You’ve got years of experience behind you and you’re a great leader. The only thing holding you back is your ability to convey this in just three short paragraphs.
So let us help. In our guide below, we’ll teach you how to showcase your retail experience and varied skillset on your cover letter.
We’ll also share some retail manager cover letter examples for you to check out.
Contents
Retail Manager cover letter example 1
Retail Manager cover letter example 2
Retail Manager cover letter example 3
The example cover letters here should give you a good general idea on how your Retail Manager 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 a Retail Manager cover letter
Here’s how to write your own winning Retail Manager cover letter
Write your cover letter in the body of an email/message
You should write your cover letter in the body of the email (or messaging system if sending via a job board) and never attach it as a document.
The reason for this?
You want your cover letter to start connecting with the recruiter from the moment they open your application.
If they have to open a document to read it, it will slow things down and they may not even bother to open it.
Start with a friendly greeting
To start building rapport with the recruiter or hiring manager right away, lead with a friendly greeting.
Try to strike a balance between professional and personable.
Go with something like…
- Hi
- Hi [insert recruiter name]
- Hi [insert department/team name]
Stay away from old-fashioned greetings like “Dear sir/madam” unless applying to very formal companies – they can come across as cold and robotic.
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 to uncover it via these methods.
- 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
Now that you have warmed the recruiter up with a friendly greeting, firstly you need to let them know which role you are applying for.
Sometimes a recruitment consultant will be juggling 10 or 10 vacancies, so it’s important to specify which one you are applying to.
Give us much detail as possible (team/department, role title etc.) and paste in the reference number if you have one.
Here are some examples you can use.
- I am interested in applying for the role of Retail Manager 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 bulk of your cover letter should be focused around highlighting your suitability for the job you are applying to.
Doing this will show the recruiter that you are suitable candidate and encourage them to open your CV.
The best way to do this, is by studying the job advert you are applying to, and find out what the most important skills and knowledge are.
Once you know the most important requirements, you then need to highlight your matching skills to the recruiter. In a few sentences, tell them exactly why you are a good fit for the job and what you can offer the company.
Keep it short and sharp
It is best to keep your cover letter brief if you want to ensure you hold the attention of busy recruiters and hiring managers. A lengthy cover letter will probably not get read in full, so keep yours to around 3-6 sentences and save the real detail for your CV.
Remember the purpose of your cover letter is to quickly get recruiters to notice you and encourage them to open your CV, so it only needs to include the highlights of your experience.
Sign off professionally
To finish off your cover note, add a professional signature to the bottom, stating your important contact details and information.
This not only provides recruiters with multiple means of contacting you, but it also adds a nice professional appearance to the cover letter, which shows that you know how to conduct yourself in the workplace.
Include the following points;
- A friendly sign off – e.g. “Warm 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,
Aaron Smith
Customer service professional
075557437373
Aaron@smith.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 document that you could copy in.
What to include in your Retail Manager cover letter
Here’s what kind of content you should include in your Retail Manager cover letter…
The exact info will obviously depend on your industry and experience level, but these are the essentials.
- Your relevant experience – Where have you worked and what type of jobs have you held?
- Your qualifications – Let recruiters know about your highest level of qualification to show them you have the credentials for the job.
- The impact you have made – Show how your actions have made a positive impact on previous employers; perhaps you’ve saved them money or helped them to acquire new customers?
- Your reasons for moving – Hiring managers will want to know why you are leaving your current or previous role, so give them a brief explanation.
- Your availability – When can you start a new job? Recruiters will want to know how soon they can get you on board.
Don’t forget to tailor these points to the requirements of the job advert for best results.
Retail Manager cover letter templates
Copy and paste these Retail Manager cover letter templates to get a head start on your own.
Template 1
Dear Marc,
I hope you’re well. I am writing to apply for the Retail Manager position vacancy at H&M. With over 18 years of retail experience, including a decade in management roles within high-street fashion and supermarket industries, I have honed my skills in sales strategy, store operations, and revenue optimisation.
As an Assistant Store Manager at TK Maxx, I have successfully supported the Store Manager in achieving the store’s annual turnover of £1.2 million while ensuring exceptional customer service. By implementing a new store layout and visual merchandising strategy, I achieved a remarkable 15% increase in sales. Moreover, I spearheaded an employee incentive program, which led to a significant 50% reduction in staff turnover. During my tenure at Tesco, I effectively managed a team of 25 employees and increased sales revenue by 20% within six months through targeted promotions and sales training programs.
I believe my passion for retail, strong leadership abilities, and track record of achieving tangible results make me a perfect fit for the role at H&M and I am available for an interview at your convenience to discuss my skills further.
All the best,
Jelena Novak
Template 2
Hi Melanie,
I hope this email finds you well. I writing to submit my application for the Retail Manager position at your esteemed organisation. With 20 years of experience in the retail industry and in store management, I am confident in my ability to drive sales optimisation, implement effective marketing strategies, and lead your team at Urban Outfitters.
In my current role at Hollister, I have achieved outstanding results by analysing customer trends and implementing targeted sales strategies. By introducing a mandatory customer service training course, I improved customer experience reviews from an average of 3.2 to an impressive 4.5 stars over two years. Additionally, my strategic approach to stock control and order management reduced waste by 42% and streamlined stock room operations, saving valuable time and resources. I excel in developing action plans to maximise monthly sales and profit goals and, in my previous role at Debenhams, my dedication to maintaining a cohesive marketing strategy and delivering exceptional customer service contributed to increasing annual department revenue by 31% in 2017.
I would be delighted to discuss how my expertise aligns with your team’s goals during an interview. I am available at your convenience and can be reached via phone or email.
Best Wishes,
Tony Brewer
Template 3
Hi Blake,
I hope this email finds you well. With an MA in Retail Management and over a decade of managerial experience in the retail industry, I am excited to apply for the position of Senior Retail Manager at Oliver Bonas and I believe I possess the expertise to drive growth and deliver results.
In my five years as the General Manager of the Mango Oxford Street store, I have successfully increased sales revenue by 32% through the implementation of targeted visual merchandising strategies and optimising store layouts. My ability to analyse sales data and consumer trends has allowed me to identify high-potential product lines, leading to a 20% increase in profitability in the last two years alone.
As an experienced leader, I have built and motivated multiple high-performing teams, resulting in improved staff retention and a 15% increase in customer satisfaction scores at H&M in Sidcup. I am adept at conducting comprehensive training programs to equip employees with the skills needed to deliver exceptional customer service which is an asset I could leverage to support the team at Oliver Bonas.
I would be delighted to discuss my qualifications further in an interview from next week.
Best Regards,
Sally Thompson
Writing an impressive cover letter is a crucial step in landing a Retail Manager job, 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!