Here’s a sample Cover Letter we recently produced for a General Manager in Australia.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- About the General Manager Role
- What Hiring Manager Look For In General Manager Cover Letter
- General Manager Job Opportunities
- Job Hunting Tips from our Resident Headhunter
General Manager Cover Letter [Full Sample]
Here’s a full General Manager Cover Letter sample, which we wrote for a client recently.
[If you know the name of the Hiring Manager, personalise your application by addressing the person directly. Job ads on LinkedIn, for example, display the name of the person posting the ad.]
Through my 18-year career spearheading high-impact sales & business development strategies for leading companies in the automotive industry, I’ve come to excel at developing customised solutions across a suite of platforms to meet organisational goals in B2B sales, product management and marketing. I’ve held P&L responsibility of up to USD 30 million, forged strong relationships with clients across APAC, and led multi-market, cross-functional teams of up to 25 staff. As such, I am confident that I am the ideal candidate for General Manager at DEF Company. [Match your skills and strengths to the job and industry requirements, and include a brief overview of your experience. Share metrics if you have them to provide context and scale for your work]
- In my current role as Country Manager with ABC Company, I lead a 25-member team to strengthen all operations with P&L accountability of USD 40 million for Australia markets. Significantly, I reduced costs by USD 5 million through aligning operating goals, improving operations processes, and enabling efficient inventory management and resources allocation.
- In my previous role as Assistant Regional Operations Manager (Sales Development & Production Planning) with XYZ Company, I led a team of 10 executives to provide strategic direction and management of country sales operations and performance for regional offices. Among my achievements, I am most proud to have spearheaded 20% sales improvement and 5% cost reduction, partnered with key stakeholders to set up the Vietnam showroom, and expanded the Southeast Asia dealers’ network by 15%. [Frame your skills in the context of recent work experience relevant to the targeted job. Metrics and achievements give the employer context and scale to gauge your abilities. Show the value you generated for the organisation in a leadership position. If applying for a position at a multinational company, highlight your ability to work in different countries and cultures.]
Adept in project management, supply chain management and P&L management, my on-the-job experience has afforded me a well-rounded skill set, including first-rate problem solving and communication skills. Combined with my competencies in global banking and risk assessment, and deep industry knowledge, I am confident I can deliver and execute B2B strategies and enhance operational procedures as a General Manager at DEF Company. [Showcase more skills the employer is looking for, as well as any additional competencies and experience that would give you an edge.]
I am excited by the possibility of joining your operation, and I would love the opportunity to meet with you and discuss how I can be a positive change agent for your team. Please contact me anytime by mobile at +61 12 1234 5678 or by email at huntergs@gmail.com. [Close with a call to action by showing your eagerness to meet your potential employer and providing means to contact you.]
Yours faithfully,
Hunter Rogers
About the General Manager Role
A General Manager is a senior leadership position with overall profit and loss responsibility. This role has a broad scope, including sales, marketing, and overseeing day-to-day operations.
A General Manager creates sustainable growth and high performance, shaping the workplace through a combination of strategy, talent development, marketing, resource management, and supervision of operations.
Although he or she may carry out major one-off exercises such as cost reductions, restructuring and reorganisation if necessary, it is a key responsibility of the General Manager to prevent these situations from occurring.
They cannot be more wrong! In a B2B environment, the general manager also possesses a wealth of knowledge about businesses within the industry. He interfaces regularly with his clients as well as stakeholders to learn their needs. The general manager identifies decision makers, builds relationships founded on trust and credibility, and utilises a comprehensive content marketing strategy to win clients.
In some large companies, a general manager is in charge of a department or business unit. In smaller ones, the general manager is one of the top executives, on par with a director, president or C-suite officer. Regardless of his seniority, he combines expertise in multiple fields to guide the direction of the company by setting standards, strategy and vision.
What Hiring Managers Look for in General Manager Cover Letters
- Show your ability to set winning strategies, especially in the fields of marketing, sales, relationship-building, cost reduction, and personnel management.
- List your most significant achievements that involve growing revenue, decreasing costs, or both. P&L is king in this position.
- Results and metrics are critical. Link your skills and work scope to your achievements.
- Describe how you have shaped the workplace by developing junior leaders, optimising operational processes, and efficiently allocating resources.
- Emphasise your knowledge of the industry, clients, and stakeholders. State how you forged strong relationships with your clients and the value you created for them and your company.
- Craft a narrative that shows how you combine a broad array of skills to generate immense value.
General Manager Job Opportunities
- Join LinkedIn groups or follow companies you wish to work for to keep abreast with new job openings.
- Alternatively, you can reach out to these headhunters in Australia to learn about any vacancies they may be trying to fill out.
Job Hunting Tips from our Resident Headhunter
- Create a winning cover letter and send it along your resume. The cover letter will serve as an introduction about yourself and is a great venue to answer the question “Why should we hire you?”
- Be active on social media, particularly on LinkedIn. Make sure to create a strong online profile that represents you and you professional experiences. Here’s our comprehensive guide on writing a great LinkedIn profile.
Before You Go…
Before you start sending out applications, send us your resume for a free CV feedback analysis from our team. We’ll review your CV in detail, share personalised feedback on its strengths and weaknesses, and show you how you can improve it.