writing cover letter rules

How to Write a Cover Letter [Full Guide & Examples for 2024]

After weeks of heavy job searching, you’re almost there!

You’ve perfected your resume.

You’ve short-listed the coolest jobs you want to apply for.

You’ve even had a friend train you for every single interview question out there.

But then, before you can send in your application and call it a day, you remember that you need to write a cover letter too.

So now, you’re stuck staring at a blank page, wondering where to start...

Don’t panic! We’ve got you covered. Writing a cover letter is a lot simpler than you might think. 

In this guide, we’re going to teach you how to write a cover letter that gets you the job you deserve.

We're going to cover:

What Is a Cover Letter?

• How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter, Step by Step
• 15+ Job-Winning Cover Letter Examples

Let’s get started.

A cover letter is a document that you submit as part of your job application, alongside your resume or CV.

The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce you and briefly summarize your professional background. On average, it should be around 250 to 400 words long .

A good cover letter is supposed to impress the hiring manager and convince them you’re worth interviewing as a candidate.

So, how can your cover letter achieve this?

First of all, it should complement your resume, not copy it. Your cover letter is your chance to elaborate on important achievements, skills, or anything else that your resume doesn’t give you the space to cover. 

For example, if you have an employment gap on your resume, the cover letter is a great place to explain why it happened and how it helped you grow as a person. 

If this is your first time writing a cover letter, writing about yourself might seem complicated. But don’t worry—you don’t need to be super creative or even a good writer .

All you have to do is follow this tried and tested cover letter structure:

• Header. Add all the necessary contact information at the top of your cover letter.
• Formal greeting. Choose an appropriate way to greet your target audience.
• Introduction. Introduce yourself in the opening paragraph and explain your interest in the role.
• Body. Elaborate on why you’re the best candidate for the job and a good match for the company. Focus on “selling” your skills, achievements, and relevant professional experiences.
• Conclusion. Summarize your key points and wrap it up professionally.

Now, let’s take a look at an example of a cover letter that follows our structure perfectly:

New to cover letter writing? Give our cover letter video a watch before diving into the article!

When Should You Write a Cover Letter?

You should always include a cover letter in your job application, even if the hiring manager never reads it. Submitting a cover letter is as important as submitting a resume if you want to look like a serious candidate.

If the employer requests a cover letter as part of the screening process, not sending one is a huge red flag and will probably get your application tossed into the “no” pile immediately.

On the other hand, if the job advertisement doesn’t require a cover letter from the candidates, adding one shows you went the extra mile.

Putting in the effort to write a cover letter can set you apart from other candidates with similar professional experience and skills, and it could even sway the hiring manager to call you for an interview if you do it right.

Need to write a letter to help get you into a good school or volunteer program? Check out our guide to learn how to write a motivation letter !

How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter

Now that you know what a cover letter is, it’s time to learn how to write one!

We’ll go through the process in detail, step by step.

#1. Choose the Right Cover Letter Template

A good cover letter is all about leaving the right first impression.

So, what’s a better way to leave a good impression than a well-formatted, stylish template?

Just choose one of our hand-picked cover letter templates , and you’ll be all set in no time!

As a bonus, our intuitive AI will even give you suggestions on how to improve your cover letter as you write it. You’ll have the perfect cover letter done in minutes!

#2. Put Contact Information in the Header

As with a resume, it’s important to start your cover letter with your contact details at the top. These should be in your cover letter’s header, separated neatly from the bulk of your text.

Here, you want to include all the essential contact information , including:

• Full Name. Your first and last name should stand out at the top.
• Job Title. Match the professional title underneath your name to the exact job title of the position you’re applying for. Hiring managers often hire for several roles at once, so giving them this cue about what role you’re after helps things go smoother.
• Email Address. Always use a professional and easy-to-spell email address. Ideally, it should combine your first and last names.
• Phone Number. Add a number where the hiring manager can easily reach you.
• Location. Add your city and state/country, no need for more details.
• Relevant Links (optional). You can add links to websites or social media profiles that are relevant to your field. Examples include a LinkedIn profile , Github, or an online portfolio.

Then it’s time to add the recipient’s contact details, such as:

• Hiring Manager's Name. If you can find the name of the hiring manager, add it.
• Hiring Manager's Title. While there’s no harm in writing “hiring manager,” if they’re the head of the department, we recommend you use that title accordingly.
• Company Name. Make sure to write the name of the company you're applying to.
• Location. The city and state/country are usually enough information here, too.
• Date of Writing (Optional). You can include the date you wrote your cover letter for an extra professional touch.

#3. Address the Hiring Manager

Once you’ve properly listed all the contact information, it’s time to start writing the content of the cover letter.

The first thing you need to do here is to address your cover letter directly to the hiring manager.

In fact, you want to address the hiring manager personally .

Forget the old “Dear Sir or Madam” or the impersonal “To Whom It May Concern.” You want to give your future boss a good impression and show them that you did your research before sending in your application.

No one wants to hire a job seeker who just spams 20+ companies and hopes something sticks with their generic approach

So, how do you find out who’s the hiring manager?

First, check the job ad. The hiring manager’s name might be listed somewhere in it.

If that doesn’t work, check the company’s LinkedIn page. You just need to look up the head of the relevant department you’re applying to, and you’re all set.

For example, if you’re applying for the position of Communication Specialist at Novorésumé. The hiring manager is probably the Head of Communications or the Chief Communications Officer.

Here’s what you should look for on LinkedIn:

And there you go! You have your hiring manager.

But let’s say you’re applying for a position as a server . In that case, you’d be looking for the “restaurant manager” or “food and beverage manager.”

If the results don’t come up with anything, try checking out the “Team” page on the company website; there’s a good chance you’ll at least find the right person there.

Make sure to address them as Mr. or Ms., followed by their last name. If you’re not sure about their gender or marital status, you can just stick to their full name, like so:

• Dear Mr. Kurtuy,
• Dear Andrei Kurtuy,

But what if you still can’t find the hiring manager’s name, no matter where you look?

No worries. You can direct your cover letter to the company, department, or team as a whole, or just skip the hiring manager’s name.

• Dear [Department] Hiring Manager
• Dear Hiring Manager
• Dear [Department] Team
• Dear [Company Name]

Are you applying for a research position? Learn how to write an academic personal statement .

#4. Write an Eye-Catching Introduction

First impressions matter, especially when it comes to your job search.

Hiring managers get hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of applications. Chances are, they’re not going to be reading every single cover letter end-to-end.

So, it’s essential to catch their attention from the very first paragraph.

The biggest problem with most opening paragraphs is that they’re usually extremely generic. Here’s an example:

• My name is Jonathan, and I’d like to work as a Sales Manager at XYZ Inc. I’ve worked as a Sales Manager at MadeUpCompany Inc. for 5+ years, so I believe that I’d be a good fit for the position.

See the issue here? This opening paragraph doesn’t say anything except the fact that you’ve worked the job before.

And do you know who else has similar work experience? All the other applicants you’re competing with.

Instead, you want to start with some of your top achievements to grab the reader’s attention. And to get the point across, the achievements should be as relevant as possible to the position.

Your opening paragraph should also show the hiring manager a bit about why you want this specific job. For example, mention how the job relates to your plans for the future or how it can help you grow professionally. This will show the hiring manager that you’re not just applying left and right—you’re actually enthusiastic about getting this particular role.

Now, let’s make our previous example shine:

Dear Mr. Smith,

My name’s Michael, and I’d like to help XYZ Inc. hit and exceed its sales goals as a Sales Manager. I’ve worked as a Sales Representative with Company X, another fin-tech company , for 3+ years, where I generated an average of $30,000+ in sales per month and beat the KPIs by around 40%. I believe that my previous industry experience, passion for finance , and excellence in sales make me the right candidate for the job.

The second candidate starts with what they can do for the company in the future and immediately lists an impressive and relevant achievement. Since they’re experienced in the same industry and interested in finance, the hiring manager can see they’re not just a random applicant.

From this introduction, it’s safe to say that the hiring manager would read the rest of this candidate’s cover letter.

#5. Use the Cover Letter Body for Details

The next part of your cover letter is where you can go into detail about what sets you apart as a qualified candidate for the job.

The main thing you need to remember here is that you shouldn’t make it all about yourself . Your cover letter is supposed to show the hiring manager how you relate to the job and the company you’re applying to.

No matter how cool you make yourself sound in your cover letter, if you don’t tailor it to match what the hiring manager is looking for, you’re not getting an interview.

To get this right, use the job ad as a reference when writing your cover letter. Make sure to highlight skills and achievements that match the job requirements, and you’re good to go.

Since this part of your cover letter is by far the longest, you should split it into at least two paragraphs.

Here’s what each paragraph should cover:

Explain Why You’re the Perfect Candidate for the Role

Before you can show the hiring manager that you’re exactly what they’ve been looking for, you need to know what it is they’re looking for.

Start by doing a bit of research. Learn what the most important skills and responsibilities of the role are according to the job ad, and focus on any relevant experience you have that matches them.

For example, if you’re applying for the position of a Facebook Advertiser. The top requirements on the job ad are:

• Experience managing a Facebook ad budget of $10,000+ / month
• Some skills in advertising on other platforms (Google Search + Twitter)
• Excellent copywriting skills

So, in the body of your cover letter, you need to show how you meet these requirements. Here’s an example of what that can look like:

In my previous role as a Facebook Marketing Expert at XYZ Inc. I handled customer acquisition through ads, managing a monthly Facebook ad budget of $40,000+ . As the sole digital marketer at the company, I managed the ad creation and management process end-to-end. I created the ad copy and images, picked the targeting, ran optimization trials, and so on.

Other than Facebook advertising, I’ve also delved into other online PPC channels, including:

• Google Search

Our example addresses all the necessary requirements and shows off the candidate’s relevant skills.

Are you a student applying for your first internship? Learn how to write an internship cover letter with our dedicated guide.

Explain Why You’re a Good Fit for the Company

As skilled and experienced as you may be, that’s not all the hiring manager is looking for.

They also want someone who’s a good fit for their company and who actually wants to work there.

Employees who don’t fit in with the company culture are likely to quit sooner or later. This ends up costing the company a ton of money, up to 50% of the employee’s annual salary , so hiring managers vet candidates very carefully to avoid this scenario.

So, you have to convince the hiring manager that you’re passionate about working with them.

Start by doing some research about the company. You want to know things like:

• What’s the company’s business model?
• What’s the company’s product or service? Have you used it?
• What’s the company’s culture like?

Chances are, you’ll find all the information you need either on the company website or on job-search websites like Jobscan or Glassdoor.

Then, pick your favorite thing about the company and talk about it in your cover letter.

But don’t just describe the company in its own words just to flatter them. Be super specific—the hiring manager can see through any fluff.

For example, if you’re passionate about their product and you like the company’s culture of innovation and independent work model, you can write something like:

I’ve personally used the XYZ Smartphone, and I believe that it’s the most innovative tech I’ve used in years. The features, such as Made-Up-Feature #1 and Made-Up-Feature #2, were real game changers for the device.

I really admire how Company XYZ strives for excellence in all its product lines, creating market-leading tech. As someone who thrives in a self-driven environment, I truly believe that I’ll be a great match for your Product Design team.

So, make sure to do your fair share of research and come up with good reasons why you're applying to that specific company.

Is the company you want to work for not hiring at the moment? Check out our guide to writing a letter of interest .

#6. Wrap It Up and Sign It

Finally, it’s time to conclude your cover letter.

In the final paragraph, you want to:

• Wrap up any points you couldn't make in the previous paragraphs. Do you have anything left to say? If there’s any other information that could help the hiring manager make their decision, mention it here. If not, just recap your key selling points so far, such as key skills and expertise.
• Express gratitude. Politely thanking the hiring manager for their time is always a good idea.
• Finish the cover letter with a call to action. The very last sentence in your cover letter should be a call to action. This means you should ask the hiring manager to do something, like call you and discuss your application or arrange an interview.
• Remember to sign your cover letter. Just add a formal closing line and sign your name at the bottom.

Here’s an example of how to end your cover letter :

I hope to help Company X make the most of their Facebook marketing initiatives. I'd love to further discuss how my previous success at XYZ Inc. can help you achieve your Facebook marketing goals. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at the provided email address or phone number so that we may arrange an interview.

Thank you for your consideration,

Alice Richards

Feel free to use one of these other popular closing lines for your cover letter:

• Best Regards,
• Kind Regards,

Cover Letter Writing Checklist

Once you’re done with your cover letter, it’s time to check if it meets all industry requirements. 

Give our handy cover letter writing checklist a look to make sure:

Does your cover letter heading include all essential information?

• Professional Email
• Phone Number
• Relevant Links

Do you address the right person? 

• The hiring manager in the company
• Your future direct supervisor
• The company/department in general

Does your introductory paragraph grab the reader's attention?

• Did you mention some of your top achievements?
• Did you use numbers and facts to back up your experience?
• Did you convey enthusiasm for the specific role?

Do you show that you’re the right candidate for the job?

• Did you identify the core requirements for the role?
• Did you show how your experiences helped you fit the requirements perfectly?

Do you convince the hiring manager that you’re passionate about the company you’re applying to?

• Did you identify the top 3 things that you like about the company?
• Did you avoid generic reasons for explaining your interest in the company?

Did you conclude your cover letter properly?

• Did you recap your key selling points in the conclusion?
• Did you end your cover letter with a call to action?
• Did you use the right formal closing line and sign your name?

15 Cover Letter Tips

Now you’re all set to write your cover letter! 

