what needs to be in a good cover letter

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20 key elements to include in your cover letter.

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When it comes to landing your dream job, your cover letter can be your strongest ally. A well-crafted cover letter goes beyond just reiterating your resume—it's a chance to showcase your personality, highlight your relevant skills and explain why you're the perfect fit for the position. In a competitive job market, standing out is crucial and a thoughtfully written cover letter can catch the right attention.

Below, Forbes Human Resources Council members share advice on 20 essential components that every potential employee should include in their cover letters to make a lasting impression and increase their chances of securing an interview.

1. Tailor Your Cover Letter To A Specific Role

If asked for a cover letter, make it meaningful and use the opportunity to show a potential employer you did your homework. Don't miss an opportunity to bring your unique voice to your application, and be sure to make it relevant to the specific role. Employers, if you want to read something interesting, ask for it! Put the effort in, too—ask candidates to respond to a creative prompt. - Tory Clarke , Bridge Partners

2. Share The Context That Supports Your Resume

Cover letters are tricky. I don’t just want your sales pitch. I want to see the context that supports and informs your quantifiable impact and accomplishments in your career. The cover letter is your opportunity to share the context that supports the resume, not regurgitate it. - Christopher Courneen , M S International, Inc. (MSI)

3. Let Your Personality Shine Through

Your cover letter is an excellent opportunity to highlight your past accomplishments and how they can benefit this potential employer. All accomplishments should be personalized to the specific role you're applying for. It's also a great way to let your personality shine through. Doing something a little different will often catch the hiring manager's eye and make you stand out. - Hazel Kassu , Sudduth Search

4. Demonstrate How You Will Fit In With The Culture

As culture is moving to the forefront, many companies are looking more for cultural fit. Cover letters should connect your character traits and practices to that of the company's core values and culture indicators, which makes it easier for companies to visualize a great fit. - Tiersa Smith-Hall , Impactful Imprints, Training & Consulting

5. Create A Compelling And Tailored Narrative

The most important thing for candidates to include in their cover letters is a compelling and tailored narrative that effectively communicates their qualifications, experience, enthusiasm, unique selling points, company knowledge and alignment with the job requirements. Tailor each letter, be concise, proofread and include contact information. - Subhash Chandar , Laminaar Aviation Infotech

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6. Explain Questions That Arise About Your Resume

A cover letter can show your story. Were you laid off? Did you take time off to have a family? What did you learn from your time off of work? It is a great way to explain resume gaps, highlight training or education, add additional skills and abilities and explain any other situations. It gives the recruiter and hiring manager a chance to get to know more about you. - Erin ImHof , CertiK

7. Treat Your Cover Letter As A Mission Statement

Your cover letter is a mission statement, presenting not what you can do but why you do it. In a tough market with an abundance of qualified candidates, you need to differentiate yourself with personality and aspirations. Recruiters are looking for your passion for the company and why your values match the company’s mission—stand out as a candidate who will have drive behind their work. - Laurie Chamberlin , LHH

8. Do Your Research And Demonstrate Your Knowledge Of The Company

Cover letters that stand out demonstrate a potential employee’s deep knowledge of the company and why they want to work there. Cover letters should not be vague or formulaic. Candidates who want to land a job need to take the time to do their research, get to know the company and be specific about why they are a good fit. - Leigh Yanocha , Knopman Marks Financial Training

9. Outline Two Tangible Accomplishments And Keep It Brief

Keep it brief. Outline two tangible accomplishments that showcase ownership, collaboration and determination to succeed. Also, it is important to not repeat what is included in your resume. Instead, connect specific and relevant information that highlights your communication and critical thinking skills, and your growth and progressive mindset. Lastly, what is your value to the company? - Chandran Fernando , Matrix360 Inc.

