Letter of Interest: What it Is and How to Write One

You don’t have to limit yourself to companies with advertised openings when applying for jobs. If you have had an eye on a company you would love to work for, you can approach it with a letter of interest. Timed right, you might be just what the company is looking for. While this won’t guarantee an interview, it can put your skills, experience, and abilities before decision-makers.

Explore the purpose of a letter of interest and how it differs from a cover letter before looking at how to write one with a template you can use as a guide. 

What is a letter of interest? 

You can write a letter of interest to a company expressing interest in a position when none are currently advertised. It is a way of getting yourself in front of company managers in the hope that they will remember you for future job openings. This means you might hear about positions first, or it may open communication to discuss ways to use your skills to help the company. 

A letter of interest should be short and get right to the point.  Start by researching the company so you have a solid idea of the types of positions it recruits for, its ethos and work culture, and its core values. Getting a good idea of what the company does, including anything newsworthy, is important. This will give you a good grounding to pitch yourself as someone who fits well with the company, allowing you to tailor your skills and highlight relevant experience and career goals.

Letter of interest vs. cover letter

A letter of interest shares similarities with a cover letter, but they are not the same. You use a cover letter to apply for job openings. When completing a job application, the prospective employer may ask you to submit a cover letter and resume. Your cover letter expands on your resume in more detail, demonstrating how you meet the selection criteria.

In contrast, a letter of interest is sent to a company that is not currently hiring. Whereas a cover letter evidences the selection criteria and points outlined in a job advertisement, a letter of interest is more general. Still, it focuses on career aims, and you can tailor a letter of interest specifically to the company and its values. 

How to write a letter of interest 

A letter of interest has a clear structure, similar to a cover letter, but with some important differences. It is a few short paragraphs long, and you should tailor it to a specific company. You'll also want to find a specific contact to send it to. A name means it is more likely to land in someone's hands than if you address it to the “Hiring Manager" or send it to the wrong person. Try checking the company's website, LinkedIn or calling directly to ask for a name.

Introduction

The introduction is important because whether you do a good job drawing the reader in depends on whether they will keep reading or discard your letter. Your introduction should serve to introduce you and why you are writing, making it clear that you are expressing an interest rather than applying for an advertised position. Highlight why you have a particular interest in the company, along with any departments or roles you feel you are particularly suited to. Give them some tangible evidence as a summary so they can also see where you can fit into the company. 

Body

The bulk of your letter of interest is where you outline your value. You can use two to three paragraphs to highlight your strengths, skills, experience, and alignment with the company. As you have no job criteria to use as a guide, this is where your excellent research comes in. Use this space to make sure you match your best points to all that you think the company is looking for. 

Closing statement

End your letter of interest with a closing statement summarizing the most important points. Include a call to action inviting the company to call or meet with you to discuss your skills and possible openings further. Start your call to action with a verb, like "Contact me to set up an interview."  

Letter of interest template

Use our letter of interest template as a guide to structure your letter. Make sure you include all the necessary points within a single page. 

Your name

Your contact details

Date

Company name

Company address

Greeting (find the name of the most useful contact)

Introduction

First body paragraph 

Second body paragraph (optional)

Closing paragraph (including a call to action)

Salutation

Letter of interest sample

Use the following letter of interest example as inspiration to craft your own letter. You can use the same format and change the examples and personal details to match your experiences, credentials, and interests.

[Your name]

[Your contact details: Address (optional), email address, telephone number]

[Date]

[Company name]

[Company address]

Dear Mrs. Hudson,

My name is Benny Peters, and I am a product designer with five years of experience working in home and interior design. I am writing to express my interest in working at Threehomes Interiors. I have been following your company throughout my career, and your furniture designs,  which blend functionality and aesthetics, inspire me. I am passionate about creating beautiful, functional designs, and my style aligns perfectly with yours.

Having studied design previously, I received a scholarship to NYU. I majored in product design, where I won an award for an ergonomic chair I designed for a trendy Silicon Valley company. This kickstarted my career, and following a short internship with a local kitchen design company, I landed a product design role designing furniture and items for cinemas and theaters, where I have worked for the past five years. My work has been commended by the company director and featured in a trade article. 

My passion for design means my skills come to life when I have more creative space to design functional products with high-design specs, making my work unique and stand-alone. I admire your work culture and ethos of collaboration and experimentation to produce the most unique and inspiring products. 

When you return to hiring, I would very much like to be considered for a role at Threehomes. My innovation and eye for interiors would place me well in your design department. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you, discuss what I can offer in person, and show you samples of my work. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Benny Peters

Tips for writing an effective letter of interest

In addition to getting the format right, you’ll need to consider a few things to make sure your letter of interest really makes a good impression. These tips can help your letter of interest shine.

• Research the company. This is the first step to knowing what to include in your letter and is an important step to determining if the company will be a good fit for your career goals.

• Find a contact name. This is more personal than addressing your letter to something ambiguous like “To whom it may concern.”

• Tailor to the company. Ensure your letter targets the company rather than something generic you send to multiple addresses.

• Be concise. Your letter must be informative but accessible, so keep it to the point.

• Include measurables. Just like on your resume, ensuring you include measurable achievements gives a full indication of what you can do.

• Proofread. Ensure to address grammatical errors, showing you are professional and have high attention to detail.

• Follow up. If you don’t get a response, send a polite follow-up letter or email.

Next steps

When looking for a job or changing careers, you can do more than look through job advertisements. If you have big ambitions, go out there and approach the company you want to work for and inquire about possible vacancies with a letter of interest. 

To help get you started, consider earning a certificate such as Career Success Specialization, offered by the University of California, Irvine, on Coursera. You can also brush up on your resume skills and include it with your letter. The How to Write a Resume course, delivered by The State University of New York, can help you brush up on those skills.