Before you start typing, here are some cover letter tips to help take your cover letter to the next level:

• Customize Your Cover Letter for Each Job. Make sure your cover letter is tailored to the job you're applying for. This shows you're not just sending generic applications left and right, and it tells the hiring manager you’re the right person for the job.
• Showcase Your Skills. Talk about how your skills meet the company’s needs. And while your hard skills should be front and center, you shouldn’t underestimate your soft skills in your cover letter either.
• Avoid Fluff. Don’t make any generic statements you can’t back up. The hiring manager can tell when you’re just throwing words around, and it doesn’t make your cover letter look good.
• Use Specific Examples. Instead of saying you're great at something, give an actual example to back up your claim. Any data you can provide makes you sound more credible, so quantify your achievements. For example, give numbers such as percentages related to your performance and the timeframe it took to accomplish certain achievements.
• Research the Company. Always take time to learn about the company you're applying to. Make sure to mention something about them in your cover letter to show the hiring manager that you're interested.
• Follow the Application Instructions. If the job posting asks for something specific in your cover letter or requires a certain format, make sure you include it. Not following instructions can come off as unattentive or signal to the hiring manager that you’re not taking the job seriously.
• Use the Right Template and Format. Choose the right cover letter format and adapt your cover letter’s look to the industry you’re applying for. For example, if you’re aiming for a job in Law or Finance, you should go for a cleaner, more professional look. But if you’re applying for a field that values innovation, like IT or Design, you have more room for creativity.
• Express Your Enthusiasm. Let the hiring manager know why you're excited about the job. Your passion for the specific role or the field in general can be a big selling point, and show them that you’re genuinely interested, not just applying left and right.
• Address Any Gaps. If there are any employment gaps in your resume , your cover letter is a great place to mention why. Your resume doesn’t give you enough space to elaborate on an employment gap, so addressing it here can set hiring managers at ease—life happens, and employers understand.
• Avoid Quirky Emails. Your email address should be presentable. It’s hard for a hiring manager to take you seriously if your email address is “[email protected].” Just use a [email protected] format.
• Check Your Contact Information. Typos in your email address or phone number can mean a missed opportunity. Double-check these before sending your application.
• Mention if You Want to Relocate. If you’re looking for a job that lets you move somewhere else, specify this in your cover letter.
• Keep It Brief. You want to keep your cover letter short and sweet. Hiring managers don’t have time to read a novel, so if you go over one page, they simply won’t read it at all.
• Use a Professional Tone. Even though a conversational tone isn’t a bad thing, remember that it's still a formal document. Show professionalism in your cover letter by keeping slang, jargon, and emojis out of it.
• Proofread Carefully. Typos and grammar mistakes are a huge deal-breaker. Use a tool like Grammarly or QuillBot to double-check your spelling and grammar, or even get a friend to check it for you.

15+ Cover Letter Examples

Need some inspiration? Check out some perfect cover letter examples for different experience levels and various professions.

5+ Cover Letter Examples by Experience

#1. college student cover letter example.

Check out our full guide to writing a college student cover letter here.

#2. Middle Management Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a project manager cover letter here.

#3. Team Leader Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a team leader cover letter here.

#4. Career Change Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to a career change resume and cover letter here.

#5. Management Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a management cover letter here.

#6. Senior Executive Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing an executive resume here.

9+ Cover Letter Examples by Profession

#1. it cover letter example.

Check out our full guide to writing an IT cover letter here.

#2. Consultant Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a consultant cover letter here.

#3. Human Resources Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing a human resources cover letter here.

#4. Business Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a business cover letter here.

#5. Sales Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a sales cover letter here.

#6. Social Worker Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing a social worker cover letter here.

#7. Lawyer Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing a lawyer cover letter here.

#8. Administrative Assistant Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing an administrative assistant cover letter here.

#9. Engineering Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing an engineer cover letter here.

#10. Receptionist Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a receptionist cover letter here.

Need more inspiration? Check out these cover letter examples to learn what makes them stand out.

Plug & Play Cover Letter Template

Not sure how to start your cover letter? Don’t worry!

Just copy and paste our free cover letter template into the cover letter builder, and swap out the blanks for your details.

[Your Full Name]

[Your Profession]

[Your Phone Number]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Location]

[Your LinkedIn Profile URL (optional)]

[Your Personal Website URL (optional)]

[Recipient's Name, e.g., Jane Doe],

[Recipient's Position, e.g., Hiring Manager]

[Company Name, e.g., ABC Corporation]

[Company Address]

[City, State/Country]

Dear [Recipient's Name],

As a seasoned [Your Profession] with [Number of Years of Experience] years of industry experience, I am eager to express my interest in the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. With my experience in [Your Industry/Sector] and the successes I've achieved throughout my education and career, I believe I can bring unique value and creativity to your team.

In my current role as [Your Current Job Title], I've taken the lead on more than [Number of Projects/Assignments] projects, some valued up to $[Highest Project Value]. I pride myself on consistently exceeding client expectations and have successfully [Mention a Key Achievement] in just a [Amount of Time] through [Skill] and [Skill].

I've collaborated with various professionals, such as [List Roles], ensuring that all [projects/tasks] meet [relevant standards or objectives]. This hands-on experience, coupled with my dedication to understanding each [client's/customer's] vision, has equipped me to navigate and deliver on complex projects.

My key strengths include:

• Improving [Achievement] by [%] over [Amount of Time] which resulted in [Quantified Result].
• Optimizing [Work Process/Responsibility] which saved [Previous Employer] [Amount of Time/Budget/Other Metric] over [Weeks/Months/Years]
• Spearheading team of [Number of People] to [Task] and achieving [Quantified Result].

Alongside this letter, I've attached my resume. My educational background, a [Your Degree] with a concentration in [Your Specialization], complements the practical skills that I'm particularly eager to share with [Company Name].

I'm excited about the possibility of contributing to [Something Notable About the Company or Its Mission]. I'd be grateful for the chance to delve deeper into how my expertise aligns with your needs.

Thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

The Heart of Your Job Search - Creating a Killer Resume

Your cover letter is only as good as your resume. If either one is weak, your entire application falls through.

After all, your cover letter is meant to complement your resume. Imagine going through all this effort to leave an amazing first impression in your cover letter, only for the hiring manager to never read it because your resume was mediocre.

But don’t worry; we’ve got you covered here, too.

Check out our dedicated guide on how to make a resume and learn everything you need to know to land your dream job!

Just pick one of our resume templates and start writing your own job-winning resume.

Key Takeaways

Now that we’ve walked you through all the steps of writing a cover letter, let’s summarize everything we’ve learned:

• A cover letter is a 250 - 400 word document that’s meant to convince the hiring manager that you’re the best candidate for the job.
• Your job application should always include a cover letter alongside your resume.
• To grab the hiring manager’s attention, write a strong opening paragraph. Mention who you are, why you’re applying, and a standout achievement to pique their interest.
• Your cover letter should focus on why you’re the perfect candidate for the job and why you’re passionate about working in this specific company.
• Use the body of your cover letter to provide details on your skills, achievements, and qualifications, as well as make sure to convey your enthusiasm throughout your whole cover letter.
• Recap your key selling points towards the end of your cover letter, and end it with a formal closing line and your full name signed underneath.

At Novorésumé, we’re committed to helping you get the job you deserve every step of the way! 

Follow our career blog for more valuable advice, or check out some of our top guides, such as:

• How to Make a Resume in 2024 | Beginner's Guide
• How to Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae) in 2024 [31+ Examples]
• 35+ Job Interview Questions and Answers [Full List]

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How to write a great cover letter in 2024: tips and structure

A cover letter is a personalized letter that introduces you to a potential employer, highlights your qualifications, and explains why you're a strong fit for a specific job.

Hate or love them, these brief documents allow job seekers to make an impression and stand out from the pile of other applications. Penning a thoughtful cover letter shows the hiring team you care about earning the position.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to write a cover letter — and a great one, at that.

What is a cover letter and why does it matter?

A professional cover letter is a one-page document you submit alongside your CV or resume as part of a job application. Typically, they’re about half a page or around 150–300 words.

An effective cover letter doesn’t just rehash your CV; it’s your chance to highlight your proudest moments, explain why you want the job, and state plainly what you bring to the table.

Show the reviewer you’re likable, talented, and will add to the company’s culture . You can refer to previous jobs and other information from your CV, but only if it helps tell a story about you and your career choices .

What 3 things should you include in a cover letter?

A well-crafted cover letter can help you stand out to potential employers. To make your cover letter shine, here are three key elements to include:

1. Personalization

Address the hiring manager or recruiter by name whenever possible. If the job posting doesn't include a name, research to find out who will be reviewing applications. Personalizing your cover letter shows that you've taken the time to tailor your application to the specific company and role.

2. Highlight relevant achievements and skills

Emphasize your most relevant skills , experiences, and accomplishments that directly relate to the job you're applying for. Provide specific examples of how your skills have benefited previous employers and how they can contribute to the prospective employer's success. Use quantifiable achievements , such as improved efficiency, cost savings, or project success, to demonstrate your impact.

3. Show enthusiasm and fit

Express your enthusiasm for the company and the position you're applying for. Explain why you are interested in this role and believe you are a good fit for the organization. Mention how your values, goals, and skills align with the company's mission and culture. Demonstrating that you've done your research can make a significant impression.

What do hiring managers look for in a cover letter?

Employers look for several key elements in a cover letter. These include:

Employers want to see that your cover letter is specifically tailored to the position you are applying for. It should demonstrate how your skills, experiences, and qualifications align with the job requirements.

Clear and concise writing

A well-written cover letter is concise, easy to read, and error-free. Employers appreciate clear and effective communication skills , so make sure your cover letter showcases your ability to express yourself effectively.

Demonstrated knowledge of the company

Employers want to see that you are genuinely interested in their organization. Mention specific details about the company, such as recent achievements or projects, to show that you are enthusiastic about joining their team.

Achievements and accomplishments

Highlight your relevant achievements and accomplishments that demonstrate your qualifications for the position. Use specific examples to showcase your skills and show how they can benefit the employer.

Enthusiasm and motivation

Employers want to hire candidates who are excited about the opportunity and motivated to contribute to the company's success. Express your enthusiasm and passion for the role and explain why you are interested in working for the company.

Professionalism

A cover letter should be professional in tone and presentation. Use formal language, address the hiring manager appropriately, and follow standard business letter formatting.

How do you structure a cover letter?

A well-structured cover letter follows a specific format that makes it easy for the reader to understand your qualifications and enthusiasm for the position. Here's a typical structure for a cover letter:

Contact information

Include your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of the letter. Place your contact information at the beginning so that it's easy for the employer to reach you.

Employer's contact information

Opening paragraph, middle paragraph(s), closing paragraph, complimentary close, additional contact information.

Repeat your contact information (name, phone number, and email) at the end of the letter, just in case the employer needs it for quick reference.

Remember to keep your cover letter concise and focused. It should typically be no more than one page in length. Proofread your letter carefully to ensure it is free from spelling and grammatical errors. Tailor each cover letter to the specific job application to make it as relevant and impactful as possible.

How to write a good cover letter (with examples)

The best letters are unique, tailored to the job description, and written in your voice — but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a job cover letter template.

Great cover letters contain the same basic elements and flow a certain way. Take a look at this cover letter structure for ref erence while you construct your own.

1. Add a header and contact information

While reading your cover letter, the recruiter shouldn’t have to look far to find who wrote it. Your document should include a basic heading with the following information:

• Pronouns (optional)
• Location (optional)
• Email address
• Phone number (optional)
• Relevant links, such as your LinkedIn profile , portfolio, or personal website (optional)

You can pull this information directly from your CV. Put it together, and it will look something like this:

Christopher Pike

San Francisco, California

[email protected]

Alternatively, if the posting asks you to submit your cover letter in the body of an email, you can include this information in your signature. For example:

Warm regards,

Catherine Janeway

Bloomington, Indiana

[email protected]

(555) 999 - 2222

2. Include a personal greeting

Always begin your cover letter by addressing the hiring manager — preferably by name. You can use the person’s first and last name. Make sure to include a relevant title, like Dr., Mr., or Ms. For example, “Dear Mr. John Doe.”

Avoid generic openings like “To whom it may concern,” “Dear sir or madam,” or “Dear hiring manager.” These introductions sound impersonal — like you’re copy-pasting cover letters — and can work against you in the hiring process.

Be careful, though. When using someone’s name, you don’t want to use the wrong title or accidentally misgender someone. If in doubt, using only their name is enough. You could also opt for a gender-neutral title, like Mx.

Make sure you’re addressing the right person in your letter — ideally, the person who’s making the final hiring decision. This isn’t always specified in the job posting, so you may have to do some research to learn the name of the hiring manager.

3. Draw them in with an opening story

The opening paragraph of your cover letter should hook the reader. You want it to be memorable, conversational, and extremely relevant to the job you’re pursuing. 

There’s no need for a personal introduction — you’ve already included your name in the heading. But you should make reference to the job you’re applying for. A simple “Thank you for considering my application for the role of [job title] at [company],” will suffice.

Then you can get into the “Why” of your job application. Drive home what makes this specific job and this company so appealing to you. Perhaps you’re a fan of their products, you’re passionate about their mission, or you love their brand voice. Whatever the case, this section is where you share your enthusiasm for the role.

Here’s an example opening paragraph. In this scenario, you’re applying for a digital marketing role at a bicycle company:

“Dear Mr. John Doe,

Thank you for considering my application for the role of Marketing Coordinator at Bits n’ Bikes.

My parents bought my first bike at one of your stores. I’ll never forget the freedom I felt when I learned to ride it. My father removed my training wheels, and my mom sent me barrelling down the street. You provide joy to families across the country — and I want to be part of that.”

4. Emphasize why you’re best for the job

Your next paragraphs should be focused on the role you’re applying to. Highlight your skill set and why you’re a good fit for the needs and expectations associated with the position. Hiring managers want to know what you’ll bring to the job, not just any role.

Start by studying the job description for hints. What problem are they trying to solve with this hire? What skills and qualifications do they mention first or more than once? These are indicators of what’s important to the hiring manager.