10. Demonstrate How Your Skills Are Transferable And Adaptable

Talent agility is key for organizations in this era of technological innovation. Demonstrate what skills you have in your backpack and how those are transferable and adaptable across different kinds of work and roles. Given the shrinking shelf-life of skills, it's also a huge advantage to show an appetite for continuous learning so that you can grow and pivot with the organization. - Siobhan Savage , Reejig

11. Be Present On Social Media, Especially LinkedIn

Cover letters are a practice that is a little outdated. CVs, too. Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date and add as many details as you can there. Write articles or be present on social channels. And if you want to add an extra flavor to your application, record a short video highlighting why you are the best person for this role. - Ilona Bernotaite , Kilo Health

12. Be Specific About What Excites You

Candidates should explain why they are enthusiastic about the job. Organizations want skilled employees, but they also want employees who will bring positive energy to work and contribute to the culture. By being specific about what excites them about the role, candidates demonstrate their ability to drive culture, engagement and productivity. - Niki Jorgensen , Insperity

13. State Your Value Proposition Clearly

Some may argue that the cover letter's crown jewel is your value proposition: what you can offer that no one else can. This isn't merely a repetition of your CV. Instead, it's a story about how your unique skills and experiences make you the right person for the job. Conveying this effectively can set you apart from the crowd. What makes you unique? What is your superpower? - Joseph Soares , IBPROM Corp.

14. Highlight Your Value As A New Hire

Always intertwine the mission, vision and values of the organization into your message. It allows the reader to easily convey which skills and experiences support and relate to the company's specific values and aspects of the vision and mission. Also, using the mission, vision and values to describe how you plan to address conflict and company challenges will highlight your value as a new hire. - Kimika Banfield , Arootah

15. Choose The Appropriate Format To Submit

Are cover letters passé? Maybe. Maybe not. Many employers describe the value of cover letters as a means for the candidate to highlight their alignment of values and skills, yet so many cover letters go unread or skimmed at best. If applying for a writing position, then adhering to the tradition might be a good idea. If not, consider replacing the written document with a quick and entertaining video clip that exposes personality and fit! - Laci Loew , XpertHR (a division of LexisNexis Risk Solutions)

16. Prepare Your Digital Footprint As Well

A cover letter may still be expected, but is it really needed? In today’s world, let your digital footprint tell your story. Make sure your online brand and resume—your LinkedIn account and social media channels—are updated, professional and competition-ready. A cover letter is fine, but it doesn't tell your whole story. - Jess Elmquist , Phenom

17. Make Your Cover Letter Interactive

Cover letters can be seen as outdated and offer little space to tell a truly impactful story. So, work with that and create a differentiated and interactive cover letter that engages the reader. Add a QR code to your LinkedIn profile, a custom microsite or portfolio, social media accounts, or a personalized video message that shows your passion (free tools exist). Branding 101—get creative to stand out. - Nicole Fernandes , Blu Ivy Group

18. Treat Your Cover Letter And Resume As Marketing Materials

Cover letters continue to be controversial in their value proposition. Some recruiters and managers may say the most important thing to include is to not submit a cover letter at all. That said, if you are including a cover letter, use that to differentiate and capture the attention of the reader. Cover letters and resumes are marketing documents so choose your words and tone wisely. - Julie Hankins , NNIT

19. Highlight Your Most Significant Accomplishments

Cover letters are not an effective tool in the modern job market but they can supplement a resume if written in formal, explicit language. It should be well-organized, concise and accurate, highlighting the candidate's most significant accomplishments on projects or tasks. The key to overcoming an employer's preconceptions about all job applicants is to highlight relevant skills and experience. - Dr. Nara Ringrose , Cyclife Aquila Nuclear

20. Sell Who You Are And Your Superpower

As cover letters start to fall out of trend, the employers that require them are even more likely to read them. So don't miss the opportunity to sell who you are, how you align with the role and the superpower that makes you rise above the other candidates. - Jessica Wallen , Marten Law

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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.

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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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How to Write a Cover Letter: Your Full Guide (With Tips and Examples)

It’s a familiar cycle: You sit down to write a cover letter, open a blank document, check your email, browse cover letter examples , do some chores, watch that cursor blink a few more times, and finally Google something like “how to write a cover letter”—which hopefully brought you here. But you still might be thinking, does anyone really read cover letters? Why do they even exist?

First: Yes, we can assure you that cover letters do, in fact, get read. To some hiring managers, they’re the most important part of your job application. And regardless, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to tell prospective employers who you are, showcase why they should hire you, and stand out above all the other candidates.

To ensure your letter is in amazing shape (and crafting it is as painless as possible), we’ve got easy-to-follow steps plus examples, a few bonus tips, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Get that cover letter out there! Browse open jobs on The Muse and find your dream job »

What is a cover letter and why is it important?

A cover letter is a brief (one page or less) note that you write to a hiring manager or recruiter to go along with your resume and other application materials.

