Given the high salaries and lucrative career prospects, the job role of a product manager is highly sought after by the most highly qualified candidates. Thus, while preparing your resume, adding a compelling product manager cover letter is a must.
By doing so, you can make a positive impression on the hiring manager, thus increasing your chances of getting called for an interview. Keep reading this blog to get an idea on the same, along with product manager cover letter samples.
What is a Product Manager Cover Letter?
A product manager cover letter is a formal document that helps you introduce yourself to the recruiter. It summarizes your qualifications, skill sets and any prior job experience that you may have had in product management.
You can think of it as your first introduction to your new employer even before you set foot in the company. It conveys why you are the perfect fit for the offered job role.
Why is a Product Manager’s Cover Letter Important?
The product manager job role tends to differ across companies. Thus, you can use your cover letter to highlight those skills or experiences related to SAFe POPM training that the recruiter is specifically looking for. This helps to set yourself apart from other candidates and get a competitive edge over them.
Furthermore, you can modify your letter to match the employer’s professionalism and tone. By doing so, you can emphasize how dedicated you are to fulfilling your duties in the new role along with your long-term professional goals.
Hence, it is essential that you modify your cover letter and add the required product manager job responsibilities, depending on the company you are applying for.
Remember, the aim of your product manager cover letter should be to complement your resume and not replicate it. Thus, while framing it, keep it short and sweet. Just focus on highlighting your strongest skills, noteworthy contributions and relevant experiences. It should portray why you are the most ideal candidate for the job role.
Important Elements of Product Manager Cover Letter
Here are the important elements which you should include in your product manager cover letter:
- Name of the company and the position you are applying for.
- Highlighting that you have the necessary experience and skills for the job role.
- Stating some of your past achievements if they align with this role.
- Show why you are a good fit for the company.
- Providing reasons for career transitions or gaps (if any).
- Expressing gratitude and signing off with a CTA.
Best Format for Product Manager Cover Letter
When it comes to framing a professional-looking product manager cover letter, it's best to keep it neat and clean. Here is the best format you can follow in this regard:
1. Header
This is the first section the recruiter will see when they start reading your cover letter. Thus, it must contain the necessary information which will help identify your resume. They include your full name, mobile number, e-mail ID and LinkedIn ID.
Here is a sample of the same:
resume.io2. Greeting Message
Since time immemorial, greeting messages have usually started with “Dear”, followed by “Mr.” or “Ms./Mrs.” and the last name of the hiring manager. However, for modern-day companies, a greeting with a "Hello" or "Hi" will just do fine.
However, if you are unsure about the organization’s preferred professional approach, it’s better to stick to the traditional way.
Tip: Do look up the hiring manager's name from LinkedIn before starting with this section.
3. Introduction
In this part, you need to introduce yourself and state the job role which you are applying for. Consider keeping this section brief but engaging. This will encourage the recruiter to read through the rest of the cover letter.
Additionally, use a statistic, anecdote or example to attract the employer’s attention.
4. Relevant Skill Sets
Highlight the relevant skills which the company is looking for. Also, state any past accomplishments that you may have related to them.
5. Past Experience in this Field
Here, you have to mention noteworthy achievements as a product manager in your previous companies. What’s more, you can provide numbers to highlight the impact of your achievements.
6. Reasons for Applying
Write about what excites you about this job role. Include the company’s projects, vision, or position in the industry as a part of your reason. Recruiters prefer candidates who are enthusiastic and have a mindset of growing with the organization.
7. Closing Statement
Add a polite call to action, encouraging the hiring manager to contact you for an interview. Then, end your cover letter with a “Thank You”, “Best Regards,” or “Sincerely” and write your name.
resume.ioProduct Manager Cover Letter Samples and Templates
Here are some product manager cover letter samples for your reference:
kickresume
brainstationThis is a cover letter example for a product manager sample, which you can refer to:
assets.website-files Tips to Write a Product Manager Cover Letter
While framing your product manager cover letter, you need to keep in mind the following tips:
- Select a clean and easy-to-read format for your cover letter.
- Use a professional-looking font like Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman.
- Keep the line spacing 1.15, font size 11pt or 12pt and keep one-inch margins.
- Keep the cover letter between 200 to 400 words. It should fit within one page.
- Research the company's requirements, industry and vision. Then, highlight those points about yourself which align with these aspects.
- Job requirements tend to differ across recruiters. Thus, remember to modify your cover letter each time you apply to a different company.
- State that you are interested in applying for the position and why you wish to be a part of that organization.
- Elaborate on what you can deliver if hired, make an offer and end the cover letter with a subtle call to action (CTA).
- Add your phone number and e-mail ID. However, avoid including social media links.
- After writing the cover letter, double-check it for spelling and grammatical errors. If possible, show it to your peers or seniors and ask for their feedback.
Do Online Product Manager Job Applications Need a Cover Letter?
Nowadays, most companies post their job vacancies online. Thus, it may be confusing for you to decide whether or not to include a product manager cover letter. In some cases, the recruiter may state the requirement for a cover letter as optional or not mention anything at all.
In this regard, experts recommend that unless the company clearly mentions that you do not need to include a cover letter, it is best to provide one. It will make a positive impression on the employer, thus improving your chances of being called for the interview.
What Mistakes Do Applicants Usually Make While Writing a Cover Letter?
An error-free cover letter acts as a sign of your professionalism to the recruiting manager. Thus, it is crucial to keep your product manager cover letter free of errors.
Here are some of the common mistakes which you must avoid:
1. Poor Presentation
As said earlier, your cover letter serves as your first official introduction to the employer before you set foot in that company. Thus, an attractive visual presentation is a must. Many applicants, while trying to keep the layout clean and profession-looking end up using a boring old format which may fail to make the desired impact.
A secret tactic in this regard can be using a design and layout that matches your prospective employer's branding. It is a sure-shot way of making the hiring manager to take a look at your application.
2. Mismatched Tonality
Many applicants fail to make a lasting impression through their cover letters just because of mismatched tonality. For instance, if you use an overly formal tone while applying to a new-age startup, the HR may not be interested in going through your resume.
Inversely, employing a causal tone for a prestigious company may have a detrimental effect. So, researching the employer's website to get an idea of the tonality is a must.
3. Spelling Errors and Grammatical Mistakes
There is nothing worse in the eyes of a recruiter than typos and grammatical mistakes in a cover letter. It reflects poor communication and a lack of professionalism on the applicant’s end. An effective solution, in this case, can be to use free grammar-checking tools like Grammarly or ask a friend to proofread your letter before submission.
Conclusion
You are now all set to write a well-framed product manager cover letter. But do you know another secret that increases your chances of being called for an interview? It is a SAFe POPM certification.
Apart from showcasing your professional credibility, this certification assures recruiters that you have the necessary skills to effectively perform all the duties that come with the program manager job role.
To ensure that you clear this certification with flying colors, consider opting for a guided professional course. In this regard, the KnowledgeHut SAFe POPM certification course can be an excellent choice.
It includes 16+ hours of online sessions, 16 SEUs, 16 PDUs, extensive exam support and a 1-year SAFe Community Membership. Additionally, your exam fees are included in the course fees itself.
You can also check out our wide array of Agile training courses and upskill yourself in several other fields.
Visit KnowledgeHut today and take the first step towards a better career!
Product manager cover letter sample