‘Wait till they hear my voice,’ is all you can think about when applying for a new podcast series gig that you're perfect for. To better your chances of landing a recording session, don’t overlook the pitch-perfect impression you could make first in a voice actor cover letter that resonates.
Resume.io has years of global experience helping job seekers speak up for themselves at every hiring stage. Our tips and tools include more than 180 occupation-specific cover letter examples and writing guides.
For vocally talented professionals like you, we’ve created this guide to being heard in a job-winning cover letter. With reference throughout to a voice actor cover letter example, we’ll take you through these steps:
- The best format for creating your voice actor cover letter
- Striking a responsive chord in each cover letter section: header, greeting, introduction, body, and conclusion
- Sidestepping common cover letter mistakes
Best format for a voice actor cover letter
Your voice actor cover letter enables you to personally connect with casting directors in a “written audition” — a unique opportunity to speak from your own script. And like all scripted projects, cover letters have a structure.
It’s a straightforward format, following this outline of parts:
- Cover letter header
- Cover letter greeting
- Cover letter introduction
- Cover letter middle part (body)
- Cover letter closing.
The ground rules for writing your voice actor cover letter are also simple. It’s all about doing busy recruiters a favor by keeping it:
- Short — no more than 400 words on one page
- Reader-friendly — clean and uncluttered, with legible fonts and ample white space
- Tailored to the specific voice actor position, employer and industry
Here is an adaptable voice actor cover letter example to help you write your own.
Dear Mr. Larnsby,
Having taken part in over 70 commercials as a voice-over artist and with voice-acting credits in 20+ animated features and over 20 documentaries, the last five years of voice-acting experience have been just as enjoyable as my early career on the stage.
When your voice is your medium, control is key, but you cannot move too far beyond your natural range. I mainly voice young adults, with an ability to incorporate over 30 regional and national accents into my work. When I voice a piece of content, I use the skills learned in my drama degree to become the character.
My natural history documentary work was particularly enjoyable as this is a passion of mine. Your roster of documentary clients is impressive, and I have worked with a couple of them in my previous roles. When you stand in the voice-over booth for a documentary, you need to be able to imagine yourself in the thick of the action. I have traveled to over 15 filming locations during my career – I strive to be as close to the filming as possible.
Living next to a professional recording studio, I have 24-hour access to the sound booth and can take on any last-minute requirements. It is important to be responsive as a voice artist.
I enclose a link to my voice-over portfolio, with some of my previous projects that are most suited to the sort of work that I may be taking on at Playback. I look forward to the opportunity of an interview to showcase my vocal abilities and find out more about your requirements.
Sincerely,
Wendy Calling
Need more inspiration and ideas? Check out these cover letter examples and writing guides:
Cover letter header
The cover letter header is a personal branding element that sets your job application apart, so give some thought to a design that’s distinctly eye-pleasing. Reinforce the visual impact with a matching resume header.
These are the identifiers that recruiters will notice first, and revisit when they want to contact you: your name, occupation, phone number, and email. Add links to your professional website, social media profiles, and audio portfolio content.
Goal of the cover letter header: create a striking visual impression off the top by prominently displaying your name and contact information, so recruiters can easily remember and reach you.
Cover letter greeting
The sound of our own name is music to our ears. That’s why a cover letter greeting should always address someone on the receiving end by name — ideally the hiring decision-maker. If no one is identified in the job posting, do some sleuthing online or make a phone call. Then, simply address the recipient as “Dear <Dr.> <Mr.> <Ms.> Surname.”
If your name search hits a wall, find a way to address the most likely recruiter or hiring team along these lines: “Dear ‘Cinderella’ Casting Director” or “Dear ‘Spare’ Audiobook Producers.” Don’t even think about the outdated and impersonal “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To Whom it May Concern.”
Goal of the cover letter greeting: form a professional but personal connection by addressing the voice actor recruiter by name.
Cover letter introduction
Why was this voice actor role made for you and vice versa? Start off strong by saying so in the opening lines of your cover letter. Just a hint of background is enough; don’t reveal too much yet. Only if casting directors are intrigued from the get-go will they be inclined to keep reading and learn more about you.
Strive not to sound like anyone else with the same ambitions. Your own authentic voice must come across as confident, energetic, and engaging… even a touch dramatic. You’re an acting pro, after all.