Done well, a cover letter gives you the chance to speak directly to how your skills and experience line up with the specific job you’re pursuing. It also affords you an opportunity to hint to the reviewer that you’re likable, original, and likely to be a great addition to the team.

Instead of using cover letters to their strategic advantage, most job applicants blabber on and on about what they want, toss out bland, cliché-filled paragraphs that essentially just regurgitate their resume, or go off on some strange tangent in an effort to be unique. Given this reality, imagine the leg up you’ll have once you learn how to do cover letters right.

How long should a cover letter be?

An ideal cover letter typically ranges from a half page to one full page. Aim to structure it into four paragraphs, totaling around 250 to 400 words, unless the job posting states otherwise. Some employers may have specific guidelines like word or character limits, writing prompt, or questions to address. In such cases, be sure to follow these instructions from the job posting.

How to write a cover letter hiring managers will love

Now that you’re sold on how important cover letters are, here are eight steps to writing one that screams, “I’m a great hire!”

Step 1: Write a fresh cover letter for each job (but yes, you can use a template)

Sure, it’s way faster and easier to take the cover letter you wrote for your last application, change the name of the company, and send it off. But most employers want to see that you’re truly excited about the specific position and organization—which means creating a custom letter for each position.

While it’s OK to recycle a few strong sentences and phrases from one cover letter to the next, don’t even think about sending out a 100% generic letter. “Dear Hiring Manager, I am excited to apply to the open position at your company” is an immediate signal to recruiters and hiring managers that you’re mass-applying to every job listing that pops up on LinkedIn.

At the same time, there’s nothing that says you can’t get a little help: Try out one of our free cover letter templates to make the process a bit easier.

Step 2: Add your contact info

At the top of your cover letter, you should list out your basic info. You can even copy the same heading from your resume if you’d like. Some contact info you might include (and the order to include it in):

• Your pronouns (optional)
• Your location (optional)
• Your email address
• Your phone number (optional)
• Your Linkedin, portfolio, or personal website URL (optional)

Note that only name and email are mandatory, and you don’t need to put a full address on a cover letter or resume anymore. A city and state (or metro area) are more than enough. So your header might look like this:

Inigo Montoya he/him Florin Metropolitan Area [email protected] 555-999-2222

If the job posting tells you to submit your cover letter in the body of an email, you can add your contact info at the end, after your name (and if you’d like to forgo the email address here, you can—they have it already). So your sign off could look like this:

Violet Baudelaire she/her [email protected] 123-123-1234

https://www.linkedin.com/in/violet-baudelaire/

Step 3: Address your cover letter to the hiring manager—preferably by name

The most traditional way to address a cover letter is to use the person’s first and last name, including “Mr.” or “Ms.” (for example, “Dear Ms. Jane Smith” or just “Dear Ms. Smith”). But to avoid accidentally using the wrong title—or worse, inadvertently misgendering someone—first and last name also work just fine.

If “Dear” feels a bit too stiff, try “Hello.” But never use generic salutations like “ To Whom it May Concern ” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”

For more help, read these rules for addressing your cover letter and a few tips for how to find the hiring manager .

Step 4: Craft an opening paragraph that’ll hook your reader

Your opening sets the stage for the whole cover letter. So you want it to be memorable, friendly, conversational, and hyper-relevant to the job you’re pursuing.

No need to lead with your name—the hiring manager can see it already. But it’s good to mention the job you’re applying for (they may be combing through candidates for half a dozen different jobs).

You could go with something simple like, “I am excited to apply for [job] with [Company].” But consider introducing yourself with a snappy first paragraph that highlights your excitement about the company you’re applying to, your passion for the work you do, and/or your past accomplishments.

This is a prime spot to include the “why” for your application. Make it very clear why you want this job at this company. Are you a longtime user of their products? Do you have experience solving a problem they’re working on? Do you love their brand voice or approach to product development? Do your research on the company (and check out their Muse profile if they have one) to find out.

Read this next: 30 Genius Cover Letter Openers Recruiters Will LOVE

Step 5: Convey why you’d be a great hire for this job

A common cover letter mistake is only talking about how great the position would be for you. Frankly, hiring managers are aware of that—what they really want to know is what you’re going to bring to the position and company.

