Letter of Interest
A letter of interest to a company you want to work for when no job is advertised — why them, what you bring and a clear ask.
Details
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Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to express my interest in [the kind of role] roles at [company]. [why this company, specifically].
What I would bring:
[two to four specific things you would bring, one per line]
I would welcome [what you are asking for]. I have attached my resume, and I can be reached at [phone] or [email].
Thank you for your time.
What is a Letter of Interest?
A letter of interest is a short letter to a company you want to work for when it has not advertised a job that fits you. It says what kind of role you want, why that company, what you would bring and what you are asking for — usually a conversation. It puts your name in front of the person who hires before a vacancy is posted. Without one, you wait for the job ad, along with everyone else.
Job seekers send them to employers they admire, to small firms that rarely advertise, to companies that have just won a big contract or opened an office nearby, and to people they have met at an event. Career changers use them to explain a move that a job board's filters would screen out. Recent graduates send them to organizations that hire through referrals. The letter is also called a prospecting letter or an inquiry letter.
Conventions vary by country and by employer. In the US and Canada, keep it to one page and leave out your age, marital status and a photo, which employers generally prefer not to receive. In the UK the same letter is a speculative application, and in Australia you may see it called an expression of interest. Many larger employers ask for unsolicited applications through their careers site rather than by letter, so check there first. If you are writing to an employer in another country, check how applications are usually made there before you send.
A letter of interest is not an application for a specific job, and it does not oblige the company to reply or keep you in mind. If a matching vacancy is advertised later, apply for it properly with a cover letter. It is not a letter of intent, which in business sets out the proposed terms of a deal. The phrase is also used for letters about property, grants and college admission; those follow different conventions, and this template is for jobs.
What to put in a Letter of Interest
These are the details this template asks for. Anything left blank is marked in red on the preview so you can see what is still missing.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Your name | For example: Jordan Miller |
| Your address optional | For example: 42 Oak Street, Columbus, OH 43215 |
| Phone | For example: (614) 555-0142 |
| For example: jordan.miller@example.com | |
| Person you are writing to optional | Leave blank if you do not have a name |
| Their title optional | For example: Director of Operations |
| Company | For example: Northgate Logistics |
| Company address optional | For example: 500 Commerce Parkway, Columbus, OH 43219 |
| The kind of role you want | For example: operations and supply-chain planning |
| Why this company | For example: Your move to same-day delivery across central Ohio is the kind of operational challenge I… |
| What you would bring | One per line — two to four specific points |
| What you are asking for | For example: a short conversation about current or upcoming roles on your team |
How to write a Letter of Interest
Find a named person to write to
Address the letter to the person who leads the team you want to join, or to the hiring manager, not a general inbox. Look on the company website, LinkedIn or recent news coverage, and check the spelling of the name and the exact title. ‘Dear Ms. Alvarez’ reaches someone who can act on it; ‘To Whom It May Concern’ gets forwarded, if it is read at all.
Name the kind of role you want
Say in the opening paragraph what kind of work you are looking for and at what level: ‘a junior analyst role in your supply chain team’, not ‘any opportunity that may arise’. A clear target lets the reader pass your letter to the right manager and shows you know what you want. If you are open to more than one area, name them and say so.
Show why this company, specifically
Give a reason that could not be pasted into a letter to its competitor: a product you use, a project in the news, a market they have just entered, the way they approach something you care about. ‘I have followed your move into refurbished equipment since you announced it’ shows research; ‘I admire your innovative culture’ shows none. A few sentences are enough — this part proves the letter was written for them.
Prove what you would bring
Choose a few achievements that match what the team does, and give evidence for each: what you did, for whom, and what changed as a result. Figures from your own work help if they are accurate, but a concrete result without a number still beats a list of qualities. Link each one to a problem the company is likely to have, and keep the whole letter to one page.
Make a clear, modest ask
End with one specific request: a short conversation about current or future roles, or the name of the right person to speak to. Put your phone number and email beneath your name, and attach your resume. If there is no reply, follow up once after a week or two, politely, and then leave it. Before sending, check the company's name everywhere; a letter naming the wrong company ends there.
Common mistakes
- Sending the same letter to every company with only the name changed is obvious within a sentence and gets it deleted.
- Addressing it ‘To Whom It May Concern’ or to a general inbox means it may never reach anyone who can hire you.
- Ending with ‘I hope to hear from you’ instead of a clear request gives the reader nothing to say yes to, so they do nothing.
- Writing about what you want from the company rather than what you would bring gives a busy manager no reason to make time for you.
- Chasing repeatedly, or within days, turns a good first impression into an irritation and closes the door the letter opened.
Frequently asked questions
What is a letter of interest?
It is a letter to a company that has not advertised a suitable job, asking to be considered for current or future roles. It explains what kind of work you want, why that company, and what you would bring, and it ends with a specific request — usually a conversation. It is also called a prospecting or inquiry letter, and in the UK a speculative application.
What is the difference between a letter of interest and a cover letter?
A cover letter answers a specific advertised job: it matches you to the listed requirements and goes in with your application. A letter of interest is sent when no suitable job is advertised, so it has to explain what kind of role you want and why that company, and it asks for a conversation rather than an interview. If a matching vacancy opens later, apply with a cover letter.
How do I write a letter of interest for a job?
Find the name of the person who leads the team you want to join. Open with the kind of role you want, then give a specific reason for choosing that company. Add a few achievements, with evidence, that match their work, and end with a clear ask and your contact details. Keep it to one page, check every name, attach your resume, and follow up once after a week or two.
How long should a letter of interest be?
One page, and shorter is fine. The reader did not ask for it, so every sentence has to earn its place: a brief opening, a paragraph on why that company, a paragraph or two of evidence and a closing request. Detail beyond that belongs in your resume. If you send it by email, put the letter in the body of the message rather than only as an attachment.
Who should I address a letter of interest to?
The person who could hire you: the head of the team or department you want to join, or a hiring manager. In a small company that may be the owner. Find the name on the company website, in news coverage or through professional networks, and check the spelling and title. HR or recruiting is a fallback; a named person is always better than ‘To Whom It May Concern’.
This page explains general practice and is not legal advice. Requirements differ between countries and, in some cases, between states — check what applies where the document will be used.