Search for details that match your experience and interests. For example, if you’re excited about a fast-paced job in public relations, you might look for these elements in a posting:

• They want someone who can write social media posts and blog content on tight deadlines
• They value collaboration and input from every team member
• They need a planner who can come up with strong PR strategies

Highlight how you fulfill these requirements:

“I’ve always been a strong writer. From blog posts to social media, my content pulls in readers and drives traffic to product pages. For example, when I worked at Bits n’ Bikes, I developed a strategic blog series about bike maintenance that increased our sales of spare parts and tools by 50% — we could see it in our web metrics.

Thanks to the input of all of our team members, including our bike mechanics, my content delivered results.”

5. End with a strong closing paragraph and sign off gracefully

Your closing paragraph is your final chance to hammer home your enthusiasm about the role and your unique ability to fill it. Reiterate the main points you explained in the body paragraphs and remind the reader of what you bring to the table.

You can also use the end of your letter to relay other important details, like whether you’re willing to relocate for the job.

When choosing a sign-off, opt for a phrase that sounds professional and genuine. Reliable options include “Sincerely” and “Kind regards.”

Here’s a strong closing statement for you to consider:

“I believe my enthusiasm, skills, and work experience as a PR professional will serve Bits n’ Bikes very well. I would love to meet to further discuss my value-add as your next Director of Public Relations. Thank you for your consideration. I hope we speak soon.

Tips to write a great cover letter that compliments your resume

When writing your own letter, try not to copy the example excerpts word-for-word. Instead, use this cover letter structure as a baseline to organize your ideas. Then, as you’re writing, use these extra cover letter tips to add your personal touch:

• Keep your cover letter different from your resume : Your cover letter should not duplicate the information on your resume. Instead, it should provide context and explanations for key points in your resume, emphasizing how your qualifications match the specific job you're applying for.
• Customize your cover letter . Tailor your cover letter for each job application. Address the specific needs of the company and the job posting, demonstrating that you've done your homework and understand their requirements.
• Show enthusiasm and fit . Express your enthusiasm for the company and position in the cover letter. Explain why you are interested in working for this company and how your values, goals, and skills align with their mission and culture.
• Use keywords . Incorporate keywords from the job description and industry terms in your cover letter. This can help your application pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) and demonstrate that you're well-versed in the field.
• Keep it concise . Your cover letter should be succinct and to the point, typically no more than one page. Focus on the most compelling qualifications and experiences that directly support your application.
• Be professional . Maintain a professional tone and structure in your cover letter. Proofread it carefully to ensure there are no errors.
• Address any gaps or concerns . If there are gaps or concerns in your resume, such as employment gaps or a change in career direction, briefly address them in your cover letter. Explain any relevant circumstances and how they have shaped your qualifications and determination.
• Provide a call to action . Conclude your cover letter with a call to action, inviting the employer to contact you for further discussion. Mention that you've attached your resume for their reference.
• Follow the correct format . Use a standard cover letter format like the one above, including your contact information, a formal salutation, introductory and closing paragraphs, and your signature. Ensure that it complements your resume without redundancy.
• Pick the right voice and tone . Try to write like yourself, but adapt to the tone and voice of the company. Look at the job listing, company website, and social media posts. Do they sound fun and quirky, stoic and professional, or somewhere in-between? This guides your writing style.
• Tell your story . You’re an individual with unique expertise, motivators, and years of experience. Tie the pieces together with a great story. Introduce how you arrived at this point in your career, where you hope to go , and how this prospective company fits in your journey. You can also explain any career changes in your resume.
• Show, don’t tell . Anyone can say they’re a problem solver. Why should a recruiter take their word for it if they don’t back it up with examples? Instead of naming your skills, show them in action. Describe situations where you rose to the task, and quantify your success when you can.
• Be honest . Avoid highlighting skills you don’t have. This will backfire if they ask you about them in an interview. Instead, shift focus to the ways in which you stand out.
• Avoid clichés and bullet points . These are signs of lazy writing. Do your best to be original from the first paragraph to the final one. This highlights your individuality and demonstrates the care you put into the letter.
• Proofread . Always spellcheck your cover letter. Look for typos, grammatical errors, and proper flow. We suggest reading it out loud. If it sounds natural rolling off the tongue, it will read naturally as well.

Common cover letter writing FAQs

How long should a cover letter be.

A cover letter should generally be concise and to the point. It is recommended to keep it to one page or less, focusing on the most relevant information that highlights your qualifications and fits the job requirements.

Should I include personal information in a cover letter?

While it's important to introduce yourself and provide your contact information, avoid including personal details such as your age, marital status, or unrelated hobbies. Instead, focus on presenting your professional qualifications and aligning them with the job requirements.

Can I use the same cover letter for multiple job applications?

While it may be tempting to reuse a cover letter, it is best to tailor each cover letter to the specific job you are applying for. This allows you to highlight why you are a good fit for that particular role and show genuine interest in the company.

Do I need to address my cover letter to a specific person?

Whenever possible, it is advisable to address your cover letter to a specific person, such as the hiring manager or recruiter. If the job posting does not provide this information, try to research and find the appropriate contact. If all else fails, you can use a generic salutation such as "Dear Hiring Manager."

Should I include references in my cover letter?

It is generally not necessary to include references in your cover letter. Save this information for when the employer explicitly requests it. Instead, focus on showcasing your qualifications and achievements that make you a strong candidate for the position.

It’s time to start writing your stand-out cover letter

The hardest part of writing is getting started. 

Hopefully, our tips gave you some jumping-off points and confidence . But if you’re really stuck, looking at cover letter examples and resume templates will help you decide where to get started. 

There are numerous sample cover letters available online. Just remember that you’re a unique, well-rounded person, and your cover letter should reflect that. Using our structure, you can tell your story while highlighting your passion for the role. 

Doing your research, including strong examples of your skills, and being courteous is how to write a strong cover letter. Take a breath , flex your fingers, and get typing. Before you know it, your job search will lead to a job interview.

If you want more personalized guidance, a specialized career coach can help review, edit, and guide you through creating a great cover letter that sticks.

Understand Yourself Better:

Big 5 Personality Test

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

3 cover letter examples to help you catch a hiring manager’s attention

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Writing an Effective Cover Letter: The Ultimate Guide

Picture this. You’ve just found an excellent job opening that meets all of your requirements— competitive salary, great benefits, and the ability to work on exciting projects. This has been your dream, and you know you have the qualifications. But, after reading further, you are asked to submit a resume and a cover letter. 

Many people skip over the idea of writing a cover letter because they can be difficult to write, especially if you’re applying for your first job. This is a mistake! In fact, your cover letter is one of the most important parts of the hiring process and should be written to the best of your ability.

Find your bootcamp match

In this guide, we’re going to explore how you can write an effective cover letter which you can use to apply for any position in tech.

Why Are Cover Letters Important?

Your cover letter is one of the first impressions you will make on a company. Even if you already have a recommendation from a current employee, there will be people in the company who will read your resume and cover letter before you proceed to the next stage of the hiring process. And to those people, these documents will be their first impression. You know what people say, “first impressions stick.”

When you reach out to a company, you want to tell them a story about yourself and how you’re going to help them meet their goals. Your resume will outline your skills and past experience, sure, but your cover letter will back up what you’ve said in your resume and give you the opportunity to explore your interest in a certain position with more depth. 

Most importantly, your cover letter, which can take many formats, can be highly personalized for each company. This is a chance for you to tell them your story. 

What Is the Purpose of a Cover Letter?

The cover letter is still an expected attachment to a resume and serves as the first impression a candidate will make on a potential employer. Your cover letter gives you the opportunity to talk about why you’re interested in the position and how you would uniquely contribute to the organization. Everyone may use the same format for their resume—listing their skills, qualifications, and more—but in the cover letter, you can get more creative. You can talk about why you’re excited about the company and craft a convincing pitch that will make them want to talk with you again.

Over the last few years, there has been a perception that cover letters are no longer relevant. If you have a Twitter profile and a presence on LinkedIn or AngelList, why should you have a cover letter? Well, the truth is that employers still value a cover letter. If you don’t include a cover letter, a potential employer may pass on you before they get the chance to read about your skills in greater depth.

Your cover letter tells employers that you’re applying for a certain position. You may be able to get away with using the same resume for multiple jobs, but the cover letter should be unique to each position and company. You want to convince the company why you are the best person for their team. And you want to tell them why you want to work with their company more than any other. The more detailed you are, the better the impression you can leave on hiring managers and recruiters.

How to Format a Cover Letter

Before we get started on the contents of a cover letter, it’s important to understand how you should format the document. Here are a few tips on how to format your cover letter:

• Use single line spacing for all text
• Use double-space between each section
• Include a one-inch margin on all sides
• Align everything to the left side
• Choose an easy-to-read font

How Long Should a Cover Letter Be?

Your cover letter—like a resume—should only be a single page long. The best cover letters are short, concise, and ideally under 300 words . You’ll only have the attention of a recruiter for a minute or two at best, and you want to impress them as soon as possible.

What to Say in a Cover Letter

Your cover letter should be all about the position you’re applying to and the company itself . Before you get started writing a cover letter, you should make sure you are aware of the needs of the company and their expectations for a candidate in the position. 

By doing some research in advance, you’ll find it easier to adapt your cover letter to the specific position you’re applying to. Recruiters will always value a personalized cover letter over one which includes generic text about why a candidate is “good.”

When doing research for your cover letter, consider the following questions:

• Why is the company hiring someone new?

Does the company have an always-open application so they can hire the best talent? Do they need more people to help them scale? When it comes time to writing your cover letter, make sure you keep these things in mind. If the company is scaling quickly, you may want to talk about how you have experience in fast-paced work environments, for example.

• What skills do they expect a new candidate to have?

What are they looking for in a new candidate? Do they need someone with skills in a particular technology? Do they need someone ambitious who can help them bring their ideas into reality? Answers to these questions are difficult to ascertain before actually talking with someone in the company, but you can’t write a cover letter without knowing what they expect.

Spend some time reading through the job description and take notes on what skills they expect applicants to have. Also, read over any materials on the company’s website such as their “about” page and their vision statement so you can learn more about their expectations and long-term goals. Doing this research will show companies you know what they’re all about, thereby indicating you’re passionate about a particular position.

How to Write a Cover Letter

Cover letters can be difficult to write because you need to write a new one for each position you’re applying to. However, there are a few tips you should keep in mind which will help optimize your cover letter writing process.

Expand on Your Resume

In your cover letter, you should go beyond your resume. It can be tempting to simply reiterate what you have said in your resume in more depth. But you shouldn’t repeat yourself in your cover letter. Instead, you should use your cover letter as an opportunity to discuss your experience in more depth . Write a sentence or two about how a past position helped you refine a specific skill that the employer is looking for. Customize the letter to show you have the requisite skills for the position. If you’re not sure where to start, you may want to ask yourself these questions:

• How did you tackle one of the responsibilities you had in a past position?
• How did you accomplish a specific milestone you mentioned on your resume?

Main Components of a Successful Cover Letter

Now, let’s get to the cover letter itself. There are three main parts in a cover letter:

• The Introduction

Let’s break these down and explore each component in more depth.

• Cover Letter Introduction

The first few sentences in your cover letter are key. If you include some generic and bold assertions about your skills, the recruiter may get bored and move on to the next candidate. But if you make your introduction impressive, they will want to read on further.

Your introduction should start with “Dear, [hiring manager name].” Make sure you include the name of the hiring manager or recruiter who is hiring for the position. If the company has a relaxed office culture, you only need to use their first name; if the employer is more traditional, use their first and last name.

The first paragraph should tell the company why you want to work with them . There are two things you could say in this paragraph—you believe in the company’s mission, and you want to work on the problems they are solving or, you want to work with their team. You should mention one of these facts and give a specific reason why. You’re interested in helping the company solve problems? Now you need to tell them why. 

Giving a specific reason shows the company you’ve tailored your cover letter to them and done some research about their company. Saying that you have applied because a friend told you about the company or because you saw a job opening sounds like you haven’t thought about the company in any depth—you just applied. When a company feels you are passionate about their vision or their team, they are more likely to reach out to you. They are always going to hire the person who wants to work for the company more than the person who would accept any job. Even subtle personal touches will go a long way in a cover letter.

• Cover Letter Body

You’ve written a great introduction, and you now have the attention of the recruiter. What’s next? You have to tell them your story. The main body will be what a recruiter uses to help them decide whether to schedule an interview or file your application away.

The main body should be around three sentences —even if you are applying for junior or senior positions in tech. The goal of telling this story is to convince the company you meet all of their specifications. Tell the company about your knowledge of the technologies they are using or your past experience with a certain process they mentioned in the job listing. Whatever it is, make sure you tell them how you can help solve their problems better than everyone else . And always provide specific examples .

"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"

Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot

Let’s say the company is looking for a front end web developer who can help them speed up their app. You could say, “In my one-year tenure as an intern at Google, I used React.js to improve the speed of an internal landing page by 50ms.” 

Specific, concise, and easy to understand.

In this section, you should be sure to make links between your qualifications and the specific requirements for a position . Mention how your skills meet the requirements of a company. You should also be sure to keep your paragraphs short. If you are writing three sentences, you may split those up into two paragraphs. This will make it easier for the recruiter to read your cover letter and understand the most important information. The more personalized your cover letter is, the more an employer will feel that you’re passionate about the company and its vision.

If you’re struggling to figure out how to talk about your past experience, there are a few questions you should keep in mind. These questions will ensure you know how to articulate your past experience and present it as effectively as possible to a future employer. Ask yourself:

• What projects did I work on?
• How many users did my project have?
• What big milestones did I achieve?
• What use cases did I have to take into account?
• What tools (i.e. GitHub, Confluence, CircleCI) and methodologies (i.e. Agile) did I use to work on this project?

You should end up with something like, “I was a core team member building X and leveraged tools such as CircleCI to create a new continuous integration process, which helped cut down our deployment time by 30%.” 

• Cover Letter Close

The hiring manager is reading your cover letter. They are getting more interested in reaching out to you for an interview. Now, you need to close your cover letter effectively.

