Internal Position Cover Letter & Writing Guide

A cover letter for an internal position is a document you should submit when looking to change roles within a company or get promoted. It will help your application by highlighting your enthusiasm for a new position and the skills and experiences that make you qualified for it.

In this article, we’ll look into the specifics of writing a cover letter for an internal position. You’ll find out what rules you should follow and the sections you need to include for the best results. 

Without further ado, let’s get started!

How to Write a Cover Letter For an Internal Position

Let’s see how to write a cover letter for an internal position by examining the key guidelines you should follow.

#1. Explain What You’ve Learned in Your Current Role

One of the best things you can do when writing a cover letter for an internal role is to highlight what you’ve learned in your current position. By reflecting on your time in the company, the skills you’ve improved, and the experiences you’ve obtained, you’re demonstrating growth. 

This way, you can highlight that you’re ready to take on new responsibilities and tackle the greater challenges that come with the new job. Moreover, you’re leveraging a big advantage you have over other candidates who are applying from outside the organization.

Finally, demonstrating knowledge of your current role and the company shows that you’re likely to replicate current results in your new position.

#2. Show the Impact You Made

Apart from highlighting your skills and knowledge of the job and the company, you also want to show the tangible impact you made while working. This is best done by mentioning some of your most significant achievements and pointing out how they benefited the company.

To maximize the effect of your accomplishments, you should use numbers and percentages to quantify them and add measurable value. For instance, you can talk about your efforts that helped the company increase its sales or revenue, how you obtained new customers, improved team productivity, and more.

#3. Express Enthusiasm

Expressing enthusiasm in your cover letter for a promotion or role change is one of the best ways to demonstrate genuine interest in the job. You can do that by specifying why you’re excited about the opportunity and explaining how it aligns with your career goals and aspirations.

You can focus on the concrete aspects of the job you’re applying for, whether it’s the tasks that will help you improve your competence, the problems that you want to solve, the projects you want to participate in, and so on.

For the most impact, you want to align your enthusiasm with the company’s mission and culture. This way, you’re not only showing that you’re a highly motivated professional but that you’re also committed to achieving organizational goals and seeing the company succeed.

#4. Include a Referral

Including a referral from a reputable company member can strengthen your application. When a trusted colleague or a supervisor vouches for you, it shows that your abilities have been recognized by others within the company. Needless to say, this adds credibility to your skills and qualifications and increases your chances of filling the position you’re pursuing.

HR professionals reading your cover letter for an internal position are more inclined to believe your claims when they are backed up by other members of the organization. This means that professional references offer reassurance that is vital in portraying you as a competent, reliable, and valued employee.

#5. Keep It Concise and Format Correctly

Your cover letter for an internal position should follow all the general rules when it comes to a cover letter format and layout. For optimal results, you want a short cover letter for an internal position that’s concise, impactful, and between 250 and 400 words. This means you should demonstrate all your relevant abilities, experiences, and motivation in 3–5 paragraphs.

Your cover letter should follow the business letter format in terms of structure and appearance. This means putting contact information in the header, addressing the reader by their name, and wrapping up your letter with a polite closing and your sign-off.

An established font like Arial or Times New Roman will make your letter professional. To complete the look, you should pair that with 1.0 line spacing and 1-inch margins.

Cover Letter for an Internal Position: What to Include

Let’s examine each section that your document should have to help you write the best internal cover letter. 

To help you follow along, here’s a concise visual guide:

#1. Heading

Your cover letter’s heading is reserved for contact information, which should include:

On top of that, you can add:

After that, you want to date the letter before following up with the recipient’s contact details and the company’s location.

Here’s a complete example:

#2. Salutation

A polite salutation is the traditional way of opening a cover letter. You want to address the reader by their name to build rapport and create a personalized experience, increasing the impact of your writing.

Let’s see that in an example:

#3. Opening Paragraph

The opening paragraph is your elevator pitch, written to hook the reader into paying close attention to the rest of the cover letter. It should contain your reference (if you have one), the position you’re after, and a couple of your most prominent skills and accomplishments.

Here’s an example:

#4. Skills, Qualifications, & Experiences

The middle part of your cover letter should describe your skills, qualifications, and experiences, which make you a strong fit for the role. One of the best ways to emphasize relevant competencies is through the results you obtained while working in your current role. That way, you’re giving concrete proof of your expertise.

Let’s see that in an example:

#5. Reasons for Applying

By clarifying the reasons for applying, you emphasize your drive and motivation and show that you have clear career goals. These are important qualities, as employers always look for individuals who are passionate about their profession.

Your reasons for applying should align with the company's objectives to ensure this part has the biggest impact on hiring managers.

Here’s a good example:

#6. Call to Action

A call to action (CTA) at the end of your cover letter for an internal position improves your chances of getting a response. In a sentence or two, you should thank the recruiter for their time and suggest they contact you for further conversation regarding your application.

See that in the following example:

#7. Sign-Off

You should sign off your cover letter for an internal position after a polite closure. The end of your cover letter should be short and courteous, much like the salutation.

Here’s what that looks like:

Here’s a complete example of a cover letter for internal promotion:

Cover Letter for an Internal Position Example

Use this example

Here are a few final strategies to help you write the best internal cover letter possible:

Final Thoughts

Companies enjoy many benefits when hiring internally, including lower hiring costs and quicker processes. A well-written cover letter for an internal position helps the process further by putting you on the company’s HR team’s radar.

When you write your cover letter, remember to leverage your deep understanding of the organization, its team, and its work. That way, you’ll show that you don’t need time to adjust the way an external hire would and that you’re able to start working at full capacity immediately.

Finally, you can check out our cover letter builder to automate the crafting process, ensuring impeccable format and layout while you focus on writing. Best of luck getting that role!