Embarking on your freelance design career, you've hit a common snag: the daunting cover letter. While your resume lists your skills, your cover letter should spotlight a crowning achievement—think of it as the tale of your proudest professional moment. It's a dance of formality without falling into the trap of clichés, all neatly wrapped in a one-page introduction. Let's unravel the art of crafting a cover letter that's as engaging as your designs, without the extra fluff.
- Write a freelance designer cover letter that helps you stand out (and get the job);
- Understand how to start and end your freelance designer cover letter with the appropriate greeting;
- What to include in the body of your freelance designer cover letter to put your best foot forward;
- Your most important achievements - how to present them as part of your freelance designer cover letter.
And if you want to make your life even easier, simply drag and drop your freelance designer resume into Enhancv's AI cover letter generator, and it will write your cover letter for you in just a few moments.
If the freelance 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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Freelance Designer cover letter example
ABIGAIL HALL
Dallas, Texas
+1-(234)-555-1234
help@enhancv.com
- Emphasizing relevant industry experience, such as the time spent at a well-regarded company like Lululemon, can strengthen credibility and illustrate the candidate's potential impact.
- Demonstrating quantifiable achievements, for example, increasing market share by 20%, showcases the candidate's ability to contribute significantly to the company’s success.
- Highlighting specialized expertise, such as experience in launching new products and integrating innovative fabric technologies, aligns with the technical and creative demands of a Senior Apparel Designer role.
- Expressing alignment with the company's values, particularly in areas like sustainability, suggests the candidate's fit with the brand’s ethos and long-term vision.
What about your freelance designer cover letter format: organizing and structuring your information
Here is one secret you should know about your freelance designer 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 designer 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 designer 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 designer 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 designer cover letter
Header: Include your name, contact information, and the date, which establishes your professional identity and makes it easy for the recruiter to reach out to you.
Greeting: Address the recruiter or hiring manager by name if possible, which shows that you've done your research and are personally engaged in the application process.
Introduction: Briefly mention your freelance design experience and highlight one significant achievement or project, as this sets the stage for why you're a strong candidate for the role.
Professional Highlights: Elaborate on key design projects, the range of design skills you possess, and your creative process, which provides concrete examples of your capabilities and how they align with the needs of the potential client or project.
Closing: Express your enthusiasm for the possibility of working with the client or on the project, offer to provide a portfolio or additional work samples, and include a call to action, such as meeting for an interview.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
- Strong portfolio showcasing design skills and versatility in various design disciplines (e.g., UI/UX, graphic, web) to demonstrate creative ability and technical proficiency.
- Experience with industry-standard design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, Figma) to ensure efficiency and seamless integration into the team's workflow.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with clients and team members, ensuring that design solutions meet business and user requirements.
- Time management and the ability to meet deadlines, as freelance designers often juggle multiple projects and must deliver high-quality work on time.
- Adaptability and willingness to learn new tools or design methodologies, showing potential clients that you can evolve with changing design trends and technologies.
- Proven track record of successful project management and client satisfaction, demonstrating reliability and the ability to manage projects from concept through to completion.
The freelance designer cover letter salutation: how to address hiring managers
After covering the format of your freelance designer cover letter, let's look at the salutation.
Back in the day, the cordial "To whom it may concern" or "Dear Sir/Madam", might have worked out fine.
But, nowadays, your cover letter should approach hiring managers on a more personal basis.
So, what to do about your cover letter salutation?
If you've messaged the recruiters and are on a first name basis or a more formal one, use the hiring manager's name in the greeting (e.g. "Dear Sophie," "Dear Ms. Givens", or "Dear Mr. Everett,").
Always aim to make the effort to find out the name of the hiring manager, who'd be assessing your application. Search on LinkedIn, double-check the advert on the corporate website, or message the brand on social media to find out more about the role.
If you can't find the hiring manager's name (and still want to sound professional), use "Dear HR Team,", "Dear Hiring Manager,", or the likes.
List of salutations you can use
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear [Company Name] Team,
- Dear [Recipient's Name],
- Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name],
- Good Day,
- Dear Selection Committee,
How to start your freelance designer cover letter introduction
The opening paragraph of your freelance designer cover letter can seem like a real enigma.
Where do you start writing?
In your freelance designer cover letter introduction, focus on yourself by stating what:
- gets you motivated and excited about the role;
- you like best about the company, from culture to awards.
Write no more than two sentences, which are both authentic and show your enthusiasm for the opportunity.
How to write an achievement-focused freelance designer cover letter body
We've got the intro and greeting covered. Now, comes the most definitive part of your freelance designer 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.
Finishing off your freelance designer cover letter with what matters most
So far, you've done a fantastic job in tailoring your freelance designer cover letter for the role and recruiter.
Your final opportunity to make a good impression is your closing paragraph.
And, no, a "Sincerely yours" just won't do, as it sounds too vague and impersonal.
End your freelance designer cover letter with the future in mind.
So, if you get this opportunity, what do you plan to achieve? Be as specific, as possible, of what value you'd bring to the organization.
You could also thank recruiters for their interest in your profile and prompt for follow-up actions (and organizing your first interview).
The zero experience freelance designer cover letter: shifting the focus to your unique value
Don't worry if you have no conventional professional experience. Within your whole experience, there's plenty more you can write about in your freelance designer cover letter.
Take, for example, your biggest achievement or award - dedicate your cover letter body to describe it and the job-relevant skills you've learned.
Your professional ambitions could also take center stage. Describe what you plan on achieving in the next five to ten years and the efforts you're making towards your dreams.
Key takeaways
Creating your freelance designer 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.
