IT Manager Cover Letter Examples
An IT manager is an individual responsible for maintaining the performance of a business’s networks and for leading the IT department overall. An IT manager will be responsible for everything from selecting the most suitable hardware and software to updating servers and electronic support systems when required.
Perhaps most significant of all, as an IT manager you’ll also spend your time training network admins and computer programmers as well as determining the company’s IT needs. You’ll lead staff across multiple different projects, too—these projects will typically have budgets and timelines that you may be a part of determining.
There’s no doubt the role is favored among tech enthusiasts and is highly competitive; handing over a simple resume and hoping for the best is unlikely to secure the position. Instead, a successful IT manager cover letter is often the key to success. It shows employers what sets you apart from all the other candidates and allows you to emphasize your strengths and your keen interest.
But how do you write a good IT manager cover letter? The task can seem daunting, to say the least. Worry not; below, you’ll find examples of IT manager cover letters, including how to write out separate sections and some more specific tips to help you stand out against the competition.
Cover Letter Introduction
The introduction of your cover letter counts for a lot: a well-written one will help you instantly grab the reader’s attention and gives you the chance to provide them with a high-level preview of what’s to come. The introduction generally consists of two or three sentences that detail your career goals and qualifications—the aim here is to match the employer’s needs as much as possible. It’s fair to say that getting these first few sentences right is crucial.
It’s particularly important to use active and engaging language to show what you’ve learned from the job posting and your research. You need to show that your IT qualifications are the perfect fit, so describe relevant experience and attributes if they are directly applicable. You also need to demonstrate that you’re interested in the opportunity, so stay positive and speak about the company’s own achievements or its reputation.
Ultimately, the hiring executive needs to quickly understand what you’ll bring to the IT manager role and how your contributions would greatly benefit the company. You need to capture their attention and show that you match the company’s needs and precise requirements. More is usually less when it comes to your introduction, so pick your sentences carefully and cut out content you could use later on in the cover letter.
Example: As an IT manager with a growing amount of experience in the latest technology—AI, big data, and blockchain technologies—the exciting and transformative role at Cluegood is an excellent fit for me, especially for my experience addressing technological change.
Cover Letter Body
The body of the cover letter for the IT manager role you’re interested in needs to back up the introduction and take it further. The opening lines should have intrigued the employer to read on, and now’s the chance to show your past experiences and achievements that will match their needs.
Of course, you don’t want to detail your whole career in this section. It’s best to focus on some highlights that suit the job requirements and duties listed. You don’t want to use your resume information the same way either; instead, you need to reframe your successes and show how the employer would directly benefit from them. These can be mini success stories that cover everything from cost savings to client satisfaction and the action you took to achieve them—just talk about them briefly.
Make sure to review the job description for the open role and use that as a roadmap for what to include in your cover letter. If they are specifically looking for someone with CI/CD experience, be sure to highlight that in your cover letter. Same for any other specific skills or experience.
This section of the IT manager cover letter aims to show how you would make a significant contribution to the company in question. You need to convince them that not hiring you would be a grave mistake and a missed opportunity for them. By the end of this section, the hiring manager needs to be enthusiastic and ready to read the final parts of the letter before moving ahead with their next steps.
Example: I appreciate that you want to make 55% of your business digital over the next five years. Of course, this will be influenced by competitive pressures and the need to maintain your market-leading position. The IT business model has transformed in recent years, and my work has taught me much about our digital future over the past six years.
Some of my achievements will be useful for the position:
- I led over 15 blockchain initiatives and saved $700k.
- I oversaw multiple company hardware updates, and productivity increased by 29% as a result.
- I led internal IT teams of 6-14 people with groups of 30-50 freelancers.
- My first AI marketing project resulted in a 12% uplift in sales.
I take a collective approach to problem-solving and confirm that each department is involved in planning any significant technology-focused change. When 40% of my day is spent talking to others, the other 60% of the work is easier to navigate.
Cover Letter Ending
The end of the cover letter for any IT manager position needs to be upbeat and will remind the employer of your strengths and why you’re a good match—again, with some carefully chosen sentences that don’t overstay their welcome. There’s also the requirement to add some form of thanks to the recipient and the parting sign-off.
Ideally, you’ll leave the door open for the employer’s next move, and hopefully, it’s an invitation to an interview. In fact, this section is the only place you can ask for a follow-up and arrange that interview—typically in around a week. If you don’t want to go that far, it’s worth mentioning that you look forward to hearing back and are available to be interviewed without too much notice. Doing so helps ensure your cover letter can’t just be set aside and forgotten shortly afterward.
