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Best Social Work Cover Letter Examples for 2025

Social work is a unique field that requires a lot of talent to work in. Here’s a social work cover letter example to help you write yours!

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Social work cover letter example

Social Work Cover Letter Example

Social work cover letter sample

When you work in social services, your duties could involve managing treatment plans, healthcare insurance, crisis intervention, and other case management needs. That means the people who succeed in this field need to be immensely talented. How can you prove that you have the skills necessary to succeed at your next job? A social worker cover letter can show off all your skills. Here’s how to write a professional cover letter that highlights your relevant experience.

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Great social work cover letter example

To start with, it’s a good idea to look at a cover letter example that you can use to build your own cover letter. Here’s a short cover letter format that will work for a social work CV:
Dear Mr. Smith,

When I decided to get my master’s of social work degree (MSW), I had no idea the tangible impact I would end up having on people’s lives every single day. Since I started working in the social work field over eight years ago, I have had over 450 adolescents with disabilities on my caseload, and I have been able to help them improve their mental health and access the resources they deserve. This is why I’m applying for the social worker position at [Company Name].

With my years of experience, I know that sometimes people just need someone to really listen to them. That’s what I try to do, talking to the people on my caseload and just trying to understand their needs. Many of my best clients were people who were originally deemed “difficult patients,” but in talking to them and showing that I cared about their feelings, they ended up being very comfortable with me and finding benefit in many of the resources I provided.

My combination of a master’s degree and knowledge of the social work field means that I am extremely qualified to help new clients as they come into your office. I look forward to speaking with you about why my skills can help your organisation reach out to even more adolescents.

Sincerely,
William Young

This is a fairly short cover letter, but it’s a good place to start. Here’s how you can adapt it to your needs.

Tips for writing your social work cover letter using this example

Your first step needs to be ensuring that you have a great header for your cover letter. Start with your full name, your contact information, including your phone number, and any related portfolio links you have, such as your LinkedIn. From there, you can start with these cover letter tips that will actually help your job search.

First paragraph: Introduce yourself with a hook and list your best achievements
Note that the applicant introduces himself with a unique hook. Not only does he list that he has an MSW, indicating that he has a master’s degree, but he also mentions in the first paragraph that he’s worked with over 450 adolescents in his past work experience. These are all things that are going to get a hiring manager to take notice of you, which is why it’s great to use cover letter samples that start off with a huge hook.

Second paragraph: Provide more information about how you’re the best fit for the job
Now that the recruiter is reading your letter, you can provide more information about why the hiring manager should choose you over anyone else. The applicant in this cover letter chooses to highlight his communication skills and the way he’s able to make “difficult clients” understand that he cares about them. If he’s planning to work primarily with adolescents, this is a great skill that a lot of recruiters are looking for. If you have other key achievements, you could put them in this paragraph using bullet points.

Third paragraph: Call to action
Last is the call to action, in which you reiterate your interest in the position. Now that you’ve covered all the reasons why you’re the perfect candidate for this job description, you can go ahead and ask the potential employer for a job interview.

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FAQ: Social work cover letters

Have questions? We’re here to help.

Do I really need a cover letter to get a social work job?

It’s always a good idea to write a cover letter for any job application. Even if you have a great social work CV, a cover letter explains more about who you are and why you should get the job. If you’re not comfortable writing a cover letter on your own, you can use the CVHelp cover letter builder to create a great cover letter.

How long should my cover letter be to get a social work job?

You should aim for a cover letter that’s between half a page and 3/4 of a page long. This is the “sweet spot” because it’s not longer than a single page, so the hiring manager doesn’t feel overwhelmed by it, but it’s also not so short that the page seems to lack information. Aim for about 3/4 of a page.

Does this cover letter example work if I don’t have a lot of experience?

Yes. Just adapt the examples to experiences that you do have, even if they’re not full-time or professional. For example, if you have experience as a social work intern or you have related volunteer experience during your school years, you can include it on your cover letter just like you would on a professional CV.

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WRITTEN BY Ho

Ho is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and editor with two decades of experience in content strategy, creation, and development. He holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University and his background includes experience aiding military veterans as they transition to civilian careers.

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