Creative & media
Graphic Designer cover letter example
A graphic designer’s cover letter has to connect your work to business results and point the reader to the right portfolio piece, because the portfolio will make the final case.
Opens with the matching graphic designer resume, in the same design, so the two read as a set.
The letter, as text
Dear Dana Whitlock,
Packaging has about three seconds to sell a snack on a crowded shelf. Oat & Ember is moving from farmers’ markets onto national shelves, and as a brand and packaging designer who has helped a food brand through the same jump, I would love to join you as Senior Designer.
At Pantry Folk Foods I led a full rebrand across identity, packaging and web. In the first year after launch, retail sell-through rose by 23%. I have since designed packaging for 34 products that are now stocked in 1,400 grocery and national retail stores, which taught me how much a dieline, a print proof and a retailer’s shelf can change a design between screen and store.
I also build systems so the brand holds together when I am not in the room. The guidelines and template system I created at Pantry Folk halved turnaround on marketing requests. Before going in-house, I designed identities and print and digital campaigns for more than 25 clients at Northlight Studio, art-directed eight photo shoots and managed print production with vendors. One exhibition identity from that time won a regional typography award.
My portfolio includes the Pantry Folk rebrand from first sketches to shelf photos. I would be happy to walk your team through it and talk about where Oat & Ember’s packaging could go next.
Best regards,
Maya Goldberg
Why this graphic designer cover letter works
- The first line shows the candidate understands the commercial job of packaging, not just its look.
- Sell-through and store count turn design work into numbers a creative director can take to leadership.
- The production details (dielines, print proofs, vendors) prove hands-on experience beyond the design file.
- The close names the exact portfolio case to review, which makes the next step easy.
Tips for your own graphic designer cover letter
- Tie at least one project to a business result, such as sales, sell-through or turnaround time, rather than describing the aesthetic.
- Show you understand production for your specialty, whether that is print, packaging or digital handoff.
- Point to one portfolio project by name and say what the reader will see in it.
Questions
How long should a graphic designer cover letter be?
Three or four short paragraphs, about 250 words, never more than one page. Hiring managers skim; every sentence should add proof the resume does not already give.
Do I need a cover letter for a graphic designer job?
Send one whenever the application allows it, unless the posting says not to. It is your chance to connect your experience to this employer’s needs, and many candidates skip it.
Can I use this cover letter for free?
Yes. Open it in the builder with the matching resume, replace the details with your own, and download both as PDF or Word, free, with no account and no watermark.
Write yours in minutes
Start from this letter and its matching resume. Same design, both free to download as PDF or Word.