Full Stack Developer cover letter example

Full stack developers can do it all, literally from front to back, so a first-rate full stack developer cover letter must show depth and breadth – all in a one-page document that has to outshine the competition.

A stellar portfolio of your UX designs highlights part of your talents, but your full stack developer cover letter explains why you do what you do and how you juggle the myriad tasks your role encompasses. You’re a problem-solver whose ideas don’t always come during the workday.

With hundreds of cover letter examples and writing guides, Resume.io is an expert resource to help you land your next position. Within this cover letter guide and the full stack developer cover letter example, you will learn:

• What the necessary components of a great cover letter are and how to structure them
• How to make the most out of the space that you have
• How to pinpoint the correct tone for each employer
• What common mistakes to watch out for and how to avoid them.

Best format for a full stack developer cover letter

Formatting is an important part of any developer’s job and it’s just as important for your full stack developer cover letter. Before you jump into writing, you need to know its information architecture.

The format of a full stack developer cover letter should contain the following elements:

• The cover letter header
• The greeting / salutation
• The cover letter intro
• The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
• The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)

Below, you will find advice tailored to a full stack developer, but if you want more general ideas, check out the comprehensive cover letter guide.

This full stack developer cover letter example will give you a blueprint for writing your own cover letter:

Cover letter header

What’s so special about a cover letter header? The aim of your entire application is to get that interview, so your contact information must be prominent. For a full stack developer, this is the only place in this document to show off your UX expertise. Your name and contact information should be visually appealing and easy to read.

The header consists of your name, best phone number and email to reach you. It should use the same or a complementary design to the head on your resume to create a consistent package, just as you would do for websites with many pages.

Cover letter greeting

Although IT departments and developers in general are not known for their formality, when you are applying for a job, it is best to err on the side of courtesy titles. This rule is flexible, so if you know the company is casual, you can go with the “Hey IT team!” or a greeting akin to that.

If you don’t know, stick with the more formal Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. and surname as our cover letter example does.

Cover letter introduction

Just as the homepage of a website must be both user friendly and captivating, the first paragraph of your full stack developer cover letter must as well. The introduction serves two main purposes: It lets the reader know where you are in your career and entices them to learn more about you by reading on.

Why would they read on? Because in this paragraph you will excite their curiosity and get them thinking, “Wow! I think I found a great candidate!” Do that by offering a phrase or sentence that provides an overview of your career. Then tout your greatest accomplishment (and one that illustrates how you will solve a problem your future employer is grappling with). It’s also a good idea to add a preview of the skills you will detail later in the letter. 

Cover letter middle part (body)

You’ve gotten your reader’s attention, now your full stack developer cover letter explains how you manage to do it all. It is in the body of your document that you get to the heart of your personal operating system. The best cover letters are aimed squarely at their targets: They tell stories that illustrate the skills and attributes the hiring manager seeks.

While you need to show off your working style and want to use positive descriptors for yourself, try not to fall back on cliches such as multi-tasker or excellent communicator. Instead, detail a real situation that shows off your proudest career moment and how you achieved it. There’s no need to repeat everything in your resume, instead hit one or two high notes.

How to close a full stack developer cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)

The conclusion of an excellent cover letter reminds the hiring manager why they should reach out to schedule an interview. If they have gotten this far, you definitely have their interest, so leave them with a professional and confident impression. Explain exactly why you think you’re a great fit for the role and how you will enhance the team.

Add a human touch. Perhaps there’s something that makes you unique in the world of full stack developers. You may also choose to leave a teaser that can be expanded up in your interview.

End with a polite call to action, or request for an interview, as in the cover letter sample text below.

Basic mistakes in a full stack developer application letter (and how to avoid them)

• Full stack developers are debuggers as well as big-picture thinkers, so don’t leave any bugs in your cover letter. Do your beta testing. Proofread and then have a friend or colleague do the same.
• Keep your anecdotes professional. Yes, you want to show off your personality, but make sure it’s your work personality.
• Adopt the correct tone and maintain it throughout. Do a little research into the company you’re applying for. Is the environment casual or more starchy? Just as in the greeting, it is better to err on the side of formality.

Key takeaways

1. Your full stack developer cover letter is not a summary of your resume, but a complement to it.
2. Use a work problem you solved to illustrate your creative thinking and style.
3. Choose examples and anecdotes that show the hiring manager what you can do for them.
4. Show that you can do it all, from frontend to backend.