Bartender Cover Letter Example & Template for 2024

‘I need to write a bartender cover letter. But what should I include there'? If you consider writing a winning bar staff cover letter, then you’re in the right place. Most of us have vague classroom memories of having been taught about covering letters, but few remember the details.

So how to write your cover letter to land a job behind the counter? Scroll down for a quick but comprehensive rundown of what a bartender cover letter should include, expert bar work cover letter examples, and advice.

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Need a different cover letter? Check these samples:

• Barista Cover Letter Example
• Bartender Cover Letter Example
• Cleaner Cover Letter Example
• Customer Service Cover Letter Example
• Lidl Cover Letter Example
• Receptionist Cover Letter Example
• Retail Cover Letter Example
• Sales Cover Letter Example
• Warehouse Operative Cover Letter

Your job is not on the list? See our full list of cover letter examples. 

Bartender Cover Letter Example

Now here’s how to write your own cover letter for bar work:

1. Start with a bartender cover letter header

Every cover letter should include a well laid-out header. A header is the upper part of a business letter, and a cover letter is simply a kind of business letter. The standard UK business letter format requires that a cover letter header include the elements listed below.

Aligned to right:

• Your full name
• Your postal address
• Your email
• Your phone number

Leave a line.

Aligned to the right:

• The hiring manager’s name
• The hiring manager’s job title
• The company name
• The company’s postal address

Bar staff cover letter header example

You can adjust every cover letter created in the builder to meet the job requirements. Choose the name of your profession and the company to which you’re applying, and the builder will automatically adapt the content for you. Create a cover letter faster than you ever thought possible and apply for the job in record time.

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2. Choose the right bartender cover letter salutation

A cover letter should start with a greeting or salutation of some kind. The best case would be ‘Dear’ + the first name of the bar manager to whom you’re writing. 

If you’re unsure of the person’s gender and don’t feel comfortable using just their first name, simply use ‘Dear’ + their full name, e.g. ‘Dear Leigh Smith’. This way you can avoid having to use a gendered title like Ms or Mr. Always double-check the person’s gender before using a gendered title.

Can’t find a specific person to write to even after rereading the job advert, checking the company website, searching on LinkedIn and similar sites as well as calling the company to ask? Think about the role that person would fill in your recruitment process and be as specific as you can.

At the very least use something like ‘Dear Hiring Manager’. Do not use the well-worn ‘To Whom It May Concern’ or the archaic ‘Dear Sir/Madame’. A little effort goes a long way here.

Cover letter for bar staff salutation example

3. Write a strong opening paragraph for your bartender cover letter

Why should your bar work cover letter include an opening paragraph? Here are three good reasons:

• It’s the best way to establish your enthusiasm for the bar job at the outset.
• It lets you drop the name of the bar and the job title you’re going for early on.
• It gives you the opportunity to drop names if someone referred you to the position.
• You can start building a case for how you’re a great fit for the role from the get go.

Start your bar staff cover letter with an achievement. Explain how you can apply your skills to the bar’s situation. Use accomplishment statements to structure your achievement around something like the PAR (Project-Action-Result) structure.

Bar staff cover letter opening paragraph example

4. Impress in the main body paragraph(s) of your bar staff cover letter

Your cover letter should, of course, have a main body section. The opening leads your reader up to this point, the main part of your bar cover letter. Writing this part, important as it is, is actually quite easy once you have your opening paragraph written. It’s simpler still once you have your CV in front of you.

All you need to do is basically string together two or three complete accomplishment statements. Use the PAR method mentioned above or something similar. The most important thing is to quantify each achievement. The goal is to put numbers to the benefits you bought to your employer in each case.

Cover letter for bar work: main body paragraph example

5. End your cover letter for a bartender with a CTA

A good bar cover letter should include a strong summary of the skills and achievements mentioned in the first 2–3 paragraphs. Tie up all loose ends and wrap everything up in a couple or so sentences. Hammer home the point that these bar skills could be very useful to the establishment to which you’re applying.

Then, include a clear call to action (CTA) and be sure to thank the bar manager for taking the time to consider your application. Finally, sign off on your cover letter according to how you greeted your reader:

• Use ‘Yours sincerely’ if you used the person’s name
• Use ‘Yours faithfully’ if you used just their title or role. 

Bar work cover letter wrap-up and sign-off example

What a good bar staff cover letter should not include

There things that make your cover letter better by being left out of it. Avoid the following:

• Complaining about or criticising your previous employer—keep it neutral and professional.
• Too much explaining around things like employment gaps or short stints at previous companies—don’t even mention these things if they can’t be compellingly explained away with a sentence or two.
• Generally too much information on any topic or rambling of any kind—keep it coherent, concise and on-topic.
• Exaggerations, embellishments, half-truths, and outright fabrications—assume everything will be fact-checked.
• Contractions, slang, and overly idiomatic expressions—edit these out to keep your language formal.
• Archaic, pompous, and pretentious expressions—don’t go too far in the opposite direction, though, and just be your best, professional self. 

What else to remember about when writing a cover letter for a bartender?

Here are some formatting guidelines to keep in mind when structuring a cover letter:

Length

Your cover letter should be short, between half an A4 page to one A4 page, 250–400 words in total, including:

• 60–80 words for the opening paragraph
• 120–200 words for the main body
• 40–60 words for closing paragraph.

Overall layout

• Match the colour palette (if any) to that of your CV.
• Match the general layout of your cover letter to your CV.
• Use plenty of white space and a simple template to give your cover letter a clean, easy-to-follow look.

Font

• Use a font that’s simple, professional-looking, and easy to read: CV fonts such as like Noto, Garamond, Arial work for cover letters, too.
• Keep your font between 11 and 12 points in size, never dropping below 10.

File type

• One last tip. Submit your CV and cover letter in the PDF format unless specifically asked for something different.

You don’t have to create any content yourself. The LiveCareer cover letter maker will automatically suggest the best content for your cover letter with ready-made examples and expert tips.

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I hope this articles has given you a better idea of what a cover letter for bar work should include. Leave any comments or questions down below and please share any bar cover letter experiences—heroic, nightmarish, and anything in between—in the comments section too!

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Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.