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Free letter of interest template

A letter of interest goes to a company that has not advertised a job you want. In about 250 words it says why you chose them, what you offer and asks for a short conversation, not a job. Fill in the form and your letter is written as you type, ready to send as a free PDF or email.

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Your letter of interest

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Recipient

A named person gets far more replies than "Hiring Manager".

Your letter

It follows "a place for me in…", for example "graphic design" or "supply chain planning".

A referral, something they launched, or a reason you admire their work. This becomes the opening line.

Asking for a conversation, not a job, is easier to say yes to.

Wording

Happy with the details? You can change the wording itself before you download.

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Design: Minimal

Your letter runs onto a second page. Most letters fit on one; try trimming a paragraph.

Free PDF download with a free account. No watermark.

What to include in a letter of interest

Nobody asked for this letter, so it has to earn the reader’s attention quickly and make replying easy.

  • A named person. Find the manager of the team you want to join. A letter to a real name is far more likely to be read.
  • A reason to read on. Open with your connection: a referral, a product you use, a project of theirs you admire.
  • The kind of work you want. Be specific enough to be useful ("supply chain planning"), but not so narrow that one job title rules you out.
  • What you offer. Two or three sentences on your experience and skills, in the language of their business.
  • One result. Something you did and what changed because of it. A number makes it stick.
  • A small, clear request. A short call or a meeting, not a job. Say when you will follow up, then do it.

Why letters of interest work

Many jobs are filled before they are ever advertised: a manager mentions a gap, someone suggests a person they know, and the role is filled without an ad. A good letter of interest puts you in that conversation early. Even when there is nothing open, a manager who has met you is likely to remember you when a role does come up.

It also works well for small companies, which often do not have an HR team or a careers page, and for career changers, who can explain their move in a way an online application form does not allow.

How to send it

  1. Pick a short list. Five companies you have researched beat fifty you have not. Write a fresh opening for each one.
  2. Email it. Use "Copy as text" to paste it into the body of the email and attach your resume as a PDF. A subject line like "Front-end developer: introduction" works well.
  3. Keep a simple log of who you wrote to, when, and when to follow up.
  4. Follow up once after about a week, in two or three lines.
  5. If they say yes to a call, treat it as a chance to learn: ask about the team, its plans and the skills they need. Do not push for a job on the call.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Sending the same letter to everyone. A generic opening is obvious and usually ignored.
  • Asking for "any job". It makes you hard to place. Name the kind of work you want.
  • Writing your life story. Your resume has the details. Keep the letter to one page, ideally less.
  • Getting the name or company wrong. Check spellings twice before you send.

Letter of interest examples

Six situations, from a developer writing to a startup to an accountant returning after a career break. Load one into the tool and change the details.

Developer writing to a startup they use

Opens with a genuine connection to the product and asks for a 15-minute call.

Letter of interest: front-end development

Dear Rachel Kim,

I have used Ledgerline’s budgeting app for my freelance work since the beta, and your recent post on rebuilding the invoice screen for screen-reader users prompted this letter. I am writing to ask whether Ledgerline might have a place for me in front-end development, now or in the coming months.

I have four years of experience building accessible web apps in React and TypeScript, most recently for a payments startup where I owned the customer dashboard.

Last year I rebuilt our checkout page, which cut load time in half and raised completed payments by 12%.

I know you may not have an opening at the moment, and I am not asking for one. I would value a 15-minute call to learn how your team works and where someone with my skills might fit. I will follow up by email in about a week.

Thank you for your time and for reading my letter.

Sincerely,
Leah Okafor

Why it works: The opening proves real interest, and the result is the kind of thing a product team cares about.

Designer to a creative agency

Points to a portfolio and asks for a meeting.

Letter of interest: brand and packaging design

Dear Jess Morgan,

Your packaging for local food producers, especially the Hearth Bakery range, is the kind of work I most want to do. I am writing to ask whether Northfold Studio might have a place for me in brand and packaging design, now or in the coming months.

I have spent three years designing packaging and labels for an in-house team at a regional coffee roaster, taking products from sketch to print.

My redesign of our retail bag helped get the coffee into 40 new grocery stores in its first year.

Would you be open to a short meeting or video call in the next few weeks? I would like to hear about your plans for the team and tell you a little more about my work. I will follow up by email in about a week.

Thank you for your time and for reading my letter.

Sincerely,
Tomás Silva

Why it works: It is short, links to the work, and names the agency’s kind of clients rather than flattering it.

Recent graduate to a nonprofit

For a new graduate with volunteer experience and no advertised job to apply for.