So once you’ve got the opening under wraps, you should pull out a few key ideas that will make up the backbone of your cover letter. They should show that you understand what the organization is looking for and spell out how your background lines up with the position.

Study the job description for hints . What problems is the company looking to solve with this hire? What skills or experiences are mentioned high up, or more than once? These will likely be the most important qualifications.

If you tend to have a hard time singing your own praises and can’t nail down your strengths , here’s a quick trick: What would your favorite boss, your best friend, or your mentor say about you? How would they sing your praises? Use the answers to inform how you write about yourself. You can even weave in feedback you’ve received to strengthen your case (occasionally, don’t overuse this!). For example:

“When I oversaw our last office move, my color-coded spreadsheets covering every minute detail of the logistics were legendary; my manager said I was so organized, she’d trust me to plan an expedition to Mars.”

Step 6: Back up your qualifications with examples and numbers

Look at your list of qualifications from the previous step, and think of examples from your past that prove you have them. Go beyond your resume. Don’t just regurgitate what the hiring manager can read elsewhere.

Simply put, you want to paint a fuller picture of what experiences and accomplishments make you a great hire and show off what you can sashay through their doors with and deliver once you land the job.

For example, what tells a hiring manager more about your ability to win back former clients? This: “I was in charge of identifying and re-engaging former clients.” Or this: “By analyzing past client surveys, NPS scores, and KPIs, as well as simply picking up the phone, I was able to bring both a data-driven approach and a human touch to the task of re-engaging former clients.”

If you're having trouble figuring out how to do this, try asking yourself these questions and finding answers that line up with the qualifications you’ve chosen to focus on:

• What approach did you take to tackling one of the responsibilities you’ve mentioned on your resume?
• What details would you include if you were telling someone a (very short!) story about how you accomplished one of your resume bullet points?
• What about your personality, passion, or work ethic made you especially good at getting the job done?

Come up with your examples, then throw in a few numbers. Hiring managers love to see stats—they show you’ve had a measurable impact on an organization you’ve worked for. Did you bring in more clients than any of your peers? Put together an impressive number of events? Make a process at work 30% more efficient? Work it into your cover letter!

This might help: How to Quantify Your Resume Bullets (When You Don't Work With Numbers)

Step 7: Finish with a strong conclusion

It’s tempting to treat the final lines of your cover letter as a throwaway: “I look forward to hearing from you.” But your closing paragraph is your last chance to emphasize your enthusiasm for the company or how you’d be a great fit for the position. You can also use the end of your letter to add important details—like, say, the fact that you’re willing to relocate for the job.

Try something like this:

“I believe my energy, desire to innovate, and experience as a sales leader will serve OrangePurple Co. very well. I would love to meet to discuss the value I could add as your next West Coast Sales Director. I appreciate your consideration and hope to meet with you soon.”

Then be sure to sign off professionally , with an appropriate closing and your first and last name. (Need help? Here are three cover letter closing lines that make hiring managers grimace, plus some better options .)

Step 8: Reread and revise

We shouldn’t have to tell you to run your cover letter through spell-check, but remember that having your computer scan for typos isn’t the same as editing . Set your letter aside for a day or even just a few hours, and then read through it again with fresh eyes—you’ll probably notice some changes you want to make.

You might even want to ask a friend or family member to give it a look. In addition to asking them if they spot any errors, you should ask them two questions:

• Does this sell me as the best person for the job?
• Does it get you excited?

If the answer to either is “no,” or even slight hesitation, go back for another pass.

Cover letter examples

Here are four example cover letters that follow the advice given above. Keep in mind that different situations may require adjustments in your approach. For instance, experienced job seekers can emphasize accomplishments from previous roles, while those with less experience might highlight volunteer work, personal projects, or skills gained through education.

Example #1: Cover letter for a job application

Alia Farhat San Francisco Bay Area [email protected] 444-000-1111

Hello Danny Tanaka,

If I’m being honest, I still haven’t fully gotten over the death of my first Tamagotchi pet when I was six years old. (His name was Tommy, and I’ve gotten far more creative since then, I promise.) When I was older, I discovered NeoPets and I was hooked for years—not just on the site, but on the community that surrounded it. So when I heard about FantasyPets last year, I immediately started following news about your development process, and that’s how I saw your post looking for a marketing strategist. Not only do I have eight years of experience in digital marketing, but as a lifelong gamer with a passion for pet-focused titles who’s spent years in online communities with like-minded people, I also know exactly what kind of messaging resonates with your target audience.

