Program coordinators are the glue that holds any organization together. Jacks and jills of all trades, program coordinators bring out the best qualities in their team and keep the moving parts working together. These are the qualities you’ll want to convey on your program coordinator cover letter.
If that feels easier said than done, Resume.io is here to help. With 125+ cover letter examples and writing guides, we know a thing or two about creating an application that gets you where you want to be.
In this cover letter guide, along with the corresponding program coordinator cover letter example, we’ll cover the following topics to help you write the best cover letter possible:
- How to choose the best cover letter format and what paragraphs the cover letter should include
- How to maximize the effect of each cover letter paragraph (header, greeting, intro, body and conclusion)
- What approach to take when writing your cover letter
- What mistakes to avoid when writing your program coordinator cover letter.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, management positions are expected to increase by 9 percent over the coming decade leading to the creation of 906,800 new jobs.
Best format for a program coordinator cover letter
As a program coordinator, you know the importance of following a plan to reach your goals. In the case of your cover letter, the format ensures you’ve included all the important information in order to impress the hiring manager.
Here’s what your program coordinator cover letter format should contain:
- 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)
The goal of your cover letter is to complement your resume by expanding on achievements and duties that you didn’t have space for on the rest of the application. Our comprehensive cover letter guide has more on that, plus great formatting tips.
This program coordinator cover letter example can serve as a jumping-off point for your own.
Dear Mrs. Keeley,
My experience in administration and program coordination in the sporting events industry has seen me work across nine different sports for large scale university and college sporting events, smashing attendance records at record profitability. Now I’m ready to bring my expertise and passion to the program coordinator role at Weston University.
Program and event management in a collegiate environment requires an ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders and service providers to deliver the best possible sporting events. When you are organizing a college game with 50,000 spectators, everyone should be on the same page. Having played college football alongside my Events Management degree, I understand the needs of the athletes and coaches – they are our ultimate end customers.
Financial discipline and budget management are essential aspects of the role – I have a track record of saving costs and growing revenues at the majority of events that I have managed. Renegotiating hospitality, transport and venue contracts resulted in a 18% saving for the Washington sports teams just last year. College sport is a lucrative business, so it should be approached as such.
I would value the opportunity to further discuss what I can add to your program management team. When sports teams are looking for that extra edge, how smoothly their events are organized can often make an imperceptible difference.
Sincerely,
Simon Jakes
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Cover letter header
The header of your cover letter serves two roles. The first is to communicate your name, telephone number, email and other important personal information so the hiring manager has no trouble getting in touch with you should they want to set up an interview.
The second goal is to add some attractive formatting to the page and boost the chances of standing out in a crowded field of applicants. Since this is likely the one place you’ll be able to add visual flourishes, it’s worth making sure your design is in line with the tone of the company or organization. See our adaptable example below.
Considering the ATS
Many medium and large organizations use Applicant Tracking Systems or ATS to filter candidates’ applications. While you might be familiar with adding keywords to your resume, it doesn’t hurt to do the same for your cover letter since some algorithms take into account the entirety of the application.
The aim of the cover letter header: To make it easy for the hiring manager to contact you by keeping your contact information at their fingertips.
Cover letter greeting
The greeting sets the tone for your entire cover letter so it’s worth getting this section right. You’ll want to introduce the hiring manager or potential supervisor by name whenever possible. Our cover letter sample sticks with “Dear” followed by the correct salutation and last name since that’s a great combination of professional and friendly.
In more casual workplaces, it may be more appropriate to address the recipient by first name or with a more creative touch. If you can’t find the name of the hiring manager, “Dear (Company Name) Hiring Team” or “Hiring Manager” can make fine alternatives.
The aim of letter greeting / salutation: Greet the hiring manager or letter recipient in a friendly or positive tone using their name whenever possible.
Dear Mrs. Keeley,
Cover letter introduction
Good program coordinators get the job done, but great ones do it with a passion and energy that motivates the rest of the team. The cover letter introduction is a great place to express your motivation and your stand-out qualities.
