As a job applicant applying for the position of graphic designer, one of the most critical aspects of your job application process is your cover letter. You need an effective cover letter if you want to be successful in your application for a job. A cover letter offers you one of the first opportunities to make an excellent first impression of yourself as an eligible applicant for the role.
Unlike your brief resume, a cover letter is more detailed and gives insight into your graphic designing skills, overall experience, projects, outstanding milestones, successes, and how they are all relevant to the job. In addition, it connects your knowledge to the company’s needs.
Elements of Graphic Designer Cover Letter
Knowing the components that must be included in a cover letter for a graphic designer position is essential. The information that needs to be in a cover letter is listed below to make sure that all pertinent points are clearly explained:
Write the contact details
When writing a cover letter, you must include your contact details so the prospective employer can easily contact you. Your contact details should be mentioned first and placed precisely in the header section, including your phone number and email address. Below your contact details comes the date, followed by the company’s information.
Look at an example below:
Monica J. Stephen
Graphic Designer
2076-368-7098
[email protected]
linkedin.com/in/monicastephen
June 22, 20xx
Samuel Carter
Human Resource Manager
Wade Media Limited|
347 Westside Station Dr
Winchester, VA 2260
Introduce yourself and the job position you are applying for
This section needs to be well-written, thorough, and direct. It is your opportunity to make a strong impression on your potential employer. To do this, you will want to ensure that the first paragraph of the letter is engaging and interesting.
Start by using the prospective employer’s name in your salutation. Next, state your knowledge about the company and the job position in the first paragraph. This should include the precise graphic designer job role you are applying for. This introduction stage emphasizes your knowledge of the role and establishes you as a suitable candidate for the job.
See a sample below:
“Dear Samuel Carter,
I am writing to apply for the position of UX designer at Wade Media Limited. I understand that you are presently adding new product lines. However, I believe that my ten years of experience as a well-rounded graphic designer and five years of professional experience in UX design (having acquired technical skills such as prototyping, wireframing, user research, usability testing, and application development, to mention a few) will provide Wade Media Limited a significant advantage towards making a successful launch.”
Mention your most relevant skills
First, get acquainted with the required skills for the job you are applying for. Job posts always contain detailed job descriptions. This gives insight into the skills the company wants. The skills you list in your cover letter must match what the company is looking for in a candidate.
For example:
“As a UX graphic designer, I have a full understanding of user experience design principles. I know how to create designs that are both user-friendly and visually appealing. In addition, I have experience working with various software programs, including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. I am also proficient in HTML and CSS. These abilities would enable me to start my work immediately. With a proven track record of working collaboratively with other team members, I am confident I could be an asset to your team and contribute to your company’s success.”
Explain your motivation
Employers like to know if an applicant’s interests align with their company’s interests and goals. It assures them that you will make a deliberate effort to contribute to the expansion of the business. Therefore, it is vital to state why you have shown interest in working for a specific company.
For example:
“I want to work with your company because it is at the cutting edge of new technology. I am passionate about new technology and its potential to change the world. I believe your company is making a positive impact on the world, and I want to be a part of that. I also believe that I can contribute to your company’s success. I have a track record of developing innovative solutions to complex problems. I am confident that I can bring my skills and experience to your company and help you continue to be a leader in the tech industry.”
Describe your achievements
You can mention your successes from previous or current roles to show that you would be an asset to the new company. This will make them more likely to want to hire you because they will know what to expect.
Below is an example of how you can mention your accomplishments in your letter:
“At the company where I work presently, I am pleased to say that my work has had a tangible effect on the company’s website session duration. I was able to design graphics that increased the session duration to an average of 4 minutes.”
Add information about any training and certifications
Whether they are recent or old, mention and describe any credentials and training that are pertinent to the position. To increase your eligibility for the position, try to relate your training and certifications to the position you are applying for.
This information can be expressed as follows:
“I believe that my experience in the following courses has positioned me well for this job:
● Adobe Creative Cloud: a strong foundation in industry-standard design software.
● Design principles: in-depth insights into the underlying theory behind effective designs.
● User experience design workshop: knowledge of making user-friendly and visually appealing designs.
These courses helped expand my industry knowledge and equipped me with a solid foundation of skills, competence, and abilities needed to tackle any challenge that comes my way.”
Mention the attached documents (If any)
Make sure that if your documents were requested by the hiring manager or in the job advertisement, you state them clearly as enclosures in the letter.
This includes your resume and a graphic artist’s portfolio of recent work (which shows the skills they might be looking for). See an example below:
“I have included all the requested documents as attachments to this email. In addition, I have also included a portfolio of my previous work. I hope that you find everything to your satisfaction.”
