Unsolicited cover letter

With an unsolicited application, there's no job posting to tell you what the employer is looking for. So you have to provide that yourself: which role, on which team, and what it delivers. That makes the cover letter more important than in a regular application, and shorter. Below is a letter that works, along with tips and an FAQ.

Sample unsolicited cover letter

Dear Anouk Kok:

I'm Thomas Hendriks, a project manager in building systems engineering, and I'm writing to you even though there's no job opening listed. I read in a trade publication that this year you took on maintenance for three hospitals in the region. Contracts like that call for project managers who understand how a hospital operates, and I've worked with exactly that kind of client for six years.

At my current employer, I manage maintenance for two healthcare facilities, overseeing fourteen technicians and an annual budget of 2.4 million euros. When a malfunction shut down the air handling system in an operating room, we had a temporary fix in place within an hour, and not a single procedure had to be rescheduled. Customer satisfaction scores came in at 8.4 out of 10 two years in a row.

I'm looking for an employer growing in the healthcare market, so I can bring that experience to more clients. With your new contracts, I see myself as the project manager for your healthcare clients: the point of contact who speaks both the language of engineering and the language of the hospital.

I will call you next week to ask whether it makes sense to meet. My resume is attached.

Sincerely,

Thomas Hendriks

The names, company, and figures in this example are made up. The letter you have written here will use your resume and your goal.

How to write a cold cover letter that gets read

  • Mention a concrete reason: a new contract, an expansion, a piece of news. That makes clear why you're writing now.
  • Choose the role yourself. "I can do all kinds of things" means nothing to an employer; "project lead for your healthcare clients" is a proposal they can say yes or no to.
  • Address the letter to a person, not to the HR department. Find the manager of the team you want to work with.
  • Announce that you will call, and then do it. A cold cover letter with no follow-up disappears into a folder.

Frequently asked questions about a cold cover letter

Does a cold cover letter actually work?
Yes, if the letter is concrete and lands on the right desk. Many positions are filled before a job posting ever appears, and a good cold cover letter puts you at the top of the pile when an opening comes up.
How long should a cold cover letter be?
Shorter than a regular cover letter: half a page to three-quarters of a page. Someone with no job opening won't read two pages.
What if I don't get a response?
Call after a week. Ask whether the letter arrived and whether it makes sense to meet. If it stays quiet, you can write again after a few months with a new reason.

Tell us what role you're looking for and at which company, and provide your resume. You'll get a letter with a concrete proposal, free to view on your screen at first.

Have your cold cover letter written

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