You’re looking for someone to help you craft a social media marketing campaign to go along with your game launch, and I’ve been a part of three launch-day marketing campaigns for mobile and web-based games. In my current role as social media manager at Phun Inc., I proposed a campaign across Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok based on competitor research and analysis of our social campaigns for similar games to go along with the launch of the mobile game FarmWorld. Using my strategy of featuring both kids and adults in ads, we ended up driving over one million impressions and 80k downloads in the first three months.

I’ve always believed that the best way to find the right messaging for a game is to understand the audience and immerse myself in it as much as possible. I spend some of my research time on gaming forums and watching Twitch streams and Let’s Plays to see what really matters to the audience and how they talk about it. Of course, I always back my strategies up with data—I’m even responsible for training new members of the marketing team at Phun Inc. in Google AdWords and data visualization.

I believe that my passion for games exactly like yours, my digital marketing and market research experience, and my flair for turning data into actionable insights will help put FantasyPets on the map. I see so much promise in this game, and as a future player, I want to see its user base grow as much as you do. I appreciate your consideration for the marketing strategist role and hope to speak with you soon.

Alia Farhat

Example #2: Cover letter for an internship

Mariah Johnson

New York, NY [email protected] 555-000-1234

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am excited to submit my application for the software development internship at Big Tech. As a student at New York University majoring in computer science with a keen interest in social studies, I believe I would be a good fit for the role. Big Tech's mission to promote equality and a more sustainable world is deeply inspiring, and I would be thrilled to contribute to this mission.

In a recent hackathon, I demonstrated my ability to lead a team in designing and developing an app that directs members of a small community to nearby electronics recycling centers. My team successfully developed a working prototype and presented it to a panel of industry experts who awarded us second place.

I’ve also been an active volunteer at my local library for over four years. During this time, I organized book donation drives, led book fairs, and conducted reading sessions with children. This experience strengthened my presentation and communication skills and confirmed my motivation stems from supporting a good cause. I would be more than happy to bring my passion and dedication to an organization whose mission resonates with me..

Through these experiences, along with my coursework in software engineering, I am confident I am able to navigate the challenges of the Big Tech internship program. I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you about my qualifications. Thank you for your consideration.

Example #3: Cover letter with no experience

Sarah Bergman

Philadelphia, PA [email protected] 1234-555-6789

Dear Chloe West,

I’m excited to apply for the entry-level copywriting position at Idea Agency. As a recent graduate from State University with a major in mass communications, I’m eager to delve deeper into copywriting for brands, marketing strategies, and their roles in the business world.

Over the past two years, I’ve completed courses in creative writing, copywriting, and essentials of digital marketing. I’ve also been actively involved in extracurricular activities, creating content and promoting student events across multiple online platforms. These experiences expanded my creativity, enhanced my teamwork skills, and strengthened my communication abilities.

As an admirer of your visionary marketing campaigns and Idea Agency’s commitment to sustainability, I’m enthusiastic about the prospect of joining your team. I'm confident that I can contribute to your future projects with inventive thinking and creative energy.

I welcome the opportunity to discuss my qualifications further. Thank you for considering my application.

Best regards,

Example #4: Career change cover letter

Leslie Smith

Chicago, IL [email protected] 111-222-3344

Dear Paul Jones,

Over the past year, I’ve volunteered to represent my company at a local fair and there I discovered how much fun working face to face with clients would be. Everytime I sold a product for The Solar Company, I often wished it was my full-time job. Now, I'm excited to submit my application for the sales coordinator position with Bloom Sales.

After completing a degree in business administration, I decided to put my outgoing personality and strong communication skills to work as a sales specialist at The Solar Company. I’ve sharpened my presentation and critical thinking skills in client meetings and sourced more than $20,000 in new partnerships. This experience has given me an invaluable foundation, and now I’m confident it's the time to move business administration to sales coordination.

I’m comfortable seeking out new business opportunities, making cold calls, and selling potential clients on the advantages of Bloom Sales products. I attend an average of 10 in-person meetings a week, and interacting with a lot of different personalities is what excites me the most. As a detail-oriented, tech-savvy professional, I have advanced knowledge of Excel and data analysis.

