Crafting an archivist cover letter that stands out can be daunting. You've been job hunting, facing the challenge of not simply reiterating your resume but weaving a tale around your crowning professional achievement. The trick is striking that perfect balance: formal yet original, concise but compelling, all within the one-page limit. Let's navigate these waters, avoiding clichés and ensuring your cover letter makes a memorable mark.
- Some inspiration from other professionals' job-winning cover letters;
- The best structure and format for your archivist cover letter;
- Insights on how to write about your best achievement to stand out;
- A creative twist on your archivist cover letter intro.
Upload your archivist resume to Enhancv's AI, which will quickly scan and prepare a job-winning cover letter for you.
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Archivist cover letter example
CHARLOTTE JONES
San Diego, California
+1-(234)-555-1234
help@enhancv.com
- Highlighting relevant project experience, such as leading digitization initiatives, which shows direct experience and success in similar projects the new role might entail.
- Emphasizing the achievement of a specific, measurable outcome, like the 30% increase in archival usage, which quantifies the candidate's impact and success.
- Pointing out collaboration and integration of leading tools, which indicates the candidate's ability to work with teams and stay current with industry-standard technologies.
- Expressing eagerness to discuss how past experiences can contribute to the new role, showing proactive thinking and the ability to apply skills in new contexts.
The visual appeal of your archivist cover letter: format, font, and structure
When using our cover letter builder, make sure to include these vital sections:
- Header (with your name, contact details, the role, and date);
- Greeting (that's personalized to the recruiter);
- Introductory paragraph (to capture attention);
- Body paragraph (to tell a story of how you've obtained your job-crucial skills);
- Closing paragraph (ending with a nod to the future ahead);
- Signature (that is not a must).
Our cover letter templates are already set up for you with the best archivist cover letter design with single-spaced paragraphs and a one-inch margin.
As for the font of your archivist cover letter, use the same one as you did in your resume (where modern and simple fonts, like Rubik and Bitter, take precedence over Arial and Times New Roman).
Your archivist cover letter is created with the recruiters in mind - as no Applicant Tracker System looks over this part of your profile.
When sending over your archivist cover letter, download it in PDF. This format allows your information and design to stay intact and to keep the same visual quality.
The top sections on a archivist cover letter
Header: This section includes your contact information, the date, and the employer's details. It's essential for providing clear identification and ensuring the recruiter can easily reach out to you.
Greeting: Address the hiring manager by name if possible to personalize your letter and show that you've researched the organization, which is a pertinent skill for an archivist.
Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself and express your enthusiasm for the field of archival science. Explain how your passion for preserving history aligns with the mission of their institution.
Professional Experience and Skills: Highlight your experience with cataloging, digital preservation, and archival research, as these skills are directly relevant to the role of an archivist and demonstrate your capability to manage and protect valuable records.
Closing and Call to Action: Conclude with a strong summary of why you're an ideal candidate, thank the reader for their time, and express your eagerness to discuss how you can contribute to the organization’s archival efforts in a personal interview.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
Mastery of Archival Standards and Practices: Understanding of best practices in archival work, including knowledge of descriptive standards like Dublin Core, EAD, and DACS, ensures proper organization, cataloging, and preservation of materials.
Experience with Digital Preservation: Proficiency in digital archiving methods and technologies as archives increasingly incorporate digital records. Familiarity with digital preservation software and tools is crucial.
Attention to Detail: Ability to meticulously manage and catalog archival materials, which is vital for maintaining the integrity of the collection and ensuring that information is easily retrievable.
Historical Knowledge and Research Skills: Having a strong grasp of historical contexts and adeptness in research abilities to appraise and contextualize archival materials accurately.
Preservation and Conservation Techniques: Knowledge of the physical and chemical processes to properly preserve different types of archival materials, such as manuscripts, photographs, and digital media.
Customer Service and Instructional Skills: Capable of assisting users like researchers, students, and historians and providing guidance in navigating and interpreting the archival collections.
Kick off your archivist cover letter: the salutation or greeting
When writing your archivist cover letter, remember that you're not writing for some complex AI or robot, but for actual human beings.
And recruiters, while on the lookout to understand your experience, would enjoy seeing a cover letter that is tailored to the role and addresses them. Personally.
So, if you haven't done so, invest some time in finding out who's the hiring manager for the role you're applying to. A good place to start would be LinkedIn and the corporate website.
Alternatively, you could also get in touch with the company to find out more information about the role and the name of the recruiter.
If you haven't met the hiring manager, yet, your archivist cover letter salutation should be on a last-name basis (e.g. "Dear Mr. Donaldson" or "Dear Ms. Estephan").
A good old, "Dear HR Professional" (or something along those lines) could work as your last resort if you're struggling to find out the recruiter's name.
List of salutations you can use
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear [Company Name] Team,
- Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name],
- Dear [Job Title] Hiring Committee,
- Dear [Department Name] Supervisor,
- Dear Dr. [Last Name],
The archivist cover letter introduction: focusing on your unique value, with a creative twist
You are not the only one wondering how to start your archivist cover letter. Those first two sentences introduce your profile and should be memorable.
No pressure.
When beginning your archivist cover letter, immediately point out the unique value of working with you. In other words, what you promise to bring to the role by using your past track record of success.
Start your archivist cover letter with a creative twist by telling a joke or stating something relatable. Select this type of introduction only if it aligns with the company culture.
How to select your best achievement for the middle, or the archivist cover letter body
You probably feel exhausted by this point in your application: you've dived into all the details of your success and skills in your archivist resume.
What else can you include in your archivist cover letter body?
Well, for starters, the next three to six paragraphs should show you further value as a professional. Or, why should recruiters choose you?
Think back on a noteworthy achievement that answers key job requirements and dive deep.
Structure your archivist cover letter middle as you'd a story: following chronological logic and highlighting outcomes, thanks to skills.
At the end of the day, you'd want recruiters to be able to see you as the best candidate for the role and understand more about who you are and what makes your success unique (and valuable to the role).
A sincere and original way to end your archivist cover letter
When writing their archivist cover letter, candidates tend to use one of these phrases, "Sincerely yours" or "I look forward to hearing from you".
Both statements show good manners, but your cover letter should end in a more actionable manner.
Write about:
- how you see yourself growing in the role/organization;
- the benefits you would bring about (you'd impress even more with tangible metrics);
- the next steps in the process (provide your availability for interviews).
What to write on your archivist cover letter, when you have zero experience
The best advice for candidates, writing their archivist cover letters with no experience, is this - be honest.
If you have no past professional roles in your portfolio, focus recruiters' attention on your strengths - like your unique, transferrable skill set (gained as a result of your whole life), backed up by one key achievement.
Or, maybe you dream big and have huge motivation to join the company. Use your archivist cover letter to describe your career ambition - that one that keeps you up at night, dreaming about your future.
Finally, always ensure you've answered why employers should hire precisely you and how your skills would benefit their organization.
Key takeaways
Winning recruiters over shouldn't be difficult if you use your archivist cover letter to tell a story that:
- Is personalized by greeting your readers and focusing on key job skills greets;
- Isn't spread all over the place, but instead focuses on one key achievement and selling your value as a professional;
- Introduces your enthusiasm for the role, passion for the job, or creativity in communication;
- Is also visually appealing - meeting the best HR practices;
- Ends with a nod to the future and how you envision your growth, as part of the company.
