Business Analyst Cover Letter: Examples & How to Write

As a business analyst you verge on being so many things: a consultant, a project manager, a data scientist, an orator and an oracle. And then there’s what you do after lunch each day. Each task is unique, let alone each company, let alone each industry.

This presents quite the challenge when sitting down to write a business analyst covering letter. It’s not obvious how you might describe your experience, skills or achievements to a non-expert. And how you might do it in one A4 page, in the form of that relic of a bygone era – the standard business letter.

This article will guide you through the process, step by step, with examples and advice that apply to business analysts of all experience levels and all stripes. Read on to see an example of the kind of business analyst cover letter that gets results and learn to write one just like it, only yours.

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Looking for cover letter samples? Check these guides:

• Administrative Assistant Cover Letter Sample
• Administrator Cover Letter Sample
• Consulting Cover Letter Sample
• Goldman Sachs Cover Letter Sample
• Investment Banking Cover Letter Sample
• Legal Cover Letter Sample
• Paralegal Cover Letter Sample
• Project Manager Cover Letter Sample

Want to explore other options? See our selection of cover letter examples for other jobs. 

Business Analyst Cover Letter Example

Now you know what the right cover letter structure is. Here's how to write a business analyst cover letter:

1. Start your business analyst cover letter with a properly set out header

Use a standard UK business letter format. Align to the right and type out your full name, postal address, email address, and phone number. Leave a line (but stay right-aligned) and enter the date using the format Day(st/nd/rd/th) Month Year, e.g. 3rd July 2021. Now leave another line and left-justify.

Type out the hiring manager’s name, their job title, the name of their company, and their company’s postal address. Don’t include their phone number or email address. You may find that you’re missing some of these details—the next section will cover what to do in such cases.

Business analyst cover letter header examples

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2. Use the right salutation for a business analyst cover letter

How to address a cover letter? It’s best to use “Dear” plus the first name of the person to whom you’re writing. It’s professional, friendly, and personal. If you’re applying for a graduate, entry-level or junior business analyst job or a business analyst internship, then you might find that there’s a significant gap in seniority between you.

In such cases, you might prefer to use “Dear” with the person’s title and surname, e.g. “Dear Mr Jameson”. If you end up using gendered titles (like Ms or Mr), then double check the person’s gender. If in doubt, stick to using “Dear” with their full name and no title. Always default to Ms rather than Miss or Mrs.

Don’t have a name or a job title to which to direct your BA cover letter? Dig around, more often than not it’s there to be found with very little effort. Check the advert, search online, use LinkedIn. Use your BA skills to track down what you need. Consider calling the company and asking.

On the off chance you don’t manage to chase a point of contact down, avoid the easy “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam” options. Instead, go with “Dear Hiring Manager”. If you know the org unit, department or team you’d be joining, go with “Dear XYZ Hiring Manager”. The more specific, the better.

Business analyst cover letter salutation example

3. Write a strong opening and introduce yourself

This is where you can really make an impression. A strong opening paragraph of your cover letter will show your enthusiasm for the company and the job and it’ll give a taste of what you can bring to the company and how you’re a great fit. Focusing on these things will also force you to mention the job title and company name.

Writing a senior business analyst cover letter? Applying for a BA position that requires experience? Start with an achievement that lines up with the company’s goals. Explain how you can apply those same skills to help the company achieve its goals. Use an accomplishment statement.

Writing a business analyst internship motivational letter? You might not have any relevant experience. Include an achievement from your studies or volunteer work if you can. If nothing fits the job offer, then include a belief statement instead that explains how you’re a match for the company’s mission and values.

If you were referred to the position, now is the time to mention it. Work any contacts or connections you have within the company into your opening. This kind of social proof can be very effective.

Whether your cover letter opening includes an accomplishment or a belief statement, keep it short. A single paragraph of 40-80 words is all you need.

IT business analyst cover letter opening example

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4. Showcase your skills and achievements

This is the main part of your business analyst cover letter. Use it to show your potential new employer what benefits hiring you would bring to their company. Describe two or three things you achieved in your current job. Quantify each achievement and be specific. Use accomplishment statements.

As a BA you’ve no doubt worked on a wide variety of projects in a wide variety of roles. Consider using a Challenge-Action-Result framework to contextualise each achievement. However you structure your achievements, remember that your reader might not have a background in business analysis. 

This part can be one or two paragraphs long and about 120-200 words. Skip it entirely if you don’t have any relevant acheivements at all—your belief statement will then become the main part of your cover letter.

Business process analyst cover letter main paragraph example

5. Summarise and close with a CTA

The last paragraph of your business analyst cover letter is your opportunity to bring your skills and achievements together and make it clear how they make you the perfect candidate for the job. Take 1-3 sentences to once again show off your knowledge of the company and to tie your accomplishments back into its mission, values or way of working.

End your cover letter off with a call to action (CTA). Let the hiring manager know that you’d be grateful for an opportunity to discuss your candidature further. Thank them for their time while you’re at it.

Keep this whole section very short. Aim for 40-60 words in total, no more. It’s a big ask, but it’s also something that BAs are good at—condensing and presenting information.

Business analyst cover letter closing example

6. Sign off the right way

Finish your business analyst cover letter by signing off. There are two ways to do this:

• use “Yours sincerely” if you addressed the cover letter to a named person, or
• use “Yours faithfully” if you didn’t, e.g. “Dear Hiring Manager”. 

Leave some space for a signature and then add your full name. Sign your cover letter by hand if you’re printing it out. If you’re sending it as a digital file, then you could paste in a clean, high-quality scan of your signature but it’s certainly not required.

7. What else to remember about when writing a business analyst cover letter?

All that’s left to do now is to make sure your cover letter formatting and layout are as easy on the eye as possible. Here’s a list of ways in which you can make that happen. Before you work your way down this list, though, be sure to proofread your work. Once you’re done with the list, proofread your letter again.

Length

How long should a cover letter be? Stick to the word limits for each section:

• Opening paragraph—between 60 and 80 words
• Main body—between 120 and 200 words
• Closing paragraph—between 40 and 60 words

This will leave you with 200-350 words in total, or half an A4 page to one A4 page. Hiring managers prefer short cover letters, so do not go over a page in length.

Overall presentation

Your business analyst CV and cover letter go together as two parts of one whole. Make sure they match visually. Keep the same colour scheme, font, and general style for both documents.

Choose an appropriate font

You want a font that people aren’t going to notice. Go with something professional and understated, like Arial, Noto, Garamond, or the default Liberation or Calibri. Keep font size at 11-12 points, definitely no smaller than 10-point.

Make your layout clear and easy to follow

Use a simple template. Let paragraphs breathe by leaving spaces between them. Make sure your interline spacing is consistent throughout your cover letter. Play with the margins (one-inch margin on each side is preferable) and other settings to achieve a balanced cover letter layout. 

Save as PDF

One last piece of advice. When you're finished writing your cover letter, save it in PDF to protect its formatting. Use other extensions like *.docx only if specifically asked to do so.

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Was this article what you were after? Did we surprise you with any of our tips? Do you now know how to write a business analyst cover letter? Please leave your comments and questions below.

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