- What should your cyber security cover letter include?
- What can you write in the introduction of your cyber security cover letter?
- What should be mentioned in the cover letter body for a cyber security position?
- How to write a cover letter closing
Take your career to the next level with our detailed cyber security cover letter example and guide. Learn how to best express your technical prowess by tailoring your skills to specific employer requirements and positioning yourself as the essential cyber security professional that every company needs.
With the advancement of computers and tech in all facets of our lives, cyber security professionals are needed in all fields, including technology, banking and finance, healthcare, retail, energy, and transportation. But even if you’re the best at warding off hostile attacks, writing a cyber security cover letter that highlights your formidable tech skills might seem like an impenetrable challenge.
Just like implementing security measures to safeguard against cyber threats, creating a successful cover letter requires a detailed plan to demonstrate the unique value you’d bring to the position.
In this writing guide, and corresponding cyber security cover letter example, we’ll map out the following:
What should your cyber security cover letter include?
What can you write in the introduction of the cover letter?
What information can you give in the body of the cover letter?
How can you write a strong cover letter closing?
What should your cyber security cover letter include?
Just like a line of code, your cyber security cover letter should ensure that the reader sees the main points that will capture their interest and motivate them to contact you.
A great cover letter consists of several key components, starting with a header that contains your current contact information, as well as the information of the company to which you’re applying. Then you’ll say “hello” with a professional greeting. If you need more details, check out our article on how to address a cover letter. There’s more to a cover letter, though. You’ll also need an introduction, a body, and a closing. We’ll go over each of these in more detail next.
What can you write in the introduction of your cyber security cover letter?
Pique the reader’s interest from the get-go by spotlighting your most impressive skills and accomplishments, like setting an alarm to go off.
You’ll want to convey your desire to work with that specific company. Then support your claim by concisely expressing your relevant experience, such as evaluation and penetration testing, a high success rate of incidence response, the number of malware or viruses you’ve identified, your metrics for reduction of security threats, or how you’ve collaborated with other teams to implement new security controls.
If you were referred to this company or have a mutual professional acquaintance, the introduction is a good place to mention it. The most important thing is that the reader gleans your genuine enthusiasm and authenticity. More than anything else, that’s what will grab them and motivate them to keep reading your cover letter instead of hitting “delete.”
Dear Mr. Don Platt
As a focused, results-oriented technical professional with a passion for cyber security engineering, I am an ideal candidate for the cyber security position opening with ABC Company. Eager to learn more about this exciting opportunity, I have enclosed my resume for your review.
What should be mentioned in the cover letter body for a cyber security position?
The body of the cyber security cover letter is where you get into the nitty gritty of your work as a cyber security professional, including your skills, accomplishments, and unique selling points (USPs).
The best way to do that is to divide it into three sections that answer the following questions:
Why you? Concisely map out your skills and tech experience, including your education, training, internships, and pertinent job history. Highlight your computer science degree or cyber security certifications and how they’ve aided your career progression. Include your achievements, using quantifiable data when possible. For example, if you led a team that developed and deployed software for AI-powered threat detection that reduced false positives by 80%, let the reader know about it! Companies want to hire a cyber security specialist who will bring concrete results.
Why here? What drew you to this company? Have you always wanted to work for a large tech firm or work in finance? What do you find special about this organization? Explain why you want to work for this specific company, but also be sure to demonstrate how you'd fit into their current structure.
Why now? Why are you the right person for this job right now? Is this a stepping stone to becoming chief information officer? Will this help you become a specialist in digital forensics? Feel free to let the reader know about your career goals, how you’ve worked to achieve them, and why they should hire you for this position at this point in time.
Expert Tip
While you always want to tailor your cover letter to the job description, when laying out your accomplishments and skills, make sure to emphasize your technical experience with things like network security, threat analysis, incident response, and compliance. Don’t forget your soft skills like the ability to effectively communicate risks and a commitment to continuous skill development.
If you want more in-depth information, check out our blog on what you should write in a cover letter body.
Through my experience in diverse leadership roles, including Senior Information Security Engineer and Information Security Analyst, I have had the privilege of working with all organizational levels. If given the opportunity, I would be pleased to leverage this experience to partner with your staff and collaborate on your immediate and long-term cyber security goals.
Further, please note the following accomplishments and highlights from my resume:
Expertise in information security, system migration, threat detection and prevention, resource management, vulnerability analysis, DNS blackhole lists, cloud computing security, and incident response, containment and cleanup.
Extensive experience partnering with developers to swiftly identify and resolve system and application discrepancies.
Proven success strengthening web application security by conducting black-box interactive code analysis and installing vulnerability scanners.
Highly qualified with a B.S. in Cybersecurity and a variety of certifications including but not limited to: CompTIA Security+, Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI), and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
How to write a cover letter closing
Use the last few lines of your cyber security cover letter to motivate the hiring manager to get in touch. Keep it brief, one to two sentences max, and make sure to thank them for their time and attention. This part of the cover letter could make the difference as to whether you get an interview or not.
Reiterate why you’re the best candidate. Explain how your skills and background would benefit the team and company: “I believe that my robust analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to think critically under pressure would make me an asset to the [Company Name] team.”
Include a call to action. Inspire them to take your application to the next phase of the hiring process: “I look forward to discussing how my skills and background align with [Company Name]’s needs in more detail.”
Discover how to end on a strong note. Learn more here: How to close a cover letter.
If you agree that we may have the basis for an excellent match, please contact me at your earliest convenience to schedule an interview. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your goals and how I may be of assistance in achieving them. Until then, thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jasmine Hiller
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