Professional VP of Finance Cover Letter Examples for 2024

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts a 16% increase in employment for financial managers from 2022 to 2032, a rate much faster than the average across all professions.

On a broader scale, this trend is encouraging as it offers more finance professionals the opportunity to achieve their career goals. On a personal level, however, you can’t help but think about how increasingly daunting it’s going to be to compete with many more managers for the same roles in the future.

One of the best ways to elevate your job search and set yourself apart from the competition is by writing a captivating VP of finance cover letter. A well-crafted motivation letter will showcase your unique qualifications and make a strong case for why you are the ideal candidate for the job.

To help you create a job-winning cover letter for a VP of Finance, this guide will teach you:

• How to organize your cover letter into multiple sections and use each one to convey your professional strengths.
• Unique ways to highlight your capacities and skills in budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning.
• Brilliant VP of finance cover letter examples and actionable tips for each section.
• Most effective strategies for illustrating your strategic acumen and risk management abilities..
• Best techniques to synchronize finance goals with broader company objectives and emphasize your strategic leadership.

Let’s dive right in!

Before we get started, here are more guides tailored to various relevant finance positions:

• Finance Director
• Finance
• VP of Finance

VP of Finance cover letter example

How to format a VP of Finance cover letter

Before you even start writing your cover letter, you first need to be clear about the big idea you want to convey to recruiters. You’re trying to promote yourself as the ideal VP of finance they can hire for the job. However, directly stating “I’m the best VP of Finance, hire me” is never the right way to go about crafting your cover letter.

You need to help hiring managers grasp your worth and unique contributions. They’re not just looking for a VP of finance with “financial planning skills,” they want an experienced strategist who can drive growth through innovative financial leadership. Once they understand who you are and what you can bring to the table, they’ll be more inclined to get you hired.

Next is your cover letter formatting, which is just as essential as it can make or break a first impression. Here are a few key elements to consider:

• Contact information: Make sure your name, address, phone number, and email are correctly listed at the header of your cover letter.

• Font: Use a professional font like Rubik, Lato, or even Arial to maximize readability and add a dash of creativity to your cover letter design.

• Spacing, margins, and alignment: Set your page margins to 1 inch on all sides, and ensure your text is aligned left for easy reading.

• Most important sections: Create an outline that features a greeting, an introduction, a body where you detail your qualifications, and a closing section with a call to action.

• Cover letter length: Aim for a concise yet comprehensive letter, typically about 300 to 450 words, fitting onto one page to guarantee that headhunters are going to read everything.

How to write your VP of Finance cover letter salutation

The cover letter salutation is where you address the hiring manager or the company formally. It's more than just a greeting but an actual opportunity to initiate a positive interaction and convey professionalism early in your VP of Finance cover letter.

An appropriate cover letter salutation will significantly influence your chances of landing the job, indicating that you are thoughtful, diligent, and detail-oriented. More importantly, it’s a great way to demonstrate politeness and show that you've taken the time to personalize your application if you use the headhunter’s name.

Now, one of the biggest mistakes when writing salutations for cover letters is using impersonal openings. They’re a sure way to make your cover letter feel generic, therefore suggesting a lack of effort and motivation on your part in researching the company.

Examples of generic cover letter salutations to avoid include “Hello,” “Dear Sir or Madam,” and the very famous “To Whom It May Concern.”

Let’s look at some captivating examples of effective cover letter salutations:

• Dear [Mr./Ms. Last Name], i.e., Dear Mr. Derek,
• Dear [Hiring Manager's Name], i.e., Dear Jonathan Lapins,
• Greetings [Company Name] Team, i.e., Greetings Finance Department,
• Hello [Department Name] Hiring Committee, i.e., Hello Finance Hiring Committee,

While personalization can elevate your resume to the next level, it’s essential to ensure that you’re using the right name and job title for each job position. The last thing you want is to have your perfectly written cover letter ruined just because you used an incorrect name or wrong spelling.

How to write your VP of Finance cover letter intro

The next section in your VP of Finance cover letter is the introduction. From the title, you may have already guessed what this part is for and what it entails. Think of this as the hook of your cover letter, designed to grab the hiring manager’s attention and provide a snapshot of what comes next.

There are two mistakes VPs of Finance often make when creating the cover letter intro:

1. Rushing straight into listing their qualifications without providing context.
2. Beating around the bush for too long without presenting concrete examples.

Both mistakes can cost you a VP position that you’re fully qualified to secure. But by being hasty or vague, you fail to strike a key balance between being concise yet informative or being engaging without being overbearing.

Here are a few different ways you can effectively set the stage for your detailed qualifications:

• Illustrate your alignment with the company's financial integrity and commitment to sustainable growth.
• Articulate your excitement for leveraging financial strategies to propel the company forward.
• Highlight your track record of financial leadership, such as steering companies through growth phases, optimizing financial processes, or leading successful funding rounds.
• Let your leadership philosophy shine by discussing your approach to building and mentoring finance teams, fostering a culture of accountability, etc.

Examples of VP of Finance cover letter introductions:

While correctly composed, the first example fails to capture the unique essence of GreenFuture and the candidate's personal connection to the company's mission. It comes across as overly generic, lacking the key enthusiasm and specificity that make a cover letter stand out.