Boring and meaningless cover letter lead sentences are the bane of every recruiter. Cue up the “door slam of doom” sound effect when space-wasters like these appear:
“I am writing to express my interest in the voice actor position with your production company”
“I believe that I am an excellent candidate for thIs position.”
Goal of the cover letter introduction: appeal to the employer’s hiring needs by emphasizing mutual compatibility for the voice actor role.
Here’s the greeting and introduction from our voice actor cover letter sample.
Dear Mr. Larnsby,
Having taken part in over 70 commercials as a voice-over artist and with voice-acting credits in 20+ animated features and over 20 documentaries, the last five years of voice-acting experience have been just as enjoyable as my early career on the stage.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The cover letter body paragraphs reinforce your introductory pitch for being right for this voice actor role. Personalize your professional success story with a relatable anecdote or two. Incorporate facts and figures for context — perhaps related to project scope and budget, production hurdles, audience response, or peer accolades.
The more extensive your work experience, the more selective you must be in hitting only the high notes. Showcasing your most relevant achievements from the hiring team’s standpoint will convey your potential value to this employer.
Pinpoint the talents and personality traits that make you an exceptional voice actor — enunciation, characterization, accents, versatility, emotional range, sense of humor, and passion.
Goal of the cover letter body: build the recruiter’s confidence in your most highly sought voice acting abilities.
This voice actor cover letter sample illustrates what you might include in the middle part.
When your voice is your medium, control is key, but you cannot move too far beyond your natural range. I mainly voice young adults, with an ability to incorporate over 30 regional and national accents into my work. When I voice a piece of content, I use the skills learned in my drama degree to become the character.
My natural history documentary work was particularly enjoyable as this is a passion of mine. Your roster of documentary clients is impressive, and I have worked with a couple of them in my previous roles. When you stand in the voice-over booth for a documentary, you need to be able to imagine yourself in the thick of the action. I have traveled to over 15 filming locations during my career – I strive to be as close to the filming as possible.
Living next to a professional recording studio, I have 24-hour access to the sound booth and can take on any last-minute requirements. It is important to be responsive as a voice artist.
How to close a voice actor cover letter
It’s time to leave your audience wanting more. The end of your cover letter needs a call to action. That can be any implication of the next steps you look forward to — an interview, audition, phone call, or Zoom chat. While your ego is healthy enough to handle rejection, sound confident that won’t happen.
Add a word of thanks for considering your application, plus a reminder of why your vocal talents are a perfect match.
Finally, close with a professional sign-off. Your full name below “Sincerely,” or “Best regards” is all it takes.
Aim of the cover letter closing: end on a confident note with a call to action that prompts a response.
Below is the closing section of our voice actor cover letter example.
I enclose a link to my voice-over portfolio, with some of my previous projects that are most suited to the sort of work that I may be taking on at Playback. I look forward to the opportunity of an interview to showcase my vocal abilities and find out more about your requirements.
Sincerely,
Wendy Calling
Basic mistakes in a voice actor application letter and how to avoid them
Not stumbling over your words is something you’ve mastered as a voice actor. Because the ins and outs of writing a failsafe cover letter are much less familiar, we’ve put together this list of common stumbling blocks to avoid.
- E-blasting the same generic letter to the employer masses, instead of customizing and personalizing a different version for each job application
- An impersonal voice and tone, with no sense of passion or purpose
- Lazy, convoluted, or contrived language, unedited for conciseness and clarity
- Recycling the same words or ideas
- Duplication of resume content and wording
- Failure to proofread for typos, spelling mistakes and grammatical goofs
- Ill-conceived layout and design choices that compromise legibility
No time or patience to fuss with document layout, design, and formatting details? Resume.io has you covered with an extensive collection of stylish, field-tested cover letter templates. Download your selection and make it your own using our cover letter builder tool.
Key takeaways
- A voice actor cover letter is like a written audition, where casting directors can hear you speak from your own script on a personal level.
- Every cover letter you write should be custom-tailored to the specific job requirements, with content and language that are compatible with the employer and industry.
- Each cover letter section plays a part in expressing the personality and passion behind your voice acting talents.
- No retakes are possible after sending your cover letter, so take every precaution to catch and correct slip-ups.
