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A generic cover letter can be a great addition to your resume in certain scenarios. While not customized to a particular role, a generic cover letter can still work as your introduction to a hiring manager. If you’re wondering how to effectively write one, we can help!
Let’s discuss:
- What is a generic cover letter
- When to use a generic cover letter
- Key elements to create an effective generic cover letter
- Generic cover letter samples for different scenarios
What Is a Generic Cover Letter?
A generic cover letter is a professional business letter that introduces you to a potential employer and presents your qualifications. Unlike a tailored cover letter, a generic cover letter works for any application. It focuses on the industry in general and your career journey.
There are different scenarios where writing a generic cover letter for a job can empower your resume. When to Use a Generic Cover Letter
- When attending job fairs and networking events: Include a generic cover letter with your resume to introduce yourself to employers. Focus on the industry. Add the skills and experience relevant to the industry in general.
- When applying to a talent pool: When submitting your resume in the talent pool option companies often offer, including a cover letter can guide the employer. It’ll let them know what type of role you’re seeking and what you can offer them.
- When submitting applications to recruitment agencies: Agencies help employers find qualified candidates. Your generic cover letter should focus on trending and emerging skills you can offer and your career journey.
Generic Cover Letters Examples
Customer Service
This generic cover letter example shows a candidate expressing their interest in a company, while providing a list of accomplishments and skills that benefit the employer.
Check out our customer service cover letter examples for more inspiration.
Teaching
A special education teacher seeking to switch school is reaching out to a different institution. There are no positions available, but that won't deter the from throwing their name into the candidate pool. This generic cover letter helps the candidate on employer's mind for any future openings.
Check out our teacher cover letter examples to learn more.
Nursing
A nurse practitioner that has already made strides in their community wants to continue their healthcare journey with a new employer. This generic cover letter shows their employer knowledge without applying to any job openings.
Our nursing cover letter examples show different ways to complete a cover letter for the next step of your career.
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Key Elements of an Effective Generic Cover Letter
To write a cover letter, each of the key elements must work together to showcase you as a well-rounded candidate.
Header and Recipient Address
Use your resume header. It’ll help you create a personal brand, plus it saves you a step. Under your header, to the left side, include the name and address of the company. If this is a job fair generic cover letter, you can skip adding the business information.
For example:
John Smith August 1, 2024 ABC Company |
Salutation
Research the company and find someone you’d like to reach. For example, a hiring manager, recruiter, or a specific person in the department you’d like to work in. If this information is unavailable, use “Dear Hiring Manager.”
Opening Paragraph
Start with why you’re interested in working for the company. For example, if it’s their commitment to the community, the advancements they’ve accomplished in their industry or the quality and recognition of their work.
If your generic cover letter does not have a particular addressee, explain why you’re interested in the industry and your short-term career goals.
Body paragraphs
If you are an experienced candidate, include your years working in the industry and use storytelling to present a successful, relevant accomplishment.
In this short time, I’ve collaborated with our developers and designers to enhance our user interface design. The relaunch of the application Mobile Banking increased our user base by 65%. Customer trust improved by 73% through our transparent data practices and clear authentication process.
I also spearheaded a customer education initiative, with a dedicated team of three UX designers, which received accolades from our colleagues in the year-end recognition event.
If you have no experience, present your education, skills and commitment to learning. To highlight your skills, you can include accomplishments from other areas of your life, like a volunteer opportunity.
Closing Statement
Reiterate why you’re interested in the role and thank the reader for their attention.
For example:
How to Tailor a Generic Cover Letter for Different Scenarios
For a job fair or networking event:
- Include the name of the event and what draws you to it, such as the quality of employers or your experience in the industry.
- Present your skills using the STAR method. STAR stands for Situation Task Action Result, and it will show your ability to use your qualifications to support the employer.
For a talent pool:
- Express your interest in the company and your industry knowledge.
- Include an achievement to highlight how you’ve advanced in your career or what you can bring to the employer.
- Show how you’ve used soft skills and interpersonal skills in your previous experiences.
For a recruitment agency:
- Be clear on your career goals and what you’re seeking by joining a recruitment agency.
- Use concise language and bring your point home quickly. Recruiters need clarity to present you as a qualified candidate to their clients.
Using Keywords in a Generic Cover Letter
Keywords can make your generic cover letter stand out. Also referred to as resume keywords, these convey the skills and qualifications managers are looking for in candidates. If the employer uses an applicant tracking system, they could input those keywords to select only applicants that present specific keywords.
Research your industry through job openings, news and professional organizations to learn more about emerging and trending skills. You can include them in your cover letter and resume to show the employer you keep up with the industry.
Protip: Include at least one keyword per paragraph on your generic cover letter.
