The ultimate guide to writing an executive manager cover letter
Executive managers play a crucial role in large organizations by overseeing entire departments and ensuring these departments reach their business goals. To become an executive manager, you need a compelling cover letter that catches the eye of employers.
In this guide, we will teach you everything you need to know about writing a cover letter as an executive manager. Keep reading to learn all about:
- Creating a strong header & headline as an executive manager
- Personalizing the content of your executive manager cover letter
- Writing an attention-grabbing introduction as an executive manager
- Showcasing your professional value as an executive manager
- Concluding with a persuasive closing statement as an executive manager
1. Creating a strong header & headline as an executive manager
To begin your executive manager cover letter, you must first create a strong header and headline.
Starting with your cover letter header, this block of text will contain all of the essential information about who you are and what employer you are applying to.
This information includes:
- Your name and professional title
- Your professional contact information (phone number, email address, LinkedIn, etc.)
- The name & department of the company you are applying to
- The address of the company (especially important if the company has more than one location)
Here is an example of a well-formatted executive manager header
Jack Smith, Executive Manager
(123) 456-7890 | jacksmith@email.com | linkedin.com/in/jack-smith
To: Golden PR Solutions, Management Department
1234 Street Address
Columbia, SC 29044
After you have successfully completed your header, your next step is to write an engaging cover letter headline that acts as a title statement and helps hook the employer’s attention.
A strong headline will always include a keyword related to the position, an eye-catching number or trigger word, a powerful adjective or verb, and a promise to the employer that the letter is written specifically for them.
Here is an example of an effective headline from an executive manager cover letter, followed by a brief breakdown of its main components
My 3 Key Successes as an Executive Manager & How I Plan to Achieve Them at Your Company
Trigger Word/Number: 3 Successes
Keyword: Executive Manager
Adjective/Verb: Key, Plan, Achieve
Promise: Your Company
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2. Personalizing the content of your executive manager cover letter
Whenever you write a cover letter as an executive manager, it is important to highlight your attention to detail and work ethic as much as possible.
One of the best ways to indicate these professional attributes immediately to employers is by personalizing the content of your cover letter for the specific job you are applying to. To do so, you must thoroughly research the company, looking for information such as:
- What the company’s workplace culture and interpersonal relationships are like
- What the company looks for in employees (look for keywords and specific language you can reflect in your letter)
- The staff member at the company responsible for reviewing applications
Using this last piece of information, you can create a personalized greeting that addresses the person most likely to read your cover letter by name.
Here are 3 examples of personalized cover letter greetings
- Dear Mr. John Doe,
- Dear Recruitment Specialist John Doe,
- Dear Mr. John Doe & the Management Team,
3. Writing an attention-grabbing introduction as an executive manager
With your header, headline, and personalized greeting all in place, it’s time to write the introduction to your executive manager cover letter.
This introduction needs to be compelling, helping to grab the attention of the employer and ensure they continue reading. As such, your introduction should include:
- A brief overview of your professional history (years of experience, specializations, etc.)
- A statement on why you are enthusiastic about applying to this company
- A mutual acquaintance (when possible)
Pro Tip: Mutual acquaintances are powerful additions to a cover letter, as they provide the employer with an immediate and trusted professional reference. For applicants without a mutual acquaintance, use professional platforms like LinkedIn to network and connect with relevant professionals.
Here is an example of a well-written executive manager introduction
Dear Mr. John Doe,
I am an executive management professional with more than 8 years of experience directing corporate communications and public relations departments. This job is the perfect opportunity for me to continue growing my career while also working with a team of talented and dedicated professionals. Your head of communications, Mrs. Jane Miller, is a former college classmate of mine and reached out to me about applying for this position.
4. Showcasing your professional value as an executive manager
Now that the employer’s attention is firmly glued to your cover letter, you must keep them interested by diving into a more thorough explanation of your best skills, accomplishments, and qualifications.
As you describe each of these, make sure the details you include are:
- Relevant: It should go without saying but your cover letter should only contain the most relevant information to the job. Make sure the skills and experience you describe are highly relevant and highlight why you are a qualified candidate.
- Quantifiable: Whenever possible, use exact numbers, statistics, or data to describe key accomplishments. This helps to show the employer the real-life value you have to offer to their company.
- Contextual: Rather than simply stating which skills you possess, give these skills greater context by explaining how you apply them within the workplace and any related accomplishments you have achieved thanks to your skills.
Here are 6 examples of skills to describe in an executive manager cover letter
- Policy development and implementation
- Onboarding procedures
- Project management
- Innovative thinking
- Budget development
- Leadership style (authoritative, delegative, etc.)
Here is an example of how to describe an accomplishment in an executive manager cover letter
As the executive manager at [Former Employer], I worked closely with multiple departments to improve inter-departmental communication. To achieve this goal, I sourced and implemented a new digital collaboration platform that enabled seamless communication and boosted overall office productivity by more than 35%.
5. Concluding with a persuasive closing statement as an executive manager
Always finish off your executive manager cover letter strong with a persuasive closing statement that encourages the employer to reach out to you.
This conclusion should include:
- An enthusiastic sentence saying you are looking forward to hearing from them
- A follow-up stating how and when you can best be contacted, as well as when you plan to reach back out
- A formal sign-off
Here is an example of a persuasive closing statement from an executive manager cover letter
I am eager to get to know your team and begin working to achieve each of your company’s core objectives. To best reach me to schedule a meeting, call me at (123) 456-7890 any weekday between the hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. I greatly look forward to hearing from you and plan to reach out next Wednesday if I have not yet heard back.
With Appreciation,
[Applicant Name]
If you have ever wondered how a cover letter differs from a resume, this article will tell you everything about the key differences between the two.
