So are cover letters necessary for Innovation Specialist jobs?
Well, the cover letter is your chance to tell a personal story to the hiring manager. It can help you prove you’re a real professional who knows what they bring to the table.
It’s also your opportunity to get into more detail about your personal qualities and success stories. But most importantly – it’s the first place to show your motivation.
So yes, having a cover letter is essential.
But what should yours look like? Let’s see…
How to write the perfect innovation specialist cover letter
By now you’ve probably learned that a well-written cover letter will complement your resume and increase your chances of getting the job.
It will also introduce the recruiter to your strengths and your capacity to handle challenges.
In short - it will make them want to learn more about you!
Check out our guide on what your cover letter should include for some additional inspiration.
Now it’s time to move on to what you actually came for – our professional tips and examples that will help you write a memorable cover letter and land an interview.
Use an appropriate salutation and write a powerful introduction
We advise you to address the cover letter directly to the person responsible for the recruitment process. If you don’t know their name, take some time to research it.
This will show that you’re attentive to detail and are willing to go the extra mile when necessary.
Here's a list of salutations you can never go wrong with. Note that some of them can be used even if you don’t know who the hiring manager is.
- Dear Mr. James
- Dear Human Resources Manager
- To the [team you're applying for] Department
- Dear [company name] Recruiter
The introduction is your chance of getting the reader’s attention and giving them a reason to see you as a good fit.
So make sure you highlight your excitement about the company or the industry (or even both!) and the reasons why you’d like to grow in the field.
Avoid using clichés like “I found your job posting on website X and decided to apply”.
Combine your soft and hard skills for an unbeatable match!
The resume is the place to list all your hard skills. The Innovation Specialist cover letter, on the other hand, is the ideal place to emphasize your soft skills and link them to your achievements.
Think about times when your skills have helped you achieve certain goals that seemed too difficult. And don’t worry about admitting some of your weak sides – this is a great way to show recruiters your potential and ability to grow, both professionally and personally.
Looking at the specific job posting requirements could also give you insight on what skills should be included in your resume by all means. This will help you pass applicant tracking systems (ATS) that screen cover letters for keywords before passing them on to recruiters.
Show that you know the company and its problems well
Showing that you’ve researched the company and are familiar with it is a good way to prove your work-readiness.
It will also point the recruiter to the fact that your skills and qualifications will have a long-term impact on the company. Just link some of your strengths to the ways in which current or potential issues can be resolved.
End on a positive note."
Ending your Innovation Specialist cover letter in a suitable way can help you land an interview. Why? Because strong endings portray applicants as considerate and, what’s even more important – passionate about the job.
Just make sure that your ending (just like your cover letter’s body) matches the company culture. If you prefer to be on the safe side, go for traditional closing lines such as “Looking forward to hearing from you”.
