to that.
If you don’t know, stick with the more formal Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. and surname as our cover letter example does.
Dear Mrs. Jenrings,
Name power
In How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie wrote: “A person is more interested in their name than in all the other names on earth put together. Remember that name and call it easily, and you have paid a subtle and very effective compliment. But forget it or misspell it – and you have placed yourself at a sharp disadvantage…one of the simplest, most obvious and most important ways of gaining goodwill was by remembering names and making people feel important – yet how many of us do it?”
Making the effort to address the hiring manager by name can make all the difference.
Just as the homepage of a website must be both user friendly and captivating, the first paragraph of your full stack developer cover letter must as well. The introduction serves two main purposes: It lets the reader know where you are in your career and entices them to learn more about you by reading on.
Why would they read on? Because in this paragraph you will excite their curiosity and get them thinking, “Wow! I think I found a great candidate!” Do that by offering a phrase or sentence that provides an overview of your career. Then tout your greatest accomplishment (and one that illustrates how you will solve a problem your future employer is grappling with). It’s also a good idea to add a preview of the skills you will detail later in the letter.
Six years of experience as a full stack developer with Lancet Digital working on a range of web and mobile applications allowed me to develop the operational, technical, and creative skills that will be essential at Doodle Inc.
You’ve gotten your reader’s attention, now your full stack developer cover letter explains how you manage to do it all. It is in the body of your document that you get to the heart of your personal operating system. The best cover letters are aimed squarely at their targets: They tell stories that illustrate the skills and attributes the hiring manager seeks.
While you need to show off your working style and want to use positive descriptors for yourself, try not to fall back on cliches such as multi-tasker or excellent communicator. Instead, detail a real situation that shows off your proudest career moment and how you achieved it. There’s no need to repeat everything in your resume, instead hit one or two high notes.
In collaboration with the development team, we created 75 full stack web applications and optimized the quality and efficiency of the build process (time to market reduced by 25 percent). Three of our applications for one of your competitors supported a cumulative 4 million requests a month. I know that you have similar ambitions.
My proficiency in Python, Ruby, HTML, CSS, JavaScript and SQL has allowed me to bridge the gap between technical and non-technical audiences. Resolving client demands and simplifying technical issues was the key to my four quarterly service excellence awards. The development framework that I used with my team was subsequently adopted across the company. I also redesigned the help desk mechanism, resulting in 20 percent quicker bug resolution and a 14 percent bounce in user satisfaction.
Does a full stack developer need to include their portfolio?
If the client has a portfolio available, including it can definitely add value to the resume. Whether it is a GitHub profile or a personal website (or hosted on another site), showcasing past projects to hiring managers is one way the client can show off their talents. However, the portfolio should be up to date and fully functional. Showcasing an incomplete or partially functional portfolio could work against the client. The portfolio should be fully tested and reviewed before including it in the resume.
The conclusion of an excellent cover letter reminds the hiring manager why they should reach out to schedule an interview. If they have gotten this far, you definitely have their interest, so leave them with a professional and confident impression. Explain exactly why you think you’re a great fit for the role and how you will enhance the team.
Add a human touch. Perhaps there’s something that makes you unique in the world of full stack developers. You may also choose to leave a teaser that can be expanded up in your interview.
End with a polite call to action, or request for an interview, as in the cover letter sample text below.
I look forward to the opportunity of meeting for an interview to understand your plans and where my skills may come in useful. Your CTO Simone Cutter alerted me to the opportunity and would be able to provide a glowing character reference.
Sincerely,
Travis Horton
An attractive page design is a must for any full stack developer. Luckily, a professionally-designed cover letter template can make this a quick process.