Project Manager Cover Letter: Example and Tips

Cover letters are often the first thing hiring managers see in your application. Though some might argue that cover letters are obsolete, employers still use cover letters to learn more about candidates. Plus, it can indicate that you’re serious about the job and give yourself another chance to convey who you are. Taking them seriously is a good idea, especially if a job application asks for one.

For a project management position, a cover letter can be an opportunity to expand on the skills, motivations, and past successes you have under your belt that didn’t fit into your CV. 

Project manager cover letter example

Reading through a sample cover letter can be a good way to inspire your creativity and write your own.

Here's the cover letter in text format:

September 2, 2024

Harland Sanders

Animax

123 Animal St

Brighton,

East Sussex

BN1 2PF

Dear Mr. Harland Sanders,

I am George Lee and am excited to apply for the Junior Project Manager position at Animax. I am currently a Project Coordinator at Square Paws, where I have successfully supported several projects. I have long admired Animax’s work to improve animal adoption processes and would be delighted to contribute my skills to the team.

At Square Paws, I oversaw multiple aspects of running numerous projects. I worked closely with the project manager to develop project schedules, ensure team members had the resources to complete their tasks and coordinate communication with stakeholders on project updates. I am particularly proud of a project to roll out a feature on our app that users could use to book appointments with veterinarians. As a complex project involving multiple stakeholders, it was important to be mindful of the details and listen continuously to user feedback. My efforts to coordinate an early feedback system in a trial period led to the discovery of several bugs and pain points we fixed for the launch. We reduced customer concerns by 80% and ultimately completed the project under budget by £1,870.

I have long been familiar with animal adoption centres and believe wholeheartedly in Animax’s mission. I have volunteered consistently at animal shelters since high school and am familiar with their processes. In college, I took several courses that I believe can be useful to the project manager role, including zoology and business administration. Working as a project manager in this field will allow me to expand my knowledge of the industry and assist in making the world a more livable place for shelter animals.

I believe that my experience, skill set, and passions make me a strong candidate for Animax’s team. I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

George Lee

07525456890

How to write a good project manager cover letter

1. Start with your qualifications.

Hiring managers might be inundated with job applications. You’ll want to give the hiring manager a reason to keep reading right away by stating your qualifications in the introductory paragraph. State who you are and what relevant experience you bring to the opening of your cover letter.

What if I haven’t worked as a project manager before?

Even if you haven’t held the title of project manager before, chances are you’ve done some elements of project management. Have you led meetings, assembled a team, or helped improve a process on your team? Those are project management skills. If you still hope to build your project management skills, consider applying for more entry-level project management jobs, such as project coordinator or assistant project manager.

2. Tailor each cover letter to the job.

Templates or cover letters you’ve used in the past can help get your cover letter started, but remember to tailor them specifically to each job. Companies like to see that you’re genuinely interested in the job and company and that you’ve done your research.

Look over the job description to see what kinds of qualities and skills the organisation is looking for. If you’re applying to a large organisation, think about what keywords an automated system might scan for. Project management roles might include Agile, mitigation, change management, and risk management. The job description is usually a good way to gauge what qualities and skills might be keywords.

3. Think beyond your CV.

A cover letter can be a place to expand on your CV. You can elaborate on one or more of your accomplishments but don’t simply rehash what your CV already says.

Think about what you can include that showcases your value beyond the accomplishments listed in your CV. How can you connect the cover letter to your experiences or story? What made you interested in this field? What in particular excites you about the job or company, and why? How does this job fit into your goals for the future? Your cover letter should connect your experiences to the qualities the company is looking for and show why you are good for the job.

4. Use numbers. 

Concrete numbers can help illustrate your success in past jobs. If you worked on projects, what metrics made them successful? Did customer satisfaction improve by a percentage, or did you complete the project under budget? 

5. Proofread.

Project management is a profession that demands big-picture understanding and a keen awareness of the details. Make sure your cover letter is formatted correctly and free of spelling and grammatical errors. If you can, have a trusted friend or colleague look through your cover letter to catch anything you missed.

Getting started in project management

When starting a cover letter, consider pulling up a template or past cover letter you’ve used and tweaking it until it feels right. You might also start by listing qualities the job description asks for and building your letter around those.

Need a refresher on project management concepts? Online courses can help you review the basics or get you up to speed with the latest project management practices. If you're looking for a place to start, look at the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate.