
Letter of Intent Vs. Cover Letter
A Letter of Intent and a Cover Letter are common phrases in the recruiting and job-seeking world that are often used interchangeably. This is because both are believed to mean the same thing since they are typically sent in the same situation.
A letter of intent and a cover letter are two major documents that function as the first communication between you and your potential hirers, but these letters have unique purposes.
Knowing and clearly understanding how both documents differ in their meanings and functions can change your entire job-seeking game. Let’s dive in.
What Is a Letter of Intent?
A letter of intent is also commonly referred to as a letter of interest. A job seeker sends a letter of intent to a potential employer or an organization. The goal is to let the employers know that the applicant is interested in working at that organization in the future, even if there are no available job opportunities.
A letter of intent emphasizes your interest in working with an organization while also explaining your current qualifications and why you are the perfect hire for the organization. It often includes background information detailing your motivation for reaching out to them and not other organizations.
At first glance, a letter of intent might not look so different from a cover letter, but the truth is they both have additional features and functions.
What Is a Cover Letter?
A cover letter is written together with your resume or CV during your job application process. Cover letters are sent after a job has stated that they are seeking a candidate for a certain role.
In cover letters, you are simply expanding on what is already in your resume while further selling yourself to the recruiter.
A cover letter isn’t relisting everything in your resume or CV. Rather, it is a comprehensive and detailed letter highlighting to the organization you are applying to why you should be considered for the specific role.
Differences Between a Letter of Intent and a Cover Letter
A letter of intent and a cover letter have similar functions, as the ultimate goal of both letters is to help you successfully acquire a job at the organization of your choice.
Here are the differences between cover letters and letters of intent:
- Primary Function
A letter of intent expresses your interest in working at an organization, while a cover letter emphasizes your interest in a role during a job application.
- Content
A letter of intent and a Cover letter help you market yourself as the perfect candidate for their organization.
But a cover letter is tailored to the job requirements, and a letter of intent helps to communicate your reasons for wanting to work at the organization and what you have to offer.
- When They’re Sent
A cover letter is sent along with a resume during the application process. A cover letter can also be accompanied by a portfolio if required. Meanwhile, a letter of intent is sent before a job application to signify interest in a certain role or organization.
Features of a Letter of Intent Vs. a Cover Letter
As earlier stated, a letter of intent and a cover letter can be distinctly identified by the features they contain. Let’s explore these features.
Features of a Letter of Intent
1. Name and Contact Information of The Recipient
A letter of intent begins with the contact information of the sender and the recipient. This includes their name, home address, phone number, and email address.
It often looks like this:
Ella Fitzgerald
105 Irving Street, Main Road, +05 8928 920- ellaanderson@yahmail.com
- Name and Role of The Receiver, Company Name, Company Address, and Date
In a letter of intent, the date comes right after the sender’s information. The receiver’s name and position follow, and so does the company’s address.
For example,
January 18, 2022
Jones Adams,
Head of Human Resources,
ABC Company,
3A Hibiscus Road, California.
- Salutation or Greetings
Since a letter of intent is a formal letter, ensure there’s a noticeable formality in your tone.
How to write the salutation for a letter of intent:
If you know the name of the hiring manager, you can use their name in your salutation like this:
“Dear John,” “Dear Dr. Grant,” “Dear Kaitlyn,” are acceptable.
However, if you don’t know the name of the hiring manager, stick to generic greetings like:
“Dear Hiring Manager,” “Dear Recruiter,”
You can also use a greeting like “Hello,” as it is straightforward and short.
The last thing you want to do is use an informal greeting such as “Hey,”. This is because it is important that the potential employer feels drawn to you from the first line of your letter.
- A Concise Introduction
Always go straight into formally introducing yourself to your potential employers. Begin with your name and a short explanation of your reason for sending the letter and relevant experience.
If you know the organization you’re writing to has all the elements of your dream organization, communicate this to them in the introduction.
Use clear and concise vocabulary when stating your reasons for writing a letter of intent.
Avoid negative information in this letter. A letter of intent is not the time for you to go off about your toxic boss at your previous workplace. Simply highlight your reasons for wanting to switch jobs in more positive tones.
An example of a concise introduction for a letter of intent:
“Dear Mr. Adams,
I wish to express my interest in the position of Media Head at ABC Company.