Here are a few strategic changes you can make to transform an average introduction into one that truly resonates with the recruiter:

• Demonstrate how your personal finance philosophy and achievements resonate with the company's mission, such as driving sustainable growth.
• Instead of making broad statements about your experience, pinpoint a specific financial strategy you implemented or a significant project you led that aligns with the company's objectives or challenges.
• Use dynamic and compelling language to convey your excitement about leading the finance team toward excellence.

Let’s see how these improvements will look in action:

How to write your VP of Finance cover letter body

The body of your VP of finance cover letter is the core section where you delve into your financial qualifications, feature your hard skills, and articulate your suitability for the role. Think of this part as a comprehensive financial report of your career: it needs to be detailed and relevant to clearly demonstrate your true value.

A proven track record in financial strategy and outstanding leadership qualities can elevate your application from average to exceptional. Therefore, highlighting these aspects is what you need to focus on in the cover letter body.

When writing this part, even seasoned professionals can fall prey to common pitfalls, including:

• Overusing jargon and complex terminology instead of power words, which might obscure your message rather than clarify your top qualities.
• Listing skills and financial knowledge without providing concrete examples of how they were applied in real workplace scenarios to drive results.
• Featuring irrelevant details that divert recruiters' attention away from assessing your suitability for the VP of Finance role.

Here’s what a stellar cover letter body for a VP of Finance might look like:

While this example does provide a basic overview of the candidate's responsibilities, it falls short in several key areas crucial for making a strong impact in the cover letter. Primarily, it lacks specificity and measurable achievements, which it also fails to convey the strategic value the candidate could bring to the VP of Finance role.

To enhance your cover letter body, consider the following approaches:

• Detail how you led a team or collaborated with other departments to achieve specific financial goals. For instance, describe a scenario where your leadership directly resulted in improved financial performance or operational efficiency.
• Include specific metrics or percentages to illustrate your contribution to financial stability and efficiency. This could involve mentioning how your initiatives led to a certain percentage of cost reduction or revenue growth.
• Dive deeper into the strategic projects or initiatives you've spearheaded, emphasizing their alignment with broader company objectives or how they tackled particular challenges.

After incorporating these changes, here’s what your cover letter body might look like:

How to implement psychology and writing tools in your cover letter

Understanding yourself on a psychological level as a VP of finance is vital for your job search. While it may seem like additional homework, this can be one of the most effective strategies to enhance your career and help recruiters better visualize your true worth.

Before we can do that, let’s first reverse-engineer the process and identify the personality traits that recruiters look for the most when hiring their ideal VP of Finance:

• Assertive Leadership: Reflecting negotiation and decision-making skills, as well as an ability to facilitate smooth financial operations through cooperation and understanding.
• Diligence: Demonstrating meticulous attention to detail and exceptional organizational skills.
• Extraversion: Possessing the ability to lead with confidence and charisma, fostering a collaborative team environment that motivates and inspires others.
• Creativity: Showcasing innovative thinking in financial strategies with an ability to embrace change and new ideas to keep the company moving forward.
• Emotional Prowess: Maintaining a calm and reassuring presence, which is crucial for navigating the often turbulent financial sectors with resilience.

With this knowledge at hand, you can create a more persuasive cover letter that best represents you. Here are four different ways you can leverage that to craft a job-winning VP of finance cover letter:

• Tell a coherent story: Structure your cover letter to tell a story about your past experiences and how they align with the position you're applying for.
• Provide social proof: Feature achievements, awards, or successful projects with tangible metrics.
• Invoke reciprocity: Write your cover letter from the HR’s perspective, prioritizing their gains and benefits before yours to show how you can solve their problems or meet their needs.
• Leverage scarcity: Emphasize your most unique skills or experiences to set yourself apart from other candidates.

Examples of VP of finance cover letters:

Other psychological tactics you can use include personalizing your cover letter by mentioning things you admire about the company. Talking about their work or recent achievements shows you've done your homework and sets a positive tone.

How to write the closing paragraph for your VP of Finance cover letter

The closing paragraph of a cover letter is your final opportunity to make a lasting impression. It’s an excellent way to summarize your application and reinforce your suitability for the role, leaving the hiring manager with a clear sense of how ready you are to proceed.

This is also where you show genuine excitement about working together with the finance team on driving innovation and achieving financial excellence.

There are four steps to crafting a job-winning cover letter closing statement:

• Start by summarizing the main reasons why you’re a great fit for the VP of Finance role. Briefly list your most significant experiences, skills, or unique qualities that align with the company's needs.

• Show appreciation for the headhunter’s time and thank them for considering your application. This can go a long way in demonstrating your professionalism and manners.

• Encourage further discussion or an interview by including a quick call-to-action. Instead of saying, “I hope to hear back from you,” it’s better to suggest a proactive step, communicating your availability for a follow-up conversation.

• End with a professional closing phrase such as "Best regards," "Sincerely," or "Respectfully," followed by your name.

Key takeaways

To wrap up, here are the key takeaways to guide you through this process of crafting an impactful cover letter for your VP of finance job hunt:

• Use your cover letter to fill in any gaps or elaborate on significant achievements that your resume doesn't fully cover. This is your chance to add context and depth to your professional story.

• Approach your cover letter with a clear structure in mind, understanding the purpose of each section and how it enables you to construct a coherent narrative.

• Personalizing your cover letter for each job can significantly improve your job application success rate.

• Applying psychological principles can make your cover letter more compelling. Leave a lasting impression on recruiters by using techniques like social proof, authority, and liking.

• Ensure every line of your cover letter serves a clear purpose, helping you prove that you are the ideal applicant for the role.