How to Write An Expression of Interest

An expression of interest letter is your secret weapon to get a foot in the door with a company you’d love to work for – before a job is even advertised! We show you how to write an expression of interest letter that will WOW a prospective employer and put you in the running for the next available position. 

What Exactly Is An Expression Of Interest Letter?

Let’s say you love the idea of working for an awesome digital agency you’ve been hearing about along the professional grapevine.

According to your sources, the agency lands big industry clients, is always pushing the envelope on the creative front, employees get a flexi day each month and they organise free in-house yoga classes!

The only problem? They’re not actually advertising any vacancies.

So is that the end of your free yoga and flexi day dreams? Not quite!

This is where an expression of interest letter comes in. It’s the letter you send to the company to introduce yourself, explain why you’d love to work for the organisation and why you’d be a great fit.

The difference between an expression of interest letter and a cover letter?

You send a cover letter when you’re applying for a specific role that has been advertised by the organisation.

On the other hand, an expression of interest letter takes a slightly different angle. It lets the company know you’d like to work for them, regardless of whether a position is being advertised or not.

Done right, this letter will get you on the speed dial list next time a vacancy pops up. Or, even better, will land you a job that was never even advertised!

Structure For Writing An Expression Of Interest Letter

You want your expression of interest to WOW your prospective employer and make a stellar first impression. 

Introduction 

In the opening paragraph, you should briefly introduce yourself and explain why you are reaching out.

Touch on why you’d love to work for the organisation and highlight specific aspects – for example, their product, organisational vision, the fact that they’re focused on sustainability or are market leaders, etc. 

Showcase your skills, accomplishments and commitment to learning

Next, you want to impress them with your ah-mazing skillset and accomplishments.

Make sure you include both technical skills and soft skills (soft skills can really give you the edge) and most relevant accomplishments from your current or recent roles. 

Include any numbers here to highlight your achievement – for example:

“Grew our social media community by 35% in 4 months” or “Exceeded sales target for 6 consecutive months”

This will help you stand out; especially if the letter is just briefly scanned. 

This is also a great place to mention any relevant courses / seminars / workshops you’ve recently attended to keep your professional skills up to date.

Explain why you’d be a good fit for the company 

Here is your chance to explain the solutions you can bring to the table and why you’d be a great fit for the team.

The closer you can match your skills and expertise to what the company is looking for, the more likely they’ll want to set up a meeting or keep your details on their Awesome Candidates file.

Thank them for their time and let them know that they can reach you via the contact details in your email signature.

Tips On Making Your Letter Of Interest Stand Out

You want your letter of interest to grab the attention of the hiring manager and here are a few tips to make sure that happens –

Research the company

Showing that you’ve really done your homework and researched the company – beyond what can be found easily on their About Us page – will leave a great impression.

Make a brief reference in your expression of interest to any awards recently won, company announcements or independent news articles referencing the company in a positive light. 

Address it to the right person

“To whom it may concern” is a super impersonal way to begin your expression of interest letter and comes across as lazy if the right person’s details can be easily found on the company’s website.

Instead, score a few points with the hiring manager or head of the division you’d love to work it by addressing it to them personally. 

If those details aren’t available on the website, LinkedIn is your best friend for researching who the right person is. 

Don’t just ‘copy-paste’ your resume into the letter

A smarter approach is to pick out the qualifications, skills and achievements that most align with the organisation and showcase these in your letter of interest rather than your entire career history.

Expression Of Interest Example

We’ve wrapped up the above advice in a handy expression of interest letter template you can adjust to make your own!

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Hi (First name of hiring manager or head of department if you know it),

I recently came across an article outlining why (name of company) has been recognised as one of the best places to work in the country for tech professionals. (How you discovered the company and note why they stand out) 

With more than (number of years) of experience as a (your profession) in the (relevant industry), I’d love the opportunity to join the team in such a progressive workplace.

In my current and previous roles as a (your profession) I’ve honed my (highlight your technical skills) and also committed to developing the interpersonal skills it takes to be a great (leader or team player) including (highlight relevant soft skills.)

Some of my most notable recent accomplishments include (list achievements and use numbers where possible, for example – “Increasing online membership subscriptions to our marketing magazine by 35% in 6 months”)

I’ve recently completed (or currently completing) (name of course / class / workshop) to keep my skills in (specific skill set) relevant as this industry evolves quickly.

Here’s what I could immediately bring to the table and how I could make an impact at (insert name of company)

(Insert skill #1)

(Insert skill #2)

(Insert skill #3)

I believe I’d be ready to hit the ground running if I were offered a position at (insert name of company) in the future. 

I’ve attached my CV and you’ll find my contact details in my email signature below. It was a pleasure connecting, thank you for your time!

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

(Email signature with contact details)

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Don’t forget to attach your updated resume along with the expression of interest.