A Step-by-Step Guide to IT Cover Letters [with Examples and Tips]

Information technology (IT) products and services have rapidly become an essential part of our everyday lives. Professionals in the IT industry work in a variety of positions, ranging from application development to network management and maintenance. 

Companies in the IT industry place a higher value on experience over education. Whether it be knowledge and experience in one or more programming languages, exceptional attention to detail, or a highly logical mind, IT professionals must maintain a diverse skill set that constantly evolves with the times.  

Given the ubiquity of the IT industry, it is of little wonder that the competition for IT-related positions is extremely high. Including an IT cover letter with your application is a great way to distinguish yourself from other applicants and increase your odds of landing an interview. 

Your IT cover letter should present your skills and experience, and prove to the company that you are the ideal candidate for the position you are applying for. 

If you are wondering how to write an eye-catching IT cover letter, this article will take a deep dive into the various sections of a professional IT cover letter, and will provide neat tips and tricks to boost the readability and memorability of your cover letter!

An IT cover letter, like any other, can be submitted in two ways: as an individual document or as an email. Let’s begin by taking a look at both through these IT cover letter samples.

IT Cover Letter Sample (General)

IT Internship Cover Letter

The format of your IT cover letter is just as important as its content. For a position that demands meticulous attention to detail, hiring managers are sure to scrutinize your IT cover letter heavily, so make sure you follow the standard cover letter format!

Now that we have taken a look at how an IT cover letter is supposed to look, let’s break it down into its parts.

A tailored IT cover letter header

Start your IT cover letter with a tailored header. The letterhead of an IT cover letter follows the standard letterhead format and includes your contact information and the information of the addressee. Here is the layout:

A personal and engaging introduction

The next step in crafting an IT cover letter is beginning with a strong introduction. The introduction serves to briefly introduce yourself and your motivation for writing, as well as to pique the interest of the hiring manager into wanting to read your cover letter in its entirety. 

Your IT cover letter introduction should be brief and straight to the point. Avoid over-explaining yourself and using up valuable space on your page. Remember, your IT cover letter should only be one page long. 

Here is an example of an introduction paragraph from an IT technician cover letter:

A concise summary of your skills and experience

In the body of your IT cover letter, describe your skills, experience, and other qualifications that make you the most ideal candidate for the position you are applying for. 

Before writing your IT cover letter, conduct prior research to determine the exact skills and requirements that the position calls for. For example, if you are writing a cover letter for an IT manager position, you will likely need a completely different skill set than someone writing a cover letter for an entry-level IT position. 

As mentioned earlier, companies within the IT industry look for an applicant’s experience in the field over their educational background. That said, writing an IT cover letter with no working experience is still possible! 

In the place of experience, an IT cover letter with no working experience should lean heavily on the skill set that you have. For example, elaborating on the programming languages you are proficient in and a well-structured description of past projects can take the focus off of your inexperience and draw attention to the value you bring to the company. 

Here is an example of the body section of an IT cover letter with no prior experience: 

A strong and inviting closing

Finish your IT cover letter professionally. The closing section of your IT cover letter should thank the hiring manager for their time and include a strong Call-to-Action (CTA). A CTA is a statement of initiative for future communication between you and the company, and proactively suggests the next steps you would like to take in the interview process. 

Consider this IT back-end engineer cover letter closing: 

Format your IT cover letter properly to give a good first impression. Here are the technical specifications that you should keep in mind before starting to write:

• Font: 11 or 12 pt. size; black
• 1- inch page margins, all around
• Line spacing: 1.15 or 1.5
  

Now, here is an IT cover letter template for you to follow!

Let’s take your IT cover letter to the next level! The following are tips that you can use to streamline your IT cover letter and add the finishing touches that will separate you from other, generic cover letters.

Tailor your skills to the job you’re applying for.

The content of your IT cover letter should be tailored to the job and company you are applying for. Look through the job description and requirements before writing to determine the exact skills that you should include in your IT cover letter. Apart from the specific skills found in the job description, here are some useful skills you can include in an:

Quantify skills & achievements with measurable metrics.

An excellent way to add credibility to your IT cover letter is to quantify your accomplishments through measurable metrics. Consider the following example from an IT technician cover letter:

Evidently, including metrics in your IT cover letter can transform a simple statement into a memorable and eye-catching testament to your achievements. 

Bring attention to notable information using bullet points.

Increase the memorability and retention of your skills and accomplishments by formatting them into bullet points in your IT cover letter. Bullet points are more eye-catching and allow the hiring manager to more easily refer back to your IT cover letter when needed. 

Include job-specific keywords from the job description.

An important step in writing your IT cover letter is to carefully read the job description or job listing to understand the exact scope of the job you are applying to. Remember, job titles are a guide; the specific obligations of a position are highly dependent on the company. Including irrelevant skills and experience takes up valuable space in your IT cover letter and reduces its overall readability. 

When reading the job description, find the job-specific keywords that outline the exact responsibilities of the position you are applying for. Once you understand this, tailor your IT cover letter to present yourself as qualified to fulfill these obligations. 

Mention past projects that validate your skill set.

If you are writing an IT cover letter with no experience, compensate for your professional experience by highlighting past personal projects you may have done independently or in school. The idea is to show that while you are professionally inexperienced, you still have had the opportunity to develop the necessary skills that are required to fulfill the responsibilities of the position you are applying for. 

Conclusion

Writing a well-structured and appealing IT cover letter is not an easy task. However, it is a great exercise that can help you come to terms with your skills and experience, which can prove to be useful further down the application process. 

Let’s review what we have learned about IT cover letters:

• Stick to the IT cover letter format!
• IT cover letters should be tailored for the position and company. Conduct prior research to determine the exact skills and experiences to include in your IT cover letter!
• Your IT cover letter should focus on your professional experiences. If you do not have work experience, place extra emphasis on the relevant skills you bring
• Provide metrics to increase the attractiveness of your IT cover letter. Numbers and figures are eye-catching and make your letter more memorable. 

— Originally written by Alexander Coye —