18 HR Cover Letter Templates – Tips & Examples

A cover letter is a fundamental tool every job applicant should consider while applying for a job.

The most effective way to make the right impression on a potential employer is through a well-written cover letter. It allows the job applicant to highlight their suitability, interest, and qualifications for a specific position.

A dedicated HR Cover Letter will thus outline qualifications, skills, and experience that make you suitable for the position. The cover letter sets the tone for how your potential employer will perceive you and determines if you will be invited for an interview.

The general responsibilities of an HR representative are handling staff members. This includes being in charge of the recruitment process and managing staff members’ interaction with each other at the workplace. The cover letter should thus draw a correlation between your qualifications and the job requirements indicated by the employer. The letter should be professional in all instances, such as writing it using a business format if you are mailing or emailing your application.

This article will discuss the essential components of the cover letter and suggest how to make it more effective. It will also provide a few examples of how to structure the different sections of the cover letter to guide you in creating your own personalized letter.

You can download the following templates for free:

Skills Required for HR Representative

As an HR representative, you should have a specific skill set to fulfill different duties associated with the role. You must have excellent communication, negotiation, and office skills. The ability to set goals and work under short deadlines is also essential. You must communicate effectively with employees, offer guidance, and maintain a comforting and supportive relationship.

Ensure to include technical/hard and soft skills to present yourself as a versatile employee. A highly suitable HR employee will have ample experience, computer literacy, clerical knowledge, and a desire to learn company recruitment criteria and the company culture. 

It is important to note that duties can differ from one HR representative to the other as there are different roles within the HR department. So, you should provide job-specific skills in your letter based on the specific role you are applying for.

Here is a list of skills that can be included in a cover letter for an HR:

Hard skills

Recruiting	Performance management
Background checks	Employee onboarding
Knowledge of company policies (health regulations, employee benefits, and compensation)	Human Resources Information System (HRIS)
Payroll (Kronos, Workforce Payroll)	Clerical procedures (paperwork)
Labour laws	Accounting software (Intuit QuickBooks and Sage 50 Accounting)
Data analysis	Employee relations
Applicant screening

Soft skills

Approachability	Collaboration
Ethics	Discretion
Interpersonal skills	Problem-solving skills
Critical thinking	Negotiation
Active listening	People skills
Conflict management	Empathy

When writing your cover letter as an HR, avoid simply listing the skills. Instead, outline the skills with context. Highlight experiences or any relevant skills you have and represent how they can be helpful to the employer.

You can outline your skills as follows:

Example 1

I am approachable and have a reputation for promoting an employee-friendly environment. In my previous position, I oversaw the recruitment of employees by conducting background checks and interviewing job applicants. I am familiar with US federal and Michigan state labour laws. I encourage fairness, safety, and inclusivity among staff members.

Example 2

My social skills have been beneficial in interacting with staff and motivating employees to increase their productivity. In my current position, I have increased the average employee performance score from 65% to 85% in 3 years. This has also been a result of the objective recruitment process I implemented. In addition to my HR competencies, I am conversant with Quickbooks and Kronos software which are essential in optimizing the preparation of payrolls. I am also familiar with federal labor laws and can thus help the company remain compliant.   

Statistical data: A cover letter is a way of setting yourself apart from other candidates. It is reported that only 38% of job applicants send cover letters when employers request them and 35% when a cover letter is made optional for a job application. With such low percentages of applicants sending cover letters, it is advisable to send one even when it has not been listed as a requirement. 

When writing your cover letter for an HR opening, adhere to a proper format. Use a format that is legible, neat, and presentable.

Your letter should have a clear introduction that briefly introduces you, followed by reasons that show why you are worth considering for the position.

The body of the letter will explain in detail why you are the best applicant for the job. You can also include accomplishments or past experiences related to the job position.

Conclude your cover letter by providing the recipient with an appreciation message, contact information, and a personalized note.

Consider the following formatting guidelines:

Provide a header that indicates your full official name and contact details, such as phone number and email address.

• Use a standard professional font size between 10.5-12 points.
• The document’s margins should be 1”-1.5” on all sides.
• Sign off professionally, for example, “Sincerely” or “Best Regards.”
• For electronic submissions, submit the HR representative cover letter as PDF or Docx. Format.

Important: Ensure to incorporate keywords used by the employer in the job ad. This is an effective technique for producing a quality cover letter that appeals to the employer.

The following are the components of a cover letter for an HR position and will guide you on how to structure it appropriately. The primary sections of a cover letter are the introduction, body, and closing. Examples of how to write these sections will also be provided.

