Career

How to Write a Letter of Interest (Template & Example)

Sep 15, 2026 · 9 min read

A letter of interest is a professional letter sent to a company to ask about job opportunities that have not been publicly advertised. Also called a letter of inquiry or prospecting letter, it introduces who you are, what you do, and why you are interested in working for a specific organization — without responding to a specific posting. This guide explains how to write a letter of interest step by step, with a format, a copy-ready template, and a worked example.

For the formal written communication that closes your current role before you pursue a new one, see our guide on how to write a resignation letter.

What is a letter of interest?

A letter of interest is a proactive document you send to a company when there is no open position — or when you want to be considered before a position is listed. You are not applying for a specific job; you are expressing interest in the company and asking whether there is a place for someone with your background.

Letters of interest are most effective when:

You have a specific company you want to work for
The company regularly hires people with your skills
You have a direct contact or have done enough research to address the letter to a real person
You are not in a rush — unadvertised opportunities take longer to develop

Letter of interest vs. cover letter

	Letter of interest	Cover letter
Sent in response to	No open position — proactive	A specific job posting
Purpose	Introduce yourself; ask about opportunities	Apply for a specific role
Tone	Exploratory, relationship-building	Targeted, application-focused
Required?	No — initiative-driven	Yes — part of an application
Addressed to	Hiring manager or department head	Hiring manager for the role

A letter of interest is broader and warmer in tone. A cover letter is specific and task-driven.

Letter of interest format

A letter of interest follows standard business letter formatting: full block style, left-aligned, single blank line between sections.

Sections in order:

Your contact information — name, email, phone, and LinkedIn (optional)
Date
Recipient’s name and address — a specific person, not “To Whom It May Concern”
Salutation — “Dear [Name]:”
Opening paragraph — who you are and why you are writing
Middle paragraph — what you bring and how it fits the company
Closing paragraph — what you are asking for and how you will follow up
Sign-off — “Sincerely,” or “Best regards,” followed by your name

Keep the letter to one page. Three short paragraphs is the right length.

How to write a letter of interest

Step 1: Find the right person to address it to

Do not send a letter of interest to a generic inbox or a department email. Research the company and find the name of the hiring manager, department head, or a senior person in the team you want to join. LinkedIn, the company website, or a mutual contact are the best sources.

Addressing a letter to a real person shows you did the work. “Dear Ms. Rivera” carries significantly more weight than “To Whom It May Concern.”

Step 2: Open with who you are and why this company

The opening paragraph should establish two things in two to three sentences: your professional identity and why you are specifically interested in this company. Not “I am a skilled marketer looking for new opportunities” — that could go anywhere. Something like:

I am a growth marketer with five years of experience in B2B SaaS, and I have followed Forma Group’s expansion into the European market closely. I am writing to ask whether there are opportunities to discuss how I might contribute to that growth.

Specific. Flattering in a way that shows research, not flattery for its own sake.

Step 3: Describe what you bring and how it fits

The middle paragraph is where you make the case. Keep it to three or four sentences. Focus on:

The skills or experience most relevant to the company’s work
One specific achievement that illustrates your value (a number or outcome, not a vague claim)
How your background fits what the company is doing or where it is going

You are not submitting a resume summary — you are making one targeted argument for why your background is relevant to this specific organization right now.

Step 4: State what you are asking for

End the letter with a clear, modest ask. You are not asking for a job offer; you are asking for a conversation.

I would welcome the chance to speak briefly about the team’s direction and whether there might be a fit. I will follow up by email next week, but please feel free to reach me directly at any time.

Offering to follow up — and doing it — is what separates a letter of interest from a message that disappears.

Step 5: Proofread before you send

A letter of interest is a first impression. Spelling errors, wrong company names, or a generic opening that could have been sent to anyone will end the conversation before it starts. Read the letter aloud, check the name and title of the person you are addressing, and confirm the company name is spelled correctly throughout.

Letter of interest template

[Your name] [Email] | [Phone] [LinkedIn URL, optional]

[Date]

[Recipient’s name] [Title] [Company name] [Address]

Dear [Name]:

[Opening — who you are and why this company specifically. Two to three sentences.]

[Middle — what you bring and one specific achievement. Three to four sentences. Tie your background to what the company is doing.]

[Closing — a specific, modest ask and an offer to follow up. Two sentences.]

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Letter of interest example

Jordan Mills jordan.mills@email.com | 416-555-0193

September 15, 2026

Dr. Leila Ahmadi Head of Research Partnerships Forma Institute 200 University Avenue West Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1

Dear Dr. Ahmadi:

I am a research coordinator with four years of experience in clinical trials management, and Forma Institute’s work on precision diagnostics has been on my radar since the 2025 Nature Medicine paper your team co-authored. I am writing to ask whether there are opportunities to contribute to that research at the coordination or project management level.

In my current role at St. Michael’s Hospital, I have managed three Phase II trials simultaneously, including one that enrolled 340 participants across six sites in 14 months — two months ahead of the original timeline. I am experienced with REDCap, GCP compliance, and Health Canada documentation requirements. I believe that combination of logistics experience and regulatory knowledge is directly applicable to the multi-site studies Forma Institute is currently running.

I would welcome a brief conversation about your team’s current projects and whether my background might be a useful fit. I will follow up by email the week of September 22, but I am happy to be reached directly at any time.

Sincerely,

Jordan Mills

Common mistakes to avoid

Addressing it to “To Whom It May Concern” — find the real person. A generic salutation is a signal that you did not do the work.
Making it too long — one page, three paragraphs. If you are writing more than that, you are not editing.
No specific achievement — vague claims (“I am a skilled communicator”) without evidence are forgettable. Include one number or outcome.
Asking for too much — you are asking for a conversation, not a job offer. Keep the ask small and specific.
Not following up — a letter of interest with no follow-up is a message that waits. If you say you will follow up, follow up.

Proofread your letter before sending

A letter of interest is a first impression sent cold. Paste your draft into our free AI text summarizer to get a compressed read-back of your key points — who you are, what you bring, and what you are asking for. If those three things are not clear in the summary, they are not clear in the letter.

Frequently asked questions

What is a letter of interest? A letter of interest is a professional letter sent to a company to ask about job opportunities that have not been advertised. You introduce yourself, describe what you bring, and ask whether there is a place for someone with your background.

What is the difference between a letter of interest and a cover letter? A cover letter responds to a specific job posting. A letter of interest is proactive — sent when there is no open position, to express interest in working for a specific company. The tone of a letter of interest is more exploratory and relationship-building.

How long should a letter of interest be? One page — three short paragraphs. An opening (who you are and why this company), a middle (what you bring), and a closing (what you are asking for). Anything longer risks losing the reader.

Who do I address a letter of interest to? A specific person — the hiring manager, department head, or a senior member of the team you want to join. Research LinkedIn or the company website to find the right name. Avoid generic salutations.

What should I ask for in a letter of interest? Ask for a brief conversation — not a job offer. A request for an informational interview or a short call is the right scale. Offer to follow up, and then do it.

Is a letter of interest the same as a letter of intent? In a job-search context, the two terms are often used interchangeably. In academic and legal contexts, a letter of intent is more formal and signals commitment to a specific agreement or program. For job prospecting, treat them as equivalent.