The first thing you should mention in your closing lines is a call to action: a specific statement that tells employers how they can reach out to you . You may decide to say, “If you are interested in talking with me further about how I can help Microsoft boost the efficiency of their Azure platform, reach out to me at [email address].” Again, this is specific, concise, and actionable.

Then you want to close with “sincerely” or “kind regards” and sign the letter with your full name . Optionally, you can include a phone number or another contact information below your name. After you’ve done that, your cover letter will be complete. You do not need to make your close complicated—it should be simple and tell hiring managers how to reach out to you in only a few words.

Example of a Cover Letter

Here is an example of a cover letter that uses the above format. The letter states why a candidate wants to work for the company and gives them a specific example of how this candidate can help them achieve their goals. The letter is simple, concise, and actionable.

30 October 2019

Stephanie M. Anager

Hiring Manager

Career Karma

San Francisco, CA 94107

Dear James,

I used Career Karma to help choose a coding bootcamp when I was learning to code, and I recently learned about your new bootcamp directory. It got me thinking that I want to help others find the right educational opportunities for them, just like you did for me. I would like to apply for the position of junior full stack engineer at your company.

At my previous job, I started off as a junior web developer and I learned how to build efficient web applications using JavaScript and the React.js framework. I spent time working with the development team analyzing inefficiencies in our application, and made numerous changes to make our pages render quicker. If I were to join your team, I would be able to help you make your website more efficient, and help you scale the site as you gain more traffic.

If you would like to talk with me further about how I can help you improve your web application, reach out to me at [email protected].

Kind regards,

Candidate N. Ame

What Not to Include in a Cover Letter

The purpose of a cover letter is to tell your story to a prospective employer. You can tell them about yourself, your history, your knowledge, and more. Your cover letter gives you an opportunity to show an employer why you are a good candidate for a position and why they should hire you.

But many people feel compelled to include more information than they need to. Your cover letter should be short, to-the-point, and focused on how you can help a company achieve its goals. You don’t need to include every detail about your employment history. Keeping your cover letters short will make it easy if you apply for multiple positions and need to write many different letters.

Your cover letter should be formatted correctly and should be free of any spelling or grammar errors , as it will also implicitly showcase your writing and communication skills. If your cover letter includes obvious grammatical errors, an employer may question how much attention you pay to detail—a critical component of most jobs in tech.

Here are a few things you should avoid doing in a cover letter:

• Making assertions which are not true. Employers will check the facts of a cover letter if they proceed with the interview process. Make sure your cover letter is truthful and accurately represents your skills. There are many people who have exaggerated their skills in a cover letter but were unable to meet the requirements when it came time for the interview.
• Information not related to the job. Don’t include anything which is not directly related to the position for which you are applying. You only have a few hundred words to use when writing your cover letter—use them all effectively.
• What you want. Don’t mention what you want to get out of the company. You should be pitching how you can help the company, not how they can help you.
• Expressing too much interest in the job. Companies want to know you are interested in them. But talking too much about how you like the company may cause you to lose leverage when it comes time to negotiate a salary. You are pitching yourself and your abilities, not how much you like a company. Tell the company why you’re applying, but don’t go into too much depth about how you like X, Y, and Z about them.
• Discussing the skills you don’t have. If a company posts a position looking for writing experience, don’t say something like, “Although I have a short track record of writing experience… [insert other unrelated claims]…” Keep your cover letter focused on what you can do. You are not expected to meet every requirement listed in a job description.

Tips for Writing a Great Cover Letter

Here are a few tips on how you can write a wonderful cover letter:

1. Personalize, Personalize, Personalize.

The main thing you should remember about this guide is that your cover letter should be personalized. It should be tailored to one specific company and one position . It’s easy to tell if a cover letter has been reused multiple times—they include generic statements, and the author doesn’t talk about why they want to work for a specific company. 

If you want to save time, you should consider making a template cover letter. You can then make a few changes for each company before you send the cover letter out. For example, you can keep your close and some of your main body the same; the main thing you would change is why you want to work for each company. This saves time while still allowing you to maintain a professional tone.

2. Include Some Statistics

Hiring managers like to see stats. Numbers show that you’ve had a quantifiable impact on an organization you’ve worked for in the past. For example, if you’re a front end developer, you could talk about how you improved the render speed of pages. Similarly, if you’re a DevOps developer, you could talk about how many servers you maintained in a cluster. Statistics are not necessary, but they do help illustrate how much of an impact you have made in the past.

3. Show Personality

Your cover letter should be yours . The resume you wrote will include lists of facts about you and your history. But your cover letter should be more free-flowing and showcase your human side to hiring managers.

Spend time researching the company’s culture, and try to adopt a similar tone in your cover letter. And, before you send it, read your cover letter aloud and remove anything which doesn’t sound like how you would speak.

4. Keep It Short and Simple

Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule. But your cover letter should be as short as possible . In one survey, more than two-thirds of employers said they prefer a cover letter that is half a page or, “the shorter the better”. The more wordy your writing is, the more difficult it will be for the hiring manager to take away the key points.

5. Review and Edit

As we mentioned earlier, you should run a spell check of your cover letter before you submit it. But don’t mistake a spell check for editing . Spend some time after you’ve written your cover letter to read it over and evaluate whether any changes need to be made. After a few reviews, you’ll most likely notice a few things you want to change or improve.

You can also reach out to a friend or family member and ask them to review your cover letter and make any suggestions for how you can improve the letter. Consider asking them, “Does this letter accurately showcase my skills?” and “Does this letter get you excited about me?” to make sure you have covered all your bases.

If you need some additional assistance, you can use tools such as Hemingway to help improve the tone of your work. Hemingway will highlight sentences that are too wordy and difficult to read, use passive voice, or use complex vocabulary when a simpler term would suffice.

6. Highlight Your Technical Skills

If you’re applying for a software development position, you should make sure you highlight your technical skills explicitly. Prospective employers will look at a cover letter for only a few seconds, or they may even have it parsed through an Automated Tracking System. Thus, you should spend time talking about the specific technical skills you’ve acquired so a recruiter can easily find out whether you have the skills you need to be a good fit for the job.

Mention any specific technologies you know and one major goal you met using that technology. For example, you could say, “At my previous job, I used Ruby on Rails and GraphQL to move from a REST-based architecture to GraphQL, which we found to be more efficient based on our business needs.” 

In this example, the candidate has spoken about how they know Ruby on Rails (a programming language), GraphQL (a data architecture tool), and how they have a good knowledge of REST (an API structure). If an employer is hiring someone who has these skills, this statement will really make the candidate stand out ahead of everyone else. 

7. Use Action Words

When you’re writing a cover letter, you should avoid using “buzzwords” or talking about specific skills that are not fully relevant to the job. Instead, you should use action words that showcase your involvement with particular projects. If you are a software developer, you may feel tempted to use words like “coded” or “developed” a few times in your cover letter because you have created a lot of applications. But you should try to introduce some variety into your cover letter.

Here are a few examples of action words you can use in your cover letter:

• “I was a key collaborator on a tight-knit team…”
• “Helped our team meet the project goal…”
• “Created a new system to…”
• “I managed a team of…”
• “I helped create a new process…”

You should also try to include results-oriented words in your cover letter. These words help show that you have experience in yielding good outputs from your work and will show the extent of your responsibilities in your past experience.

A few words you may want to consider using include: redesigned, updated, implemented, produced, increased, streamlined, reduced .

Hopefully you now understand that writing a good cover letter is not too difficult and that cover letters are a great way for you to showcase your skills to employers. If you follow these guidelines on how to write a cover letter, you’ll be more likely to land a technical interview for your dream job.

In brief, here are our main rules on how to write a good cover letter:

• Research the company, their culture, and read the job description thoroughly
• Introduce yourself by talking about why you want to work for the company
• Show the company how your past experience will help you be an effective contributor
• End with a call to action and a professional close
• Review your cover letter to make sure you do not include anything unnecessary
• Do a final review of your cover letter and send it to some friends to get feedback

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

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How to Write a Cover Letter

Advice for tackling one of the toughest parts of the job-hunting process.

Perhaps the most challenging part of the job application process is writing an effective cover letter. And yes, you should send one. Even if only one in two cover letters gets read, that’s still a 50% chance that including one could help you. Before you start writing, find out more about the company and the specific job you want. Next, catch the attention of the hiring manager or recruiter with a strong opening line. If you have a personal connection with the company or someone who works there, mention it in the first sentence or two, and try to address your letter to someone directly. Hiring managers are looking for people who can help them solve problems, so show that you know what the company does and some of the challenges it faces. Then explain how your experience has equipped you to meet those needs. If the online application doesn’t allow you to submit a cover letter, use the format you’re given to demonstrate your ability to do the job and your enthusiasm for the role.

No one likes job hunting. Scouring through online job listings, spiffing up your résumé , prepping for grueling interviews  — none of it is fun. For many, the most challenging part of the process is writing an effective cover letter. There’s so much conflicting advice out there, it’s hard to know where to start. Do you even need one, especially if you’re applying through an online system?

• Amy Gallo is a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, cohost of the Women at Work podcast , and the author of two books: Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) and the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict . She writes and speaks about workplace dynamics. Watch her TEDx talk on conflict and follow her on LinkedIn . amyegallo

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The Only Cover Letter Guide You’ll Need in 2024 (+Examples)

• Kaja Jurcisinova , 
• Updated January 16, 2024 13 min read

Oh, the dreaded cover letter. Job seekers hate writing it and nobody knows if anybody even reads cover letters anymore. And yet, not attaching one to your application would be a terrible mistake. This cover letter guide will tell you not only why to write one, but also how to write a really good one.

But first , why does everyone hate writing cover letters so much?   After all, a cover letter gives you a unique opportunity to distinguish yourself from others.

In comparison with a resume, the cover letter allows you to provide details that didn’t fit in on your resume and demonstrate your passion.

All the negativity that surrounds the cover letter probably comes down to the fact that good cover letters require a bit of alchemy. They also take time to write.

This guide will help you avoid any mistakes and write a strong cover letter that will catch the recruiter’s attention. We also include cover letter examples.

Generally speaking, you want to make your cover letter:

• easy to read for the recruiter;
• well-structured;
• max 4 paragraphs/1 page long;
• professional in both tone and greetings;
• tailored for the specific opening.

Let's get to it!

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

Why should you write a cover letter?

How do recruiters read cover letters, how to write a great cover letter in 9 simple steps.

• What if you're told to NOT submit a cover letter? 

Final cover letter tips and hacks

Cover letter examples.

So, how exactly is the cover letter important for your job application? 

Some may argue that the cover letter in 2024 isn't really relevant anymore. In fact, one study stated that only 18 percent of hiring managers think cover letters are a key part of an application.

However, don’t get fooled by these statistics. While your resume may be considered more important during the hiring process, including a well-written cover letter can increase your chances of landing a job. 

For instance, 83% of hiring managers would be convinced by a really good cover letter — even if the resume wasn’t good enough, according to this study .

And there's more to it.

Some of the key advantages of the cover letter are:

• It’s much less structured than the resume and lets you develop a story. 
• It gives you space to get a little more creative. 
• Your personality can shine through thanks to it.
• You can elaborate on key achievements mentioned in your resume.
• It helps explain a lack of experience, career change, or an employment gap.

In other words, the cover letter is a perfect chance to bridge the distance between you and a recruiter even before the actual job interview . 

Pro tip: Before writing a cover letter, make sure that you have a powerful resume that matches the job description. Because if your resume doesn’t fit a desired profile, your cover letter probably won’t get read at all. To learn more, you may want to check out our  Ultimate Resume Guide .

First, they read them to decide if you’re the right fit for a position. For this reason, avoid generic write-ups at all costs. What recruiters love to see is a short persuasive argument of why you fit the role and the company. Something like this: 

“I was happy to hear about this job opening from my former manager, Jane Anne. She and I have worked together on many projects throughout the years and she thought that I would be the perfect match for this position.“

Second, recruiters are looking for inconsistencies . For instance, if your resume shows attention to detail but your cover letter is addressed to the wrong person, wrong company, and is filled with typos, it's inconsistent. You want to ensure the number of inconsistencies is kept to a minimum.

Third, they're trying to get a hint of your personality . Cultural fit is important to many companies.

So, throughout the process of cover letter writing, it's essential to keep in mind the recruiter who's going to be the recipient of your letter. 

Because at the end of a day, a good cover letter shouldn't be solely about you — it's supposed to be written with the hiring manager in mind. 

So ask yourself:  

• Is my cover letter easy to read?
• Have I addressed the right person in the opening?  
• Will it help them decide if I'm the right fit?
• Did I use the right tone of voice that fits their company culture?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, our cover letter guide is exactly for you.

Writing a cover letter may seem like a challenging task at first but if you know a few key cover letter rules, the process can become much easier. 

Before you start writing your cover letter, find out more about the company you're applying for. Look at their website and LinkedIn . The research also includes looking at the job description very closely and identifying any recurring keywords. Also, search for specific cover letter examples for the role online.

Placed at the very beginning of your cover letter, the header is where you include your contact information (i.e. your full name, email address, phone number) and the company's contact information (i.e. the manager’s or recruiter’s name, job title, department, the name of the company, company’s address). 

When in doubt, try to use this formula: Number or Trigger word + Adjective + Keyword + Promise.  The result can look something like this: 5 Ways I Can Help You Improve Your Company’s [insert a position-related keyword]

If the name of the hiring manager isn't written in the job posting, research their name and contact information online. For example, look at the company's page or LinkedIn. Then, greet them by saying "Dear [first name]" . If, however, the company culture is very formal, go for the classic "Dear Hiring Manager" .

The first paragraph is the perfect place to shortly explain why the job seems exciting to you and why you’re the right person for it .  You can also compliment the company or name a mutual acquaintance who referred you.

Try to answer these questions: 1. What did you do at a previous position that gave you relevant experience?  2. How could this experience help the new company grow? 3. Which of the projects you have worked on would benefit their business? 4. Which of your skills make you well-equipped for the position?  5. Do any of these skills give you an edge over other candidates?

