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How to Include Bullet Points in a Cover Letter

examples of cover letters with bullet points

  • Include Bullet Points in a Cover Letter

Use Business Letter Format

Tips for writing bullet points, cover letter bulleted list examples, cover letter sample with bullets.

  • Email Cover Letter With Bullets

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The purpose of a cover letter is to persuade hiring managers that you’re a good fit for the job. Think of it as being like a sales pitch: while a resume outlines the entirety of your related work experience and skills, your cover letter gives the highlights. The goal is to grab the hiring manager’s attention and convince them that your application should make it to the next round.

Of course, hiring managers and recruiters are busy. One study found that recruiters spend an average of just 7.4 seconds reviewing a resume before moving it to the “yes” or “no” pile. Adding bullets to your cover letter can help you make the most of those seconds, highlighting your relevant experience and matching it to the job listing’s requirements.  

Bullets can show your experience and skills in a way that stands out immediately.

Readers may skim through your opening paragraph, but their eyes will automatically pause when they see a bulleted list of qualifications. There's something about the white space and the formatting of bullet points that's very eye-catching.

Start your cover letter with an introductory paragraph that explains why you are writing. Then, when explaining your related experience, use a bullet for each of your job qualifications.

Each bullet point should include a concise phrase or sentence that begins with an action word ; you can include a period at the end of each sentence. Avoid having too much text for each bullet point; once the text following a bullet point spreads to three lines, it might make more sense in paragraph form.

Use simple bullets such as circles, dots, hyphens, or small squares.

Avoid other symbols that might look too confusing or may not upload properly when you apply for jobs online. Keeping it simple will avoid funky formatting in your cover letter.

To generate your bullet points, match your qualifications to the job description . Include the skills that are the closest match to the job.

You might also include keywords related to the job, but not specifically listed in the job listing. To figure out which keywords to include, scan job postings for other, related positions at other companies, or scan this list of skills to include in a cover letter or resume .

As well as listing skills, you can use bullet points to convey accomplishments (e.g., "Drove record-breaking sales numbers.").

Follow business-letter format for your cover letter. If you send your cover letter via email , omit the’ address paragraphs and choose a clear subject line , e.g., “Teacher’s Aide Application – Kim Fleming.”

Letter Introduction

The first paragraph of your letter should include information on why you are writing.

Refer to the position you are applying for and tell the hiring manager where you found the job listing. If you were recommended by a contact , now’s the time to mention it.

Next, provide a brief introduction, followed by the bullets.

Bullet Points

  • The middle section of your cover letter should include what you have to offer.
  • Mention how your qualifications match the job you are applying for.
  • Highlight your most relevant experience and accomplishments.
  • Show the employer why you're a great match.
  • Be selective : you don’t need to include every skill and achievement, no matter how impressive they might be. Restrict yourself to qualifications that match the job description and show that you’re an outstanding fit for the position.

Letter Closing

Finish your cover letter with a closing paragraph and your signature .

When you’re writing your bullet points, don’t copy from your resume or from the employer’s job posting. Take the time to write unique statements for each, based on your qualifications for the job. Include 3-6 bullet points listing your expertise and accomplishments.

Remember that cover letters are intended to persuade. As you write, focus on making the case that you’re the best candidate for the job.

Once you’ve set up your letter with an introduction, bullets, and a closing, you can simply swap out the bullet points when you write each new cover letter. It is a quick and easy way to customize your job application letters for each position you apply for.

  • Manage company communications including extensive social media experience.
  • Experience with C+, UNIX, Shell, and Python scripting.
  • Work with students to educate and prepare them for careers using career advising techniques, career development strategies, and career preparation techniques.
  • Experience as a teacher’s aide in elementary school classrooms.
  • Certified human resources professional with extensive recruiting and hiring experience.
  • Manage complex projects from start to completion while ensuring client satisfaction and meeting all scheduled dates.

Lucy Rogers 86 Maple Street Satchel-on-Hudson, NY 10705 555-323-5432 lucy.rogers@email.com

September 7, 2022

Freya Leigh Manager River Events 15 Main Street, 1 st Floor Satchel-on-Hudson, NY 10705

Dear Ms. Leigh,

I was excited to see your recent advertisement for a receptionist on Local-on-Hudson.com. As an experienced receptionist and Satchel native, I’d love to help support beloved local events like the Waves Concert Series and the Food Truck Fair.

I have five years of administrative experience for event planning companies. Currently, I’m the weekend receptionist at Big Five Events. I’ve also held several internships for entertainment and event planning companies while I was attending Southern New York State, and have acquired the following skills:

  • Excellent phone manner, customer service, and communication skills
  • Expert-level knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Excel and PowerPoint, as well as project management software like Asana and Trello
  • Typing speed of 80 words per minute
  • Attention to detail and high degree of accuracy
  • Patience and problem-solving skills

I have attached my resume for your review and would love to talk to you more about your needs and how I can help. I hope you’ll contact me at your convenience to arrange an interview.

Thanks and best regards,

Lucy Rogers (signature for a hard copy letter)

Lucy Rogers (printed)

Email Cover Letter Sample With Bullets

Subject Line : Sales Manager Job Application from J. Fernandez

Dear Mr. Williams:

It was with much interest that I learned, through your recent advertisement on Indeed.com, about Hamilton Motors’ current search for a Sales Manager. Please accept the attached résumé as an expression of my deep interest in accelerating the profitability of your new car sales department.

