Project Manager Cover Letter: Example and Tips

Your cover letter might be the first thing that 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. It’s a good idea to take them seriously, 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 resume. Explore what this might look like.

Project manager cover letter example

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

14 August 2024

Anika Singh

Chennai, Tamil Nadu

+91 75646-73774

singh.ankita_works@gmail.com

Dear Mr. Chopra,

My name is Anika Singh, and I am excited to be applying to the Junior Project Manager position at Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre (SGACC). I am currently a Project Coordinator at Blue Cross of India, where I have supported several projects successfully to completion. I have long admired SGACC’s work to improve animal adoption processes and would be delighted to contribute my skills to the team.

At Blue Cross of India, 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 they needed to complete their tasks, and coordinated 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 that involved multiple stakeholders, it was important to be mindful of the details and listen continuously to feedback from users. My efforts to coordinate an early feedback system in a trial period led to the discovery of several bugs and pain points that we fixed for the launch..

I have long been familiar with animal adoption centres and believe wholeheartedly in SGACC’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 business administration. Working as a project manager in this field will allow me to expand my knowledge of the industry and assist in my ultimate goal to make the world a more livable place for shelter animals.

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

Sincerely,

Anika Singh

How to write a good project manager cover letter

1. Start with your qualifications.

Hiring managers might receive a high volume of 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 in 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’re still hoping to build out your project management skills, you can consider applying to more entry-level project management jobs like project coordinator or assistant project manager. 

2. Tailor each cover letter to the job.

Templates or old cover letters you’ve used in the past can help you to start your cover letter, but don’t forget 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. In project management roles, these might include Agile, mitigation, change management, or risk management. The job description is usually a good way to gauge what qualities and skills might be keywords.

3. Think beyond your resume.

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

Think about what you can include that showcases your value beyond the accomplishments listed in your resume. How can you connect the cover letter to your personal experiences, or your personal 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 both connect your experiences to the qualities the company is looking for and show why you, as a person, 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 macro-level insight and a keen awareness of the details. Make sure you format your cover letter 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 may have missed.

Make a start in project management

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

If you 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. One place to start is Google Project Management: Professional Certificate.