How to build a job-winning agricultural worker cover letter
An agricultural worker can have many different specializations, from livestock care and crop maintenance to operating heavy machinery and agricultural technology. To land your ideal job in agriculture, you will need a cover letter that showcases your area of expertise, as well as your notable skills and accomplishments.
In this guide, we will teach you everything you need to know about writing an effective agricultural worker cover letter. Keep reading to learn all about:
- Writing an effective agricultural worker cover letter header & headline
- Personalizing the greeting & content of your agricultural worker cover letter
- Creating a compelling agricultural worker cover letter introduction
- Showcasing your skills & accomplishments as an agricultural worker with
- Ending your agricultural worker cover letter with a strong closing statement
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1. Write an effective agricultural worker cover letter header & headline
To begin writing your agricultural worker cover letter, the first step is to give it much-needed structure and visual flow – achieved with a header and headline.
A cover letter header is the first piece of information an employer will see, so it needs to be concise and well-organized. Most cover letter headers will include:
- The applicant’s name and professional title
- The applicant’s professional contact information
- The name of the company and department they are applying to
- The address of the company they are applying to
Here is an example of a well-formatted agricultural worker header
Anna James, Agricultural Worker
(123) 456-7890 | annajames@email.com | linkedin.com/in/anna-james
To: Sun Valley Farms, Agricultural Management Department
1234 Street Address
San Diego, CA, 22400
The next part of your cover letter after the header is in place is the cover letter headline.
A cover letter headline is optional but can be extremely impactful when written well. To write a strong headline you should always include a keyword related to the position, an eye-catching number or trigger word, a powerful adjective or verb, and a promise.
Here is an example of an agricultural worker headline, followed by a breakdown of its components
My 3 Motivations for Working in Agriculture & How They Can Benefit Your Farms
Trigger Word/Number: 3 Motivations
Keyword: Agriculture, Farms
Adjective/Verb: Benefit
Promise: Your Farms – this detail at the end of the headline informs the employer that the document will specifically discuss why the applicant is a good fit for the position.
2. Personalize the greeting & content of your agricultural worker cover letter
Anytime you write a cover letter, it is crucial to personalize both its greeting and content.
A personalized greeting will address a specific person by name, rather than offering a generalized acknowledgment like “To Whom It May Concern,”. By including this type of greeting, you show the employer that you have researched their company before applying.
Here are 3 examples of personalized cover letter greetings
- To John Doe, President of the Agricultural Department,
- Dear Department President John Doe,
- Dear Mr. John Doe & the Agricultural Department,
Research is, in fact, the key to personalizing the content of your cover letter as well. Along with searching for the specific person who will review your cover letter (typically a department head or hiring manager), you should also search to uncover:
- What the company’s current goals or objectives are
- What values and key language the company uses that you can reflect in your own writing
- Any projects the company is currently involved in
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3. Create a compelling agricultural worker cover letter introduction
The next key element for your agricultural worker cover letter is the introduction.
A cover letter introduction should contain between two to three sentences with concise and compelling information. This information can include:
- A brief overview of your professional history
- A statement on why you are enthusiastic about applying to this company
- A mutual acquaintance (when possible) – mutual acquaintances help to build immediate rapport and credibility. If you lack any mutual acquaintances, try using social platforms like LinkedIn to grow your professional network.
Here is an example of a well-written agricultural worker cover letter
Dear Department President John Doe,
I am an agricultural worker with 5+ years of experience working with greenhouse irrigation systems. My former manager at [Former Employer], Jack Smith, was recently brought on as your new agricultural technology specialist and recommended I apply for an opening on his team. I have chosen to apply as I am greatly excited by your business’s use of sustainable irrigation technology.
4. Showcase your skills & accomplishments as an agricultural worker
Next up on your agricultural worker cover letter are the body paragraphs. Unlike a resume where your descriptions need to be as short and sweet as possible, your cover letter gives you ample opportunity to give deeper insights into your best skills, attributes, and accomplishments.
Generally, a cover letter should contain between 2 to 4 body paragraphs that answer relevant key questions, such as:
- What relevant skills do you possess and how do you plan to apply them?
- What notable accomplishments do you have in this field?
- How can you contribute value to the company’s ongoing projects or objectives?
- How do your core values align with the company’s?
When describing skills or accomplishments, always try to be as specific and detailed as possible – this is your chance to really highlight your best qualifications!
Here are 6 examples of skills that are great to describe on an agricultural worker cover letter
- Knowledge of farm equipment
- Livestock care procedures
- Irrigation systems
- Equipment maintenance & repairs
- Planting & harvesting crops
- Landscaping
Here is an example of how to describe an accomplishment in an agricultural worker cover letter
As an agricultural worker at [Former Employer], I helped to maintain and landscape the public crop gardens, including sourcing and installing a new walkway and irrigation system. As a result of these improvements, the gardens produced 10% more crops during harvest, while the walkways helped to alleviate foot traffic congestion during busy seasons.
5. End your agricultural worker cover letter with a strong closing statement
To finish off your agricultural cover letter strong, you need a closing statement that is impactful and memorable, encouraging the employer to get in touch with you.
Your closing statement should include:
- An enthusiastic sentence saying you are looking forward to hearing from them
- An additional sentence stating you will follow up, including how you will contact them or how they can contact you
- A formal sign-off
Here is an example of an agricultural worker’s closing statement
If brought on as your newest agricultural worker, I will prove my high level of commitment and technical talent within the role. I am eager to speak with you further about this opportunity and will reach back out next Monday if I have not heard back yet. The best way to reach me is on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at (123) 456-7890.
Warm Regards,
[Applicant Name]
Check this handy article about the key differences between a cover letter and a resume.
