Crafting a designer cover letter often feels like a daunting task, especially when you're eager to impress potential employers. You've polished your resume, begun applying for jobs, and then hit the wall—what should your cover letter say? It needs to spotlight a standout achievement without echoing your resume. It should read professionally, dodge the tired clichés, and stay within one page. Let's walk through how to weave your proudest professional moment into a compelling narrative that turns heads.
- Introduce your profile to catch recruiters' attention;
- Use professional templates and examples to make sure your designer cover letter follows the best industry standards;
- Settle on your most story-worthy achievement to shine a light on what makes your application unique;
- Write a designer cover letter, even when you lack professional experience.
Ready to start with the basics: upload your resume to Enhancv's AI, below, to see the designer cover letter it would write for you.
If the designer 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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Designer cover letter example
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- Emphasizing past achievements with quantifiable results, such as the "30% increase in user engagement" and a "25% decrease in bounce rates", helps to establish a track record of successful projects that is likely to appeal to a hiring manager.
- Demonstrating a deep understanding of the field by mentioning specific methodologies—like "user interviews" and "usability tests"—is crucial for a role that demands a high level of user experience proficiency.
- Praising the company's focus on "marrying technology with user-centric design" shows a shared passion and alignment of values, which can make a candidate more appealing for a culturally driven workplace.
- Including a call to action, such as an invitation to "schedule an interview at your earliest convenience," can help to move the application process forward and demonstrate proactiveness and eagerness for the role.
What are the basics of the design or format of your designer cover letter?
To start, here's a reminder for you: the Applicant Tracker System (or software that is used to assess candidate profiles), won't be reading your designer cover letter.
Recruiters enjoy reading designer cover letters with a standardized format that uses:
- the same font as the resume (e.g. modern ones like Raleway or Volkhov are prefered over the clichéd Times New Roman or Arial);
- single spacing to keep the content concise and organized (this is all ready for you in our cover letter templates);
- a one-inch margin to wrap around the text, like in our cover letter builder;
- PDF as a file format, as it allows your design (and visual element) to stay the same.
Finally, we can't go on without mentioning the key sections of your designer cover letter.
In the top one-third, make sure to include a header (with your contact information, name, role, and date), a salutation, and an introduction.
Next, follows the heart and soul of your designer cover letter or its body.
End your designer cover letter with a closing paragraph and, if you wish, a signature.
The top sections on a designer cover letter
- Header with Contact Information: Include your name, address, phone number, and email address so the recruiter can easily reach you, and they know who the cover letter is from.
- Greeting: Address the hiring manager by name if possible, as this personal touch shows you’ve done your homework and are serious about the role.
- Introduction and Design Passion: Begin with a compelling opening line about your enthusiasm for design and briefly mention your most relevant experience or unique design skills.
- Body with Design Experience and Portfolio Highlight: Clearly articulate your previous design projects, the design processes you are familiar with, and include a brief mention of your portfolio to lead recruiters to review your practical work.
- Closing and Call to Action: Conclude by thanking the reader for their time, reiterating your interest in the position, and inviting them to view your attached or online portfolio, signaling active engagement and interest in the role.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
- Proficient in design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite): Necessary for creating visually compelling designs.
- Strong portfolio of previous design work: Demonstrates creativity, skill, and experience in the field.
- Knowledge of current design trends and best practices: Ensures the designer can produce relevant and modern work.
- Excellent communication skills: Vital for understanding client needs and presenting design concepts.
- Attention to detail: Critical for refining designs and ensuring high-quality outcomes.
- Time management and project delivery experience: Important for meeting deadlines and managing multiple projects simultaneously.
How to address hiring managers in your designer cover letter greeting
Goodbye, "Dear Sir/Madam" or "To whom it may concern!"
The salutation of your designer cover letter is how you kick off your professional communication with the hiring managers.
And you want it to start off a bit more personalized and tailored, to catch the recruiters' attention.
Take the time to find out who's recruiting for the role (via LinkedIn or the company page).
If you have previously chatted or emailed the hiring managers, address them on a first or last name basis.
The alternative is a "Dear HR team" or "Dear Hiring Manger", but remember that a "Dear Ms. Simmons" or "Dear Simon," could get you farther ahead than an impersonal greeting.
List of salutations you can use
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear [Company Name] Team,
- Dear [Department Name] Team,
- Dear Ms. [Last Name],
- Dear Mr. [Last Name],
- Dear Dr. [Last Name],
First introductions in your designer cover letter
Within your designer cover letter introduction, genuinely state what you like about the organization.
Research the latest company projects, honorary awards, company updates, etc.
Write up to two sentences to let recruiters know what impresses you about the company,
This would help you to set a good tone for the rest of the communication.
The middle or body of your designer cover letter body: a great instrument to tell a story
Now that you've set the right tone with the greeting and introduction of your designer cover letter, it's time to get down to business.
Hear us out, the body of your designer cover letter is the best storytelling instrument you have, in your job-hunting arsenal.
Writing the next three to six paragraphs, take the time to reassess the advert to discover job-crucial requirements.
Next, choose one accomplishment that covers those key skills and talents.
Use precisely that achievement to tell an exciting story of how you match the ideal candidate profile.
In the undertones of your story or designer cover letter body, hint at the difference you'd make and sell your application as the perfect one for the job.
Final words: writing your designer cover letter closing paragraph
The final paragraph of your designer cover letter allows you that one final chance to make a great first impression.
Instead of going straight to the "sincerely yours" ending, you can back up your skills with a promise of:
- how you see yourself growing into the role;
- the unique skills you'd bring to the organization.
Whatever you choose, always be specific (and remember to uphold your promise, once you land the role).
If this option doesn't seem that appealing to you, close off your designer cover letter with a follow-up request.
You could even provide your availability for interviews so that the recruiters would be able to easily arrange your first meeting.
What to write on your designer cover letter, when you have zero experience
The best advice for candidates, writing their designer 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 designer 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
Within this Enhancv guide, we've provided you with plenty of advice and inspiration on writing your designer cover letter:
- Always make sure your designer cover letter is tailored to the role you're applying for to make a good impression on recruiters;
- In your designer cover letter include a header (with your name, the role you're applying for, date, and contact details) and an introduction of up to two sentences that highlight your key accomplishment or why you'd fit the role;
- Focus your designer cover letter body on one sole achievement through your career and all the valuable lessons, skills, and know-how you've learned (that are relevant to the role);
- Ensure your designer cover letter closing statement isn't generic and includes either a call to action or a promise;
- If you lack professional experience, shift recruiters' focus to a relevant achievement (thanks to your academic or versatile experience) or toward your dreams and goals for professional growth.
Designer cover letter examples
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