As you dive into the world of freelance illustrating, you'll quickly discover that a standout cover letter can be just as crucial as your portfolio. Yet, navigating the fine line between a formal pitch and a compelling narrative poses a challenge. You want to captivate, not rehash your resume. Sharing the tale behind your proudest professional triumph can set you apart. Here's how to pen a cover letter that's engaging, authentic, and succinct – all within a single page.
- Personalize your freelance illustrator cover letter and get inspired by other professionals to tell a compelling story;
- Format and design your freelance illustrator cover letter to make an excellent first impression;
- Introduce your best achievement in your freelance illustrator cover letter to recruiters;
- How to make sure recruiters get in touch with you, using your freelance illustrator cover letter greeting and closing paragraphs.
What is more, did you know that Enhancv's AI can write your cover letter for you? Just upload your freelance illustrator resume and get ready to forward your job application in a flash.
If the freelance illustrator isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:
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Freelance Illustrator cover letter example
ZOEY WALKER
Fort Worth, Texas
+1-(234)-555-1234
help@enhancv.com
- Highlighting relevant experience: Mentioning a decade-long career and the experience gained at premium studios directly implies a deep understanding and expertise that is essential for high-quality animation and visual storytelling.
- Demonstrating impact through metrics: The cover letter emphasizes the candidate's ability to drive results by highlighting the 30% increase in digital engagement from a national campaign, showcasing a tangible impact of their creative work on business results.
- Expressing alignment with company values: The cover letter stresses the candidate's anticipation to innovate and create, which aligns with the company’s ethos of creativity and innovation, showing that the candidate is not only skilled but also a cultural fit.
What about your freelance illustrator cover letter format: organizing and structuring your information
Here is one secret you should know about your freelance illustrator cover letter assessment. The Applicant Tracker System (or ATS) won't analyze your cover letter.
You should thus focus on making an excellent impression on recruiters by writing consistent:
- Header
- Greeting
- Introduction
- Body paragraphs (and explanation)
- Promise or Call to action
- Signature (that's optional)
Now, let's talk about the design of your freelance illustrator cover letter.
Ensure all of your paragraphs are single-spaced and have a one-inch margins on all sides (like in our cover letter templates).
Also, our cover letter builder automatically takes care of the format and comes along with some of the most popular (and modern) fonts like Volkhov, Chivo, and Bitter.
Speaking of fonts, professionals advise you to keep your freelance illustrator cover letter and resume in the same typography and avoid the over-used Arial or Times New Roman.
When wondering whether you should submit your freelance illustrator cover letter in Doc or PDF, select the second, as PDF keeps all of your information and design consistent.
The top sections on a freelance illustrator cover letter
- Header: This section should include your contact information, the date, and the recipient's details, establishing professionalism and making it easy for the recruiter to get in touch with you.
- Greeting: Use a personalized salutation to address the hiring manager or team, showing that you've researched who will be reviewing your application and setting a respectful and tailored tone.
- Introduction: Here you provide a brief overview of your experience and a hook that summarizes your unique illustration style or a notable project, aiming to capture the recruiter's interest right from the start.
- Portfolio Showcase/Body: In the body of the cover letter, describe specific projects or styles you’ve worked on, linking to your online portfolio to demonstrate your versatility and skill set that align with the job description.
- Closing and Call to Action: Conclude by expressing your enthusiasm for the prospective work and invite the recruiter for a meeting or discussion, prompting them to take the next step in the hiring process.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
- Strong portfolio showcasing diverse styles and mediums: Recruiters look for evidence of artistic range and adaptability to different project needs.
- Proven ability to meet deadlines: Timeliness is crucial in project-based work to ensure client satisfaction and project flow.
- Excellent communication skills: Being able to articulate ideas and feedback clearly is key for collaboration with clients and art directors.
- Experience with client relations and project management: Illustrators often need to manage their own clients, project timelines, and revisions.
- Proficiency in digital illustration tools: Familiarity with industry-standard software such as Adobe Creative Suite is often required for modern illustration work.
- Creative problem-solving abilities: An effective illustrator must be able to translate complex concepts into compelling visual narratives.
Kick off your freelance illustrator cover letter: the salutation or greeting
When writing your freelance illustrator 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 freelance illustrator 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 [Recipient's Name],
- Dear [Company Name] Team,
- Dear [Department Name] Team,
- Good Day [Recipient's Name],
- Respectfully,
Introducing your profile to catch recruiters' attention in no more than two sentences
The introduction of your freelance illustrator cover letter is a whole Catch 22 .
You have an allocated space of no more than just a paragraph (of up to two sentences). With your introduction, you have to stand out and show why you're the best candidate out there.
Set out on a journey with your freelance illustrator cover letter by focusing on why you're passionate about the job. Match your personal skills and interests to the role.
Another option for your freelance illustrator cover letter introduction is to show you're the ideal candidate. Write about how your achievements and skills are precisely what the company is looking for.
However you decide to start your freelance illustrator cover letter, always remember to write about the value you'd bring about. Making it both tangible (with your metrics of success) and highly sought out.
How to write an achievement-focused freelance illustrator cover letter body
We've got the intro and greeting covered. Now, comes the most definitive part of your freelance illustrator cover letter - the body.
In the next three to six paragraphs, you'd have to answer why should recruiters hire you.
What better way to do this than by storytelling?
And, no, you don't need a "Once upon a time" or "I started from the bottom and made it to the top" career-climbing format to tell a compelling narrative.
Instead, select up to three most relevant skills for the job and look back on your resume.
Find an achievement, that you're proud of, which has taught you these three job-crucial skills.
Quantify your accomplishment, using metrics, and be succinct in the way you describe it.
The ultimate aim would be to show recruiters how this particular success has built up your experience to become an invaluable candidate.
Closing remarks to end your freelance illustrator cover letter
Of course, you'll have to show gratitude to the recruiters, who have assessed your profile at the end of your freelance illustrator cover letter .
A "Thank you for the consideration" would work wonders, instead of the standard "Sincerely yours".
Do you want to make an even better impression?
Close off your freelance illustrator cover letter by promising how you see yourself excelling in the role and the positive impact you'd bring about.
A sentence that encourages some further action on the recruiter's end could also be a good way to close off the communication (e.g. provide your availability for an interview).
What to write on your freelance illustrator cover letter, when you have zero experience
The best advice for candidates, writing their freelance illustrator 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 freelance illustrator 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
Creating your freelance illustrator cover letter should be a personalized experience for the role and the recruiter, where you:
- Format your cover letter using the same ATS-friendly font (e.g. Railway) as you did for your resume;
- Greet recruiters, using their name, and follow up with two sentences to introduce yourself, your interest in the role, and to stand out;
- Map out one key success from your career (or life) that has taught you job-crucial skills;
- Substitute your lack of experience with an achievement from your internships, degrees, or volunteering gigs;
- End with a promise for your potential or your availability for an interview.