As an accomplished sales producer with 8 years’ experience in automotive sales management for two dealerships in Greenville and Spartanburg Counties, I have consistently demonstrated leadership and motivational talents that produced steady YOY growth throughout my tenures. A few of the credentials I bring to the table include: 

  • Consistently meeting ambitious monthly sales forecasts, exceeding profit objectives by 32% in 2016, by 49% in 2017, and by 58% in 2018.
  • Proven effectiveness recruiting, onboarding, and training retail sales teams that have led their territories in production from 2014 through the present, capturing top CAR sales awards each year.
  • More than doubling customer traffic by hiring dedicated automotive internet sales team members.
  • Introducing stringent inventory control policies that reduced overhead by 40% while maintaining an optimal range of vehicle types.

As a self-driven and charismatic sales manager, my “super hero” talent is my ability to inspire others to own their sales quota responsibilities and enthusiastically work as a team to smash ambitious sales targets. Excited at the prospect of bringing these strengths to Hamilton Motors, I thank you for your consideration and look forward to your response.

Julio Fernandez 3089 Montgomery Avenue Greeneville, SC 29603 (000) 123-1234 jfernandez@email.com

Ladders. " Ladders Updates Popular Recruiter Eye-Tracking Study ." Accessed Feb. 20, 2020.

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Using bullet points in your cover letter.

Using Bullet Points in Your Cover Letter

A cover letter is an opportunity, so make the most of it. Use it to show your potential employer how you’ll be an asset to their team in a way that your resume can’t.

Think of your cover letter as a highlight reel that communicates your standout qualities. Displaying those highlights as bullet points is an effective technique, but be mindful to keep the number of bullet points reasonable. If you use more than 10 bullet points in your cover letter, it starts to read like an impersonal list or shortened version of your resume , rather than a chance for you to dive deeper into your background and experience. ## Why Use Bullet Points in Your Cover Letter?

While you don't want to overuse bullet points in your cover letter, you may choose to include some. Bullet points aren’t a “must-have” for cover letters, but they do serve a purpose. Employers are busy. They need to be able to recognize important information quickly when reading through piles of applications. When you use bullet points in your letter, you help expedite the application-reading process by making your important information obvious and accessible.

What Information Should You Present in Your Bullet Points?

Take the time to review the job posting carefully. Find ways to make specific connections between your experience or professional characteristics and what the position requires. It might help to write down some keywords from the job qualifications to help you make those relevant connections.

Determine which connections work best to show that you’re a great fit for the position. Craft those connections into concise bullet points.

Make sure each bullet point conveys a distinct professional quality, asset, or accomplishment. Avoid repeating similar content in different bullet points or information already available in your resume.

How to Organize Bullet Points in Your Cover Letter

Your cover letter should start with an introductory paragraph. Then, consider which of your bullet points belong together. For example, your bullet points might

  • state how your specific experience uniquely qualifies you for the position, or
  • show how previous accomplishments relate to/predict success in the position, or
  • demonstrate how your professional ethos matches the one this company holds

Group relevant points together. As you organize your letter into paragraphs, determine which groupings belong where.

Make sure your bullet points are parallel (follow the same grammatical pattern) and share the same verb tense. For cover letters, a good practice is to start each point with an action verb. For example,

  • Negotiated lucrative agreements with top clients
  • Developed hands-on curricula that enhanced student learning
  • Cultivated a healthy work environment resulting in increased productivity

An example of non-parallel bullet points might look like this:

  • I am skilled at developing creative curricula to enhance student learning
  • Colleagues showed increased productivity as a result of my initiative to create a healthy work environment.

Do you hear the difference? The first set has a smooth grammatical rhythm that flows and is easy to read. The non-parallel version is difficult to read and sounds clumsy rather than professional.

Your Cover Letter Should Show How You Stand Out

With your cover letter, your goal is to show the potential employer how you stand out from the rest of the applicants. As you develop your bullet-pointed highlights remember to

  • be moderate: do not exceed 10 bullet points
  • be selective: choose to highlight accomplishments and experience most relevant to the job
  • be distinctive: let each point highlight something unique and specific that isn’t already included on your resume

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COMMENTS

  1. How To Add Bullet Points to Your Cover Letter | Indeed.com

    In this article, we'll discuss if you can use bullet points in a cover letter, discover how to use them, feature tips for using them and share a template and example of how to properly use bullet points in your own cover letter.

  2. How to Use Bullet Points in a Cover Letter - Resume Genius

    Here’s an example of an email cover letter that uses bullet points to highlight the candidate’s most relevant experience and professional talents: A cover letter with bullet points looks scannable and concise.

  3. How to Include Bullet Points in a Cover Letter - The Balance

    Bullet points in your cover letter can highlight why you're the best candidate. Here's how to use them to showcase your experience in a cover letter.

  4. How to add bullet points to a cover letter (with example)

    Discover how to add bullet points to a cover letter, learn their benefits and review a step-by-step guide to using them with a template and an example.

  5. Using Bullet Points in Your Cover Letter - Writing Techniques

    Using Bullet Points in Your Cover Letter. A cover letter is an opportunity, so make the most of it. Use it to show your potential employer how you’ll be an asset to their team in a way that your resume can’t. Think of your cover letter as a highlight reel that communicates your standout qualities.

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    George. Create your cover letter now. Cover Letter Format Example. Sonia F. Quattlebaum. Senior Android Developer. 1641 McDonald Avenue. Apopka, FL 32703.