For an effective recruiter cover letter, focus on how you can find and bring talented workers to a company or clients of a placement firm. Also, emphasize your related skills, such as interview scheduling or applicant testing.
The guide below will help you write a cover letter that gets you interviews for your next job in this influential field.
Recruiter Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
How To Write a Recruiter Cover Letter
A great recruiter cover letter usually has five sections, outlined below. When possible, connect each section back to your defining human resources (HR) skills and the employer’s hiring needs. The following advice and examples show what to include in your cover letter so it’s optimized for each job application.
1. Heading
At the top of the page, include your resume contact header, the date, and any contact details you have for your recipient. To set a clear focus, add the title “Recruiter” or “Recruiting Specialist” to your contact header. You can then modify your title to align with each job posting. For instance, use the title “Executive Recruiter” if that’s closer to the role in question and reflects your background.
(Note: Feel free to omit this section if you send your letter as an email message and your contact information is part of your signature.)
Example
Amy Petrone
Recruiter | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | 451 Central St., Portland, OR 16455
January 12, 2024
Max Hernandez
Human Resources Director
Foundations Staffing Agency
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]
2. Salutation
Whenever you can, address your recipient by name – it’s the quickest way to signal you’re sending a job-specific letter and not a boilerplate. If you can’t find the recipient’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager” so your greeting is still tailored somewhat to each job opening.
Examples
Dear Ms. Blinkly,
Dear Premier Recruitment Hiring Manager:
3. “Hook” or introduction
To catch the reader’s attention, start your letter with an example of your impact as a recruiter. How have you succeeded at finding and converting leads into new staff members? Choose a highlight you can quantify with relevant data (such as total new hires or rate of client referrals) and link to your strengths as an HR professional.
Example
Exceeding my personal annual billings goal by 55% last year was the highlight of my recruitment career to date. I hope to demonstrate this ambition and performance in the lead recruiter role at Chime Recruitment.
4. Body paragraph(s)
Use the main section of your letter to tell why you’re drawn to this recruiting job or employer. For example, maybe it involves writing accurate job descriptions, an area in which you excel. Or it’s one of the many HR specialist positions in health care, a sector you’re eager to return to. Also, consider the organization’s overall approach to HR and employee relations and how that compares to your own.
Following this explanation, cite two or three more of your main skills or achievements, possibly as bullet points.
Example
In my current role, I have become an expert at tapping into new vertical markets and discovering the most profitable niches. My skills are matched perfectly with your company’s mission to become the leading recruitment agency in Houston.
I’m excited to bring my unique combination of experience and exceptional communication skills to Premier. Here are some of my achievements in my current role:
- Accumulated an average of three permanent hires each month over a period of five years — more than anyone else in the company
- Obtained first position in the salesperson of the year league table four years in a row
- Upsold clients in most instances, regularly getting between 15% and 20% commission
5. Call to action
Finally, request an interview for the position. Consider briefly restating your ability to source talented employees. To end your cover letter, use a simple closing like “Sincerely” or “Best regards” and then your name.
Example
Please let me know when the best time to set up an interview is — I’m excited to learn more about the company and provide further information about myself.
Kind regards,
Deanna Williams
Recruiter Cover Letter Tips
1. Highlight your skills in talent acquisition
As part of your letter’s body text, add a short list of bullet points to show your success in other key work areas for a recruiter, such as interview scheduling or contract negotiation. With each bullet, describe how you applied the skill to help organizations build a strong workforce. For instance, you could show time management by describing how you quickly found viable applicants for clients of a staffing agency.
Example
My most important achievements so far include:
- Successfully placing more than 200 job candidates in banking roles in the last year
- Accomplishing a 30% reduction in requisition loads and cutting filling times by 35%
- Leading a team to meet and exceed aggressive hiring targets and challenging deadlines
2. Show you can help grow the organization
Recruiters often must drive or support rapid company growth. Speak to this theme on your cover letter if it reflects your background and the HR roles you’re after.
Example
While at MW First Choice Recruiters, I helped increase the applicant pool by 30%, hiring an additional 125 staff members over three years. I’d love to bring these talent-acquisition skills to the corporate recruiter position at Foundations.
3. Mention your relevant traits
Employers seek HR specialists who are decisive, discerning, organized, personable, and adaptable to new work conditions or priorities. Consider which of these traits best describes you, then give an example or two of how you’ve shown them in a work setting.
Recruiter Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
Deanna Williams
Recruiter | [email protected] | (123) 234-9983 | 45 Longview Dr., Houston, TX 64211
January 11, 2024
Joanne Blinkly
Senior Hiring Manager
Premier Recruitment
(123) 858-0112
[email protected]
Dear Ms. Blinkly,
While lead generation is a huge strength of mine, and I regularly make at least 200 calls and send 100 emails per day, I’m even better at conversion. Six years of experience in recruitment has taught me how to target the right people and deliver outstanding results, which I believe I can continue as your Senior Recruiter.
In my current role, I have become an expert at tapping into new vertical markets and discovering the most profitable niches. My skills are matched perfectly with your company’s mission to become the leading recruitment agency in Houston.
I’m excited to bring my unique combination of experience and exceptional communication skills to Premier. Here are some of my achievements in my current role:
- Accumulated an average of three permanent hires each month over a period of five years — more than anyone else in the company
- Obtained first position in the salesperson of the year league table four years in a row
- Upsold clients in most instances, regularly getting between 15% and 20% commission
Please let me know when the best time to set up an interview is — I’m excited to learn more about the company and provide further information about myself.
Kind regards,
Deanna Williams
Recruiter Cover Letter Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the most important part of a cover letter? -
Any explanation you give for why the specific recruiter job or employer interests you. These details distinguish the cover letter from your resume and other application materials. They also set the stage for a good interview discussion about how you fit the role and the office’s work culture.
How should I introduce myself?-
In passing. As long as you give your signature at the bottom, you don’t need to introduce yourself formally with a line like “My name is…” or “I am a…” Instead, work any basic details about yourself into a sentence that speaks more directly to the job opening at hand. For example, don’t write, “I am a talent acquisition specialist with six years of experience in executive recruiting.” Instead, say, “With six years of executive recruiting experience, I can help your firm achieve its mission to…”
What can I do if I'm stuck on part of my letter? -
When in doubt, brainstorm. Take 10 minutes to quickly jot down your thoughts on a separate document or sheet of paper. By pausing to think more creatively, you can jog your memory and find new details to include about your recruitment experience. Brainstorming also helps you figure out the best and most original way to describe that experience, giving your letter the confident tone it needs to catch a hiring manager’s attention.
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