As a consultant, you’re a natural problem solver. You apply your experience to understand complex situations and deliver strategies to achieve objectives. Similarly, adopting a tactical approach to creating your cover letter, will make this more compelling.
Your consulting CV will deal with the business side of your job search, so the cover letter should be more behaviourally led. Influencing those around you is a crucial skill for any consultant, so a free-flowing cover letter is an ideal place to showcase your range of soft skills.
How can you create a job-winning consulting cover letter? By embracing your strategic approach and using our expert guide to project your passion and professionalism.
Consulting full text-only cover letter example
Dear Mrs Blackman,
I am writing to express my interest in contributing my skills to Morgan Consulting as a Consulting Associate. Having served as a dedicated Junior Consultant at Rodman Consultancy for several years, I am eager to leverage my proven track record and passion for business development to help to drive growth for your clients.
Throughout my time at Rodman, I have consistently provided strategic insights and data-driven solutions through collaborative teamwork in the telecommunications department. I have demonstrated this on a range of projects, using and improving my analytical abilities, communication skills, and client relationship management.
One of the highlights of my career was working with a client whose revenue had been stagnant at £9 million for several years. My audit and roadmap helped them to break this pattern and start consistently bringing in seven figures of revenue per month. I accomplished this by working with the COO to streamline their sales process, increase their average customer spend and frequency, and build strategic partnerships with businesses in the sector that offer complementary services.
I am particularly drawn to Morgan Consulting's unique approach in using robust data analysis and complementing it with a relationships-first approach. This has characterised my philosophy over the last few years in my current role. My expertise in market research and analysis has positioned me as the go-to in my current team for the discovery phase of client projects. However, it is my ability to create and maintain relationships that have allowed me to increase my team’s client retention by 25% during my time here.
I hope you will agree that my passion and skills would be an excellent fit for Morgan Consulting. I would be delighted to further discuss how I could help to make an impact in this role on your team.
Sincerely,
Kate Merryweather
Sections of a consulting cover letter
Consultants understand the importance of structure and how this influences decision-making. The format for a consulting cover letter is no different. Here are the key elements you need:
- Cover letter header. Project your professionalism with an attractive header, including your name, contact details, and main job title.
- Greeting. Address the hiring manager by name as this is more personalised. Check the job description or make a quick call to the company to find out the details.
- Introduction. Spark the reader's attention with a captivating opening to your consulting cover letter that hints at why you’ll be a perfect addition to the team.
- Body. Think of this as the jewel in your consulting crown. Every client wants to know what you have done and what you have achieved. Most importantly, can you bring this same success to their organisation?
- Conclusion. Wrap up your cover letter with a summary of your qualifications and reiterate your interest in the consulting role. Don’t forget a polite call to action.
- Signature. End with a professional goodbye, including your name.
Each section plays a part in contributing toward the development of a compelling and professional summary of your consulting assignments.
Avoid the temptation of listing all your experience and career highlights. Whet the appetite of the employer, rather than drown them in detail. Aim for a short and snappy one-page cover letter that compliments your CV and includes details of some standout consulting projects.
Looking for some inspiration? View our library of unique cover letters, including the following related cover letter consulting examples:
If you need more general information and details covering each section, view our article on how to write a cover letter.
Once you’ve perfected your header and addressed the hiring manager, it’s time to move on and create a captivating introduction.
Introduction of a consulting cover letter
Every consultant knows the importance of grabbing their audience’s attention with a compelling early message.
If you know the value that you can add to your future employer, start your consulting cover letter with your strongest and most relevant story.
Dear Ms. Bell,
I am writing to express my strong interest in the Management Consultant role with Morgan Parker. Having led transformational projects and delivered cutting-edge solutions for FTSE 100 clients for several years, I am eager to leverage my proven track record to help drive growth for your clients.
Dear Sir or Madam
I am writing to inform you of my interest in the advertised consulting role with your firm. I consider myself to have the ideal blend of skills and experience to excel in this role and would prove an asset to the team.
Pick the story that you start with carefully. It should be something that few other candidates will be able to tell. You might think that going with a common story of success is a good idea, but opting for unique achievements will make your experience seem so much deeper.
Adopting this approach will send a message to the employer that you’re committed to delivering the same results if appointed. If you can quickly present yourself as the answer to their problems, they will be motivated to read on and learn more about you.
Dear Mrs Blackman,
I am writing to express my interest in contributing my skills to Morgan Consulting as a Consulting Associate. Having served as a dedicated Junior Consultant at Rodman Consultancy for several years, I am eager to leverage my proven track record and passion for business development to help to drive growth for your clients.