Words of gratitude
Always express gratitude at the end of a graphic designer cover letter. Thank the prospective employer for reading your letter and the attached materials and documents. The following statement is an example of how to express gratitude:
“Thank you for your time and consideration.”
Signoff by using a powerful call to action
As you sign off your letter, a call to action is paramount. This will prompt a prospective employer to contact you.
Below is an example:
“I hope we can meet soon and discuss graphic design ideas that will aid in marketing the company’s products successfully both on the company’s website and across social media platforms. I am eager to benefit from your vast experience as a leader in a remarkable company like yours.”
Sample of a Graphic Designer Cover Letter
[Your Name]
Graphic Designer
[Contact Number]
[Work Email]
[Linkedin Link]
[Date]
[Receiver’s Name]
[Job Post]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
Dear Mr. [Name],
I am writing to apply for the position of graphic designer at TechImagineXWorld. As you are expanding your product across Europe, I believe my experience as a graphic designer will be an asset to your team. I have honed my design skills for the past ten years at major companies. In addition to my creative abilities, I have also acquired technical skills such as wireframing, user research, usability testing, and application development. I am confident that I can use my skills and experience to create a successful campaign for all of your products.
As a versatile designer with a passion for innovation, I am excited to be a part of your team. I want to use my extensive experience at your company because it has an impressive work environment.
In the company where I presently work, I am pleased to say that I have successfully designed graphics that have had a tangible effect on product campaigns. I think that this knowledge, along with my most recent in-depth masterclass training in Adobe Creative Cloud and Design Principles, has equipped me to know the precise strategy your upcoming product campaign needs to be successful.
All the requested documents and a portfolio of my previous work are available for your perusal as attachments. I hope they meet your expectations.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to learning from your campaign strategy expertise and collaborating with you on campaign ideas that can move the company forward.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Free Templates
Professional Tips
There are important details to remember when writing your cover letter that will help make your application stand out among others. To write a successful letter that will get you a callback from your prospective employer, follow the tips below:
Research the prospective employer
You must be familiar with the company to which you are writing. This should be the first thing to consider before anyone begins to write their cover letter. As a prospective applicant, you must first understand what the company does and how you can assist it in achieving its goals. Research the company’s work, values, and mission before writing so that your cover letter will be more personalized and aligned with the company’s purpose.
Personalize your cover letter
Making your cover letter unique is more essential than ever in today’s competitive job market. One way to do this is to personalize your cover letter for the company you are applying to. While a well-written cover letter will highlight your qualifications and skills, a personalized cover letter will go further by emphasizing your special expertise and qualifications that are most pertinent to the prospective employer’s requirements for the job. This will improve your chances of getting noticed while demonstrating that you have done your research and are genuinely interested in working for the company.
The tone of the letter should be consistent with the company’s culture
Every company has a different organizational culture, which influences how they communicate. Take a careful look at the company’s website to understand the tone and style being used in the company’s mission, purpose, and value statements, as well as other communication materials. Ensure that you use the same tone in your cover letter. Be courteous while still being professional.
Keep the letter brief
When writing a cover letter, being concise can help you convey your point more clearly. Ensure that you convey your message in a few short paragraphs of 200–400 words and do not exceed one page.
Think again and try to concentrate on the most important details if you find the letter to be overly wordy. This ensures that your cover letter is brief but engaging for the recipient.
Follow formatting rules
There are basic rules to follow regarding the format of a cover letter. Here is a summary of some of the most common formatting rules.
- The advisable font size is 11 or 12 points of professional fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial.
- It would be best to use a 1-inch margin around the edges of the page
- The appropriate line spacing is single.
- Use “Left” alignment.
Optimize the style
Being both professional and personal in the ideal cover letter requires balance. Avoid using overly formal or commonly used speech patterns. This may convey a lack of personalization and make it seem like anybody could have written them.
Ensure grammatical accuracy
Check your letter for possible grammatical or spelling errors to ensure that it is professional and polished. Check the language and sentence structure of your letter before sending it to ensure a professional-looking document.
Key Takeaways
- Use the cover letter as an opportunity to elaborate on specific points or share additional information about yourself rather than repeating information from your resume.
- Avoid clichés and empty phrases like “I’m a people person” or “I have a real passion for design.
- Avoid using language that is too sentimental or flowery because it will make you appear desperate.
- Research the company and the job advertisement properly and customize your cover letter accordingly. This will show you as a candidate who shares the company’s goals.
- Following up after sending your application is always a good idea. A follow-up email or call shows that you are passionate about the job and are willing to take the extra step to get your prospective employer’s attention.