The following questions should help you : What excites you about the idea of working at this company? How do the company goals align with your own? What do you hope to gain and learn from working there?

In the cover letter closing paragraph : reiterate that your experience and enthusiasm make you a great candidate, add a confident call to action, express gratitude, and always use a formal sign-off.

You can either attach the cover letter as a separate document in the email when sending your resume , or send it directly in the body of the email (that way they can't ignore it).

In the following chapters we look at each step more closely and include specific examples you can copy and paste.

Step 1: Prepare and do some research 

Knowledge is power. Before you begin writing:

• Find out more about the company and the position you're applying for. Spend some time on the company’s website, its executives’ Twitter feeds, and employee profiles on LinkedIn. It will also help you decide on the tone of your cover letter. For example, if it’s a company like Kickresume , you can easily get away with more unusual approaches. But if it’s a conservative institution, like a bank or a lawyer's office, you should probably keep it formal.
• Search for specific cover letter examples for your role online . Pick some examples that fit your role and use these for inspiration. (By the way, that link just now will take you to our database of successful cover letters from real people who got hired. Totally worth checking out.)
• Look at the job descriptions of the roles you’re applying for . Identify major experience and hard skill keywords, so you can insert them in your letter in the relevant sections.

Once you've done this basic research, you can finally start thinking about the structure of your cover letter. 

This short infographic will show you that writing a cover letter is a lot simpler than you might have thought: 

Step 2: Include a header with basic info rmation

Placed at the very beginning of your cover letter, the header is the place where you should include your contact information and the contact information of the company. 

A cover letter is still a letter, after all. 

At the left side of the page include the information based on which you can be reached by the recruiter. 

Here, make sure to include: 

• your full name
• your email address
• phone number

Optionally, you can also add:

• your professional title
• address (if it vaguely matches the location of the job offer)
• current date
• personal website/LinkedIn

The top right side of the page is reserved for company-related information. Here, you should put: 

• the manager’s or recruiter’s name (if available)
• job title 
• the name of the company
• company’s address

Not a fan of writing?

Our AI writer will write the first draft of your cover letter for you.

Step 3: Write a strong cover letter headline

When you’re browsing the web, what articles usually catch your attention? Those with great headlines, of course! 

The same applies to cover letter headlines.

Start by paying attention to the headlines around you — especially in tabloids and websites like Buzzfeed (Is Buzzfeed still a thing? How very 2010s of me). These are usually designed to stir up your interest and make it impossible to not click through. 

Notice how they use numbers, questions, and interesting adjectives to promise the reader to learn something valuable.

And you can do the same in your cover letter.

When in doubt, try to use this formula: Number or Trigger word + Adjective + Keyword + Promise. 

The result can look something like this: 

• 3 Reasons Why I’m An Excellent Fit For [Job Position]
• Are You Still Looking To Fill The Position Of [Job Position]? This Is Why I Believe I’m Exactly Who You’re Looking For
• 5 Ways I Can Help You Improve Your Company’s [insert a position-related keyword]

Finally, don’t forget to adjust your header to the company’s level of formality and put your headline in the subject of the email.

Step 4: Use the correct form of greeting

In this time and age, there’s no excuse for using “To Whom It May Concern.”  

If the name of the hiring manager isn't written in the job posting, you’re expected to research their name and contact information online. For example, look at the company's page or LinkedIn. 

Once you have their name, feel free to go for a personalized greeting: 

“Dear [first name]” or “Dear Mr./Mrs. [last name]” 

Honorifics (e.g. Mr., Mrs., Ms .) are more appropriate if the company’s culture is formal. 

And if you cannot find the recruiter’s name, it's okay to go for a generic: 

“Dear Hiring Manager”, or “Dear Recruitment Officer”

Alternatively, you can address the letter to the whole company team or the HR department. In this case, your greeting should look like this: 

“Dear [name of the company/department] Team” or “Dear Human Resources”

Step 5: First paragraph: Introduce yourself with a BANG!

The best way to start a cover letter is to open strong. The first impression matters the most and busy recruiters often have a chance to properly dive into only a few selected cover letters. 

So if you make your first paragraph captivating, chances are that your letter will be one of the lucky ones that actually end up being read. 

In fact, the first paragraph is the perfect place to shortly explain why the job seems exciting to you and why you’re the right person for it. 

While most people begin their letters with “I’m applying for the position X I saw in Y place,” it's a waste of space. 

Instead, open with a sentence like this:

“I’m a content marketing professional with more than 5 years of experience and I’d love to bring my ability and passion to your team.”

In the first paragraph, you can also:

• Compliment the company. Show that you know details about the company and you’re approaching it for a reason. For example, demonstrate appreciation for what the company does. Not only will this flatter them, but it will also provide them with insight into who you are.
• Name a mutual acquaintance if you can. This is sometimes called a “magic bullet,” as it’s the one thing that will assure the hiring manager reads your cover letter until the end. 

However, limit the introduction to 1-3 sentences. This isn’t the place to go into detail about what makes you ideal for the role — save that for the second and third paragraphs. 

Step 6: Second paragraph: Explain why you’re a great fit for the company

The second paragraph is the place where you should sell yourself and your experience.  

Here, write a short summary of your career, skills and accomplishments, tailored to fit what the company is looking for. 

You already did your research, so now it's time to ask yourself these questions and try to address them in your cover letter:

• What did you do at a previous position that gave you relevant experience? 
• How could this experience help the new company grow?
• Which of the projects you have worked on would benefit their business?
• Which of your skills make you well-equipped for the position? 
• Do any of these skills give you an edge over other candidates?

After you’ve picked the most relevant accomplishments, put them at the start of your letter. 

However, when talking about them, avoid sounding like you’re bragging. The best way of doing this is to focus on your experiences rather than yourself . Ideally, support your claims with concrete examples.

Also, mention any other additional relevant hard skills or knowledge areas they’re looking for, as well as any qualifications.

Finally, the second paragraph is the perfect place for showing that you’ve done your research. Demonstrate that you’re familiar with some of the challenges that the company faces and present how you can help them.

Pro tip: Don’t simply repeat the same things you’ve already put on your resume. You want to go beyond that (this applies to every other section of your cover letter). 

Step 7: Third paragraph: Explain why the company is a great fit for you 

In this paragraph, you want to show that you’re serious about developing your career at this new company. And good companies want to know why they appeal to you and how will your professional relationship be mutually beneficial. 

Consider addressing the following questions:

• What excites you about the idea of working at this company?
• How do the company goals align with your own?
• What do you hope to gain and learn from working there?

For example, you can say something like this: “I've seen on your website that you heavily focus on cryptocurrency projects. As a cryptocurrency enthusiast, I would love to join your team”.  

However, don’t go overboard with flattery and stay professional. 

Also, don’t say anything that isn't true or you don’t mean it, as it will probably come up again in the later stages of the application process.

Step 8: Closing paragraph: Finish strong and stay in touch

Now that you’ve nailed the main part of your cover letter, you also want to finish strong. This way, the recruiter will remember you in a good light. But how do you achieve that? 

• Reiterate that your experience and enthusiasm make you a great candidate. This is to emphasize the two main points from the previous paragraphs. Do this in one or two sentences, not more. 
• Add a confident call to action. In a sentence or two, you should suggest the next steps. Something like “ I would love the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the value I can bring to [company]."
• Express gratitude. Simply thank them for their time and for considering your application.
• Always use a formal sign-off. Something like “ Sincerely , Best wishes , or Respectfully” . Finish by typing out your full name. 

Step 9: How do you send a cover letter?

I can’t stress this enough — unless it's specifically required to attach the cover letter to the body of the email,  consider not sending your cover letter as a document attached to your email. 

Instead, put it inside the body of the email . The email itself is now your cover letter! This way the recruiter won't ignore it.

However, remember that hiring managers receive hundreds of emails a day. So if you want your email to get read, it's the subject line that's likely to play the most important part. 

As we've advised before, if you have a good resume headline, simply put it in the email subject. 

However, if you’re unhappy with the result, you have other options, too. 

For instance, if you have a reference, include it already in your email subject line: 

Referral from Jose Nachos: Pedro Tacos, candidate for a senior software analyst position

If you don't have a reference or a catchy headline, check out more tips on how to write the best subject line for your email .

Finished writing your cover letter?

Make it stand out with an eye-catching design.

What if you're told to NOT submit a cover letter? 

Today, many companies are using online application systems that discourage applicants from attaching a cover letter. 

Instead, they have their own application systems where in different sections you're required to fill in the information you would normally place in your cover letter.  

If this is the case, just work with the format they gave you.

In other words, include the same information that you'd normally have in your cover letter but place it in the correct sections. 

And don’t forget to follow the cover letter principles: 

• explain why you're the right candidate;
• make it clear that you've researched the company well;
• indicate in what way you'd be an asset;
• mention your biggest past achievements.

Because no matter the format, you're still expected to present your skills and convey enthusiasm about the job.

Alternatively, you can also try to find a relevant manager or a recruiter online (either on the company pages or LinkedIn) to whom you can send a brief follow-up email with an attached cover letter. 

Now that we've covered the basics, there are several other tips that you should keep in mind to elevate your cover letter to the next level: 

• Keep it short. Limit your cover letter to three to four paragraphs and a maximum of one page. Hiring managers are busy people who often don't have time for reading long texts.
• Keep it clean and easy on the eye. Take a look at how this article is written. It’s replete with short paragraphs, sentences typed in bold letters, bullet points, and numbers. All of these make reading and searching for specific information easier. So, never send a letter that looks like an unreadable wall of text. The easiest way to achieve a sleek cover letter design is to use a pre-formatted cover letter template . 
• Don’t risk being funny if it ’ s a company with a formal work culture. Poorly executed humor will hurt your chances rather than help. Being direct and dynamic is a much surer way to catch the recruiter’s attention than a number of jokes. On the other, if the company is smaller or known for its creative products, being original may in fact help your chances! 
• Show, don’t tell. Usually, there’s no point in saying you’re “a dependable hard worker” or “a creative thinker.” Why should anyone believe such generic statements? Instead, offer an example of how these qualities helped you achieve something in the past.
• Never write the same letter twice. A cover letter should always be tailored to a specific job application. Remember the previous sections? You’ve made a great effort to research the company and its hiring managers, so you’ve written your cover letter accordingly. This is a process you need to repeat with every application (ugh, I know). 
• Check for typos. This goes without saying but make 100% sure your cover letter is without typos. There’s no reason to believe you're competent if you can't even type without errors. Moreover, typos automatically reveal almost criminal carelessness on your part, since every text editor nowadays has a spellchecking feature. 
• Don't use any buzzwords. Your cover letter needs to be authentic and persuasive — and buzzwords are neither. If anything, they simply give the impression of you being someone who's just trying to fit a skewed idea of what an ideal corporate employee should be. Instead, focus on using relevant keywords from job descriptions.

Now, if you have no experience yet because you're just starting out or you're changing careers, writing a cover letter can be scary. However, a well-written letter can actually be your best friend.

And this is how you write the perfect cover letter with no experience .

In the end, there are many different ways to write a great cover letter. And even if you follow the cover letter guide above, you’ll end up with a cover letter that's invariably your own. 

It all depends on your own personality, the position you’re applying for, and the hiring manager’s preferences. 

And that's good, actually! 

Still, there's a lot to learn from cover letters written by other people. That's why we've selected five cover letter samples that deserve your attention. 

Each of these helped real job seekers find real jobs in real companies. They'll teach you valuable lessons you can use in your own cover letter.

1. Norwegian — Cabin Crew Cover Letter Example

This cover letter sample was provided by a real person who got hired with Kickresume’s help.

2. Volvo — Machine Learning Intern Cover Letter Example

3. tory burch — account executive cover letter example, 4. lush — sales associate cover letter example, 5. romeo — social media officer cover letter example.

Do you still need some more inspiration? You can find more examples in our cover letter library

FAQ: How to write a cover letter

250 to 400 words is the standard cover letter length range. A cover letter should never exceed one page.

Yes! Show that you can go that extra mile and stand out from the crowd of applicants.

Ideally, use a pre-formatted cover letter template. Then use a simple and professional font, such as Times New Roman. The font size should be between 10-12.

If you have the name of the hiring manager, try to find their contact on the company page or LinkedIn. If you still can't find the right person, you can address it to the whole team or HR.

This article was recently updated. The original article was written by Martin Poduska in 201 7.

Kaja Jurcisinova is a junior copywriter at Kickresume. Kaja completed her undergraduate degree in Art History at the University of St Andrews in 2018 and graduated with a Master’s in Arts and Culture from the University of Groningen in 2021. She was an intern at multiple cultural institutions across Europe, including the Dutch Museum Association in Amsterdam, the Matter of Art Biennale in Prague, and the European Cultural Centre in Venice. At the moment, she resides in Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland.

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How to Format a Cover Letter (With Examples)

Cover Letter Format Guidelines

• How to Format a Cover Letter

What to Include in Each Section

• Formatting Tips for Cover Letters

Cover Letter Template

When you are applying for a job, how you format your cover letter is important because the letter is one of the first impressions you'll make on an employer. In fact, how you format your letter is almost as important as what you write in it.

A cover letter that is formatted incorrectly, or difficult to read, can quickly eliminate you from the pool of candidates, so it's important to pay just as much attention to the formatting of your letter as to its content.

Here's information on cover letter formatting guidelines including setting page margins, choosing a font style and size, paragraph and section spacing, and more tips on how to format cover letters for employment.

Formatting includes factors such as page margins , font type and size , line, paragraph and section spacing, and document type. For example, a letter without the correct spacing between paragraphs, or with too much text on a page, is going to look cluttered. Similarly, a letter saved as a file type that is not meant for a text document (such as a .jpg or a .png) may prevent the reader from opening and viewing it. 