One of the most effective ways to begin your cover letter is with an anecdote about a challenge you overcame. This is the place to hook the reader’s attention and get them to read the rest of your cover letter so make sure to use descriptive verbs and other emotive language. Avoid boring at all costs. See the introduction of our cover letter sample below.
The aim of the cover letter intro: Share your most important message upfront while adding positive energy to your cover letter.
My experience in administration and program coordination in the sporting events industry has seen me work across nine different sports for large scale university and college sporting events, smashing attendance records at record profitability. Now I’m ready to bring my expertise and passion to the program coordinator role at Weston University.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The middle part of your cover letter (known as the body section) gives you the chance to expand on all the details of your experience and accomplishments. Focus on quantitative information like the size of the staff you supported or the amount you fundraised for your program. Don’t neglect the human traits that make you a pleasure to work with, either. The “likeability” factor might just be what sets you apart from other candidates with similar skill sets. Below you’ll find the body from our cover letter sample.
One way to write the body section is to break it into smaller anecdotes that follow the STAR method. First, describe a situation and the task required of you. Then explain your action and the positive result it caused.
The aim of the cover letter body: Offer the details of your accomplishments and use the STAR method to create small anecdotes that carry the reader through your letter.
Program and event management in a collegiate environment requires an ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders and service providers to deliver the best possible sporting events. When you are organizing a college game with 50,000 spectators, everyone should be on the same page. Having played college football alongside my Events Management degree, I understand the needs of the athletes and coaches – they are our ultimate end customers.
Financial discipline and budget management are essential aspects of the role – I have a track record of saving costs and growing revenues at the majority of events that I have managed. Renegotiating hospitality, transport and venue contracts resulted in a 18% saving for the Washington sports teams just last year. College sport is a lucrative business, so it should be approached as such.
How to close a program coordinator cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
You’ve set yourself up for success, now it’s time to drive the message home in your conclusion. This is the place to offer one last tidbit of interesting information, whether it’s a personal statement about your personal connection to the work or the reason you’ve got your eye on that particular organization.
The key is to leave the hiring manager wanting to know more right before you offer the call to action. This sentence invites them to contact you for an interview without demanding or bragging. Then, sign off with a professional greeting. “Sincerely” works well. See our cover letter sample below.
The aim of the conclusion: Offer final details that pique the hiring manager’s interest and add something they don’t know about you. Politely encourage them to set up and interview.
I would value the opportunity to further discuss what I can add to your program management team. When sports teams are looking for that extra edge, how smoothly their events are organized can often make an imperceptible difference.
Sincerely,
Simon Jakes
Program coordinator cover letter with no experience
While there may be certain technical skills to learn depending on your sector, many of the abilities of a program coordinator can be learned on the job. That means it may be possible to land this position even with no experience. Here are some tips:
- Look for transferable skills: Highlight duties from previous positions that align with the program coordinator job and show how you would effectively make the transition
- Highlight soft skills: Qualities like strong organization, conflict resolution and communication can go a long way in proving you’re ready for the program coordinator role.
- Show an interest: Depending on how big the organization is, sometimes a fiery passion for the work can be enough to put you on the shortlist for an interview. Use the cover letter to show the hiring manager you’d give this job your all.
Basic mistakes in a program coordinator application letter (and how to avoid them)
- Spelling and grammar: Typos and overly complicated structure can dash your credibility and leave the hiring manager with the impression that you don’t pay attention to the details. Use spell check and ask a friend to proofread before submitting.
- Poor formatting: A sloppy page layout sends the message that you don’t take the position seriously. A simple, but clean design can go a long way in making you stand out as a professional. Consider using a cover letter template to make this task quick and easy.
- Generic cover letters: Customizing each cover letter for the duties of the role is one of the best things you can do to prove your interest. Let the job description guide your cover letter as you highlight the skills the employer cares about most.
Key takeaways
- A cover letter is a great place to convey your energy, passion and motivation for the programs you plan to coordinate.
- Add excitement to your introduction in order to hook the reader’s attention and keep them interested until the end of your letter.
- Check out our program coordinator cover letter sample for more ideas on creating a great page layout.