Letter of interest: program coordination

Dear David Park,

I volunteered as a reading tutor with Open Pages during my final two years at Temple University. I am writing to ask whether Open Pages Literacy might have a place for me in program coordination, now or in the coming months.

I graduated in May with a B.A. in Education Studies. Alongside tutoring, I managed the sign-up sheet and schedule for 30 volunteers in our campus chapter.

I set up a simple reminder system for tutors that cut missed sessions from about one in five to one in twenty over a semester.

I know you may not have an opening at the moment, and I am not asking for one. I would value a 15-minute call to learn how your team works and where someone with my skills might fit. I will follow up by email in about a week.

Thank you for your time and for reading my letter.

Sincerely,
Grace Mensah

Why it works: It leans on volunteering and a concrete project, which is the strongest evidence a new graduate has.

Teacher moving into instructional design

A career changer explains how their experience transfers.

Letter of interest: instructional design

Dear Andre Lewis,

I am writing to ask whether Brightpath Learning might have a place for me in instructional design, now or in the coming months.

I have taught for eight years and recently completed a certificate in instructional design. I plan lessons around clear goals, test what works, and rewrite what does not, which is much of what your course designers do.

I designed a self-paced writing course in our school’s learning platform that 300 students have now completed, with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5.

Would you be open to a short meeting or video call in the next few weeks? I would like to hear about your plans for the team and tell you a little more about my work. I will follow up by email in about a week.

Thank you for your time and for reading my letter.

Sincerely,
Rebecca Holt

Why it works: It translates classroom work into the employer’s language and backs it with a finished course.

Accountant returning after a career break

Asks the firm to keep a resume on file for future openings.

Letter of interest: tax preparation and small-business accounting

Dear Linda Shaw,

A colleague from my previous firm told me you have been growing your small-business practice. I am writing to ask whether Shaw & Ortega CPAs might have a place for me in tax preparation and small-business accounting, now or in the coming months.

I am a licensed CPA with six years of experience at a regional firm. I took three years out to care for my young children and am now ready to return, part time or full time. I have kept my license current with continuing education each year.

Before my break I managed a portfolio of 45 small-business clients and kept every one of them through two tax seasons.

I understand there may be nothing suitable open right now. If so, I would be grateful if you kept my resume on file and let me know when a role like this comes up. My resume is attached.

Thank you for your time and for reading my letter.

Sincerely,
Nadia Farouk

Why it works: It deals with the gap in one plain sentence and moves straight on to skills.

Following up on a referral

Opens with the name of the person who suggested writing.

Letter of interest: supply chain planning

Dear Maria Gonzalez,

Jordan Lee from your Fort Worth depot suggested I contact you. I am writing to ask whether Lone Star Freight might have a place for me in supply chain planning, now or in the coming months.

I coordinate inbound shipments for a building supplies distributor, working with 20 carriers and three warehouses. I am comfortable with SAP and build most of our planning reports in Excel.

Last year I reorganized our delivery booking schedule, which reduced average truck waiting time at the dock from 90 minutes to 35.

I know you may not have an opening at the moment, and I am not asking for one. I would value a 15-minute call to learn how your team works and where someone with my skills might fit. I will follow up by email in about a week.

Thank you for your time and for reading my letter.

Sincerely,
Kevin Tran

Why it works: A mutual contact in the first line is the most effective opening a prospecting letter can have.

Frequently asked questions

What is a letter of interest?

A letter of interest (also called a prospecting letter, an inquiry letter or a speculative letter) is a letter you send to an employer that has not advertised a job you want. It introduces you, explains why you are interested in that company and asks for a conversation about current or future openings.

How is it different from a cover letter?

A cover letter answers a specific job ad and matches you to its requirements. A letter of interest has no ad to answer, so it explains why you chose the company and asks for a conversation rather than an interview for a named role.

Is a letter of interest the same as a letter of intent?

No. A letter of interest asks whether there might be a place for you. A letter of intent states that you are committed to a particular job or program, usually one you are formally applying to. If you are applying to a hiring pool, a residency or a graduate program, see our letter of intent template.

How do I find who to send it to?

Look at the company website’s team page, LinkedIn, recent news or conference talks for the manager of the team you want to join. A small company’s founder or operations lead is often the right person. Avoid general inboxes if you can find a name.

Should I follow up?

Yes, once, about a week after you send it. Keep it to two or three lines: remind them who you are and repeat your request. If there is still no reply, move on and try another company.

Is this letter of interest template free?

Yes. Fill it in, download a PDF or copy the text into an email, all free, with no watermark, and you just need a free account to download.

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