You scan a job posting and everything looks standard (responsibilities and requirements, check; lots of jargon related to your field, check), until you come across the following: Please submit a resume and letter of intent.
That’s a phrase you’ve never seen before: “letter of intent.” Is it like a cover letter? Well, yes and no. There are plenty of similarities between the two, and also several differences.
While cover letters showcase both your interest in a company and your qualifications for a specific job, letters of intent primarily focus on the employer and why you want to work for them. Here’s everything you need to know about it, including tips for writing your letter and practical examples.
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What is a letter of intent?
A letter of intent, also known as letter of interest, is typically meant to state your intentions to work for a particular company. In it, you should elaborate on the reasons you're interested in working for that organization, and highlight some of your skills and experiences that may be valuable for them.
“I’ve seen an intent letter used usually when there’s not a specific job that a candidate is interested in applying for,” says Kaila Kea, a career coach at The Muse. So you’d probably write one if you’re submitting a general application to an organization you’re a major fan of that isn’t necessarily hiring for your dream job just yet.
A letter of intent can also come in handy when you do have a job opportunity in mind, but the company itself isn't quite sure about what they're looking for. They might have multiple open roles at the moment or simply be receptive to hearing where you think you'd be a better fit.
If you Google this term, you may come across some articles and videos about a letter of intent (LOI), which is a document used to legally formalize business transactions. Don't mix up a LOI with a letter of intent for a job—they are two entirely different things.
How does a letter of intent differ from a cover letter?
It can be easy to confuse these two, but the purpose of a letter of intent is slightly different.
“Intent letters tend to be more company focused—you’re talking a little more about the employer than the specific job,” Kea says. They’re also more general in terms of how you talk about your skill set. “On the flip side, the cover letter can be more job-focused, a little more position-oriented, because there’s a specific job that’s posted that you want to speak to,” she adds.
As a result, each type of letter requires a different approach. For example, says Kea, with a cover letter you might say, “I’m highly interested in a product manager role at [Company] for the following reasons,” while with a letter of intent you’re more likely to say something along the lines of, “I’m highly interested in a managerial role at [Company] for the following reasons.”
Going broader “gives you more wiggle room with what roles the employer may align you with,” says Kea. Rather than pigeonhole yourself, you allow the hiring manager to slot you into the best-fit scenario.
Letters of intent can also present themselves in situations outside the application process—for example, if you want to follow up after a job fair or a networking event. “There may not be a specific role listed that you’re interested in or that you can apply for at that time,” Kea says, but emailing a letter of intent is a great way to express interest in working for their organization one day.
Why do companies ask for letters of intent?
Companies ask for letters of intent mainly when they’re as torn about what they’re looking for as you might be. “In some cases, employers might have several jobs posted at once for one department or for one specific project,” Kea says. They may ask for a letter of intent because they’re not entirely sure what kind of person they need to fill the gaps in those departments.
Maybe they’ll end up hiring two senior-level managers, or they may be just as satisfied with one mid-level exec and one entry-level employee—depending on which people wow them in the application process.
Letters of intent are also frequently used to hire for contractors or freelancers who aren’t standard W2 employees, because if, for example, a contract falls through, companies can easily line up the next qualified candidate for the job. Put simply, a hiring manager most likely wants to widen their candidate pool, so they’re looking for anyone and everyone who shows an eagerness and passion for the company.
The type of letter can also vary across sectors. “In my experience, the more established organizations and private companies typically go with a cover letter,” says Kea, while letters of intent might present themselves at startups or nonprofits that are more mission-focused and growing at a greater rate.
“From a candidate perspective, if you’re asked to submit a letter of intent, that may mean that the company is newer, and that they’re trying to source talent in a different way,” she says.
What is in a letter of intent?
In terms of content, a letter of intent is quite personal—after all, you're expressing your interest in working for a company simply because of who they are, what they do, and/or what they stand for. However, when it comes to the letter of intent format, it basically resembles any professional email you've ever written. Here's how to structure it:
- Greeting or salutation: Since it's a professional communication, you can go with “Hello, [hiring manager name]”, “Dear, Mr./Ms. [hiring manager name]”, or anything similar. Avoid casual greetings, such as “Hey” or “Hi”.
- Introduction: Give some background information about yourself—including your name and your current degree or job title—and explain why you're contacting them. If you want to add a creative touch, you can start by sharing the story of how you first became aware of the company.