I would love to learn more about your sales strategy for the second semester and discuss how my experience in business administration and client-facing sales exposure would help Bloom Sales achieve its goals. Thank you for your consideration.

Extra cover letter examples

• Pain point cover letter example
• Recent graduate cover letter example
• Stay-at-home parent returning to work cover letter example
• Sales cover letter example
• Email marketing manager cover letter example
• No job description or position cover letter example (a.k.a., a letter of intent or interest)
• Buzzfeed-style cover letter example
• Creative cover letter example (from the point-of-view of a dog)

Bonus cover letter tips to give you an edge over the competition

As you write your cover letter, here are a few more tips to consider to help you stand out from the stack of applicants:

• Keep it short and sweet: There are always exceptions to the rule, but in general, for resumes and cover letters alike, don’t go over a page. (Check out these tips for cutting down your cover letter .)
• Never apologize for your missing experience: When you don’t meet all of the job requirements, it’s tempting to use lines like, “Despite my limited experience as a manager…” or “While I may not have direct experience in marketing…” But why apologize ? Instead of drawing attention to your weaknesses, emphasize the strengths and transferable skills you do have.
• Strike the right tone: You want to find a balance between being excessively formal in your writing—which can make you come off as stiff or insincere—and being too conversational. Let your personality shine through, for sure, but also keep in mind that a cover letter shouldn’t sound like a text to an old friend.
• Consider writing in the company’s “voice:” Cover letters are a great way to show that you understand the environment and culture of the company and industry. Spending some time reading over the company website or stalking their social media before you get started can be a great way to get in the right mindset—you’ll get a sense for the company’s tone, language, and culture, which are all things you’ll want to mirror—especially if writing skills are a core part of the job.
• Go easy on the enthusiasm: We can’t tell you how many cover letters we’ve seen from people who are “absolutely thrilled for the opportunity” or “very excitedly applying!” Yes, you want to show personality, creativity, and excitement. But downplay the adverbs a bit, and keep the level of enthusiasm for the opportunity genuine and believable.

The bottom line with cover letters is this: They matter, much more than the naysayers will have you believe. If you nail yours, you could easily go from the “maybe” pile straight to “Oh, hell yes.”

Cover letter FAQs (a.k.a., everything else you need to know about cover letters)

• Are cover letters still necessary?
• Do I have to write a cover letter if it’s optional?
• Can I skip the cover letter for a tech job?
• What does it mean to write a cover letter for a resume?
• How can I write a simple cover letter in 30 minutes?
• How can I show personality in my cover letter?
• What should I name my cover letter file?
• Is a letter of intent different from a cover letter?
• Is a letter of interest different from a cover letter?

Regina Borsellino , Jenny Foss , and Amanda Cardoso contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

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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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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The 46 Best Cover Letter Examples: What They Got Right

Published: May 22, 2024

I’ve sent plenty of cover letters throughout my career, so I know it isn’t usually fun to write one. Fortunately, the cover letter examples I painstakingly gathered below show that it’s possible to have a little fun with your job search — and maybe even make yourself a better candidate in the process.

I was shocked upon learning 45% of job seekers don’t include a cover letter when applying for a job. I definitely don’t recommend following the crowd on this matter because your cover letter is a chance to tell the stories your resume only outlines.

It’s an opportunity for you to highlight your creativity at the earliest stage of the recruitment process.

Are you ready to showcase your unique skills and experience? Or are you looking for more tips and cover letter inspiration?

Keep reading for 40+ cover letter examples, then check out tips for cover letter formatting and what makes a cover letter great.

Table of Contents

Customizable Cover Letter Examples

Best cover letter examples, short cover letter examples, creative cover letter examples, job cover letter examples, career cover letter examples, what is a good cover letter, what’s on a cover letter, what makes a great cover letter.

5 Free Cover Letter Templates

Five fill-in-the-blank cover letter templates to help you impress recruiters.

• Standard Cover Letter Template
• Entry-Level Cover Letter Template
• Data-Driven Cover Letter Template

Download Free

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Click this link to access this resource at any time.

In a hurry for a cover letter example you can download and customize? Check out the ones below from HubSpot’s cover letter template kit .

1. Standard Cover Letter Example

29. Technical Writer Cover Letter Example

In an increasingly digitized world, where customer-centric strategies are vital for business success, I am thrilled to apply for the [Job Title] position at HubSpot."