A convincing introduction

The introduction introduces you to the potential employer and communicates your interest and motivation for the job. The introduction should come after the salutation/greeting. It can be 2-3 sentences long. You can give an overview of your professional HR career, for example, years of experience and area of expertise, the reason for applying for the specific job, and mention a mutual acquaintance if any.

Below is an example of a strong and compelling introduction for an HR officer cover letter:

Example:

I am applying for the HR Manager position at your firm. I am a graduate with a bachelor’s in Human Resource Management and have extensive experience in this field. I have worked at ABC company for three years as an HR manager. I was responsible for designing the company’s strategic talent plan, which increased the retention rate by 12%. I believe that my knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm can contribute to your company’s HR department.

Discuss your professional attributes

The subsequent section is the body of the cover letter for a human resource position. This section can be a few paragraphs long. Listing your education, accomplishments, skills, and experience can distinguish you from other applicants. You can refer to the job listing to identify the specified job requirements and align your professional traits to the employer’s requirements.

Quantifying your achievements and providing examples also greatly contribute to producing a winning cover letter for an HR opening. In HR, being conversant with industry practices is essential. If you have contributed to a specific project or have ideas that can help solve a problem within the company, it is also worth mentioning them in your cover letter.

Include achievements/accomplishments that are relevant to the job but do not exaggerate your credentials. Being honest about what you are capable of is the best approach here. By the end of this section, the employer should be able to see the value you can bring to their organization.

You can structure this section as follows:

Example:

In my previous jobs, I have designed and implemented various projects dealing with employee relations, diversity, training and development, and compensation planning. In addition, I am a certified HR professional in Kronos Workforce Payroll and can thus oversee the payroll process of both small and large corporations. At my current job, I head the HR department, which caters to more than 60 employees within the company.

I work with HRIS software like Kronos. As a result, I can objectively conduct recruitment and employee assessments. My skills include people management, teamwork, employee relations, and communication skills. Last year, I mediated between staff members and management over challenges that had risen to changes in policies within the organization.  

As I apply for the open position in your company, I intend to bring my extensive experience and skills in HR management to help your company have a motivated, disciplined, and productive workforce.

Some of the skills you can highlight when applying for an HR role include the following:

• Employee onboarding processes such as recruitment, interviewing, hiring, etc.
• Collaborative leadership
• Formulating employee training programs
• Complaint investigation
• Employee retention strategies
• Conflict management
• Empathetic and active listening

Closing remarks

The last section of an HR representative’s cover letter should provide a professional closing. This part of the letter should end with a sincere appreciation for the consideration and urge them to contact you if there are any further questions. You can conclude your letter by asking for a follow-up in a few weeks if you do not receive an offer.

You can write this section as follows:

Example:

I look forward to being able to aid the JDI organization with my skills and competencies in Human Resources. I have no doubt that I am the best candidate for this position. I seek a permanent full-time position that will expose me to broader opportunities in human resources. I appreciate that you took your valuable time to review my application. I anticipate hearing from you. My number is 555 555 555. I will be following up in two weeks if I do not get a response by then. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Michael Hefner

Note: Do not write a cover letter that is too long, exhaustive to read, or too short that it becomes superficial. Recruiters have a lot of applications to go through, so make sure you communicate what is necessary using at least 150-400 words. This length will be enough to highlight your suitability and keep the recruiter interested.

The significance of a cover letter cannot be underestimated when applying for a job. Therefore, it would be best if you aimed to create an exceptional cover letter.

Below are tips to improve the quality of your cover letter for an HR job:

Include relevant information only

The information you include should be relevant to the job you are applying for. Try to learn as much as possible about the company and what it does. Also, review the job description to understand the employer’s requirements for the specific job opening. Finally, use all this information to create a cover letter suitable for the position you are applying to.

Use bullet points to include required skills

The more bullet points you include, the faster the recruiter will skim through your cover letter. So, consider utilizing bullet points when listing examples of your achievements and skills.

Focus on your achievements 

Use your achievements in previous jobs to show the value you bring to an employer instead of listing your duties and responsibilities. Achievements are suitable for gauging your skill level and capabilities and demonstrating to the employer how your skills can assist the company in achieving its goals, increasing revenue, or solving its problems.

A cover letter to accompany a resume summarizes your potential value to an employer through your professional capabilities, job history, and your achievements. An effective HR representative cover letter will assist in making an excellent first impression on your prospective employer. It makes the hiring manager want to read your resume, not just scan it.

As you start writing your cover letter, you can draw inspiration from the sample HR cover letters. However, do not reuse the samples. Instead, be specific about the role for which you are applying. By adopting the guide provided in this article, you should be able to write a professional and impressive cover letter.