How to build a strong startup professional cover letter
From providing key industry insights to helping to develop effective business strategies, startup professionals have many key roles to play at new and growing businesses. To earn a position as a startup professional, you will need a cover letter that perfectly encapsulates your talents and dedication.
In this guide, we will teach you the 5 key steps to writing a cover letter as a startup professional. Keep reading to learn all about how to:
- Craft a well-formatted startup cover letter header & headline
- Create a personalized greeting on your startup cover letter
- Write an eye-catching startup cover letter introduction
- Showcase your value as a startup professional
- End your cover letter with a powerful closing statement
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1. Craft a well-formatted startup cover letter header & headline
To begin writing your startup cover letter, the first key steps are to create a properly formatted header and headline.
Cover letter headers are often found in the top left corner of the document and detail all the necessary information about the company and applicant.
Comparatively, a cover letter headline is similar to a title, placed directly after the header but before the greeting of the cover letter.
To better demonstrate how to craft each of these elements, here are more-in depth explanations and examples of each:
Formatting the header
In the header of your startup cover letter, there should be between 3 to 4 lines of text that include:
- The name of the company & department you are applying to
- Your name and professional title
- Your professional contact information (phone number, email address, etc.)
Here is an example of what an effective header may look like on a startup cover letter
To: The Bronze Group, Business Development Department
From: Joe King, Startup Specialist
(123) 456-7890 | joeking@email.com | linkedin.com/in/joe-king
Writing the Headline
When writing the headline to your startup cover letter, you should always use 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 a well-written headline on a startup cover letter
My 3 Startup Successes that Make Me the Ideal Addition to Your Business Team
Trigger Word/Number: 3 Successes
Keyword: Startup
Adjective: Ideal
Promise: Your Business Team – the inclusion of this detail at the end of your headline shows the employer you will not only explain your skills and achievements but that you will also relate this specifically to their company’s needs.
2. Create a personalized greeting on your startup cover letter
Whenever you write a startup cover letter, it is crucial to use a personalized greeting rather than a generalized one.
Generalized greetings – such as “To Whom It May Concern” – fail to show employers any attention to detail or help to hook their attention. On the other hand, a personalized greeting will address a specific person or department by name, revealing to employers that you have completed thorough research on their company before applying.
If you are unable to pinpoint the exact person or department who will review your application, try out one of these alternatives:
To the [Company Name] Team
Or
To the [Company Name] Hiring Manager
3. Craft an eye-catching startup cover letter introduction
The headline and greeting of your startup cover letter help to initially hook the employer’s attention – but to keep them intrigued, you will need an eye-catching introductory paragraph.
A strong cover letter introduction will include:
- A brief overview of your professional history and goals
- A statement on why you are enthusiastic about applying to this company
- A mutual acquaintance (when possible)
Here is an example to help demonstrate how to write a startup cover letter introduction
To the [Company Name] Hiring Manager,
I am a Startup Advisor & Specialist with 3+ years of experience working with technology company founders and experts. After meeting your Head of FinTech Communications at a recent conference and learning about your company’s ongoing objectives and mission, I found that I share your professional outlook on the FinTech industry and decided to apply for this position.
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4. Showcase your value as a startup professional
Following the introduction to your startup cover letter are the body paragraphs. Most cover letters will contain between 2 to 4 body paragraphs that offer in-depth answers to these 4 key questions:
- What excites you about working at this company?
- What do you hope to learn from working at this company?
- What accomplishments or qualifications make you stand out as an applicant?
- What key skills do you possess that are relevant to the position?
Describing your accomplishments as a startup professional is particularly important, as this helps to show employers the actionable and real-life value you can provide.
Here is an example of how to describe an accomplishment in a startup cover letter
As the Startup Advisor for [Former Employer], I negotiated with major investors to help fund the company’s launch and initial product development. These negotiations led to the acquisition of 3 key investors who offered a market value of more than $3M to help support the company’s launch.
5. End your cover letter with a powerful closing statement
To end your startup cover letter, you need a powerful closing statement that includes:
- 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 effective closing statement on a startup cover letter
With my years of experience and successes as a Startup Specialist, I am confident I can provide your company with the support it needs during its development and launch. I am eager to meet with you directly to discuss further what I can bring to the table, and am available for calls or in-person meetings Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The best way to reach me is at (123) 456-7890, or via email at johnsmith@email.com.
Warm Regards,
[Applicant Name]
Follow this cover letter outline for maximum success.