Adhering to typical standards in formatting is especially important considering that communication skills are important in nearly every field, and failing to compose a readable cover letter will certainly not inspire confidence in your abilities.

On the other hand, a cover letter that is saved correctly and uses sufficient white space , a simple, reasonably sized font, and an appropriate salutation and closing will make a positive impression on your potential employers.

How to Format a Cover Letter

The easiest way to format a letter is to write the letter first, and then format it. Once you have all the content ( contact information , why you are applying and qualified, signature, etc.) on the page, you can then easily adjust the margins, font, and alignment. Here's an overview of each section.

• Contact Section:  How you include your contact information will vary based on how you are sending your cover letter. If you are uploading or mailing a letter, put the information at the top of the page.

With an email cover letter, your contact information should be below your signature.

• Employer Address : How you address the cover letter will depend on how much information you have about the employer. 
• Salutation:  A  salutation is the greeting you include at the beginning of a cover letter. Here's how to write a salutation, including what to use if you don't have the name of a contact person to list.
• Body:  The body of a cover letter includes the sections where you explain why you are interested in and qualified for the job for which you are applying. Here's what to include in each section of your letter.
• Paragraphs or Bulleted Lists:  A more traditional cover letter contains written paragraphs describing your qualifications. However, there are times when bulleted lists may also be appropriate to include.
• Closing:  When you're writing a cover letter or sending an email message to apply for a job it's important to close your cover letter professionally.

Here are details on what to include in each section of your cover letter.

Cover Letter Format Example

Your Contact Information Name Address City, State Zip Code Phone Number Email Address

Employer Contact Information  (if you have it) Name Title Company Address City, State Zip Code

• Cover Letter Contact Section Examples

Salutation Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name,

Cover Letter Greeting Examples : If you do not have a contact name, you can skip the salutation entirely. Or, you can use Dear Hiring Manager, To Whom It May Concern , or one of the other examples listed in the link. Ideally, you will be able to address your cover letter to a specific person. Doing research can help you figure out who is the most appropriate person to receive the letter. Note: If you do not know the gender of your contact, you can write out the person's full name, e.g., "Dear Cory Smith" or "Dear Jordan Parish."

Body of Cover Letter The body of your cover letter lets the employer know what position you are applying for, why the employer should select you for an interview, and how you will follow up. Organize the body of your cover letter into the following paragraphs:

• First Paragraph The first paragraph of your letter should include information on why you are writing. Mention the position you are applying for and where you found the job listing. Include the name of a mutual contact, if you have one.
• Middle Paragraph(s) The next section of your cover letter should describe what you have to offer the employer. Mention specifically how your qualifications match the job you are applying for. Think of this section of the cover letter as where you're making a pitch for your fit as an employee and showing what makes you a great candidate. Make the connection between your qualifications and the job requirements clear . Use this section to interpret your resume—don't repeat it verbatim.
• Final Paragraph  Conclude your cover letter by thanking the employer for considering you for the position. Include information on how you will follow up. Optionally, you can briefly restate why you would be a good fit for the position.

Complimentary Close Respectfully yours,

• Closing Examples

Handwritten Signature  (for a hard copy letter)

Typed Signature

• Signature Examples

Formatting Tips for Cover Letters

Here are some formatting tips to keep in mind when you are writing your letter:

• Font Choices:  The details count when it comes to cover letters, so choose a professional font in a 10- or 12-point size. This is no time to break out emoticons or emojis.
• Email vs. Hard Copy Letters:  The sample letter below is formatted for a printed-out hard copy. If you are emailing your cover letter, you'll need to pay particular attention to the  subject line  of your email. See more tips for  formatting your email cover letter .
• Letter Spacing:  Your letter should be single-spaced. Include a space between every paragraph, and in general, a space between each section of the letter. (That is, there should be a line break between the address and the date, and then again between the date and the salutation.)
• Email Spacing: In an email cover letter, where many sections are left off, you will want to include a space between the salutation and between each paragraph, and another space before your complimentary close. 
• Proofreading:  Remember that note about details counting in cover letters? Make sure to avoid errors by carefully proofreading your letter.

Use your word processor's spell check to catch common errors, and then consider reading your letter aloud—or having a friend review it—to catch additional errors.

Download the cover letter template (compatible with Google Docs or Word Online), or read the example below.

@ The Balance 2020

Cover Letter Sample (Text Version)

Molly Smith 21 Spring Street Anycity, NY 12000 555-122-3333 msmith@email.com 

May 11, 2024

John Brown Sales Manager Acme Corp. 321 Main Street Anycity, NY 12000

Dear Mr. Brown,

I wish to apply for the sales position advertised on Monster.com. Terry Johnson suggested that I contact you directly, as we have worked together, and he felt that I would be a good fit with your team.

For the past two years, I have been working in sales for Goodman & Co. I have consistently exceeded my targets, and I was recognized last quarter for outstanding service. As an avid cyclist and user of many of your products, I'm aware that Acme Corp. is a company with tremendous potential. I am confident that my experience, communication skills, and ability to convey product benefits effectively would enable me to excel in the sales role.

I would be delighted to discuss with you how I might be an asset to the Acme Corp. sales team. Thank you for your consideration; I look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully yours,

Signature (hard copy letter)

Molly Smith

CareerOneStop. " How Do I Write a Cover Letter? "

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• Cover Letters

10+ Cover Letter Examples (+ Different Types & Formatting Guide)

Whether you’re looking to land your first job, changing careers, or simply exploring new job opportunities, writing a great cover letter might seem daunting at first. However, once you read this comprehensive guide and check out our superb cover letter examples, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an expert cover letter crafter.

Cover Letter Examples (By Career Situation and Seniority)

Our resume cover letter examples are just what you need if you’re going to learn how to write one for yourself. Keep in mind that all cover letters have a similar structure that you should follow:

• Contact Info –  Add your name, address, phone number, and email address.
• Greeting – Always start with a professional greeting that addresses the hiring manager by name.
• Introduction – Grab your reader’s attention with a first paragraph in which you introduce yourself and state your intention to apply for the open role.
• Body paragraphs – Write one or two paragraphs that highlight your professional experience, achievements, skills, and education.
• Closing paragraph – Insert your call to action and ask the hiring manager to invite you for an interview. Don’t forget to sign your name at the end.

With this information in mind, let’s check out some of the best cover letter examples!

Cover Letter Example 1: Returning to Work after a Job Gap/Relocation

Dear Mr. Hennessy,  My name is John Young, and I’m applying for a software engineering position at your company. I’m excited about your organization’s mission to change the world, and I’m passionate about your tech stack that includes Scala, Java, React, and Python, all languages I’ve used in the past. 

Recently, I took a year-long hiatus to aid my friend who launched a startup accelerator. During that time, I learned quite a bit about business strategy and going from zero to one hundred while working on a very limited budget. I’m confident that I can turn those skills into new products for your company. 

I’m prepared to get back into the game and restart my career as a software engineer in your beautiful city. I’m positive that I’m the perfect person to lead your middle-out engineering team. I would love to schedule a meeting and discuss this further. 

Our Take: The candidate starts by expressing his excitement about the company’s goals and then seamlessly proceeds to highlight the programming languages that he excels in. This way, he showcased that he is the right person for the job. He then explains that the job gap that appears in his resume was due to working on a personal project that has taught him some valuable new skills.

Cover Letter Example 2: Changing Careers

Dear Ms. Garcia,

Blending a formal background in marketing with proven success in retail sales and customer service roles, I am looking to transition into public relations and believe I would make a great fit for the advertised position of Public Relations Specialist at your company.

Having both used and sold your products, I am already well versed in your brand and both present and past years’ offerings. I have followed with excitement as you launched in European and Asian markets and incorporated an international feel into your product line. I would bring both passion and expertise to championing your company with the press and public.

I am already trained in creating buzz and awareness through social media channels including Twitter and Facebook. When my sales team decided to participate in Walk for a Cure three years ago, we used social media to heighten our sponsorship support and raised more than $20K for the event.

Confident my transferable skills make me a solid candidate for this opening, I respectfully submit my resume for your review and request a meeting to discuss the opportunity further. I will make myself available at your convenience and look forward to your call to arrange a time. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Our Take: This candidate leads off with a strong statement about her career change goal and her fit for the specific position at hand. She uses the rest of the letter to discuss her interest in the company and some of her key transferable skills/experience.

Cover Letter Example 3: New Graduate/Entry Level

Dear Ms. Morris:

I am writing in response to your listing in the Memphis Gazette for a nurse’s aide. Please accept my enclosed resume for consideration.

As a CPR-certified lifeguard and an LPN student at Memphis Community College, I have the formal training necessary for this position. Additionally, with two years of experience in retail sales, I have excellent customer service skills that can translate well to patient relations.

After you have reviewed my resume, I hope to meet with you to discuss how I can be beneficial to your team. I look forward to hearing from you to schedule an interview at your earliest convenience.

Our Take: Nice concise approach for an entry-level candidate. She doesn’t have years of nursing experience to point to, so she highlights her training and how her non-nursing work experience has also helped to prepare her.

Cover Letter Example 4: Professional

Dear Mr. Carter,

As an Accounts Payable & Receivable Specialist , I offer a proven ability to accurately process invoices, payments, reimbursements, and tax reports. I quickly learn and adapt to software changes and updates and help team members resolve issues and problems they are having with data input and processing.

Examples of my accomplishments include:

• Handled biweekly accounts payable processing of checks and ACH payments; reconciled payments made to accounts payable software and addressed any discrepancies that arose.
• Created a spreadsheet that listed bank and routing numbers to expedite the processing of expense reports.
• Uploaded and reconciled monthly phone bills for approximately 200 branches and 4 operational centers; total billing amounts were coded for various departments and branches as required.
• Confident I will prove valuable to your company, I respectfully submit my resume for your review. I would also like to request a personal meeting to discuss your upcoming goals and how I can help you achieve them. I will make myself available at your convenience and look forward to your call. Thank you for your consideration.

Our Take: For an experienced candidate, a bit more detail is expected. This candidate customized the bullet points to specifically communicate his experience with the position responsibilities listed in the job description.

Cover Letter Example 5: Manager

Dear Ms. Nguyen,

As a Human Resources Manager with a strong customer service background, I offer expertise in employee relations, benefits administration, and generalist duties. I have made significant contributions to succession planning and workforce engagement as well as ensuring compliance with employment and labor requirements.

I am also known for my ability to help identify and implement key technology and process improvements. I am well-versed in Six Sigma methods and have led projects which produced significant and sustainable savings. Other examples of my work include:

• Creates positive employee engagement for 2,000+ personnel at Company XYZ via proactive communications, prompt issue resolution, and fair/equitable treatment.
• Led Six Sigma project related to FMLA administration and online orientation programs for Lean Belt training.
• Proved instrumental in the deployment of an E-recruitment system that serviced a Fortune 200 company; defined policies, procedures, and communication planning for the project.

Confident I will make a positive impact on your organization, I respectfully submit my résumé for your review. I would also like to request a personal meeting to discuss your goals for this position and my potential contributions. I will be available at your convenience and look forward to your call to arrange a time. Thank you for your consideration.

Our Take: This cover letter highlights the applicant’s relevant accomplishments as a leader and manager. It goes beyond stating familiarity with the required job duties and emphasizes results in key projects. Remember that you don’t want to copy and paste your whole resume into the cover letter. Think about the key selling points that you want to feature prominently. The goal is to make them excited to learn more about you.

Cover Letter Example 6: Senior-Level Executive

Dear Mr. Jones,

As a Senior-Level Finance & Operations Executive , I offer proven success in maximizing productivity and improving profit margins. My work spans companies and business units at various stages of growth, including start-up, established, and turnaround settings.

Believing profitability requires strong revenue generation and cost controls, I monitor budgets and sales performance closely to identify areas for improvement. I am known for enhancing overall performance through technology upgrades, advanced employee training, and implementation of best practices.

Examples of my work include:

• Drove successful launch of start-up company by hiring a talent team, defining product development plans, and leading go-to-market strategies to achieve $35M+ revenue and 50% margins within two years.
• Managed daily operations of a $150M subsidiary that provided a complete suite of manufacturing solutions in the US and Canada; improved profit margins on overall product line by 10%.
• Proved vital to reorganization leadership that cumulated in a 10% productivity improvement in the sales and service organization and a 20% improvement in support organizations.

As CPA and MBA, I am confident I will prove valuable to your company and respectfully submit my resume for your review. I would also like to request a personal meeting to discuss your upcoming goals and how I can help you achieve them. I will make myself available at your convenience and look forward to your call. Thank you for your consideration.

Our Take: This cover letter nicely distills years of experience into a concise overview that really “sells” achievements most relevant to the specific advertised role. Each bullet presents a compelling high-level overview of a specific position, complete with impressive data points. It’s hard to be this concise when talking about a long career! However, a concise letter is always more effective — make the most exciting information jump out of the letter and grab the recruiter’s attention.

Cover Letter Examples (By Industry)

Teacher cover letter example.

Dear Principal Townson,

With five years of experience in teaching high school and a master’s degree in Chemistry, I believe I am an ideal candidate to fill the science teaching position you have open with the retirement of Stacy Jones. My teaching experience was at John Smith High School in Smallville where I taught all levels of Chemistry and helped host the science fair each year.

I keep up with all developments in teaching and chemistry by reading literature and attending conferences hosted by the American Association of High School Science Instructors. I have also volunteered my time at the community center, tutoring all levels of students in general sciences.

I look forward to working in this community and teaching at Rosewood High School. Please review my attached resume. I will be contacting you next week to schedule an interview. Thank you for your consideration.

Our Take: We love how this cover letter emphasizes the applicant’s relevant qualifications in the first line. This puts emphasis on her ability to do the job. Later, she briefly explains how she has kept current with industry developments and shows passion for her career by mentioning her volunteer work.

