Paragraph by paragraph
I'm a senior graphic designer at Nike, and I'm hoping to be considered for the Senior Brand Designer role at Headspace. The first three case studies in my portfolio are the projects closest to this job, and the link is at the top of my CV.
Straight to the portfolio
Two sentences: who she is, the role, and where to look first. For design roles the portfolio does the convincing, so the letter's first job is to send the reader to the right work.
At Nike I've designed the visual identity for four seasonal campaigns, which ran across digital and print and reached more than 40 million people. I also built a library of more than 80 motion graphics assets that the team reuses, and it has cut our campaign production time by about 30%.
Campaign work, with her part made clear
She says she designed the identity, which is her part, and the reach describes where it ran. The motion library is a result she owns outright, so it gets the number.
I art direct the photo shoots for our product pages as well, and pages with the new photography convert 22% better than the ones they replaced. Most campaigns involve three outside agencies, and I manage those relationships; every project so far has come in on budget and on deadline.
Art direction and agencies
Art direction and agency management are usually part of a senior designer's job. The conversion figure is tied to her photography, not to the whole product page.
Before Nike I spent nearly two years at Spotify, where I worked on the visual assets for Wrapped 2021 and designed more than 200 social templates that were adopted by the global marketing team of 150 people. I also worked with the product team on an illustration system for the app.
Spotify, without overclaiming
Wrapped is famous, and the temptation is to quote its share numbers. She describes her part and the templates that 150 people adopted, which is a result she can stand behind.
I've always liked the way Headspace uses illustration and small animations to make a meditation app feel warm, and that is the work I most enjoy. I'm based in Los Angeles and could start after two weeks' notice.
Why this brand
A specific reason in one sentence, then location and notice. Design letters are expected to be short.
Point the reader to the right work
A creative director may open two or three projects at most. Your letter should tell them which ones, and why.
- Name the case studies that match the job, in the order you want them seen.
- Make each case study say your role, the brief, the main decision and the result, with the images doing the rest.
- Check the link works on a phone and without a login. A broken or expired link ends many applications.
- Unreleased or confidential work: show it only with permission, behind a password if needed, and say so in the letter.
A message to a recruiter or creative director
Many design hires start with a short message and a portfolio link. This version is written for that and keeps the two results that are hers.
Claiming your part of a team campaign
Big campaigns involve dozens of people, and the reader knows it. Quoting the campaign's total results as your own will cost you their trust.
| Instead of | Write |
|---|---|
| My campaign got 30 million shares | I designed the social assets for the campaign |
| Contributed to a 22% lift | Pages with my new photography converted 22% better |
| Led the rebrand | Designed the logo system and type, working with the creative director |
| Worked on templates | Built 200 templates that the 150 person marketing team adopted |
Results that are clearly yours, such as production time or adoption of something you made, are the ones to put numbers on.
Other design jobs and their first lines
Junior designer or recent graduate
Point to two student or freelance projects and say what you want to learn.
I graduated from ArtCenter in May, and the two projects at the top of my portfolio are a packaging system and a type specimen I would be glad to talk through.
Agency designer moving in house
Show the range of brands you have worked on and why you want to work on one.
In four years at an agency I designed for 11 brands, and I am ready to go deep on one.
Motion designer
Lead with your reel, the tools you use and where the work ran.
My reel opens with the title sequence for a streaming series and the product launch animations I made in After Effects and Cinema 4D.
Packaging or print
Show you understand production: printers, materials and deadlines.
I have taken more than 60 packaging designs to print, working with three printers on materials, color proofs and launch dates.
Art director
Show the people you direct and the decisions you make, with one result.
I lead a team of four designers and two photographers, and this year our product photography lifted conversion on our best sellers by 18%.
Applying for design jobs in the US
- Short letters: 150 to 250 words is normal for design roles, because the portfolio carries the detail.
- Pay: you don't need to give salary expectations in the letter. In California, employers with 15 or more employees have had to include a pay scale in job postings since 1 January 2023.
- Personal details: no photo, age or date of birth, and a city and state are enough for location.
- Agency or in house: say which you are moving from and to, because the pace and the number of clients are different.
What creative directors notice first
Describing your style
"Bold, clean, modern" is for the portfolio to show.
Point to the work that shows it.
Taking credit for the whole campaign
The reader knows how many people worked on it.
Say what you did and give a result that is yours.
Listing your tools
Every designer uses the Adobe tools and Figma.
Mention a tool only if the job needs something unusual.
A link that doesn’t open
Expired share links and login walls stop many readers before they start.
Test the link on a phone before you send.
Keep it short and let the work speak
- Length: one page, ideally under 250 words. Elena's is about 240.
- Design: a designed letter is fine for a design job, as long as the text is plain and the PDF is text based so it can be searched.
- Greeting: Ms. or Mr. with a period, a comma after the name, and Sincerely to close.
- File name: your name and the role, so it stays findable in a shared folder.
The main points from this page
- 1Tell the reader which case studies to open first.
- 2Say your part of a team campaign and give a result that is yours.
- 3Leave style adjectives to the portfolio.
- 4Test your portfolio link on a phone.
- 5Keep the letter short.
Frequently asked questions
What should a graphic designer cover letter include?
The role and company, where to find your portfolio and which work to look at first, two results that are yours, the kind of work you want to do and your availability.
Should I put my portfolio link in the cover letter?
Yes, or point to it on your CV, and say which case studies to open first. Make sure it works without a login.
How do I talk about campaign results I worked on?
Say what you designed and use results that clearly belong to your work, such as production time or adoption of something you made.
Do I need to give salary expectations?
Not in the letter. In California, employers with 15 or more employees must include a pay scale in job postings.
How long should a graphic designer cover letter be?
Short, around 150 to 250 words, because the portfolio carries the detail.