Speculative cover letter

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

Example of a speculative cover letter

Dear Anouk Kok,

I'm Thomas Hendriks, an installation technology project manager, and I'm writing to you even though there is no current vacancy. I read in the trade press that you've taken on the maintenance of three hospitals in the region this year. Contracts like these call for project managers who understand how a hospital operates, and I've been working with that type of client for six years.

At my current employer, I lead maintenance for two healthcare institutions, with fourteen technicians and an annual budget of 2.4 million euros. When a fault shut down the air handling system in an operating theatre, an emergency solution was in place within the hour and not a single operation had to be rescheduled. Customer satisfaction has reached 8.4 out of 10 two years running.

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

I'll call you next week to ask whether it's worth meeting. My CV is enclosed.

Yours sincerely,

Thomas Hendriks

The names, company and figures in this example are made up. The letter you have written here uses your own CV and your own goal.

How to write a speculative application that gets read

  • Mention a concrete reason: a new contract, an expansion, something you saw in the news. That makes it clear why you're writing now.
  • Choose the role yourself. "I can do anything" means nothing to an employer; "project leader 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 in.
  • Say that you'll call, and then do it. A speculative application with no follow-up ends up in a file.

Frequently asked questions about speculative applications

Is a speculative application worth it?
Yes, if the letter is concrete and reaches the right desk. Many roles are filled before a job advert ever appears, and a good speculative letter puts you at the top of the pile when a space opens up.
How long should a speculative cover letter be?
Shorter than an ordinary cover letter: half a page to three-quarters of a page. Someone with no vacancy won't read two pages.
What if I don't get a reply?
Call after a week. Ask whether the letter arrived and whether it's worth meeting. If it stays quiet, you can write again after a few months with a new reason.

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

Have your speculative application written

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