The final part is the sign-off, which is typically a “Sincerely,” “Best regards,” or “Best,” sitting just above your name. You want to end in a confident and upbeat tone that leaves little room for doubt. The call to action also indicates that you expect to hear back from the hiring manager in the future—expectations get set.
Example: I met your team at X tech conference last year and was impressed by their ambition. I would like to think that I have the skills and experience to add to the diverse mix of IT experts, and I hope for an interview to discuss my application.
Sincerely,
[Name]
Cover Letter Best Practices
Now you know the basic format and content to include in your cover letter. But a great letter doesn’t stop there. Here are a few best practices to keep in mind as you write your letter.
Check the Requirements
You’ll have a solid idea of what a cover letter for an IT manager position needs to look like by now. That said, it’s important to be aware of some specific tips and tricks that can help your cover letter shine. The first of these is to be sure you check the requirements listed in the job post.
For example, there could be specific directions for writing the cover letter in the job post itself—this is more common than you may think. A particular writing prompt, a word limit to follow, or a few questions that allow the company to get a good idea of your abilities are popular ways of doing this and help the candidate’s letter stay focused.
If you follow the requirements carefully, you will promptly show your attention to detail and ability to follow instructions—both essential in the role of an IT manager.
Acknowledge Your Reader
While it may seem obvious, be sure to include the recipient’s name, professional details, and contact information after your own contact information. Include the date between the two sets of contact information, and as you open the letter, use a professional salutation, like ‘Dear’ with the recipient’s surname.
To find out to who you should address the letter, you can:
- Check the job listing to find a recruiter’s name on the posting
- Research the company’s employee directory for an HR representative
- Call the company’s HR department to ask about the recipient
This additional step will show the employer that you are thoughtful and creative before they even read the letter. If you don’t know the recipient’s name, you can just write “To Whom It May Concern.”
Study the Company
Generic IT manager cover letters finish up in the bin—that’s the unfortunate truth. Be sure you don’t write a generic IT cover letter that gets sent to every employer; hiring managers can tell, and they definitely won’t be pleased.
Before you get down to writing, ensure you spend time reading about the company to find out what they do and how things work. This type of research can add a lot of value to the cover letter.
For example, suppose the role involves providing IT support to a newspaper publisher. In that case, you should mention your interest in the news and that you would love to support the company’s journalists as they uncover memorable stories.
If it’s a helpdesk job for a school, you could mention you’re keen to aid staff and students. Show them you have a positive “can-do” attitude and enthusiasm for IT.
Imagine the Hiring Manager
IT managers are stewards of the digital world, and if there’s a time to show an audience how much they matter, it’s in your IT manager cover letter. Think of it as your official time to shine away from the computer screen.
If you were the hiring manager for the new position, what would make you read a cover letter and set up an interview because it’s simply that compelling?
Cover letters are all about character—they allow you to come through as a person away from the limited confines of the resume, so be sure to make the most of the opportunity. Do your best to connect with the hiring manager as, ultimately, impressing them is the key to success.
Putting It All Together: Full Cover Letter Example
We’ve looked at the independent parts of your cover letter for an IT manager position, but it’s good practice to see how one looks in its entirety. It’s worth noting the length of the cover letter as well. It’s tempting to think one with more pages will help convince the hiring manager, but the opposite is true. The moment they see a multiple-page cover letter, there’s a good chance your letter ends up in the bin.
The cover letter needs to be between 250 and 400 words or as close to that as possible. Cover letters of around 500 words have worked in the past, but today’s preference is that less is more; any more than 400 words is unlikely to go down well and only limits your chances of securing the job. Stick to a single page and no more than four main paragraphs.
The general format of your cover letter should be in this order:
- Your contact information
- The objective of your cover letter
- Detailed references to your past contributions and achievements
- Connections between your credentials and those required for the job
- Your goals as they relate to the post
Example:
[Hiring manager name],
I am writing to you regarding your open IT manager position. I have over seven years of experience managing information technology projects and teams, and I feel well-suited for this position.
In my most recent role, I managed a team of six IT professionals and managed all our team’s projects from conception to implementation. Some of my responsibilities were managing the ticketing system, QAing all code, developing new IT processes and documentation, and vendor management.
I am proficient in SQL, Python, Jira, Docker, Kubernetes, Git, and many more tools and languages.
You also indicated you want someone who has a sales background—this resonates with me, as I have managed direct sales representative roles for some time in addition to technical leads. I have confidence in being able to further your organization’s reach.
I am extremely interested in this role, as I feel my experience and constant willingness to learn make me an ideal candidate for [company name].
I look forward to hearing from you,
[Name]