Tips for Writing a Compelling Generic Cover Letter
- Use the cover letter to expand your resume, not repeat it. For example, if you have an impressive accomplishment, you can use the cover letter to narrate how it was achieved.
- Find a professionally designed cover letter template. Choose a simple design that matches your resume and creates a personal brand.
- Use a business letter format as your cover letter format. It is the standard and a simple way to show your professionalism.
- Keep to one page. A complete application should entice the reader to bring you in and discuss your qualifications. There is no need for your entire career history at this point.
- Choose an achievement and briefly narrate how it was achieved. This will show the employer how you use your skills and whether you’re a right fit.
- Simplify the process with a cover letter builder. Our Cover Letter Builder provides editable suggestions and automatically formats your letter.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Generic Cover Letters
- Being too generic While you’re not tailoring your cover letter to a particular role,you can target a specific industry and what you can offer to any given employer.
- Writing a long cover letter A job application is a sample of what you can bring to the table. A cover letter is simply an introduction to complement your resume.
- Not addressing the generic cover letter Find the name of the person you’d like to reach, the department you’d like to work for or a known recruiter. For example, Dear Hiring Team, Dear Customer Service. “Avoid To Whom It May Concern.”
- Skipping proofreading Online tools, like spell checkers, can catch grammatical errors. Get feedback from a trusted person and ask them if your letter is saying what you want it to say.
- Rewriting your resume A cover letter should show your human side and how your qualifications can help an employer. Take the opportunity to expand on your soft skills, which are less tangible than hard skills and technical skills.
Key Takeaways
- A generic cover letter is a great introduction for scenarios where there are no roles available but an employer is interested in or when you want to connect with them.
- Use a business letter format to create your generic cover letter.
- Choose a generic cover letter template to match your resume and professional persona.
- Keywords can show you have industry experience and have done your research.
- Find a person or department to address when addressing a generic cover letter. If not possible, use “Dear Hiring Manager.”
- Give each paragraph a role in introducing your qualifications and connecting to an employer.
- Once you find a particular role to apply for, customize a generic cover letter by including information from the job description.
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FAQ
How to Write a Generic Cover Letter?
- Open with a strong introduction, explaining who you are and what you’re seeking
- Write a paragraph or two presenting your qualifications. Include achievements that show your hard skills and soft skills. Focus more on soft skills and using storytelling to present how you’ve successfully used them.
- Finally, close the letter with a call to action to continue the conversation and reiterate your interest in the company or field. Don’t forget to thank the reader for their time.
How to Write a Generic Cover Letter for Multiple Jobs?
To write a generic cover letter for multiple jobs:
- Address the letter to “Dear Hiring Manager”.
- Focus on your career goals and current qualifications. If you’re switching industries, emphasize your transferable skills and other emerging industry skills.
- Showcase your soft skills and successful achievements.
- Avoid being too specific. Simply express your interest in the field and what you bring to the table.
How to Title a Generic Cover Letter?
You should always use your name as the file name for cover letters and resumes. For example, YourNameCoverLetter.doc. This shows professionalism and, more importantly, will help recruiters find your information easily.
Who Do You Address a Generic Cover Letter To?
Addressing a generic cover letter depends on the context:
- If you know the name of the person recruiting, address the letter to them. For example, “Dear John Smith,” “Dear Mr. Smith,” or simply “Mr. Smith.”
- If you’re applying for a talent pool for which the addressee is unknown, use the department name or Dear Hiring Manager.
- If your letter does not have an address, use “Dear Hiring Manager.” Using “To Whom It May Concern” is also acceptable in this scenario.
What Is a Generic Cover Letter?
A generic cover letter is a cover letter that is not customized to a specific role. Traditionally, the cover letter and resume combination work together for a specific position and are tailored to highlight the best candidate’s qualifications for the role. A generic cover letter is a document used in scenarios where there are no specifics, like a job fair or talent pool.
You can either personalize the generic cover letter to what you bring to a specific industry or as an introduction to your career. In either case, it’ll focus on general industry trends instead of the specifics of a particular role.
How to Begin a Generic Cover Letter?
When starting a generic cover letter, begin with your experience or interest in your industry. Keep it simple and true to your interest. Write about three to five sentences.
You can entice the reader with quick accomplishments from your career and how you keep working hard. Or, if you have no experience, you can open up with an important event that sparks your interest in the industry. For example:
For me, coffee is an experience of human connection and well-prepared flavor. I want to start a career as a specialty coffee barista to serve quality products and connect with customers. My experience in soft playground retail has certainly prepared me for this step. |
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Generic Cover Letter Examples & Templates
Nilda Melissa is a Certified Professional Resume Writer who has written for The Washington Post and Latina Style Magazine. She has a master's in Journalism from Columbia University and is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
More Articles by Nilda Melissa Diaz, CPRWOur customers have been hired at:*Foot Note
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