Unhelpful Cover Letter Introduction:

"To Whom it May Concern,

I am applying for the [Job Title] position at HubSpot. I have some experience in marketing and can help your clients grow their businesses."

Relevant Professional Experience

It can be tempting to use the same cover letter for every job. After all, it‘s about your experience, isn’t it? But it's not enough to rephrase the work history in your resume.

Recruiters and hiring managers are looking to fill a specific role, so you need to show how your experience translates to their unique needs.

So, the body of a great cover letter should showcase the specific professional experiences that are relevant to the job you're applying for. Emphasize your accomplishments and skills that directly relate to what the job needs.

To speed up this part of the cover letter writing process, start by creating a list of your transferable skills . Drafting this list can help you quickly focus on the skills to highlight in your cover letter.

Then, use AI tools to summarize job descriptions and narrow in on where your experience and the needs of the role you're applying for overlap. This post is full of useful AI assistant tools if you're new to AI.

Helpful Cover Letter Experience:

“At [Company Name], I had the opportunity to assist a global ecommerce retailer in enhancing their online customer experience. By conducting in-depth market research and customer journey mapping, I identified pain points and areas of improvement in their website navigation and user interface.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Experience:

“I also worked with an ecommerce retailer to improve the customer experience. We did some surveys and training, and they were happy with the results.”

Useful Examples

To make your cover letter stand out, add specific examples that show how you've solved problems or gotten results in past roles.

Quantify your accomplishments whenever possible, using data to give the reader a clear understanding of your impact.

Helpful Cover Letter Example:

“I lead a team of five content writers while increasing website traffic by 18% year-over-year.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Example:

“I have a great track record of leadership and achieving fantastic results.”

Research and Company Knowledge

Hiring teams aren‘t hiring anyone with the skills to do the job. They’re hiring a person they'll work alongside at their specific company.

So, to show that you‘re not just looking for any job anywhere, share your knowledge of the company’s industry, values, and culture in your cover letter.

Spend some time on the company website and take notes on what makes this business interesting to you and why you would want to work there.

Then, explain how your skills align with the company's mission and goals and explain how you could add to their chances of success. This will showcase your interest in the company and help them see if you are a good cultural fit.

Helpful Cover Letter Research:

“I was particularly drawn to HubSpot not only for its industry-leading solutions but also for its exceptional company culture. HubSpot's commitment to employee development and fostering a collaborative environment is evident in its recognition as a top workplace consistently. I strongly believe that my passion for continuous learning, self-motivation, and dedication to contributing to a team will make me a valuable asset to HubSpot.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Research:

“I have been inspired by HubSpot's commitment to inbound marketing and its comprehensive suite of solutions. HubSpot's dedication to providing valuable content and fostering meaningful relationships aligns with my own values and aspirations.”

Clear Writing

Your cover letter needs to pack in a lot of important information. But it's also important that your cover letter is clear and concise.

To accomplish this, use professional but easy-to-understand language. Be sure to remove any grammar or spelling errors and avoid lengthy paragraphs and avoid jargon or overly technical language.

You may also want to use bullet points to make your letter easier to skim. Then, proofread your cover letter for clarity or ask a friend to proofread it for you.

• Guide to Becoming a Better Writer
• Tips for Simplifying Your Writing

Helpful Cover Letter Writing:

"In addition to my academic accomplishments, I gained valuable practical experience through internships at respected law firms.

Working alongside experienced attorneys, I assisted in providing legal support to clients. This hands-on experience helped me develop a deep understanding of client needs and enhanced my ability to effectively communicate complex legal concepts in a straightforward manner."

Unhelpful Cover Letter Writing:

"Furthermore, as a complement to my academic accomplishments, I have garnered invaluable practical experience through internships at esteemed law firms.

Throughout these placements, I actively collaborated with seasoned attorneys to conduct due diligence and furnish clients with comprehensive legal support. Notably, these experiences fostered a profound comprehension of client necessities, whilst honing my legal acumen to articulately convey intricate legal principles within a lucid and concise framework, adhering to applicable precedents and statutes of limitations."

Genuine Interest and Enthusiasm

Find ways to convey your passion for the role and how excited you are to contribute to the company you're applying to. At the same time, make sure your interest feels authentic and outline how it aligns with your career goals.

Your ultimate goal is an enthusiastic letter that feels honest and leaves a lasting positive impression.

