The Best Federal Cover Letter Examples

If you’re planning to apply for a government job, then you should present yourself professionally. How can you do this more effectively through a cover letter?

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Federal cover letter example

Working for the federal government can be a great option for many people. If you’re planning to apply for a job with the federal government, you need to write a strong cover letter to accompany your CV. Here’s a federal cover letter sample that can help you start your journey.

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Great federal cover letter example

If you want to write a great government cover letter, then you first need to have an example that can get you started. Here’s a short example that works for many job postings:

Dear Mr. Smith,

When I was a child, I never thought I would work for a government agency. However, as I grew older, I realised that there were many different jobs available through government agencies, and that as someone who loves orderliness and has a penchant for routine, a federal job was perfect for me. That’s why I’m happy to be applying for your administration position at the CAA.

I have strong skills in interpersonal communication and detail-oriented nature, which means that I’m prepared for many different administrative tasks, including tasks where I might need to communicate with people from many different locations. Additionally, I can type at over 110 WPM, making me an effective data entry professional.

I believe that my skills are perfect for this job description, and I believe my organisational skills will help improve the CAA’s processes moving forward. Please let me know when a good time would be to sit down and talk about my skills and information.

Sincerely,

Yolanda Sellers

This job cover letter is a great starting point, even though it’s much shorter than most cover letters you’ll see. It provides a great jumping-off point for your own.

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Tips for writing your federal cover letter using this example

You should always start a cover letter with a cover letter heading. This header includes your full name, your contact information, your phone number, and your professional social media links, such as your LinkedIn profile. Additionally, address your letter with the hiring manager’s name, with “Dear Hiring Manager” an option if you can’t find the manager’s name. From there, you can move on to the creation of the actual letter.

First paragraph: Introduce yourself with a hook and list your best achievements.

In your opening paragraph, you need a hook to invite the hiring manager to read your entire cover letter. In this letter, the applicant emphasises her top personal traits and relates it to the type of work she wants to do, leading her to the open federal position.

Second paragraph: Give more information about how you’re the best fit for the job.

In the second paragraph, talk more about your professional experience and relevant skills. This will naturally change depending on the job you’re actually applying for. Check for the keywords in the job description, which you likely already used to create your federal CV format as well. If you want to include more qualifications and experience, you can add bullet points underneath this second paragraph (e.g., “Handled data entry for an office of 50 employees, working with an average of 100 records per day”).

Third paragraph: Call to action

In the final paragraph, you should give the call to action. This is where you actively ask for the job interview, requesting that the recruiter sit down and talk to you about the job. From there, conclude with professional sign-off, like “Sincerely,” rather than a personal sign-off, like “Best Wishes.”

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FAQ: Federal cover letters

Q: Do I really need a cover letter to get a federal job?

It’s always a good idea to include a cover letter with any job application. A cover letter format allows you to communicate with the hiring manager, discuss important elements of your work experience, and ask directly for the job interview. If you’re not comfortable with your cover letter writing skills, use the cover letter builder from CVHelp to craft your own more easily.

Q: How long should my cover letter be to get a federal job?

Cover letter templates should generally be between half a page and 3/4 of a page long, which works out to around 250-350 words long. You should try to stick to this length because it gives you time to write about everything important for your job search while also being short enough that it won’t seem off-putting to the hiring manager.

Q: Does this cover letter example work if I have no experience?

Yes. You don’t need lots of work history to apply for many federal jobs, as many of them are entry-level jobs. Just focus on any relevant experience, such as part-time jobs or summer jobs, and emphasise your skills as much as possible.

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