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Recruitment Consultant cover letter example

Agency directors read a recruiter's letter for billings, clients won and a market they know. This example is from the same senior consultant as our CV example, applying for a principal consultant role, and it only uses facts from her CV.

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The letter

What each paragraph is doing.

Linh Nguyen is made up, and so is Selwyn People, Rolleston. Every fact in the letter comes from Linh's CV, the way a real one should: nothing new, just the parts of the CV this job cares about most.

Linh Nguyen

Christchurch · 021 555 0741 · linh.nguyen@email.com

Josh Whelan, Director

Selwyn People, Rolleston

Re: Principal Consultant, construction and engineering

Dear Josh,

I'm applying for the Principal Consultant role in your construction and engineering team. I have six years in agency recruitment, the last four specialising in construction and engineering roles across Canterbury, and at Ōtautahi Talent in Christchurch I run a full desk, making 48 permanent placements and about 30 contractor starts a year.

I billed 118% of target in 2024 and 124% in 2025, the highest on a team of seven. Much of that came from new business: I won 14 new clients through cold calls, site visits and referrals, including a civil contractor that now gives us all its engineering roles. I keep a network of around 600 engineers, site managers and quantity surveyors, and fill most roles from it within two weeks.

I care just as much about whether a placement lasts. Of the candidates I placed in 2024, 93% were still in the job after six months, which I put down to honest advice and shortlists clients can trust. Before specialising, I recruited for office support, accounts and customer service roles at Waimakariri Recruitment, and grew the temp pool from 40 to 110 active candidates.

A Rolleston office close to the district's building work suits the market I know. I'm a New Zealand citizen with a full driver's licence, and I speak English and Vietnamese. I'd welcome a conversation about the role.

Kind regards,

Linh Nguyen

  1. 1Opens with market and volumeHer sector, region and placements a year tell a director in two sentences what kind of desk she runs and how busy it is.
  2. 2Billings and business developmentBillings as a percentage of target keeps the dollars private, and 14 new clients shows she can grow a desk, not just work one she was given.
  3. 3Proves candidate care with a numberA six-month retention rate backs up "honest advice" with evidence, and the temp pool shows she can build from scratch.
  4. 4A reason for this agency and a closeIt ties the office's location to the market she knows, then covers work rights and languages before a plain close.

Opening lines

Other ways to open.

The first line decides whether the rest gets read. Each of these names the job and leads with proof. Swap in your own facts.

  • “I'm applying for your Senior Recruitment Consultant role, bringing six years in agency recruitment, the last four in construction and engineering across Canterbury.”
  • “I billed 124% of target in 2025, the highest on a team of seven, and I'm applying for your Principal Consultant position.”
  • “As a recruiter who won 14 new clients through cold calls, site visits and referrals, I'm applying for your Business Development Manager role.”
  • “Of the candidates I placed in 2024, 93% were still in the job after six months, and I'd like to bring that to your Talent Acquisition Partner role.”
  • “I'm applying for the Temp Desk Consultant role, having grown an agency's temp pool from 40 to 110 active candidates.”

Common mistakes

What gets recruitment consultant letters skipped.

  • Describing the recruitment process instead of results.

    Every recruiter sources and interviews. Give placements a year, billings against target and how long candidates stay.

  • Naming clients to show your network.

    Describe them, such as "a civil contractor". It shows the director you'll keep their clients' details private too.

  • Promising to bring your clients with you.

    Talk about your market knowledge and how you win business. Offering someone else's clients raises questions about your agreement and your judgement.

Write yours

A letter like this, for every job ad.

Paste a recruitment consultant job ad into SmartCVs and it writes your cover letter alongside your tailored CV. The free plan gives you 3 job scans a week, each with both.

How cover letters work in SmartCVs
  • Written in the same step as your tailored CV, from your profile and the job ad
  • Three or four paragraphs, in plain, professional language
  • Every fact from your profile: a number your profile doesn't have is dropped before you see it
  • Edit any line, copy it into an application, or download PDF or Word

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Something else on your mind? Email support@smartcvs.ai and a person will reply.

Should I give my billings in a recruitment cover letter?

Yes, as a percentage of target. It's the number directors want first, and you can give dollar figures at interview if asked.

How do I show I can win new clients?

Give the number you've won and how, such as cold calls, site visits or referrals, and one example of an account you grew.

Is a cover letter needed for an agency role?

Often it is, and it's a chance to show how you'd write to a client. Keep it short, specific and led by results.

More cover letter examples

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