Social worker cover letter: example and tips

A complete cover letter for social worker jobs in Switzerland, what recruiters in the field look for, and the openings available right now.

What the recruiter wants to read

Your qualification (higher education or university of applied sciences in social work or social pedagogy) and the people you have supported.
How you work: individual plans, networking with other professionals, work with families.
Your availability for irregular hours, night duty and weekends.

A complete example

Names and facts are made up: replace each one with your own. A copied letter shows, an adapted one gets read.

Example

Subject: Application for the social worker position, 90%

Dear Ms Jaccard,

Your residential home for teenagers is looking for a social worker at 90%. For five years I have supported young people in difficulty, and I want to continue this work in a team focused on getting them into training and work.

Qualified in social pedagogy, I work at Fondation Les Peupliers as key worker for six young people aged 14 to 18. I draw up their individual plans with them, coordinate their network (family, school, guardianship) and set up an apprenticeship search workshop that helped four of them sign a contract last year.

Your partnerships with local companies and your focus on independence match how I work.

I can start on 1 April and am happy to work irregular hours and nights. I would be glad to meet you.

Kind regards,
Yann Chevalley

Enclosures: CV, work references, diplomas