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Unlock new job opportunities, further your career, and make a memorable impression on potential employers with a letter of interest. Over 80% of job postings are unadvertised, so don’t be disheartened if your dream role isn’t listed on a company’s job board. With an effective letter of interest, you can overcome that challenge while actively searching for a new job or considering the next step in your career.
Pitch your top skill sets to potential employers for consideration and showcase the value you can provide clearly by writing an impactful letter of interest.
Read on to learn how to get your foot in the door with your dream employer and expand your professional network with a well-crafted letter of interest template in Microsoft Word.
Letter of interest vs cover letter
Wondering how a letter of interest is different from a cover letter? These two letters are powerful tools in the job application toolkit, but they have very different goals.
Letters of interest, also known as a letters of inquiry or prospecting letters, focus on your intentions and why you want to work for the company, whereas cover letters focus on why you’re the best person to hire for the position. Let’s break it down further.
Cover letters are tailored or adapted to match the specific responsibilities in a job posting and complement a resume of your related experience and qualifications. The goal is to prove that you meet the criteria for the job, and that you’re the ideal candidate for the role. It’s addressed to the recruiter or hiring manager, includes a summary including key qualifications, skills and valuable experiences that can help secure an interview for the job advertised.
A letter of interest is a short document sharing why you want to work for a specific company, how your skills and background align with the organization, and why you’d be a good fit. If the company you want to join isn’t currently hiring, a letter of interest can help prioritize your application for when they start hiring or compel them to interview you to learn more.
When to use a letter of interest
Letters of interest can help you build relationships with potential employers and grow your personal brand. Here are some ideas about when you can write letters of interest:
There are no roles advertised for your ideal job description.
The company is in the early stages and doesn’t have a jobs page yet.
The company is actively hiring through the “hidden job market”.
The company advertised a role, but you missed it and want to indicate interest in future roles.
To follow up on a conversation from a networking event.
To seek an internship or voluntary role to build experience.
To pitch a transition in your career where you wouldn’t be considered for a job based on past experiences.
To proactively inquire about job opportunities from an upcoming project or initiative.
The business letter approach is a common job application technique for teachers or teacher’s assistants looking for roles, medical professionals seeking residency, interns looking for a position with their dream company, or even managers thinking about the next in their career.
Elements of a letter of interest
Date and contact information
Format your letter as you would format a business letter. Start by writing the date. Next, share your essential contact information, including your email address and contact number. Make sure the email address sounds professional to avoid making the wrong impression on the receiver. You can also provide your LinkedIn profile link, if it is updated.
Greeting
It's important to find the right contact in the organization if you want your letter of interest to be read. Citing a name creates a personal connection and shows you’ve done your research about the company.
Direct your letter to a specific person such as the head of HR or the head of the department you’re interested in working with. Need help searching up a name? Find the company’s LinkedIn page or give the organization a phone call to request details. If you can’t find a specific name, you can confidently fall back on “Dear Hiring Manager” as it still makes a professional impression.
We recommend avoiding generic greetings like “To Whom It May Concern” which is a dated salutation and can reduce the impact of your letter.
Introduction paragraph
Start with a strong opening, and express what draws you to the organization and makes you interested in potential opportunities. You could share how you admire the brand, appreciate the innovation or have a passion for the industry. These are some approaches to showcase that you are genuinely inspired to work with them. You can also briefly introduce your current position or relevant background to set the scene for your enquiry.
Qualifications and experience paragraph
In this section, backup your enthusiasm by using brief sentences to share the skills and experiences you bring they will benefit from. Focus more on humanizing aspects of your experiences, by sharing a mixture of technical skills as well as people skills. Cultural fit is an increasingly important hiring factor, so sharing how you align with the company mission and have positive traits like being team-oriented and having a growth mindset can elevate your letter.
Remember to make suggestions about what you can do for the organization carefully, acknowledging that you are assuming their needs.
Call-to-action paragraph
Close your letter of interest by thanking the reader for their time and expressing your enthusiasm to get in touch soon. You can request to connect over a coffee meeting or virtual meeting through Microsoft Teams to discuss further. Sharing availability such as a few dates and times that suit you in the next week can reduce the hurdle of scheduling, in case the reader is interested. To close, compliment the organization once again and thank the reader for their consideration.
