A purchasing manager cover letter must emphasize results obtained in previous employment that will be attractive to hiring managers. Such a cover letter is both a business letter and a sales letter. You're not just introducing yourself to a hiring manager, but selling your qualifications, skills and experience to get the interview and hopefully the job.
Purchasing Manager Cover Letter Details
Whenever you submit a job application and resume, you should include a cover letter. Cover letters are your chance to sell, rather than tell, your qualifications for the job. Although it's sometimes an annoyance to customize each cover letter, a cover letter should ideally be targeted to the job opportunity you're responding to so that you can highlight your pertinent credentials.
Formatting the Cover Letter
Cover letters are business documents, and are always typed. Use good quality 8 ½ x 11 white paper and make sure your printer quality looks sharp, crisp and clean. Use a simple business front such as Arial or Times New Roman. Single space the letter and use traditional block style, which keeps everything flush to the left margin.
What to Include
Like any business correspondence, a purchasing manager cover letter should include:
- Today's date
- Your return address
- The name, title, company name and address
- Salutation
- Body of the letter
- Closing
- Signature
The body of the letter is where you'll need to put your writing skills to good use. As a purchasing manager, your job involves purchasing goods or supplies for a company. A skilled purchasing manager can save an employer money through skillfully finding the best bargains or shrewdly negotiating contracts. Can you provide examples of how you saved former employers money? Negotiated great contracts or otherwise benefited your company? These details should go into the body of your letter.
Sample
Here's a sample cover letter for a purchasing manager position. A cover letter should be included with a resume when responding to a job. Assume that the author of this letter has formatted it properly.
Dear Recruiter:
I saw your advertisement on Monster.com seeking an experienced purchasing manager. With over a decade of purchasing responsibilities for several companies, I have the experience you seek.
While at XYZ company, I negotiated a new contract with our automobile lease company that saved XYZ over a million dollars annually. My research into office supply use led to savings of several hundreds dollars. I implemented recycling programs, too, which not only saved money but reduced waste. From the job description, it seems as if your company needs these skills, too. Please call me at 555-1234 to schedule a meeting. My resume is attached for your convenience.
Sincerely,
Jane Doe
Although your own experience differs from this sample or others presented online, you can easily see how such a letter can be customized. Lead with your statement of interest for the job, include details of what you've accomplished that will entice the recruiter to call, and close with your phone number to make it easy for them to respond.
What if you don't have experience? While it may be tempting to simply say, "Hey, I'm a great employee, hire me!" in today's tough job market, that's not enough to get an interview. If you're just out of school and applying for a purchasing manager job, can you cite any experience from your school activities that demonstrate your capacity for handling the job? If not, talk about your personal qualities or skills that make you a great fit for the job.
More Samples
If you'd like to see more samples of purchasing manager cover letters, visit:
- Job Bank USA, which offers a sample and tips.
- Canadian Resume Service, which has a nice sales-type letter selling credentials.
- Best Jobs for Today, which includes a sample letter and more tips to help you write a great cover letter.
