Putting together the perfect job application can feel impossible.
Regardless of where you’re applying, you want to convince the hiring manager that you’re the best candidate.
Learning to effectively communicate your talents during the application process can be the difference between getting a follow-up response or having your application passed by.
But there are lots of ways to introduce yourself, and choosing between a letter of intent versus letter of interest versus cover letter can be confusing. They all serve different purposes, and each suits a different type of position.
Learning how to use each one will help you catch people’s attention and land the opportunities that propel your career forward.
A letter of intent does just what the name suggests: it expresses the intentions behind your application. This type of letter emphasizes the skills, values, and motivations you'll contribute more than your experience in the field. It should also include what you hope to achieve in the position you’re seeking.
These letters usually accompany applications to:
For example, if you're applying to grad school, a letter of intent explains what you intend to research in that timeframe and why you’re the best fit to conduct that research.
It might list the resources that the school offers that draw you to the program, like a particular archive or lab, and how you’ll use them to your advantage.
Similar to a cover letter or letter of interest, a letter of intent lets the reader know why you're a unique candidate that stands out from other applicants. Likewise, it clearly demonstrates how your goals and values align with the organization's mission, program, or funding opportunity.
Here are a few tips for crafting a letter of intent that stands out:
Learning about the organization or program is essential to every stage of the application process — from resume building to the interview. But the letter of interest is your first chance to attach a unique voice to your application and flaunt your knowledge about the opportunity.
A letter of interest is about showing how your goals and intentions will benefit the organization. Hook your reader. They have to see themselves reflected in your intentions. Root your research in the following:
Pay careful attention to the organization's language to describe itself and incorporate buzzwords and company vernacular into your letter. If their focus is sustainability, for example, make sure you communicate your passion for sustainability to show your compatibility.
When hiring managers, benefactors, and universities open applications, they're flooded with responses. Keep it short and sweet: don't tell them everything. Offer the highlights and leave them asking for more.
Similar to a cover letter or letter of interest, a letter of intent follows a business letter format. It should be a few paragraphs that introduce you as a candidate, outline your intentions, and encourage the reader to follow up.
Your letter of intent is also an important first impression that establishes your communication skills. Brevity and efficient communication give the reader an understanding of what it'll be like to communicate in the future.
The goal of this letter is to clearly define your intentions and, if you can, explain how you'll carry them out. Show off your most valuable skills and experiences and how your work and purpose align with the organization's mission and goals.
For example, if you’re applying to be a research fellow at a university in the medical sciences, explain why you’re the best fit for the department.
That might mean explaining your past research experience and how you’ll build on it, which faculty members do similar research to you, and how your work represents the university’s goals.
The following letter of intent templates for a professional email or formal letter can be edited to meet your needs, whether you’re applying to a job, graduate school, funding, or proposing a business partnership.
Any letter of intent examples should follow the same format and include the following:
Dear [name of hiring manager],
Thank you for taking the time to consider my application for the role of Editorial Assistant at the Virginia Gazette.
When I was in journalism school, I used the Gazette's coverage of the Appalachian coal miner's strikes as a guide to developing my writing ethos about working-class issues with humanity and reverence. I have followed the paper closely and have built my career around amplifying human-interest stories about politics at the community level.
I would be thrilled to interview and share my ideas for developing meaningful local coverage for the paper. You can reach me at [phone number] or [email address]. I look forward to hearing from you.
Dear [name of recipient],
It's with pleasure that I submit my application for a doctorate in environmental science at the University of Washington. I'm particularly interested in the opportunity to work under Dr. Jones and learn from her extensive research in environmental justice.
While completing my master's degree at the University of Oregon, I had the opportunity to do a six-month fellowship with the Mayan communities across Guatemala to learn about developing legal systems to protect their sovereignty over oil and mining resources, inspired in part by the work that Dr. Jones has done with water rights with indigenous communities across the American Northwest.
During my fellowship, I was able to build an initial legal framework with local indigenous leaders and lawyers to present to the national government, and I am still actively counseling local scientists on information gathering, recording, and grant writing. These experiences have prepared me to fit into the environmental justice program at the university, and the doctorate program and mentorship opportunities will help me make a larger impact in other communities.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Please don't hesitate to contact me for further information. My email address is [email address], and my phone number is [phone number].
Thank you again,
Dear [name of recipient],
I'm writing to outline the proposed business transaction you and I discussed on [date]. This isn't a binding agreement, and I’m open to continued negotiation.
We've agreed to enter a design partnership. My responsibility will be business development, client sourcing, and project management. Your roles will be handling creativity, design, and developing other deliverables. All profits will be split 50-50 after expenses. We have agreed to hire an assistant to aid in administrative work, an account, and sign up for a small business loan for [sum] to cover initial overhead expenses, to be outlined formally in a partnership agreement.
We have agreed to meet on [date] to discuss financial details with [name of accountant], open a joint business account on [date] at [bank], sign an office rental agreement with [name of real estate broker] on [date], and sign a formal partnership agreement on [date] with [name of lawyer].
I look forward to firming up the details and getting started on this new venture together.
Although they all aim to secure you a new position, a letter of intent, letter of interest, and cover letter all serve different purposes. Let's break down their commonalities, differences, and when to use which.
When applying for funding, graduate school, or jobs at start-ups and other small businesses, a letter of intent explains your motivations for applying. Here are three characteristics of a letter of intent:
When applying for a specific job, a cover letter is an opportunity to encourage your potential employer to consider your resume and elaborate on key skills. Here are three characteristics of a cover letter:
If you're interested in working for a specific company that isn't currently advertising a job posting you'd like to apply for, a letter of interest lets you express your desire to work there in the future. Here are three characteristics of a letter of interest:
A letter of intent is also used to outline and align business relationships, mergers, joint ventures, and partnerships. It's a non-binding agreement written before negotiating definitive agreements, like legally binding contracts, purchase agreements, or non-disclosure agreements.
These letters establish the terms of a prospective proposal between multiple businesses, freelancers, or organizations.
Anyone involved in the potential business transaction can write one, as they aren’t legally binding. They act as a good faith document or disclaimer to clarify expectations and details of a potential business deal before anyone commits.
This way, everyone involved can come to negotiations on the same page.
Now that you know the difference between a letter of intent versus letter of interest versus cover letter, it’s time to share your purpose with the world — and potential employers.
You’ve spent your education or career developing a mission and finding your purpose. It’s worth sharing that passion with potential employers, academic advisors, and benefactors.
If you do it right, with as much intention as you’ve built your career, you’ll connect with your reader and set yourself to keep moving along your desired life path.
Understand Yourself Better:
Big 5 Personality Test
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Understand Yourself Better:
Big 5 Personality Test
Learn how to leverage your natural strengths to determine your next steps and meet your goals faster. Take quiz