- Body: In the first paragraph following the introduction, discuss your interest in the company and what makes you want to work there. Then, include another paragraph to briefly highlight your skills, experience, and accomplishments.
- Call to action (optional): You can include a call to action in your closing paragraph. For example, thanking the hiring manager for their time and inviting them to reach out for further information or to discuss future job openings.
- Closing line: Go with one standard sign-off, such as “Best regards” or “Sincerely”. Similar to the salutation, you must keep it professional, avoiding casual language.
How to write a letter of intent: 5 tips
Here are five tips for writing a letter of intent that clearly demonstrates your interest in working for a company—and potentially can open some doors for you. For those who struggle with talking about themselves, it can be easier than writing a cover letter because, for most part, you're focusing on the potential employer.
1. Gather information about the company
First and foremost, if you haven't already, do your due diligence. You want to learn everything you can about the organization. Access their website and search for their mission, values, long-term goals, and initiatives. Check their social media to see how they communicate with their clients, customers, or the general public. This essential information will make your letter less generic and can serve as reasons why you're interested in working for them.
You should also do your best to find the hiring manager or recruite's name—LinkedIn is great for this—so you can address them directly. If you can't find it anywhere, start your letter with “Dear Hiring Manager”, for example. It's not ideal, but definitely better than “To whom it may concern.” (Seriously, here are 7 ways to address your letter that aren't “To whom it may concern.”)
2. Explain your interest in the company
A letter of intent is about the employer, so you want to express plenty of interest in the company itself. “A lot of people get really wrapped up in saying, ‘I’m the perfect person for this job, I want this job, I’m great for this job, hire me for this job,’” Kea says. “And there’s nothing wrong with that, but one of the things that makes an intent letter so successful is really showing that you identify with the company’s mission, their values, their goals.”
Letters of intent can also be more current. For example, rather than talk broadly about the company, you may mention something about them in the news or a recent update to their product.
You want to include “anything that would grab the attention of the employer and also show that you’re keeping up with what’s happening with that organization or in your industry,” she says. And, as with a great opening line to a cover letter, “it helps to capture their interest and encourage them to keep reading; that’s of course the goal.”
3. Share relevant information about yourself
If you’re struggling to come up with something specific about the company to discuss, then talk about something that’s engaging about yourself, says Kea. What makes you stand out? What unique skills, experiences, or passions do you bring to the table? And how do these align with what the company needs, given what you know about them?
Overall, you want to make it general enough that you’re showing interest in the company as a whole, “but also specific enough so that the employer walks away with at least one key takeaway from you and your skill set and what you can bring to this organization,” she says.
Let’s go back to the product manager versus managerial role example above. If you were to write a cover letter, says Kea, you’d probably try to speak to a particular product manager position.
So you would focus your letter on why you’d be good at that job—the experiences you have working on a product’s lifecycle, managing vendor relationships, and collaborating across teams, to name a few examples. You’d also want to make sure you’re addressing specific points in the job description.
But if you were writing a letter of intent, you’d instead want to focus on how you’d be great for a managerial role—whether it’s as a product manager or something else entirely. In this case, rather than mention your product manager experience, you might talk about how you led a team, managed expectations, or coordinated logistics for meetings.
You’re referencing specific skills, sure—and your resume is highlighting both sets of skills—but you’re tailoring your letter to what the hiring manager may be looking for.
4. Keep your letter concise
Hiring managers receive dozens, if not thousands, of emails daily. If you want them to read yours through to the end, you should keep it concise. Four to five paragraphs are more than enough space to introduce yourself, highlight what about that company interests you, and how your career goals and specific skills align with their mission or values.
5. Write a clear and direct subject line
Crafting a good subject line can sometimes be the most difficult part of sending an email. After all, it's the first thing the receiver will see, and it can determine if they're going to open it or not. Since you don't want your letter of intent to be confused with a spam email, write a clear and direct subject line. Something simple, such as “Introduction — [Your Name]”, works perfectly fine.
Examples of letters of intent
Now that you've learned the theory, let's see some letter of intent examples to make the tips less abstract.
Sample letter of intent: If you're a senior-level candidate
Let’s say you’re an experienced designer and product manager looking to join a startup in some capacity. You do some digging to figure out who to address your letter to, and discover that the head of the product department is named Caroline Coffman.
You might send her the following:
Dear Caroline Coffman,
When I was 10, my brother fainted while waiting to ride a rollercoaster at Six Flags. It was an incredibly hot day, and we’d been in line for an hour.
