_edited.jpg)
Cover Letter Dos and Don’ts for Teachers Changing Careers
- Cat Moon
- Oct 28
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 23
"Shall I include a cover letter with my job application?" I hear you ask. If you are changing careers, then I would strongly suggest that you do. From my own personal experience, the interviews I had before landing my first non-teaching job all included a cover letter.
Why write a cover letter for career change?
As a career switcher, you want the cover letter to acknowledge that you're changing careers, and to highlight that you have the skills necessary to do the job you're applying for. A cover letter could also be the difference between you and another candidate who didn't write one.
Generally, in your cover letter you want to explain why you've applied for the role advertised, the transferable skills and value you can add to X company, and why you think you'd be a great fit.
How long should the cover letter be?
There is no hard and fast rule here, but imagine you're a recruiter or hiring manager and hundreds of people have applied for a role at your company. In all likelihood, recruiters don't have the time to be sifting through a two-page cover letter for each potential candidate. They're going to look at resumes first and foremost, and then read the cover letter if there's time or they need a clearer story and background about you. For the non-teaching roles I've landed interviews for, I wrote a cover letter which was around 3-4 short paragraphs maximum and over one page. Do not go over two pages. I go into more detail about why one page is better than two in my blog post below:
Step 1: Analyse the job description
A job description comprises of two parts:
What you'll do (duties and responsibilities).
What the company is looking for (qualifications, skills).
Firstly, focus on the 'What you'll do' portion. The first few bullet points of the job description are the most important, and we need to make sure they are addressed in our cover letter. Start by highlighting the ones you have experience carrying out.
Next, take a look at the qualifications. Write down the ones you can comfortably meet and ignore any you don’t. Take a look at my infographic below as an example:
Top Tip: Qualifications are always negotiable and should not deter you from applying to a job. If, for example, a job advertisement states "3 years experience in instructional design', and you only have one, this is negotiable - and you can write about other transferable skills.
Step 2: Identifying what to include in your cover letter.
Create a 'T' table, with the column on the left for the highlighted skills you identified above, and the column on the right for how you match up to the specific role.
Here's an example of what your 'T' table might look like for an Instructional Design role:
Step 3: Why do you want to work here?
You like the sound of the role, and you know you'd be an excellent fit. Now is the time to convince the hiring manager of that.
In order to write a convincing paragraph explaining your why, you need to do your research on the company first. Find out:
What is the companies mission?
What problem are they trying to solve?
What's unique about this company in comparison to other companies?
What are some values the company highlight on their page?
A great way to start, is by looking at the companies website. Usually there is a page dedicated to the company values and/or a blog page dedicated to interviews or recent news and events. LinkedIn is also a great source of information- and will likely be even more up to date than their website as everything recent will be posted on there.
Check the companies socials to see if they have an Instagram or Facebook page. You'll be able to pick up on the language the company use and see what they share about their brand or company.
Step 4: How to set out your Cover Letter.
We're going to use the following format to start your cover letter:
Who you are, what you want, what you believe in.
Transition
Skills & Qualifications match
Why do you want to work there?
What skills do you bring?
Closing paragraph
a) Who you are, what you want, and what you believe in:
Start your Cover Letter by emphasising your strengths and ideally mention something specific to the company. State who you are, what you want, and what you believe in.
Example a) "I'm an educator with over 7 years of experience and I'd love to apply my skills and experience with designing e-learning modules for X company."
Example b) "I'm a Learning and Development Specialist with 5 years experience and an advocate for incorporating technology into lessons to make them more purposeful and stimulating for learners. I'm excited to bring my knowledge and understanding of adult learning principles to the role of instructional designer at X company."
Example c) "I'm an experienced Learning Facilitator with 3 years' experience designing and delivering e-learning modules form start to finish. I enjoy designing stimulating and fun learning experiences to inspire diverse audiences. I'd love to learn more about your growing educational company."
(b) Why do you want to work for X company?
Choose two things you genuinely like about the company based on your research. I usually recommend picking:
One value-driven reason, and
One reason connected to their product, industry, or something current they’re doing.
(If you actually use their product, that’s your strongest angle — lead with that.)
Once you’ve chosen your two reasons, turn them into a short paragraph that flows together:
“I’ve been following [COMPANY] for a few months now and I really connect with both your values and your direction. Your focus on [Insert Value] stands out to me because [Insert Reason]. I also recently read about [Insert Topical/Industry Reason], and it really appeals to me because [Why It Matters to You].”
This section is your chance to show that you understand the company — and genuinely want to work there. If you struggle to find anything you like, that might be a sign to rethink why you’re applying.
(c) Which skills can you bring to the company, and how will you make their life easier?
It should be practical, aligned with the job description, and focused on how you can help them — not just what you’ve done.
Example paragraph (Instructional Design):
“In my previous roles, I’ve designed a range of e-learning modules from concept to delivery, using tools like Articulate, Canva, and LMS platforms. I’m confident in analysing learning needs, simplifying complex content, and creating engaging digital learning experiences. I’m excited about the chance to bring those skills to your team and contribute to developing solutions that genuinely support learners.”
Example paragraph (L&D / Ed-Tech):
“I bring strong experience in curriculum design, stakeholder communication, and developing training that’s practical, user-friendly, and grounded in adult learning principles. I enjoy solving problems, managing multiple projects at once, and creating learning experiences that actually make a difference. I’d love to apply those strengths to help your team build meaningful, scalable learning solutions.”
Example paragraph (General career change for teachers):
“I’m confident in my ability to communicate clearly, manage projects, and adapt quickly — skills that supported me throughout my teaching career. I enjoy breaking down complex information and designing content that makes learning easier. I’d love to bring that same energy and creativity to your team and contribute to projects that help people grow.”
d) Conclusion
Finish with a clear, confident closing statement that reinforces your fit for the role:
“I believe my experience aligns strongly with what [COMPANY] is looking for, and I’m excited about the opportunity to take my skills to the next level with your team. I look forward to hearing from you.”
I look forward to hearing from you. Your Name
Need help crafting your resume? I've got you covered in the posts below:
Comments