Get Great Results With an Internal Position Cover Letter

The right cover letter could help you land a great internal position or promotion. Follow our tips for writing a great internal position cover letter.

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Internal position cover letter example

Internal position cover letter sample

Sometimes recruiters might not consider hiring internally for open roles, but a good CV and cover letter could make you a serious contender. Here’s what you need to know about internal cover letters.

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Why do you need a cover letter for an internal position?

Providing a cover letter for an internal job application has the same purpose as providing a cover letter for any other position in your job search—to provide context and a persuasive argument about your suitability for the role. While the reason behind providing a cover letter for an internal position is the same as the main reason for including one in any other job application, the way you write your internal position letter will be a bit different. An effective internal position cover letter should highlight not just your skills and experience but also how you have already benefited your current employer, persuading them that offering you an internal promotion is better than hiring an external candidate.

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Great internal position cover letter example

If you have never written a cover letter for an internal position, reading examples of CVs that are relevant to your field can be helpful. Consider this sample cover letter from a job seeker applying for an internal position:

Dear Mr. Johnson,

As a longtime employee of [current company name], moving into the marketing department has been one of my main career goals. In my position as sales manager on the shop floor, I have consistently met and exceeded targets. Last quarter I generated sales 10% above the average rate. While I enjoy my current role immensely, I feel that I would be the ideal candidate for the role of marketing associate. Thanks to my extensive work experience in customer-focused roles, I have an intimate understanding of what our customers want.

Since beginning my career with [current company name], I have demonstrated my ability to work flexibly in teams and on my own. In my current job, I have developed excellent communication skills, honed my sales skills, and displayed creative problem-solving skills that will be useful in a marketing role. Furthermore, I have collaborated extensively with the marketing department on the campaign for [latest product]. In my free time, I have undertaken a part-time course and now have a marketing certification.

After reading the requirements for the marketing associate job opening, I am confident that the skills I have developed and my understanding of our customer base make me ideal for this job title. My supervisor has indicated that they would be happy to discuss my performance in the sales department and can attest to my skills. I look forward to discussing the requirements of this new position with you.

Yours sincerely,

[Full Name]

Tips for writing your internal position cover letter using this example

As you can see, this is a good example of a professional cover letter for an internal job posting. The precise details are not applicable to every field of employment, but there are features that can be applied to any situation. Implement the key features of this example to create the best cover letter for the specific job title you aim to gain, following these three crucial points:

Highlight major achievements

This cover letter example opens with a direct and specific example of one of the job seeker’s achievements. The cover letter also connects this achievement and the skills of their current role to the needs of the job.

Focus on how you’ve already benefited the company, and can continue doing so in the new position

The middle paragraph of this cover letter example focuses on how the job seeker can benefit their employer more in a new role. The job seeker makes this case persuasively by discussing relevant experiences and what they have done to gain the skills needed for this role.

Present a strong call to action

This cover letter example concludes with a strong call to action as job seeker states that they “look forward to speaking” with the recruiter rather than saying that they “hope” to speak with them. This confidence can help you stand out from the crowd.

A good cover letter is one that puts your best qualities forward from the first paragraph. These features will elevate your cover letter, but the quality of your writing and a professional appearance will also help. If you want to write your perfect cover letter, use active language, create a personalised salutation, keep your sentences short, and format your cover letter to professional standards. Cover letter templates can make formatting your internal position cover letter easy. You can find many free cover letter templates via the CVHelp cover letter builder.

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FAQ: Internal position cover letters

Q: Do I really need a cover letter to get an internal position?

Yes. Even though you may know the hiring manager in question you should still treat this as you would an external job application and provide a cover letter. A promotion cover letter is your opportunity to supplement your CV and show the hiring manager what you have been doing inside the company during your employment.

Q: How long should my cover letter be to get an internal position job?

The ideal cover letter length is three-quarters of a page. You can expand this to one full page if you need to, but less is better, as recruiters are short on time.

Q: How do I talk about my experience when I’m looking to get hired internally?

You should do the same thing you usually would when writing about your employment history in a cover letter, but spend more time talking about your current position and how you have benefited the company in your time there.

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