Help Desk cover letter example

A well-crafted help desk cover letter is your first step to landing a great job in IT and helping to solve computer-related issues. The cover letter is your “turn it off, turn it on again” ticket to career success and the best way to get noticed in a crowded field.

A bland cover letter, however, won’t get you where you need to be. Increase your odds of success with a cover letter that grabs the reader’s attention and de-bugs the interview process, lessening the chances of an “abandoned call.”

It sounds like a tall order, but with enthusiasm, a knack for brevity, and a dash of qualitative and quantitative measurements, you can make it happen.

Help desk full text-only cover letter example

Sections of a help desk cover letter

Creating a cover letter for a help desk position is like maximizing the user experience: ensuring that it is easy for the hiring manager to read and digest and setting you up as a leading candidate:

1. Cover letter header. Include your complete contact information. It’s your “screen pop,” ensuring the hiring manager can get in touch with you.
2. The greeting. Avoid generic greetings. Use the hiring manager’s name. It shows you've done your research and are taking the opportunity seriously.
3. Introduction. This is your first opportunity to make a great impression. Tell them who you are, what makes you special, and why you’re excited about this position.
4. Body. This is where you demonstrate that you’re a subject matter expert, giving insight into your experience, skills, and accomplishments. Show the reader how they align with that company’s needs and issues, and why you’re the person who can help address them.
5. Conclusion. Bring it to a conclusion by encapsulating your credentials and restating that you’re interested in the position. But you’re not done yet—always end with a call to action.
6. Signature. End on a high note by using a professional closing, such as “sincerely” and don’t forget to include your first and last name.

The cover letter isn’t just a formality. It’s functional. Each section of your cover letter contributes to the story of your career journey and your commitment to IT.

Remember, though, that this isn’t a multi-page content manual. You want a succinct, one-page cover letter that provides an overview of your skills as well as connecting your story to the company’s values. It’s a professional document that provides a personal touch and lets the hiring manager know that you’d be a great fit.

To get more in-detail information about writing a cover letter, view our article on how to write a cover letter.

Once you’ve written your header and said "hello" to the hiring manager, you’re ready to “wow” them with your introduction.

Introduction of a help desk cover letter

When starting a cover letter for a help desk position, grab the reader’s attention with a “zinger” such as a major accomplishment.

It’s like the first line of code that starts the whole project. Maybe it's a record-setting high customer satisfaction rating or a major reduction in ticket resolution time.

Avoid a boring, “Hello, how are you” opening for your cover letter. Instead, provide a striking example of how you used your skills on the job. For example, if you initiated a project that ‘increased [my] team’s average customer satisfaction rating to 4.7 on a five-point scale,’' lead with it. This is the type of quantifiable data that demonstrates the real-world value you can bring to the table.

But this isn’t just bragging about your achievements; it demonstrates how you would fulfill the company’s needs. You’re telling the hiring manager you’re someone to be taken seriously, and encouraging them to read more.

Help desk cover letter body

In the body, or main portion, of your cover letter, follow a simple blueprint: 

• Highlight your skills and experience
• Show how you're a perfect fit for the company’s values and overall culture.
• End with a conclusion that makes an impression
• Sign off with a strong call to action that motivates the recruiter to get in touch with you

First body paragraph: your suitability for the role (skills & experience)

Start off strong in this section by highlighting the skills and expertise that match what the company is looking for. It’s like pressing the “enter” button on your professional narrative.

Here’s the step-by-step guide on how to incorporate your skills into your story:

1. Highlight your education. ​​If you have a degree in computer science (or something related) explain how it helped you develop the skills you use to get results on the job.
2. Emphasize customer service skills. Illustrate how you work with a variety of people with various tech experience to solve problems and support a productive workflow.
3. Technology skills. Obviously, help desk is a tech-heavy position that requires a comprehensive knowledge of computer systems and operations. Demonstrate how you’ve used this knowledge effectively and how you keep your skills up-to-date.
4. Flexibility and multitasking. Hark back to situations  when you managed a particularly large number of open tickets in a busy IT department, like a plate spinner keeping all of them rotating at once without falling on the floor.
5. Troubleshooting and problem-solving. Provide examples of how you identified and resolved tech issues, as well as how you rectified complex problems.
6. Collaboration with other teams. Discuss how you utilized cross-team collaboration to help teams work together more effectively to resolve client issues.
7. Patience and empathy. When you’re dealing with clients or users who don’t have the same knowledge base as yourself, it can be daunting or frustrating. Provide examples of how you used your skills to effectively, but calmly, deal with a frustrated or angry user.

Second body paragraph(s): alignment with the organization

Customizing your cover letter to the company’s culture, mission statement, and goals is important. Do your homework and incorporate something that struck a chord with you into your second paragraph.

Demonstrate how your previous experience and professional values align with theirs, and how you’d make a positive impact in the overall company culture and fit in as an employee.

In this example of Google's mission statement, some key takeaways include:

• Building belonging in their workplace, technology, and partnerships
• FInnovating projects that reflect the current world
• Forging partnerships to further educational, economic, and health access
• Helping build a more sustainable future

Weave specific examples from the company’s mission statement into your cover letter, and include a personal example if you have one. This demonstrates that your values align with theirs and that you take the opportunity to work with that company seriously. 

Call to action & conclusion: end on a high note

Conclude your cover letter by restating your key message and enthusiasm for the help desk position. 

Incorporate a call to action for the hiring manager to get in touch and discuss how your expertise and background are aligned with the company’s needs and values.

Always say “thank you” and express your appreciation for the hiring manager’s time and attention. Yes, it’s good manners, but it also underscores your enthusiasm for the position.

End on a positive note with a concise and optimistic request to take the next step in the hiring process.

The last item on your cover letter is signing off with your name. True, you want to remind them who you are, but it also shows you’re a professional and someone worthy of their consideration.

How to write a help desk cover letter with no experience 

While most people applying for help desk positions do have some background in IT, you can get a job without experience. In this case, when you write your cover letter, either as a career changer or new graduate, it’s important to highlight your transferable skills and commitment to professional development.

To put yourself forth as a viable candidate without experience, consider the following:

• Highlight transferable skills. Demonstrate how skills from other jobs you’ve had are relevant to a help desk position. Do you have customer service experience? Talk about how this has strengthened your communication and interpersonal skills, which are important with dealing with clients and internal users.
• Emphasize technological proficiency. Highlight your current tech skills, whether it's familiarity with various operating systems, apps, or AI tool knowledge, to demonstrate your ability to handle ever-changing tech tools and resources.
• Express your enthusiasm for professional development. Show that you’re committed to strengthening your tech skills by listing courses, workshops, or certifications you’re completing.
• Mention any relevant volunteer experience. Have you used your tech skills in the community or for volunteer work such as helping people find jobs, build websites for charities, or teaching young people about computers? Show the employer that your values align with theirs by giving examples of how you’ve used your skills in service to others.
• Include your educational background. Discuss your coursework in fields like graphic design, psychology, technology, or communication to demonstrate correlated knowledge of the IT industry.

These elements will help offset the lack of direct experience in your cover letter and demonstrate related skills that will help you learn and grow in a help desk position.

Key takeaways

An effective help desk cover letter highlights your relevant skills, expertise, and enthusiasm for the role. 

Throughout the cover letter, showcase your unique strengths and passion for IT. It’s okay if you don’t have practical experience; highlight your transferable skills and desire for professional growth.

Demonstrate how your skills, values, and experience align with the company’s and how you’d fit into the overall company culture.

Kickstart your help desk job search with our cover letter generator and accompanying resume builder. But supercharge your efforts with resume.io.