Below is the template I used when I was job searching for my first data analyst role. I didn’t include my full cover letter with my specific story. But this is the template I did follow. My cover letter now, if I wrote one, would look different since I have the experience. But I wanted to share my cover letter I used back then for anyone interested.
For each paragraph there was no specific length. Usually 3-5 sentences but I did keep my cover letter to 1 page.
In the template any general advice is in brackets [ ]. Specific wording and examples of what I used are italicized.
[Company Information Here]
Dear _______________,
INTRODUCTION: Tie in the job posting with my background
[Sentence that makes me stand out or tells a story, something relevant to the job posting]. Storytelling and being able to explain high level concepts to others is one of the reasons why I studied to be a math teacher. [Why am I applying to this specific job, should be something different for each job] I was looking for an opportunity to apply my background in math and analytics skills in new ways. When I saw the [role] position was open, I immediately applied.
2ND PARAGRAPH: My path to data analytics
[How I went from real estate paralegal to data analyst. Emphasize transferrable skills here. Take time to craft your own story. Mention what you've been doing since your career transition. This paragraph should stay (mostly) the same no matter who you send it to. Take time to write down your journey]. Since then, I’ve worked on several projects like [list projects and impact].
3RD PARAGRAPH: Emphasize particular transferrable skills I have (communication, attention to detail) and tie it with the skills asked for in the job posting
Being able to communicate with people who have technical and non-technical backgrounds is vital to any analyst job. My background in education and current role as a tutor help tremendously with this. [In my template I have a few examples of how each of my transferrable skills apply to data analytics. Then for the actual cover letter I'd pick one or two to showcase.]
4TH PARAGRAPH: Explain the technical skills I have (SQL, Tableau) and tie it into the job posting
[Emphasize enthusiasm again. For this section in my actual template I listed all of the skills I had and a specific example for each. Then I would just choose the top 3-5 skills for the specific job I'm applying for and delete the rest]. I’ve outlined how my skills might fit with your specific needs below (below are all of the skills I have):
[List specific skill] - [explain how I've worked on said skill]
Excel: I used Excel macros to automate processes for a non-profit. I also created a simple dashboard using pivot tables and charts to identify trends and patterns in subscriber behavior.
CONCLUSION: Wrap it up and express interest again
I’d love to learn more about how [Company] is using data to [company goal]. Please let me know if there’s any additional information I can provide and thank you so much for your consideration.
Best,
Kelly Adams
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