I am a recent graduate of Bal University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and media and a 2-year relevant work experience.
I strongly believe that I would be perfect for the role of media head at ABC company.”
- The body
This is where you state more about your skills and experiences. Think of the body as the part you get to sell yourself to the organization fully. You want to be perceived as a valuable addition to the organization, and you can do this by highlighting your values and competitive advantages in your industry.
In the body, list specific moments where you have achieved your professional goals and how you have contributed to an organization’s success in major ways. You also want to ensure that your goals are quantifiable in numbers or percentages. This makes it appear detailed and comprehensive.
Here is a sample of the Body of a Letter of Intent:
“I am proficient at managing all forms of media, overseeing all media-related projects, and working hand-in-hand with individuals across these organizations. In my position as Assistant Head of Media at Shortan Media, I ensured that the Media team thrived and exceeded all expectations regarding strategies and project execution. My ability to communicate efficiently with team members earned me accolades from my supervisor on many occasions.
I am highly passionate about design, creativity, and innovation, which is reflected in every area I oversee. My watchwords are excellence, brilliance, and functionality.”
- The Call to Action
This is your final paragraph. It is where you detail what your potential employers are to do after reading this letter. But first, you want to begin this section by thanking them for their time. Then, you include your contact information for them to reach you if a suitable position opens up at their organization.
A sample of a call to action for a letter of intent:
“I truly believe that I would be the perfect fit for your organization should an opportunity as the Head of Media become available. I am willing to speak more with you about my qualifications.
You can reach me at +05 8928 920 or send me an email at ellaanderson@yahmail.com.”
- Closing Salutation
Here, you include the official business letter sign-off, such as “Sincerely,” or “Warm Regards,” after which you write your name and signature.
A closing salutation for a letter of intent would look like this:
“Sincerely,
Ella Anderson”
Or
“Warm Regards,
Daniel Mei”
Or
“Best Regards,
Taylor Lewis”
Here is a sample of a well-written letter of intent:
Ella Anderson
105 Ivring Street, Main Road, +05 8928 920- ellaanderson@yahmail.com
January 18, 2022
Jones Adams,
Head of Human Resources,
ABC Company,
3A Hibiscus Road, California.
Dear Mr. Adams,
I wish to express my interest in the position of Media Head at ABC company.
I am a recent graduate of Bal University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and media and a 2-year relevant work experience.
I believe I would be perfect for the role of media head at ABC company.
I am proficient at managing all forms of media, overseeing all media-related projects, and working alone and with a team.
As Assistant Head of Media at Shortan Media, I ensured that the Media team thrived and exceeded all expectations regarding strategies and project executions. My ability to organize and work effectively with team members earned me accolades on various occasions.
I am highly passionate about creativity and innovation, which is reflected in every project I oversee. My watchwords are creativity and excellence.
I truly believe that I would be the perfect fit for ABC company should an opportunity as the Head of Media become available.
I look forward to a detailed conversation with you about my qualifications and experience.
Please do not hesitate to reach me by phone at +05 8928 920 or send me an email at ellaanderson@yahmail.com.
Sincerely,
Ella Anderson
Here’s what it would look like when put together:

Features of a Cover Letter
- Header
Every cover letter should begin with a header containing your contact information.
Regardless of the header format you choose, your header must begin with your name, email, phone number, and your home address, all on individual lines.
Include the contact information and name of the company hiring manager you’re writing to if you are to submit a hard copy of the cover letter.
This ensures your letter gets to the right person and is not lost in the stack of papers on the office’s receptionist’s desk.
A typical cover letter header looks like this:
Daniel Mei
25B Adam Street, Manhattan,+05 8928 920-
daniel.mei@yahmail.com
August 1, 2020
Harrison Ford,
CEO of Marketing and Advertising,
Graham Publishing,
7 Red Hibiscus Road, Manhattan.
- Salutation or Greetings
This is the first opportunity for you to stand out from other potential employees that the company may be considering.
Ensure that your letter addresses the person in charge of your job application.
Conduct comprehensive research on the name of the hiring manager in the organization and address the letter to them.
Your greeting is expected to be as formal as formal goes.
In cover letters, use salutations such as:
“Dear Mary,” “Hello,” “Dear Hiring Manager,” abandoning other informal salutations like “Hey” and “Hi.”
