Project Manager cover letter example

The project manager role can be hard to define: the umbrella term can cover technical project managers, construction project managers and even IT project managers. All these jobs require different industry knowledge and specialized skills. 

What is certain, however, is that management roles in many sectors are growing rapidly. These jobs offer attractive salaries and the ability to shape a project from the inside out.

So how do you show employers that you’re the ideal candidate for their precious management job?

With this project manager cover letter example plus Resume.io’s collection of 320+ cover letter samples, free templates and tips, you’ve got all the necessary tools to write a great cover letter and land the perfect project manager position.

This guide, along with an effective cover letter example will:

• Explain the importance of a great cover letter to land your dream job
• Dive into the proper cover letter format with free cover letter examples, samples and templates
• Offer specialized tips for landing project management roles with no experience
• Help your application stand out with resources to create the most attractive presentation

Like any well-organized project, you should look at your job application as a series of steps that build to a new job. It all starts with the perfect resume. We’ve got you covered with our resume example for project managers, resume templates and tons of resume sample sentences. Put it all together in our resume builder and you’ll be ready to move on to the secrets of great cover letter writing.

Sections of a project manager cover letter

A solid project has clear organization – the same goes for your project management cover letter. Your application letter should be concise, while still containing all the necessary elements to make a great first impression and convey your most convincing experiences.

Here are the key components:

1. Cover letter header. Include your contact details clearly and concisely.
2. Greeting. Make sure you address the hiring manager directly and keep things professional. These small details count.
3. Introduction. Next up, hook the reader with your opening lines.
4. Body. This is the space where you can elaborate on everything that you have achieved and why you are an ace project manager.
5. Conclusion. Make sure that you summarize your cover letter elements well.
6. Signature. Finish things off by adding a professional sign-off.

This cover letter structure remains relatively consistent between job titles and industries, so you’ll be able to follow this format no matter where your career takes you. For even more writing tips on each of these sections, check out our overall guide on cover letters.

Use this project manager cover letter sample to guide your own writing process.

Cover letter header

Your cover letter header is likely the very first page element a hiring manager notices. This space at the top of your document should contain the necessary identifying information like your name and contact details. 

If social media like LinkedIn is relevant for the specific project manager role, include it here as well. Use our cover letter examples to guide you.

The second goal of your header is to create attractive formatting for your cover letter. You can do this by choosing a color palette and design scheme that capture the right tone and look for your potential employer’s branding. 

Remember that tip about tailoring your cover letter? You’ll want to tailor your formatting, too. Cover letter templates can make this much easier.

Cover letter greeting

Your cover letter greeting helps you establish a personal connection with the employer and create a friendly and respectful tone for the rest of your cover letter. Whenever possible, you should aim to address the cover letter recipient by name. 

For formal positions where you have no previous relationship with the hiring manager, “Dear” followed by a last name usually works well. If you already have a connection with the hiring manager or are sending the letter in the body of an email, “hi” or “hello” may be appropriate. 

Introduction of a project manager cover letter

Your cover letter introduction is the place where you’ll grab the hiring manager’s attention and show them that your cover letter is worth their time to read. 

The best way to do this is by leading with a relevant example, statistic or fact that shows you get the company and its needs. Since a hiring manager might be evaluating candidates for multiple roles within the same project, it’s a good idea to mention which of the positions you are applying to. Just make sure to keep your introduction interesting and concise.

The introduction to our cover letter example gets right to the point with a project management philosophy statement: 

Project manager cover letter body

Your cover letter body is where you’ll finally get to dive into all the unique traits and visions that make you the ideal candidate, as well as the essential skills that set you apart. Here's how you can write a winning cover letter body:

• Lead with your high-value skills and experience
• Use the STAR method to describe a Situation, Task, Action and the positive Result.
• Make sure to choose examples that are most relevant to the particular project manager role
• Mention specific hard skills if they are integral to the job or your proposed vision for the projects you may oversee
• End with a compelling call to action that leaves the hiring manager wanting more

First body paragraph: Your suitability for the role (skills & experience)

In the first paragraph, you want to showcase what it is that makes you suitable for the role, i.e. your skills and experience. As we have already mentioned, you need to include results-oriented points — using the STAR method — to drive home your value. 