Nursing Cover Letter Example

Dear Dr. Manning,

Five years ago, I worked my first shift as an emergency room nurse and have never before left the workplace more fatigued and fulfilled. Today, I am proud to declare that I am still an ER nurse. I love this work partly because I flourish in a fast-paced environment. I also take great pleasure in the opportunity to care for patients every day and be there for their loved ones. This is not easy work, but I can’t see myself doing anything else which is why I am applying for the position of Emergency Room Nursing Lead. I believe that I can be a great asset to your team and that I have a proven track record when it comes to patient care as further shown in my attached resume. 

I have reviewed the qualifications required for this position. I am confident to say that I possess all the skills and experience needed. I have a BSN in nursing and have held a nursing license in good standing for over five years. I have experience working in emergency rooms at several large hospitals, and I fully understand all of the regulations that are in place. I also have the kind of team leadership that you need to ensure that even the busiest nights in the emergency room go as smoothly as possible. 

I would love to sit down with you and discuss my qualifications along with your needs when you are free. Meanwhile, please review the rest of my application package. There you will find all the information you need. 

Our Take: The candidate starts by stating her experience and expresses how difficult a nursing job can be. However, she then turns it around by stating that the rewards are worth the effort. We like her storytelling approach and how she highlights her passion for working with patients and transitions into why her abilities qualify her for the job.

Business Analyst Cover Letter Example

Dear Ms. Sousa,

I am applying for the advertised business analyst job at your company that was posted on your website. I am a data-driven critical thinker with excellent interpersonal skills who holds teamwork in high esteem but can also function independently. I am always searching for fresh ideas and solutions that I can bring to the table to increase the company’s efficiency. 

During my time at XYZ Group, Ltd., my previous employer, I developed and implemented a new program designed to drop needless business expenses. In just one year, the costs were reduced by 15%. Apart from project management, I spearheaded the collection and analytics of business processes and data toward creating more efficient business models. Thanks to my achievements, I was ranked as one of the best employees in the company and received recognition from top stakeholders.

I would be delighted to join your team because I believe that the experience, skills, and vast knowledge that I bring to the table could improve the company’s operational performance. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to speaking to you soon. 

Our Take: Adopting a confident tone in your cover letter is a good way of showing the hiring manager that you have the necessary skills and experience to shine at the job you’re applying to. It’s also great when candidates state their accomplishments and showcase the contributions they can make to a company if hired.

Cover Letters: Basic Rules to Follow

What is a cover letter and how do you write one? It can feel like a chore but it’s actually one of the surefire ways to get an actual job interview.

There are five simple rules to follow if you want to write cover letters that make hiring managers giddy with excitement before meeting you:

1. Your cover letter should be grammatically correct and error-free

Avoid making grammar and formatting mistakes to give your cover letter a professional appearance (regardless of the job you’re applying for). If you’re not a particularly good writer, use a tool such as Grammarly to clean up your text, or kindly ask someone to read and edit your document.

Hiring managers get turned off when noticing mistakes in your cover letter. It sends them the wrong message about your professionalism and attention to detail.

2. The maximum length of your printed cover letter should be one page

If an employer asks for a physical cover letter, make sure it’s only one page long. You’ll want to add essential information highlighting your professional experience and best personality traits. The letter should also be printed on high-quality paper just like your resume.

If you send your cover letter digitally, cut and paste it into the email and attach your resume. Make sure that the letter is easy to read with minimal scrolling. Get to the point and be succinct. 

3. The letter should include examples of your qualifications

You can write a cover letter in paragraph or bulleted formats, but either way, you should include examples of your achievements and credentials. While you want to be brief, you also want to encourage the reader to review your resume for greater detail. The best way to do that is to call out two or three things you have done professionally to catch their attention and make them want to know more about you.

4. Your letter should address a specific person

Whenever possible, do some research and learn a few things about the person who will be reading your cover letter. This is a minor detail and some hiring managers won’t care, but it can distinguish you from your competition all the same. More importantly, don’t send an obviously-generic letter that has not been customized for the company/position.

5. Your letter should end with a call to action

When you close your letter, be sure to ask for a meeting. It is obvious that you want an interview when you submit a cover letter and resume, but job hunting is usually helped along with a proactive approach. Therefore, at every point in the application process, you should seek to move along to the next stage of consideration.

Don’t miss the opportunity to encourage a meeting with the hiring manager when ending your letter. Also, be sure to thank them for their time and consideration.

Do You Need a Cover Letter?

Second chances to make good first impressions in the job search are scarce. Adding a great cover letter at the beginning of your resume gives you the opportunity to “wow” the hiring manager. It also helps you influence their opinion prior to meeting you. Remember that your resume cover letter will be reviewed by a real live person who will be deciding whether or not you are worth their time to interview. It makes the difference between your resume going to the “yes” pile rather than the “file for future opening” (or the real or digital garbage can).

Even though there are times when a recruiter or hiring manager will skip right over your cover letter and focus on the resume, other screeners won’t even look at your resume if the cover letter doesn’t get their attention. Why take a chance? Write a strong cover letter and you’ll know that you’re doing everything possible to get past the gatekeepers and score an interview.

There are plenty of resources on the internet that you can learn from. A simple Google search might take you a long way when looking for a job. But once you find one you really want, you start thinking that you’re not ready to go get it.

A strong cover letter can give you confidence in your application. Send one along with your resume and you’ll know that you might have already stirred a potential employer’s curiosity.

If you’re struggling with writing your cover letter, the samples that you’ve seen so far will supplement Big Interview ’s Resume Curriculum. Everything you need to know about writing persuasive resumes and cover letters can be found there including structure formatting, writing great summary statements, and meaningful ‘Thank You’ notes.

It’s really easy to use. Just log in to your Big Interview account, select ‘My Resume’, and press the ‘Watch Lessons’ button under Resume Curriculum.

You’ll then be taken to the lessons page where you’ll have access to some great advice like how to add high-value details to your letter, how to follow a job application’s requirements, and how to turn them into advantages.

Three Situations When a Good Resume Cover Letter is Critical

1. when you need to include information that should not go into the resume.

A resume is a formal business document with strict rules that must be followed. These rules include not writing in the first person or including personal information like your desire to relocate.

However, there are times when you need to communicate this type of information in order to make the case for your fit for the position.

​​ Example: Your cover letter can be used to communicate your intention to make a transition in your career or move to another city/state. Recruiters receive thousands of unqualified resumes for every position. They will look at your resume and cover letter and immediately trash them if they don’t see a fit — assuming that you are another one of those annoying applicants who applies for every job posted. This is always a challenge for career changers and individuals looking to relocate and a good cover letter can make a big difference.

Example: Your cover letter can also explain away other aspects of your particular career situation that might not be appropriate to include on your resume. For example, if you took some time away from the workforce, but have kept your skills and knowledge up-to-date.

In some job ads, the company will ask for specific information to be included in your cover letter. This technique is used to make screening easier – if someone can’t follow simple application directions, why waste time on an interview? Pay careful attention to the information they request and be sure to address it.

One problematic area is if they ask for salary requirements to be included in your cover letter. Companies make this request to help them rule out individuals with higher salary requirements than they have budgeted for the position, but it can also lock you into a lower pay range than they might offer you otherwise.

However, ignoring the request could disqualify you as well. Ergo, I suggest you research the average salary for the position you are applying to in the state of the opening and include a range slightly above and below that number .

2. When you want to reference a network connection

There is no right way to include in your resume, “Our mutual associate John Smith referred me to this role and says he thinks I will make a great fit for the job opening.” That is a reference line reserved solely for the opening paragraph of a cover letter. There are multiple ways you can mention a network connection or mutual friend in a cover letter, but such a statement has no place in a resume whatsoever.

Note: In professional resume writing, it has become passé to include a list of references on your resume or even the line “references available upon request.” Such information takes up valuable real estate on your resume (which should be 1-2 pages max) and it is best to focus on your achievements and qualifications instead. Besides, the hiring managers know you will give them references when they request them.

Rather than waste space on your resume, prepare a reference sheet with the same header as your resume and give it to the interviewer at the end of your meeting.

This sheet should include the first and last names of your references, their titles and company names, city and state, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses if possible.

You can even be proactive and have letters of recommendation ready to hand to the hiring manager at the end of your meeting, but don’t send them prior to that initial interview.

3. When you want to emphasize why you’re interested in the company

One way to distinguish yourself as a job candidate is to research the company you are interviewing with and talk about things you like or ask questions about the work they have coming up. This demonstrates your interest in their particular organization as opposed to them being just another job ad you responded to in your desperate attempt to find employment.

You can use your cover letter to show that you’ve done your homework and see a strong fit with the organization. Within the second or closing paragraphs of your cover letter, you can mention being interested in the specific work the company does, recent grants they have been awarded, a product they recently released, etc.

Again, this is not appropriate for inclusion on your resume, but adding it to your cover letter can help you stand out from the stack of applications the hiring manager is sorting through on the day your resume passes by him/her.

Cover Letter Format Examples

When choosing a cover letter format, consider what stage your job search is in and how you want hiring managers to perceive you. Cover letters are used for many different reasons and the proper format for each one varies.

The three main types of cover letters are the application cover letter, the prospecting cover letter, and the networking cover letter. You may also send cover letter emails which are an effective and increasingly common way to introduce your resume.

Let’s take an in-depth look at each type of cover letter and see exactly what sets them apart.

Application Cover Letter

This is the most common cover letter used alongside a resume during a job application. It’s geared toward a specific job, and it is designed to highlight the skills and specifications listed in the job posting.

The application cover letter is a vital instrument that gives you the ability to sell yourself as a job candidate. It rounds off your resume and expands on relevant parts of your work history and qualifications.

Application Cover Letter Example

Dear Ms. Osbourne,

I am writing this letter to express my interest in the graphic designer opening as advertised on your website. 

If hired, I believe I can begin making valuable contributions to the design team of your company from day one. I possess a wide range of abilities that combine fresh art and design principles. Furthermore, my knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, HTML, and CSS will allow me to play a pivotal role in the implementation of your design initiatives. 

During my previous job, I led a team of six designers to develop and implement the graphic, layout, and production of communication materials while helping clients cut their costs by an average of 17%. I also oversaw the efficient use of production budgets running from $3,000 – $20,000 and developed a myriad of marketing programs including advertisements, presentations, infographics, newsletters, brochures, and logos that have improved client transactions by an average of 35%.

I look forward to discussing face to face how my skills and strengths can best serve your company. In the meantime, please review the enclosed resume and portfolio. Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Our Take: In the first paragraph , the candidate is quick to mention all the tools they employ to bring value to the company. They use the second paragraph as a canvas on which to paint all of their accomplishments and relevant experiences.

Prospecting Cover Letter

Prospecting cover letters are also known as letters of inquiry or cold call letters. They are useful if you’re looking to apply to a company that isn’t actively hiring or isn’t widely advertising. A prospecting cover letter shows your interest in learning about available positions while at the same time demonstrating eagerness and initiative.

If the company decides to expand its talent pool, sending a prospecting cover letter could put you at the top of the list of desirable candidates.

Prospecting Cover Letter Example

Dear Mr. Patel,

Your company recently came to my attention while reading a very interesting LinkedIn article about how you’re becoming innovators in the industry. I’d very much like to embark on this journey with you. I haven’t seen any open positions on your website, but I’d like to be considered for open positions in the future. I’m interested in pursuing a career in software engineering. The hybrid work model that your company employs couples well with my extensive remote experience. 

I have a bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, and in the following months, I will obtain a certification from the Institute of Certification of Computing Professionals. In addition to my two years as a freelance software engineer, I also have four years of software engineering experience at a publicly traded corporation. 

Please review the resume I’ve attached which contains additional information on my skills and experience relevant to your company. I’d love to discuss any openings you may have coming in the near future. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.  

Our Take: This candidate took the bull by the horns and went straight to knocking on the company’s door. Even if there is no open position, their chances will grow when a job becomes available.

Networking Cover Letter

Networking is a highly effective method of finding a job. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70% of all jobs are found through networking. It can help you discover job opportunities that might not be advertised yet or it can provide you with a job opportunity that was previously non-existent.

Sending a networking cover letter during your job search is a good idea if you need help from a contact in your industry or career field to introduce you to a potential employer.

Networking Cover Letter Example

I hope this letter finds you well. I’m reaching out about possibly meeting to get some information from you as a top professional in our field. 

As you might remember from our time as co-workers at our previous company, I have always thrived when working in client-facing positions. I’m looking for a new career opportunity in that direction and I wanted to ask for your advice. 

As I’m aware of your experience and your vast area of expertise in working with job seekers on a more personal level, I feel confident that you are the right person to discuss this matter with. 

I know that it’s a busy period for you right now, but I’d appreciate it if you’d let me buy you a drink and pick your brain. I’d also value your thoughts on the matter via reply if we can’t meet. 

Our Take: This candidate knows that a networking cover letter has a casual tone. He uses an informal greeting but still sounds professional throughout. He makes sure to emphasize his former co-worker’s skills and success before asking for a casual meeting and some friendly advice.

Email Cover Letter

This simple, short, and professional cover letter is sent over email when a formal cover letter is not requested in a job posting. It does not follow a specific format but usually includes a greeting and a simple body of text explaining your experience and interest in the company. You should also include a closing with references to any attachments such as your resume, portfolio, samples, or any other necessary documents.

An email cover letter should be a maximum of two paragraphs long and the writing style should be casual but still professional. Remember to create a subject line that includes the position you’re applying for.

Email Cover Letter Example

Subject line: Following Up on Your Content Writer Job Posting on LinkedIn

Dear Mr. McClane, 

This letter is being submitted as an introduction. I am applying for the position of Content Writer with your company. I believe my verbal skills and writing style would be of great value to your team and I can guarantee that if hired I would offer original content with a quick turnaround time. 

I’ve been writing content for over six years and have contributed to several notable blogs in the IT, Finance, and Cryptocurrency industries which I’ve mentioned in my resume. I would like to continue my passionate journey toward advancing my writing career within your company. I am adept at writing SEO (search engine optimization) articles that convert efficiently which would suit your article marketing business model well. I also write highly engaging copy for social media campaigns as seen in my portfolio. 