If you are aware of the recruiter’s name and title, you can include that in the salutation.
Check out these examples:
“Dear Mr. Harrison,” “Dear Miss. Danielle,” “Dear Prof. Grey,” “Dear Dr. Kwin,” “Dear Mrs. Radcliffe,”
- Introduction
From the first paragraph of the introduction, state who you are and why you should be selected for the job. Introduce your cover letter with why you have chosen to apply.
Emphasize the value you’re bringing to their organization. Ensure that the introductory paragraph highlights that you possess the required core strengths.
Here is a sample of a well-written cover letter introduction:
“I would like to apply for the Marketing Manager position at Graham Publishing.
I believe I am perfectly suited for this role because aside from my several valuable skills, I possess 3 years of experience in Marketing and a bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a minor in Marketing.”
- Body
This is where you go into details of your qualifications. Focus on your relevant skills and educational and professional experience.
Show that your experience is relevant to the role you’re applying for.
Explain how you can benefit the team and the company at large.
Include relevant stories on projects and situations you have successfully handled that can give your application more credibility. Dwell on how you contributed to the successes of major projects.
Still, in the body of your letter, highlight the company’s values and goals and how you embody skills that can help achieve the goals.
Here’s a sample of a concise but interestingly-written cover letter body:
“As a Junior Marketing Officer for C&C Corporations, I successfully oversaw the operations of the Marketing team, ensuring that all projects were successfully accomplished, exceeding the expectations of the company and our clients at large.
I am aware that the ultimate goal of Graham Publishing is to be the number one Publishing firm in the world.
I believe I can lead a team of brilliant minds to drive the company goal using sustainable and flexible marketing strategies as I have successfully done in the past.”
- Call to Action
A cover letter should also contain a call to action section. Start this section by thanking the hiring manager for taking the time to read your letter, and then you let them know how they can contact you, emphasizing that you are interested in speaking more if they would grant you an interview.
A Call to Action would look like this:
“I truly appreciate that you took out time to read this, and I hope I am considered for this role. I look forward to your response in due course.”
- Closing Salutation and Signature
Wrap up your Cover Letter with a formal salutation such as “Best Regards,” “Sincerely,” “Thank you,”
A Sample of a closing salutation for cover letters:
Sincerely,
Daniel Mei
Here’s the complete cover letter sample:
Daniel Mei
25B Adam Street, Manhattan,+05 8928 920-
daniel.mei@yahmail.com
August 1, 2020
Harrison Ford,
CEO of Marketing and Advertising,
Graham Publishing,
7 Red Hibiscus Road, Manhattan.
Dear Mr. Harrison,
I would like to apply for the Marketing Manager position at Graham Publishing.
I believe I am perfectly suited for this role because, aside from my several valuable skills, I possess 3 years of experience in Marketing and a bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a minor in Marketing.
As a Junior Marketing Officer for C&C Corporations, I successfully oversaw the operations of the Marketing team, ensuring that all projects were successfully executed, exceeding the expectations of the company and our clients at large.
During the three years I spent at C&C Corporations, I have fully developed my interpersonal skills, team spirit, project management skills, market research, analytics, and problem-solving skills.
I am aware that the ultimate goal of Graham Publishing is to be the number one Publishing firm in the world.
I believe I am capable of leading a team of brilliant minds to drive the company goal using sustainable and flexible marketing strategies, as I have successfully done in the past.
I truly appreciate that you took out time to read this, and I hope I am considered for this role. I look forward to your response in due course.
Best Regards,
Daniel Mei
Take a look out how it’ll look when drafted:

Conclusion
Knowing the differences between a letter of intent and a cover letter will not be an advantage if you do not know when to write a letter of intent or a cover letter.
A letter of intent is written to an organization even before they put out a job vacancy. It is written when you have chosen an organization as the one you would love to work in. Also, it is written to make the organization see reasons to consider you when there’s a suitable role.
A cover letter, on the other hand, is written to an organization during your application for a specific job that has been advertised by the organization. It is written and sent together with your resume. A cover letter helps you weave your experiences, skills, and achievements into a compelling essay.
While a letter of intent and a cover letter may have similar features, they remain distinct documents.
If the organization considers your letter of intent, they may request a formal application, and this is when you send your CV along with your cover letter.