Second body paragraph(s): Alignment with the organization

When you have outlined your skills and experience, the subsequent paragraph (or paragraphs!) need to cover how well you align with the organization at hand. How does the experience that you have work with the criteria of this new role?

Take a look at the original job advert and see what the hiring manager wants from applicants. You can include this detail in your cover letter to draw comparisons between yourself and their ideal candidate. Try to be as persuasive as possible here.

Call to action & conclusion: Finish off strong

Next, it's time to summarize your cover letter. The conclusion is all about creating an ending strong enough that a hiring manager is left wanting to get in touch for more information.

You can do this effectively with a Call to Action. This sentence expresses your interest in the position and invites a hiring manager to contact you. You may also want to include your email or phone number again here.

Our cover letter example ends with "Sincerely," but there are other appropriate signatures like “Thank you,” or “Best regards.” 

How to write a project manager cover letter with no experience

While construction project management has some overlap with other management positions, there are unique aspects of the field that will have to be addressed in any good cover letter.

Construction management requires knowledge of all the stakeholders, team members and processes for creating a structure from start to finish. If you’ve never worked as a construction project manager before, you’ll want to have at least some experience in a related field like plumbing, electric or glass. For more specifics, see our electrician cover letter sample.

Although you may be up against other managers with years of experience specifically in construction you can still give yourself a fighting chance by adapting each of your previous experiences specifically for the construction role. You can also explain to a hiring manager why you decided to switch career directions and how your previous experience in another domain can actually give you a unique advantage in this role.

Cover letter tips and strategies

To land your project management dream job, there are a few key qualities you’ll want to convey.

• Organization: The project manager is the one juggling every piece of the puzzle at once. That means great organization is a must. Make sure to show this through examples that convey how you brought together many moving parts to accomplish a project – even better if it was on time and under budget.
• Flexibility: To manage a project effectively, you need to be agile. Examples that show how you think quickly on your feet and solve problems as they arise are some of the best ways to set yourself apart from other candidates.
• Proven track record: A project manager orchestrates the process to deliver the right results. Use numbers, statistics and facts to back up your project management experience and make sure to highlight projects in the same field or industry where you plan to work.
• Good mix of hard and soft skills: Normally cover letters tend to focus on soft skills whereas the hard ones are left for your resume. While this remains mostly true, if there is a particularly important software, process or other hard skill that is essential to the job, it can’t hurt to offer an example of how you used it effectively in the past.

Project manager cover letter format and common mistakes

Now let’s take a look at some of the most common mistakes made by candidates for project management roles.

• Poor grammar and spelling: These types of errors can really set back your credibility when it comes to good communication. Luckily, they’re easy to avoid. Just make sure to use spell check or ask a friend to proofread your application before you submit.
• Sloppy formatting: Good visual presentation can make or break your cover letter. If you’re not sure where to begin, a cover letter template can offer you a lot of options for customization and great design.
• Impersonal letter: Since project management jobs can vary so much depending on industry or assignment, it’s important that your letter is customized to the type of work discussed in the job description.
• Unrelated experiences: Even if you’ve never worked as a project manager in construction, it’s important to create similarities between that field and the one where you have years of experience. If you’re new to project management, make sure to focus on soft skills and your perspective of problem-solving instead without pointing out the ways in which you lack experience.

Key takeaways

1. A cover letter is often the document that seals the deal when a hiring manager is considering a candidate – unless asked NOT to, it’s always a smart idea to write and send one.
2. Don’t forget to tailor your cover letter. Adapting it for each position you apply to shows a hiring manager you’re truly interested in working for them – extra important in project management roles.
3. The cover letter organizational structure can help you check off the most important parts of a great cover letter.
4. Don’t forget the importance of clear formatting. If you need help getting started, choose a professional template in line with your potential employer’s branding.
5. To land a construction management job with no experience, it’s important to draw comparisons between your former experiences and the potential job. Include numbers to back up your accomplishments.