Letter of interest formatting guidelines
Use a professional font
Believe it or not, your font choice can convey both professionalism and personality. Make sure you choose a font that is easy to read, accessible, and represents you well. You can also consider the role and industry of the organization to find the perfect font for your letter of interest. Some reliable fonts are Calibri and Aptos. Learn more about choosing fonts in this guide.
Use the correct margins and spacing
Create an easy reading experience by using normal or moderate margin settings and 1.15 line spacing while formatting your letter in Microsoft Word. This also ensures your letter of interest prints flawlessly, without having any content outside the edges or printing margins.
Keep the letter to the correct length
Aim to write a short one-page letter that conveys your intentions clearly. Save your hiring manager’s time and attention. As outlined above, write 3-4 paragraphs about why you’re genuinely interested.
Name and save the file correctly
Save your completed letter with a naming convention that looks professional, such as [Letter of Interest [Your Name] [Company Name]. Next, save it in the correct file format to your OneDrive, such as .DOCX, or export your Word document as a PDF so it can be opened on devices easily and attached to an email.
How to write a letter of interest in Word
Easily write a letter of interest from start to finish in Microsoft Word. If you don’t want to write from scratch, select an industry specific letter of interest template that includes all of the required outline and formatting.
Write a letter of interest with a template
Open Word on your device then click file > new.
In the search box, type in ‘letter’ or ‘business letter’.
Double click on the letter template you want to use.
Replace the text with your personal information.
Save, print, and send your letter of interest using DOCX or PDF formatting.
Write a letter of letter of interest from scratch
Open the Microsoft Word app on your device.
Create a new document.
Type your letter of interest in the correct format.
Proofread your document with Microsoft Editor or enhance copy with Microsoft Copilot. If you don't have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can still leverage the power of Copilot at copilot.microsoft.com.
Export as a PDF for easy sharing.
Letter of interest template examples for different roles
Explore a range of popular Microsoft Word templates to start creating a letter of interest that makes a great first impression.
Classic letter of interest template
This simple letter of interest template has a modern layout that spotlights your skills. This modern letter is so versatile—adapt the placeholder text to suit any profession and express your interest to new employers.
See it in action: classic letter of interest template.
ATS HR letter of interest template
Perfect for admin, people operations, and HR professionals, this ATS-friendly letter is crafted to highlight both your technical expertise and your passion for HR. Edit the text to personalize it to your suit career goals and make a strong impression on hiring managers.
See it in action: ATS HR letter of interest template.
Simple ATS healthcare letter of interest template
Customize this well-crafted letter of interest template to suit your healthcare specialty. Whether you're a pharmacist or dental nurse, update the template text to express your enthusiasm for a potential role. Stand out from the crowd with this unique two-toned background template.
See it in action: simple ATS healthcare letter of interest template.
Modern web developer letter of interest template
This bold and contemporary letter of interest is a great choice for IT developers, designers, and project managers. Effectively showcase technical skills and innovation to potential employers by tailoring the letter.
See it in action: modern web dev letter of interest template.
Now you know the top tips on how to write an engaging letter of interest, from crafting the right intro and outro to laying it out in the best format. Use it to share your motivations to work for a company or demonstrate your passion and understanding for a cause or industry.
Make your own letter of interest by choosing the free and professional letter templates in Word and getting support from Copilot in Word to enhance your writing.
If you want to complement your letter with a high-quality resume, explore how to write a resume.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send a letter of interest inside my current organization?
Yes, you can send a letter of interest if you’d like to apply to transfer to a different department, share your interest in a promotion you’re qualified for or want to be considered for new upcoming initiatives.
How should I close a letter of interest?
Write a clear call-to-action to connect further and discuss potential opportunities. You should also express your gratitude to the reader for their time and sign off professionally by writing “Regards” or “Yours sincerely” and your name.
How long should a letter of interest be?
A letter of interest should be a brief one-pager consisting of three to four paragraphs on why you’re interested and how you can add value to the organization. The goal is to write a short letter which is written in clear and professional language, so you leave a lasting impression in a short amount of time.