I read in your job posting that you’d like a candidate who possesses in-depth knowledge of working with keyword research tools. I’m happy to say that I’ve been using Semrush successfully for the last four years. 

Please review my attached resume and portfolio. I’m looking forward to meeting you and discussing my writing skills and history in more detail. 

Our Take: The candidate keeps it short and sweet. They shed light on their relevant skills and then guide the hiring manager towards the resume and portfolio.

Cover Letter Examples – Bottom Line

Adding a cover letter to your resume is the best way to connect with a potential employer from the get-go. Hiring managers get a glimpse of your accomplishments and experience as soon as they open your email or letter.

By analyzing good resume cover letter examples, and understanding their purpose, it will become simpler for you to write one yourself.

Make sure to stick to the structure and include only the best things about your career. Also, remember that your cover letter should only include valuable information that does not repeat itself in your resume.

Stay fresh, always.

___________________________

Need a hand? There are 2 ways we can help you:

1. Learn how to turn more job interviews into job offers here . (Rated with 4.9/5 by 1,000,000 users) 2. Learn how to successfully negotiate a better salary. (Take a sneak peek of one lesson for free here )

Pamela Skillings

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The New Rules For Cover Letters

Follow these cover letter rules on what to say in an effective cover letter. ignore them at your peril.

If you haven’t written a cover letter in 10 years and don’t know how dramatically they’ve changed, you might as well pick up a stone tablet to compose your next one. In the age of applicant tracking software and emailed job applications , everything about effective cover letters is different—from tone and content, to purpose and relevance.

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The rise of job boards and online application systems has made cover letters an unreliable self-marketing tool—at least online. If the computer tosses out your resume, your uploaded letter gets trashed too. Even if your resume makes it through the screening, the person reading it may not bother with the cover letter. It’s a secondary document at this point, not the grabber it’s supposed to be. “With online systems, cover letters sometimes get read, and sometimes not,” says Lindsay Barbarino, Team Lead of Resume Services for RiseSmart, an outplacement service in San Jose, California. “But cover letters are pretty effective in the cases they are read. They can tip the scales.”

While uploaded cover letters are often overlooked, ones sent as email are almost always read. “Body copy is the new cover letter; that’s your first impression,” says Chris Lawson, chief executive of Eli Daniel Group, a boutique recruitment firm in Allen, Texas. If you’re able to apply directly to a hiring manager via email, your cover letter will be your greatest ally in landing you an interview.

Here are five rules for crafting an effective cover letter—and getting it read.

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Forget about you; learn about them . 

Your resume lists your experience, accomplishments and skills; your cover letter should show how they are relevant to a particular job, and to the company’s goals. Before you write a word, research the company and the industry so you can make informed references in your cover letter. “Look at the company’s website—what are they actually doing in the marketplace? Get to know who their competition is,” suggests Lakewood, Colorado career coach Donna Shannon, author of  Get a Job Without Going Crazy: A Practical Guide to Your Employment Search . Shannon recommends looking at  ZoomInfo  and  Manta  for company information,  Glassdoor  for insight into hiring trends, and  LinkedIn  for information on the hiring manager and other company employees.

Put the company’s needs first.

Effective cover letters should be brief—around three paragraphs—so you need to show what you know about the company’s business ASAP. “The first couple of lines have to give the impression that you know the job you’re applying for, and why you are applying for it,” says Lawson. Don’t open with “I’m interested in a applying for the position of…” or “I’m seeking a position with high growth potential.” Nobody cares about your interests. Instead, say something like, “Your need for a team leader who understands finance is perfectly timed for my decision to leave my current employment,” suggests Shel Horowitz, a marketing consultant and cover-letter/resume writer in Hadley, Massachusetts. “What you can offer them comes before what you want,” he says. “You’re marketing your ability to help them.” Refer to facts you’ve learned from your research: say, the company’s push into Asian markets, its upcoming merger, or recent account acquisitions.

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Watch your language.

Applicant tracking software looks for keywords in resumes and cover letters that literally match the job description listed by the employer. So your uploaded letter needs to include as many of those words as possible. “Use the exact language they use,” says Horowitz. The software identifies exact matches and near-matches, but the more direct hits, the better. When applying directly to hiring managers, however, you can’t parrot back their exact words, says Horowitz: “If it’s a person, give them a rewrite of what they want—same points, different language—in a way that respects their intelligence.”

Don’t worry if you’re not Hemingway.

Effective cover letters require clarity, not creativity. They’re not a test of your narrative skills; you can even use bullet points to get your points across, according to Lawson. If you show that you’ve done your homework, understand the job, and have the particular skills to fit the employer’s particular needs, you’ve written a good letter. Having a voice and showing some personality is fine, as long as it doesn’t obscure what you’re really trying to communicate: How you can help the company.

Know the nuts and bolts.

Cover letters have become less formal and more personal, perhaps because they’re delivered through email or online. Here’s what to say in a cover letter, and how to say it:

Subject field:  the job title.

Salutation:  “Dear Hiring Manager,” or if you have an exact name, “Dear Mr./Ms. Whatever.”

First paragraph:  match up what you know about the company’s needs with your skills, strengths and experience. State what you can do to help.

Middle paragraph(s):  explain anything on your resume that may raise questions— why you left your previous job  in less than a year, or why you’re looking to switch careers. You can also offer more specific examples of how your experience fits perfectly with their requirements. “Include an anecdote that portrays you as a problem solver,” suggests Horowitz. “Then add: ‘I’d be happy to elaborate on this in an interview.’ Remember, however, that it’s about them, not you, so beware of overselling yourself. “Don’t go too over the top with the details; you don’t want to over-focus on any one minute detail,” says Shannon.

Last paragraph:  state how to reach you: email address, phone number, the best time to call. If you think that money may be a deal breaker, you can give salary requirement to save everyone the time and hassle of finding out later.

Sign off:  “Look forward to hearing from you.”

Follow instructions exactly for an effective cover letter. If the application directions say to upload a cover letter, do it—even if you plan to send it in the body of an email as well. Ignoring the cover letter rules is the quickest way for you, and your cover letter, to get bounced.

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How to Write an Application Letter (Sample Included!)

Whether you’re applying for a job , internship , scholarship, or volunteer position, a well-crafted application letter can help you stand out. It's your chance to introduce yourself and make a strong first impression that sets you apart from the competition.

But how do you write an application letter that’s effective? Below, we’ll explain when to use this method of introduction and give you practical tips on writing one that gets results. Plus, we've included a sample application letter and a template to help you create the perfect document for any opportunity.

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What is an application letter?

An application letter is a document sent with your resume to provide additional information on your skills and experience. It's a crucial part of an application for work as it introduces you to potential employers and highlights your qualifications.

While some companies request it at the beginning of the application process, others might ask for it later, or not at all—but it's always a valuable addition.

Unlike a resume, which outlines your work history, a written application allows you to elaborate on your achievements and how they relate to the job you are applying for. It is a much more specific way to introduce yourself and explain why you would be a good fit for the job.

How is an application letter different from a cover letter?

Some people use the terms “application letter” and “cover letter” interchangeably, but there are subtle differences between the two.

An application letter serves as your formal introduction to a potential employer. It highlights your interest in the role, your qualifications, and why you're a good fit for the position. It's a standalone document that provides a comprehensive overview of your skills and experiences.

On the other hand, a cover letter is usually more concise than an application letter and serves as a complementary document to your resume, providing additional context to your job application. It elaborates on specific points from your resume and explains how your background aligns with the job requirements.

Also, job application letters follow a more formal structure, often resembling a traditional business letter. They include your contact information, the date, and the employer’s contact information at the top. An application letter is usually addressed to a specific individual, such as the hiring manager or recruiter. While cover letters also have a professional tone, they can be less formal in structure.

Finally, the application letter is used primarily for job applications, internship applications, scholarship applications, and volunteer positions. In contrast, the cover letter is specifically used to accompany a resume during job applications.

When do you need to send an application letter?

Application letters are typically required when applying for jobs. However, there are other scenarios where you might need one:

• Scholarship applications: When applying for scholarships, this kind of letter can help you stand out by showcasing your academic achievements and career goals .
• Volunteer positions: Some volunteer organizations require an application letter to understand your motivations and skills relevant to the position.
• Internship applications: Internships often require this document to understand your interest in the role and what you hope to gain from the experience.
• Networking purposes: Sending one when reaching out to potential mentors or industry professionals can help you establish a connection and explain your career aspirations.

7 tips on how to write a job application letter

Writing an effective application letter involves more than just summarizing your resume. Here are seven tips to write yours:

1. Research the company—at least do a quick Google search!

Before you start writing, research the company to understand its culture, values, and needs. Tailor your letter to align with the company’s mission and the job description. There is nothing better for an HR professional than feeling that you don’t just want any job; you want to work with them for specific reasons, such as X and Y.

“Address the letter to the hiring manager by name if possible,” says Mike Chappell, CEO of FormsPal , who has more than a decade of experience reviewing application letters. “This shows that you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested in the company.”

2. Use a professional format and design

Your application letter should follow a formal letter of application format. Use a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial, and keep the font size between 10 and 12 points. Include your contact information, the date, and the employer’s contact information at the top of the letter.

There are many layouts online that you can use. Find one that represents your style and complements your resume.

3. Make it engaging from the start with a strong opening

Your opening paragraph should grab the reader’s attention. Mention the position you're applying for and where you found the job listing. If you were referred by someone, include their name. Briefly introduce yourself and explain why you’re interested in the role.

4. Highlight your qualifications—what you can’t fully convey in your resume

In the body of your applicant letter, highlight your relevant skills, experiences, and achievements. “Use specific examples to showcase your accomplishments and how they relate to the job you’re applying for,” Chappell says. “ Quantifiable results can make a strong impact.”

Avoid repeating information from your resume; instead, expand on your most relevant experiences.

5. Show enthusiasm and genuine interest

Employers want to hire candidates who are enthusiastic about the role and the company. Show your excitement for the opportunity. Explain why you are specifically interested in this job and how it aligns with your career goals.

6. Keep it concise

While it’s important to provide enough detail, your application letter should be concise. Aim for one page, with three to four paragraphs. Be clear and to the point, avoiding unnecessary fluff.

7. Proofread carefully

Typos and grammatical errors can leave a negative impression on employers. Carefully proofread your letter before sending it. Consider asking another person to review it as well.

Letter of application sample

Here's a super complete example of application letter to help you get started:

August 1, 2024

Ms. Jane Doe

Hiring Manager

Innovative Solutions Inc.

456 Maple Avenue

Springfield, IL 62705

Dear Ms. Doe,

I am writing to express my interest in the Marketing Manager position at Innovative Solutions Inc., as advertised on your company’s careers page. With more than five years of experience in marketing and a proven track record of successful campaigns, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team and drive impactful marketing strategies.

In my previous role as a Senior Marketing Specialist at Creative Solutions LLC, I led a team in developing and executing a comprehensive marketing strategy that resulted in a 30% increase in brand awareness and a 25% boost in lead generation. My responsibilities included overseeing digital marketing campaigns, analyzing market trends, and coordinating with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment with overall business goals. This experience has honed my skills in strategic planning, data analysis, and team leadership.

I am particularly impressed by Innovative Solutions Inc.’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver innovative marketing solutions. Your recent campaign, which utilized artificial intelligence to optimize ad targeting, is a testament to your forward-thinking approach. I am eager to bring my expertise in digital marketing and campaign management to your team and contribute to similar groundbreaking projects.

My strong analytical skills, combined with my ability to lead and inspire a team, make me a great fit for this role. I am confident that my background and enthusiasm for innovative marketing strategies align well with the needs of Innovative Solutions Inc.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my skills and experiences can contribute to the continued success of Innovative Solutions Inc.

123 Elm Street

Springfield, IL 62704

[email protected]

(555) 123-4567

Template for an application letter

You can also use the following application format to structure your application letter for a job:

[Recipient’s name]

[Company’s name]

[Company’s address]

[City, State, ZIP Code]

Dear [Recipient’s name],

I am writing to express my interest in the [Job title] position at [Company name] as advertised on [Where you found the job listing]. With my background in [Field or industry] and a passion for [Specific aspect of the job or industry], I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team.

In my previous role at [Previous company], I developed [Specific skills or achievements]. I successfully [Describe a project or responsibility], which resulted in [Quantifiable result or achievement]. This experience has equipped me with [Relevant skills] that I am eager to bring to [Company name].

I am particularly impressed by [Company name]’s commitment to [Specific company initiative or value], and I am enthusiastic about the prospect of working with a team that values [Related value or skill]. I am confident that my skills and experiences align well with the requirements of the [Job title] position.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and enthusiasm can contribute to the success of [Company Name].

[Your Name]

[Your address]

[Your email address]

[Your phone number]

Common mistakes to avoid

When writing a letter of application for employment, be aware of these common mistakes:

• Being too generic: Focus your letter on the specific job and company, and mention detailed information about them. Don’t default to a one-size-fits-all approach or AI-written document. “It is generally best to avoid using generative AI to write your application letters for you,” says Edward Tian, CEO of AI detector GPTZero . “Only you can write about those specific aspects of your identity and experiences in such a personal way.”
• Focusing too much on yourself: While it’s important to highlight your qualifications, make sure to explain how you can benefit the company. “You can talk about your career goals, college classes that piqued your interest in the type of job you're applying to—just make sure that they tie into why they make you uniquely qualified or well-positioned for the job,” Tian says.
• Including irrelevant information: Avoid discussing unrelated jobs or hobbies, for example.
• Using a casual tone: Maintain a professional tone throughout your letter. Avoid slang or overly casual language.

Need a bit more guidance in your job search? Read this next: How to Apply for a Job Online: 10 Tips to Stand Out and Land an Interview