Write An Awesome Esports & Gaming Cover Letter 

The cover letter is often overlooked, but it is a very important part of the interview process. It’s the first thing a hiring manager looks at, so it’s also the first thing they think about you. A bad cover letter can get your resume thrown in the trash without even being looked at, so let’s talk about how to write one that stands out.

Salutation

Some people may have trouble with this part. Don’t start with “To whom it may concern,” that’s impersonal and outdated for gaming and esports. There are a few good ways to start a letter, and which one you use depends on how formal the letter needs to be. Here are some examples:

• Dear Company Name,
• Dear Hiring Manager,
• Dear Sir/Madam,
• Greetings,
• Hello,
• Hi there,

The top three options are more formal, the bottom three less so. If you are not sure, it is better to err on the formal side rather than the informal side.

Opening

The introduction has to grab the reader’s attention. In this paragraph, you should:

Start by expressing your excitement over the job.

Compliment the company and demonstrate some knowledge about them.

End by stating that you are an excellent candidate for the position.

Instead of saying, “I saw your job posting and was interested,” you could say something like, “I was thrilled to see… and had to apply as soon as I could.” A passionate opening shows that you care about the job.

Follow up that excitement with a display of knowledge. You should, in a sentence, show that you know who the company is and what they do. Anyone who is passionate about the job posting should know or learn something about the hiring company. If you have never heard of them before, then do some research. Visit their company website, read their social media posts, and find any third-party perspectives on them, usually through places like Twitter or Reddit. Use this information to compliment them in some way.

End this paragraph by saying you are the right person for the job. Show them this is the case by comparing the top job requirements with your own experience and education. By showing them that you have done these roles before, your opening paragraph will encourage the hiring manager to read on.

Body

The body of your letter should elaborate on the end of your introduction. Talk about your professional experience, education (especially if you have very little professional experience), and display some of your own personality and professionalism.

It is better to showcase your experience and achievements related to the job, but if you are just starting out and have very little experience, focus on your education. Also discuss personality traits that are important. If you are applying for sales, then point out that you are a people person, and love to meet and talk with new people, for example. One thing to be wary of is to make sure you do not repeat too much of what is in your resume. Your goal here is to show why you are a great fit for the role, so keep the job requirements in mind when writing the body of your cover letter.

Conclusion

The finish is just as important as everything else. Finish strong by expressing your passion for the role and the industry in general. Explain why you have chosen this career path and how your personality and interests align with it. Reiterate why you are an excellent fit for the role and remember to inject some of your own personality. They are not hiring robots, but people, so put some youness into the letter.

Sign-off

Your sign off should encourage action. Something like: “Thanks (or Thank you) for your time, I look forward to hearing from you soon,” is the best way to end your cover letter. It provides a call to action, them contacting you, and makes you look confident without coming across as arrogant or presumptuous.

Polish

Here are some final touches to help you look more professional and stand out from the competition.

• Use the same font in your cover letter as you did in your resume and use a clear font like Open Sans or something similar.
• Make the cover letter the first page of your document.
• Save your cover letter and resume as a pdf and do no call it simply “Cover Letter.” Title it: first and last name, cover letter (or something similar).
• Do not copy paste the same cover letter for other job applications. Customize the letter for each application.

Below is a sample cover letter where all the general principles we discussed are used.

Sample Letter 

Hi there,

As a frequent user of _______, I was excited to see an opening with your company yesterday and knew I had to apply as soon as I could. I’ve been on your website every day for the past few months because I think it’s the best place to find jobs in the gaming industry. I think it would be great to join your team.

I’ve been in charge of social media for a number of growing gaming companies over the past few years, so I know what it takes to build a following. I’ve also worked in customer service outside of games, so I’d be able to deal with your users on a daily basis. I’ve also been using Adobe Suite regularly for more than three years, and I’m an expert at Illustrator and Photoshop in particular.

After working part-time as a freelancer in the gaming industry for the past three years, I’m well prepared to become _______’s new full-time Social Media Manager. I’ve helped newer organizations like Team X go from having a few hundred Twitter followers to having over 10,000 by making unique content and using tools like Hootsuite and Buffer to schedule posts to drop at the most effective times.

I could be called a Social Media Maestro, because I have a lot of experience with social platforms, scheduling systems, graphic design, and a good grasp of the English language. Every day of the week, I show up ready to work, and I care about the brand I’m representing. Because I’ve been in the business for so long, I feel like I can adapt to the brand voice of any organization.

When I have free time, I usually watch or play _________, keep up with the latest industry trends, or look at successful social media accounts from outside the gaming space. I’m also a huge esports fan and a big supporter of __________.

I know I can make an immediate contribution to ____________ team because I know your brand better than 99% of the other people who will apply for this exciting position.

Thanks for your time, I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Steve

As you can see, using the principles we outlined, you can create a more compelling introduction letter tailored to the job and company culture found in gaming and esports. Hiring managers seeing this letter is far more likely to contact you for an interview than a generic letter that does not demonstrate excitement for their company or product.

Related Resources:
Create The Ultimate Gaming & Esports Resume
5 Ways to Talk About Money in a Job Interview