How to write a cover letter for a baker job (with example)

Bakers make bread, pastries, cakes and similar items for consumption or sale. They might work in a dedicated bakery, supermarket, restaurant or another establishment that produces or sells food. If you're applying to become a baker, knowing how to write an effective baker cover letter can help you get the job you want. In this article, we explain what a baker does, describe how to write a cover letter for a baker and show you a useful template and example cover letter for this position.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

What does a baker do?

A good knowledge of a baker's role can help you understand hiring managers' expectations so enabling you to write a better cover letter. Bakers work in the culinary industry and specialise in the production of baked goods like bread and cakes. They might work with their hands, use machinery or both. Bakers are familiar with a wide variety of ingredients, recipes and baked items. They might work on specific products like cakes and decorate them for special occasions or produce large batches of baked items for sale.

Bakers prepare and knead dough for various items by hand or with catering machinery. They can use small or large industrial ovens, perform quality checks, discuss orders and decorate finished items. Bakers could work almost anywhere there's demand for baked items, including restaurants, hotels, bakeries, supermarkets and catering companies. There are numerous items they could produce like standard loaves of bread, sourdough, cakes, croissants, crumpets, muffins and scones, amongst. They tend to have good manual dexterity, time management skills and patience.

Related: How to become a baker (with steps, tips and skills)

How to write a cover letter for a baker job

If you want to know how to write a baker cover letter for a job application, consider the steps below:

1. Research the job

A good first step is to familiarise yourself with the role you're applying for. This is going to allow you to tailor your cover letter to the job and hiring organisation in question. Try starting by reviewing the job advertisement for skills, experience requirements, qualifications, keywords and other relevant information. You can then research the hiring organisation by consulting its website, customer review sites and social media pages. Consider trying to work out what the organisation's customers are like, the kind of baked goods it produces and its internal culture.

During your research, you might want to consider how your own skills and background align with the requirements of the job. It's also useful to differentiate between the must-have requirements and the nice-to-have ones in the job advertisement. The latter can help you stand out more as a candidate as long as you meet the must-have requirements. Where you lack an exact equivalent of a skill or other requirement, think about transferrable examples that you could highlight instead.

Related: List of food industry careers to consider (with salaries)

2. Introduce yourself

The first part of your cover letter – after adding your contact information – is an introductory paragraph. This is typically somewhat shorter than subsequent sections and allows you to quickly get a hiring manager's attention. In the first line or two, you can state who you are, the position you're applying for and the name of the hiring organisation. This immediately demonstrates that you've written a dedicated cover letter for the role instead of using a generic template. It also tells the hiring manager your intentions, as they might receive multiple cover letters for different vacancies.

You might also mention where you first saw the job advertisement. In the next few lines, you can state your enthusiasm for the role in question and talk about how it aligns with your career aspirations. You can also highlight a few skills that make you a good candidate. Consider including both a must-have and nice-to-have skill or another requirement to make your introductory paragraph more appealing. This might be your experience working in a similar role, useful skills, the ability to produce specific baked goods or culinary qualifications. Referring regularly to the information you gathered to tailor your information may help keep your application on track.

Related: How to start a cover letter (with 7 powerful examples)

3. Describe yourself

In this section you can go into detail about your skills and background. You might use this part of your baker cover letter to persuade the hiring manager and promote yourself as the ideal candidate. While your CV is a comprehensive document, your cover letter is an opportunity to highlight the most relevant or persuasive details of your application. Based on your understanding of the requirements of the role, try selecting a few examples and writing about them in some detail. Consider writing about your hard skills, soft skills and relevant baking experience.

If you lack an exact equivalent to one of the job's requirements, you can mention a similar one that demonstrates transferrable skills. For example, if you're applying to a bakery that produces custom cakes for customers but you lack direct experience of the field, you could mention your ability to tailor batches of items to customer demand. Soft skills are another useful contributor to baker positions, such as attention to detail, communication, time management and creativity. Throughout this section, integrate keywords where appropriate. One or two paragraphs is a good length for this part of your cover letter.

Related: How to write about yourself confidently and effectively

4. Conclude

Once you've finished the rest of your cover letter, you can add a concluding paragraph at the end. Here you can summarise the main points of your baker cover letter that make you the right candidate. This is also a final opportunity to include keywords that you were unable to add elsewhere. You can restate your enthusiasm for the role and why that particular hiring organisation is appealing to you.

It's also a good idea to thank the recipient of your cover letter for taking the time to read and consider your application. You can then add a subtle call to action by stating you look forward to hearing back from them and state your availability for interviews. When you're finished, you can add your signature with an appropriate signoff. Traditionally, the signoff for a letter with a named recipient is Yours sincerely, whereas the signoff for an unnamed recipient is Yours faithfully.

Related: How to write the perfect cover letter (with examples)

Cover letter template for baker

Here's a template that you can use to organise your cover letter or adapt it to your requirements:

[First name] [Last name], [Degree or certification if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City] [relevant social media accounts that showcase your work]

[Date]

[Company name]

Dear [Hiring manager's first name] [Hiring manager's last name],

[Express excitement for the position including the role title and the company name]. [Introduce yourself by explaining why you're applying for the job and how the job aligns with your career goals and what specifically draws you to the company].

[Explain your relevant experience and qualifications without repeating what's in your CV]. [Highlight one to two relevant achievements with facts and data when possible]. [Explain why you'd be a good fit for the company]. [Optional - address employment gap or career transition].

[Express gratitude]. [Summarise qualification]. [Restate interest in role]. [Call to action + availability and preferred contact method]

[Complimentary close],
[Signature]

Related: What is a cover letter template?

Cover letter example for baker

Here's a cover letter example for a baker job application:

Gordon White
0777 999 888 | gordonwhite@email.co.uk | Plymouth

02 January 2023

Crusoe & Bean Retail Group

Dear Roberta Brown,

My name is Gordon White and I'd like to submit my application for the position of Baker at Crusoe & Bean Retail Group's Plymouth supermarket branch, which I saw advertised on Indeed. With multiple years of experience in bakeries that produce large quantities of goods at a high standard, I believe I'm the right candidate for this position.

After completing my Level 3 Diploma in Professional Bakery, I started working at the Raynott Bakery in Plymouth. I quickly became accustomed to producing large batches of various goods for local retailers, including a selection of different types of loaves and pastries. I performed quality checks on each batch and handled communications with logistics team members and clients. I have since become responsible for shifts of work and the quality of outputs, in addition to taking charge of custom orders for caterers and restaurants. I'm a clear and consistent communicator with excellent time management and attention to detail.

Thank you very much for taking the time to consider my application. I'm very keen to work at an organisation like yours with a reputation for its excellent bakeries. I'm available to interview at any time that's suitable and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Gordon White