Anyone working in IT needs to be able to translate their tech skills to a broader audience. Writing proficiency may not be at the top of the job description, but when it comes to selling your ideas — and yourself — to others, the ability to put across a compelling case can unlock the path to technological advances. Especially if you are a senior hire.
Writing an IT cover letter is a moment when a technology professional seizes the moment to take stock of their career and chart a new path. Which of your technology successes will you use to prove your potential? How will you share your personality and motivations? Which career stories will you choose to tell, and will you fit into the culture of your future employer? An IT cover letter should be so much more than a list of your accomplishments – it needs to be a deeply personal plea. “I really want the job. Would you like to chat about it?”
At Resume.io, we can help you to create a cover letter that will impress any technologically minded hiring manager. We will consider:
- The best format for an IT cover letter
- Which parts of your technology story to include
- Which stories to include from your IT career
- Writing an IT cover letter with no experience.
You might think that your IT accomplishments speak for themselves. Think again. It is how you got to those achievements that truly matters. Behavioural questions will form the meat of your interview and it is these conversations that you should begin in the cover letter.
Some of our related technology cover letter examples may offer inspiration:
Best format for an IT cover letter
IT professionals understand the importance of structure. When they are designing any system, there is a certain order to operations. It is the same for a sales pitch — your IT cover letter should contain a familiar flow for any hiring manager. Don’t be tempted to explore any clever tricks –— stick to this typical structure and let your story do the work:
- 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
An IT cover letter should go beyond the factual nature of a CV. Share some of your personality, your motivations for the specific role and hint that you know that you will be a good cultural fit for the team. It is difficult to tailor a CV to each specific role, so hiring managers expect a cover letter to be written only for them. If there is a hint of irrelevance or generic stories, they will sense that you aren’t that interested in the role.
The cover letter should be no longer than one page, so take care to pick the right stories. Don’t share achievements that everyone else will be able to talk about. At this early stage you have to stand out to gain the chance of an interview. That is the name of the game.
We share some further advice in our comprehensive cover letter guide. Our IT cover letter example may also offer some ideas:
Dear Ms Thames,
I am writing to express my strong interest in the IT assistant role at Walthamstow Primary School. I have five years’ experience automating sensitive IT processes for small and large businesses, including setting up and maintaining cloud servers. I believe I would be well-prepared to contribute my expertise to your team and support the school's IT needs.
In my previous role as an IT assistant at Franklin Information Technology, I had the privilege of consulting with various clients on the most effective strategies to manage data security. This experience allowed me to develop a deep understanding of data protection and IT infrastructure management.
One of the key skills you have noted as being essential for the IT assistant position at Walthamstow Primary is the ability to set up and maintain a cloud server. This is a task I have successfully undertaken in the past. At Franklins, I was responsible for setting up cloud servers for both small and large businesses that handled sensitive data. Additionally, I implemented an automated maintenance system for these servers, ensuring their optimal performance and security.
One of my most notable achievements was saving the majority of onboarded clients 50% of their annual budget for cloud server management by implementing an efficient automation process. This not only showcased my technical proficiency but also my ability to find cost-effective solutions to IT challenges.
I am excited about the opportunity to bring my experience and skills to Walthamstow Primary and contribute to the school's IT infrastructure. I am confident that my background in data security and cloud server management aligns well with the requirements of this role. I look forward to the possibility of discussing my expertise in an interview.
Sincerely,
Maddie Porter
Cover letter header
The header of an IT cover letter should be clean and simple. Of course, there should be some sort of attractive design (what IT person wouldn’t know how to do that?), but keep it space efficient and plain. Include your full name, contact email and mobile number.
There is no need to include your full home address and definitely no need to put down the inside address of the employer. This is valuable space that you could put to better use.
Cover letter greeting
The greeting of the cover letter shouldn’t pose too many problems. Opt for the formal “Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Surname” and you won’t go far wrong.
If the name of the hiring manager is not on the job description, consider phoning the company to find out the HR representative or head of department. This will show the crucial initiative that will be so important in your role. “Dear company team” is a warm alternative if you do not know to whom to address the letter.
Cover letter introduction
Technology jobs are always competitive, so lead with a relevant and compelling story of success. Try to share something that other candidates will not be able to boast. Study the job description and consider which projects are on the horizon for this particular employer — get ahead of the game by pre-empting their questions.
A technology introduction should get straight into the industry jargon. Your cover letter should sound like you speak at work, so don’t be too fluffy or conversational.
A last important aspect of the introduction is to consider mentioning any motivations for the role. IT is a tough job sometimes, so shedding a light on any personal motivations can humanise your application and allow the hiring manager to empathise with you.
Dear Ms Thames,
I am writing to express my strong interest in the IT assistant role at Walthamstow Primary School. I have five years’ experience automating sensitive IT processes for small and large businesses, including setting up and maintaining cloud servers. I believe I would be well-prepared to contribute my expertise to your team and support the school's IT needs.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The middle part of an IT cover letter needs to explore your career motivations and how you go about your work. You will be doing different projects with your future employer, so this behavioural evidence is important to show that you can perform. Go beyond what you have shared on your CV – make it about the how as well as the what.
Include the financial impact of your work where possible. Have there been operational efficiencies because of your work? How do you measure your success and impact on the business? IT is a great function for having a wide impact on the business, so share your successes with pride.
In my previous role as an IT assistant at Franklin Information Technology, I had the privilege of consulting with various clients on the most effective strategies to manage data security. This experience allowed me to develop a deep understanding of data protection and IT infrastructure management.
One of the key skills you have noted as being essential for the IT assistant position at Walthamstow Primary is the ability to set up and maintain a cloud server. This is a task I have successfully undertaken in the past. At Franklins, I was responsible for setting up cloud servers for both small and large businesses that handled sensitive data. Additionally, I implemented an automated maintenance system for these servers, ensuring their optimal performance and security.
One of my most notable achievements was saving the majority of onboarded clients 50% of their annual budget for cloud server management by implementing an efficient automation process. This not only showcased my technical proficiency but also my ability to find cost-effective solutions to IT challenges.
How to close an IT cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
Close the IT cover letter with a sense of certainty that you can make a difference to your employer. Are you truly going to make a difference to their technology processes? End with one last note about a positive contribution.
Every IT applicant will undoubtedly be curious about how the role will fit into their future organisation, so stating that you are looking forward to finding out more during an interview is perfectly natural. This call to action will hopefully prompt the employer to invite you to an interview. If you are good at your role, you won’t be on the job market for long.
I am excited about the opportunity to bring my experience and skills to Walthamstow Primary and contribute to the school's IT infrastructure. I am confident that my background in data security and cloud server management aligns well with the requirements of this role. I look forward to the possibility of discussing my expertise in an interview.
Sincerely,
Maddie Porter
IT cover letter with no experience
While it is likely that you will have significant technology experience before you move into an IT-specific role, it may be that you have had several remits. Different companies will expect different things from an IT professional, but don’t worry if your experience is different from the demands of the job description.
- Where are the links between what you have done and what will be expected from you in your future role? Show that you are aware if there is a mismatch.
- Acknowledge your gaps and show that you have a track record of picking up new skills quickly. Hopefully, your education section is bulging with certifications.
Key takeaways
- Make the cover letter a mix of professional and personal qualities.
- Keep it professional and share the details of your qualifications.
- Think about the culture of the company that you will be joining.
- Decide on an attractive layout with our cover letter templates.