I don’t remember anything else about that day—what other rides we took, what we ate, even who exactly we were with—but I distinctly remember the feeling of wanting to know why. Why did this happen? Why did we have to wait in such long lines? Why hasn’t anyone come up with a solution to the problem of overcrowded amusement parks?
It’s for this reason that I’m thrilled to apply to work on the product and design team at Rydes. Not only does your mission of revolutionizing and adding efficiency to theme parks spark my curiosity and eagerness to fix things, it also reminds me of the bigger picture: that you should leave an amusement park, or any family outing for that matter, with fonder memories than your sibling passing out. Your latest product update featured in Forbes around waiting times on lines especially spoke to me and further encouraged me to write this letter.
A little bit about me: I majored in design and applied arts because I wanted to be self-sufficient in how I solved problems, and because I enjoyed working with my hands as well as my mind. I took on a role as associate UX designer at a small startup because I was fascinated with making websites that were seamless and free of obstacles.
Then, I shifted to a product manager position at a larger company because I realized how much I liked collaborating across departments and working with various experts to brainstorm ideas and solutions. To me, the most rewarding part of my day is helping my team members be productive, feel motivated, and achieve their goals. With this experience and skill set, I’m ready to leap back into the startup world and work for a company whose ambitions align with my own.
I want to thank you for considering me to join this fantastic team of innovators and creatives, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Jack Williams
Sample letter of intent: If you're an entry-level candidate
Let's say you've recently graduated from school with a major in mass communications. Now, you're eager to join an established communications company that operates many different ventures, such as television, physical and digital magazines and newspapers, and a streaming service. Here's a letter of intent example for this specific situation:
Dear Megan Smith,
My name is Clara Johnson. I'm a graduate in mass communication from NYC University, and I'm writing to express my interest in working at XY.
As a child, I used to wake up for the XYTV kids' segment at 10 am. As a teenager, my interest shifted to your afternoon roundtables about lifestyle, fashion, and celebrities. Now, as an adult and recent mass communications graduate, I admire your journalists on XYTV News at 9 pm and the amazing editorial work on your website.
XY has been a part of my life since early childhood and inspired me to study mass communication. I admire XY's past, which was the blueprint for what many communications companies in the country do today, and your ability to reinvent, capturing the attention of all generations. As a creative person, I identify with your passion for exploring new ventures and your mission to keep revolutionizing journalism and entertainment.
I majored in mass communication because I loved the idea of creating something that would reach and impact people's lives, whether it was a piece, a commercial, or a short film. During my time at NYC University, I took advantage of all the practical classes to develop writing and editing skills, filmmaking, and content creation.
I was also one of the hosts of the course's podcast as part of a project for the radio and TV class. Besides presenting the podcast, I was responsible for searching relevant topics to explore, people to interview, and scriptwriting. Through this project, I developed strong communication skills, a sense of urgency, critical thinking, and teamwork. With this set of skills, I believe I am ready for my first work experience and would love the opportunity to work at XY.
Thank you for taking the time to read this email and consider me to be a part of the XY team. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Clara Johnson
Letter of intent template
Not quite there yet? Here's a template to help you master the structure and guide you through writing your own letter:
Dear [Hiring manager name],
[Introduction: Introduce yourself or your relationship with the company]
[Paragraph 1: Talk about your interest in the company and why]
[Paragraph 2: Discuss what you admire in the company's history or values]
[Paragraph 3: Talk about yourself, your qualifications, skills, and experiences]
[Paragraph 4: Explain how your skills and experiences relate with the company]
[Paragraph 5: Thank them for their time and/or make a call to action]
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Letter of intent FAQs
How serious is a letter of intent?
A letter of intent is all about you approaching a potential employer to express your interest in working for them. Thus, it is a professional communication. If you decide to write one, take it seriously—research the company, keep a professional tone, and double-check for grammar and spelling mistakes. Overall, strive to make a positive first impression.
How do you start a letter of intent?
You can start a letter of intent in two different ways: 1) Introduce yourself, stating your job title or degree, and explain why you are reaching out. 2) Begin by narrating how you met the company, perhaps sharing a memorable experience, and then introduce yourself.
Now that you have all the information you need to understand exactly what is—and how to write—a letter of intent, you can confidently consider this new form of applying the next time you set your eyes on your dream company.
Amanda Cardoso contributed to the latest version of this article.