Are you hoping to secure a new position within your existing company?
An internal move can be the perfect solution if you love the company but you want to progress in your career or try your hand at a different department.
Either way, you need to submit a persuasive application, and we’ve created the following guide, complete with several internal position cover letter examples to help you do just that.
Contents
Internal Position cover letter example 1
Internal Position cover letter example 2
Internal Position cover letter example 3
The example cover letters here should give you a good general idea on how your Internal Position cover letter should be formatted and written.
The rest of this guide gives more specific guidance on how to create your own cover letter in this format, and even includes some templates you can copy and paste.
How to write an Internal Position cover letter
Here’s how you can write your own eye-catching cover letter, broken down into simple steps.
Write your cover letter in the body of an email/message
When writing your Internal Position cover letter, it’s best to type the content into the body of your email (or the job site messaging system) and not to attach the cover letter as a separate document.
This ensures that your cover letter gets seen as soon as a recruiter or employer opens your message.
If you attach the cover letter as a document, you’re making the reader go through an unnecessary step of opening the document before reading it.
If it’s in the body of the message itself, it will be seen instantly, which hugely increases the chances of it being read.
Start with a friendly greeting
Start you cover letter with a greeting that is professional but friendly.
This will build rapport with the recruiter whilst showing your professionalism.
- Hi, hope you’re well
- Hi [insert recruiter name]
- Hi [insert department/team name]
Avoid overly formal greetings like “Dear sir/madam” unless applying to very traditional companies.
How to find the contact’s name?
Addressing the recruitment contact by name is an excellent way to start building a strong relationship. If it is not listed in the job advert, try these methods to find it.
- Check out the company website and look at their About page. If you see a hiring manager, HR person or internal recruiter, use their name. You could also try to figure out who would be your manager in the role and use their name.
- Head to LinkedIn, search for the company and scan through the list of employees. Most professionals are on LinkedIn these days, so this is a good bet.
Identify the role you are applying for
Once you have opened the cover letter with a warm greeting, you need to explain which role you are interested in.
Sometimes a recruitment consultant could be managing over 10 vacancies, so it’s crucial to pinpoint exactly which one you are interested in.
Highlight the department/area if possible and look for any reference numbers you can quote.
These are some examples you can add..
- I am interested in applying for the role of *Internal Position* with your company.
- I would like to apply for the role of Sales assistant (Ref: 40f57393)
- I would like to express my interest in the customer service vacancy within your retail department
- I saw your advert for an IT project manager on Reed and would like to apply for the role.
See also: CV examples – how to write a CV – CV profiles
Highlight your suitability
The sole objective of your cover letter is to motivate recruiters into to opening your CV. And you achieve this by quickly explaining your suitability to the roles you are applying for.
Take a look at the job descriptions you are applying to, and make note of the most important skills and qualifications being asked for.
Then, when crafting your cover letter, make your suitability the central focus.
Explain why you are the best qualified candidate, and why you are so well suited to carry out the job.
This will give recruiters all the encouragement they need to open your CV and consider you for the job.
Keep it short and sharp
When sending a job application to a recruiter or hiring manager, it is important to remember that they will normally be very busy and pushed for time.
Therefore, you need to get you message across to them quickly (in a matter of seconds ideally). So, keep your cover letter short and to-the-point. A long waffling cover letter will overwhelm recruiters when they are running through hundreds of emails in there inbox, but a concise one will get their attention.
So, keep your cover letter to just a few sentences long, and save the extensive detail for your CV.
Sign off professionally
To round of your CV, you should sign off with a professional signature.
This will give your cover letter a slick appearance and also give the recruiter all of the necessary contact information they need to get in touch with you.
The information to add should include:
- A friendly sign off – e.g. “Kindest regards”
- Your full name
- Phone number (one you can answer quickly)
- Email address
Optional
- Profession title
- Professional social network – e.g. LinkedIn
Here is an example signature;
Warm regards,
Jill North
IT Project Manager
078837437373
Jill@hotmail.com
LinkedIn
Quick tip: To save yourself from having to write your signature every time you send a job application, you can save it within your email drafts, or on a separate documents that you could copy in.