Consulting cover letter body
In the body of your cover letter, follow a clear template:
- Highlight your consulting skills and experience
- Demonstrate your knowledge of team culture, whether you’re applying for a consulting role with a SME or a major multinational
- Wrap up with a strong conclusion
- End with a persuasive call to action that compels the hiring manager to contact you
First body paragraph
Create a powerful first body paragraph by blending your consulting achievements with your personality and motivations. It’s essential to show you understand the demands of the role, so make sure that every sentence speaks to how you will solve problems and provide added value.
Here’s how you can present your skills and experiences in the best possible light:
- Highlight your project management skills. Juggling multiple tasks concurrently to high-quality standards are the attributes of a great consultant. Provide examples of how you’ve delivered full lifecycle management across successful consultancy projects.
- Emphasise your strategic approach. Outline your strengths in building strategies and tactical plans to achieve challenging client goals and objectives.
- Communication. Highlight your strong communication skills in action, including success communicating with cross-functional teams and engaging with key stakeholders.
- Showcase your industry knowledge. Demonstrating an understanding of company products, market position, opportunities, and threats will help you stand out.
- Motivational leadership. Detail specific examples of how you have motivated multidisciplinary teams to achieve results and supported skill development.
Don’t worry if you lack consulting experience
Many experienced professionals move into a consulting role at some point in their careers. If you don’t have significant consulting experience, don’t fret. If you can prove your project management experience and strong industry expertise, you’ll have every chance of success.
Here are some areas to focus on in your consultant cover letter if you have no experience:
- Focus on your management and influencing skills. Consultants work with a wide range of people to achieve objectives, so project management experience is important.
- If you’re moving from a permanent role to consulting, share some of your motivations. Employers need to understand why you are making this move.
Second body paragraph
Connecting with an employer via your cover letter is critical. Research mission statements and company culture, then communicate what aspects resonate so you can build rapport.
Tailoring your cover letter to each consulting role is a great way to send the message that you fully understand the company and its needs.
In this example from McKinsey & Company, some key points that can be taken from their mission and values include:
- Help clients make distinctive, lasting, and substantial improvements in their performance
- Build a great firm that attracts, develops, excites, and retains exceptional people
- Adhere to the highest professional standards
Harnessing information from the mission statement can help your application hit the right note. For this example, referencing a key project that demonstrates your client-focused approach and the positive results you achieved will align your passion with company goals.
Throughout my time at Rodman, I have consistently provided strategic insights and data-driven solutions through collaborative teamwork in the telecommunications department. I have demonstrated this on a range of projects, using and improving my analytical abilities, communication skills, and client relationship management.
One of the highlights of my career was working with a client whose revenue had been stagnant at £9 million for several years. My audit and roadmap helped them to break this pattern and start consistently bringing in seven figures of revenue per month. I accomplished this by working with the COO to streamline their sales process, increase their average customer spend and frequency, and build strategic partnerships with businesses in the sector that offer complementary services.
I am particularly drawn to Morgan Consulting's unique approach in using robust data analysis and complementing it with a relationships-first approach. This has characterised my philosophy over the last few years in my current role. My expertise in market research and analysis has positioned me as the go-to in my current team for the discovery phase of client projects. However, it is my ability to create and maintain relationships that have allowed me to increase my team’s client retention by 25% during my time here.
Call to action & conclusion
The closing paragraph of your letter is just as important as your introduction. This is your opportunity to secure full buy-in from the recruiter with a compelling end to your cover letter.
Highlight how your unique skills and experience can add value to the team and contribute toward the company’s ongoing success.
Make sure to thank the employer for reviewing your application. This shows you respect their time and may improve your chances of an interview.
End with a proactive call to action. Mention your curiosity to find out more about the role as this will hopefully prompt the hiring manager to invite you to an interview.
I hope you will agree that my passion and skills would be an excellent fit for Morgan Consulting. I would be delighted to further discuss how I could help to make an impact in this role on your team.
Sincerely,
Kate Merryweather
Sign off with a professional closing, such as ‘Sincerely.’ Remember to proofread your letter and ensure that it is error-free and polished.
Key takeaways
If you’re looking for your dream consultant job, you need to highlight your strategic vision, stellar project management capabilities, and strong communication skills.
A cover letter is the perfect place to tell your personal story or your journey as a consultant. Numbers, statistics, recognition, and awards all help build your credibility and make you stand out in the hiring manager’s mind.
Try our cover letter builder to commit your professional consultancy career story to paper and boost your job interview prospects!