What to include in your Internal Position cover letter
Your Internal Position cover letter will be unique to your situation, but there are certain content guidelines you should stick to for best results.
To attract and entice recruiters, stick with the following key subjects in your cover letter – adapting them to fit your profession and target jobs.
- Your professional experience – Employers will be keen to know if your experience is suitable for the job you are applying to, so provide a good summary of it in your cover letter.
- Your qualifications and education – Highlight your most relevant and high-level of qualification, especially if they are essential to the job.
- The positive impact you have made – Employers love to hear about the benefits you can bring to them, so shout about anything impressive you have done, such as saving money or improving processes.
- Your reasons for leaving – Use a few words of your cover letter to explain why you are leaving your current job and ensure you avoid any negative reasons.
- Your availability – Let recruiters know when you can start a new job. Are you immediately available, or do you have a month notice period?
Internal Position cover letter templates
Copy and paste these Internal Position cover letter templates to get a head start on your own.
Template 1
Hi Rupa,
I hope you’re well.
I am delighted to submit my application for the open position of Finance Manager. With 7 years of experience overseeing the finance strategy development as Assistant Finance Manager, combined with my recent master’s in business administration, I am confident in my ability to excel in this elevated role.
Throughout my tenure at CFT Construction, I have successfully led the financial planning and analysis for our residential development unit, demonstrating expertise in advanced financial modelling and budgeting. My implementation of a streamlined financial reporting system in 2021 improved accuracy by 20%, while a new budgeting process reduced variance by 15% within the first year. I effectively guided the multinational management team through their EOY financial analysis as well as spearheading new training initiatives which excellent results, which I would continue in this more senior role.
I am deeply committed to ensuring the growth and sustainability of the company and believe that my specialised operational knowledge would make me a great asset in this role. I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience.
All the best,
Jordan Teller ¦ 07777777777 ¦ Jordan.teller@email.com
Template 2
Hi Tessa,
I hope you’re well.
I am thrilled to apply for the position of Executive Secretary. With my 15+ years of service as an Administrative Secretary within the company and my NVQ Level 4 diploma in Business and Administration, I am confident that I can continue providing excellent secretarial support in this new role.
Having provided unwavering support to management professionals in both the healthcare and marketing industries during my career, I possess a diverse skill set, including project management, diary coordination, and expert transcription and proofreading abilities. Within Lead Marketing, I have contributed significantly, streamlining client follow-up systems, resulting in a remarkable 20% improvement in response time. Additionally, my implementation of an expense tracking system for the senior management team led to a remarkable 38% reduction in overspending.
As a dedicated and detail-oriented professional, I am eager to further contribute to the success of Lead Marketing in the capacity of Executive Secretary. I would love to discuss my vision for this role further in an interview when you have availability.
All the best,
Thomas Stanley ¦ 07777777777 ¦ t.stanley@email.com
Template 3
Hi Ciaran,
I hope you’re well.
I am excited to submit my application for the new role of Senior Fashion Buyer at our company, where I believe my proven track record, diverse skill set, and passion for fashion will make a significant impact.
With over 16 years of experience as a Fashion Buyer in the purchasing team, I have garnered extensive expertise in conducting market research, analysing sales trends, and sourcing products from vendors across Europe and the USA. My ability to curate merchandise assortments that align with the latest fashion trends and consumer preferences has consistently driven sales and profitability, as exemplified by the 15% sales increase and 12% reduction in online markdowns achieved through data-driven product selection. Additionally, my proficiency in supplier management and negotiation has fostered strong working relationships which has been recognised by my training contract with the customer service team.
I am eager to further discuss my accomplishments and strategic vision for Marks & Spencer’s as a Senior Fashion Buyer. I am available for interview at any time.
All the best,
Sunni Carter ¦ 07777777777 ¦ s.carter@email.com
Writing an impressive cover letter is a crucial step in landing that Internal Position, so taking the time to perfect it is well worth while.
By following the tips and examples above you will be able to create an eye-catching cover letter that will wow recruiters and ensure your CV gets read – leading to more job interviews for you.
Good luck with your job search!