Showing excitement in writing doesn't come naturally for everyone. A few tips that can help you boost the genuine enthusiasm in your letter:

• Record audio of yourself speaking about the role, then use voice-to-text technology to transcribe and add these sections to your letter.
• Choose your words carefully .
• Write in active voice.

Helpful Cover Letter Tone:

“I am genuinely enthusiastic about the prospect of joining [Company/Organization Name] as an accountant. My combination of technical proficiency, eagerness to learn, and strong attention to detail make me an ideal candidate for this role. I am confident that my dedication, reliability, and passion for accounting will contribute to the continued success of your organization.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Tone:

“Honestly, I can hardly contain my excitement when it comes to reconciliations, financial statement analysis, and tax regulations! Engaging in spirited discussions with professors and classmates has allowed me to foster an unbreakable bond with the fascinating world of accounting, and I'm positively bursting with enthusiasm at the prospect of applying my skills in a professional setting.”

Memorable Conclusion

End your cover letter on a strong note. Summarize your top qualifications, restate your interest in the position, and express your interest in future communication.

Then, thank your reader for their time and consideration and include your contact information for easy follow-up.

To make your conclusion memorable, think about what parts of your letter you‘d most like the hiring manager to keep top of mind. Then, consider your word choice and phrasing. If you’re feeling stuck, this list of ways to close an email can help.

Helpful Cover Letter Conclusion:

"Thank you for considering my application. I am excited about the opportunity to further discuss how my qualifications align with the needs of Greenpeace. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience to arrange an interview.

Together, let's make a lasting impact on our planet.

[Your Name]"

Unhelpful Cover Letter Conclusion:

"Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing my qualifications further and how I can contribute to Greenpeace's mission. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience to arrange an interview.

I’d like to add another stage to the job search: experimentation.

In today’s competitive landscape, it’s so easy to feel defeated, less-than-good-enough, or like giving up your job search.

But don’t let the process become so monotonous. Have fun discovering the qualitative data I’ve discussed here — then, have even more by getting creative with your cover letter composition.

I certainly can’t guarantee that every prospective employer will respond positively — or at all — to even the most unique, compelling cover letter. But the one that’s right for you will.

So, get inspired by these examples and templates. Write an incredible cover letter that shows the hiring team at your dream job exactly who you are.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. This article was written by a human, but our team uses AI in our editorial process. Check out our full disclosure to learn more about how we use AI.

Don't forget to share this post!

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The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Cover Letter

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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 That Gets You a Job Interview

Learn to avoid the biggest mistake job seekers make and write a cover letter that truly makes an impact.

Customers Interviewed by:

Most job seekers don’t know how to write a proper cover letter. They believe a cover letter is just a “here is my resume” note. This is a wasted opportunity!

In this article, you’ll discover the secret to writing a professional cover letter that’s truly effective. It’s not hard to do and will give you a significant edge over the competition. We’ll walk you through the process in a few straightforward steps and provide examples to help you along the way.

Ready to get started? Let’s dive in and create a cover letter that opens doors to your next opportunity.

What is a cover letter and do you really need one?

A cover letter is a short document (around 300 words) that accompanies your resume. Your cover letter should not simply repeat what your resume says . Instead, it should complement your resume, highlight your personality, and potentially address any weaknesses that could otherwise prevent you from getting an interview.

But do you really need a cover letter in 2024? The short answer is YES.

“Over 80% of hiring managers read a cover letter and 60% of applications require one as part of the application,” says career coach Madelyn Mackie . “Even hiring managers and recruiters who say they never read cover letters may find themselves drawn in by a particularly compelling letter.”

In fact, Jobscan analyzed nearly 1 million job applications and found that including a cover letter with your resume makes you  1.9 times more likely  to be invited for an interview compared to those who left out a cover letter.

What’s the biggest cover letter mistake?

The biggest mistake job seekers make when writing their cover letter is to focus only on themselves .

“It’s not about you,” says career coach Susan Schwartz . “It’s about what you can do for them. Talking to them about what they care about—not about what you want—is what’s going to make them want to read your letter. And to hire you!”

According to Schwartz, this is the best way to write a cover letter:

Paragraph 1. A single sentence (maximum two) stating the PROBLEM that the company faces. What is the issue/need/opportunity that this role will address?

Paragraph 2. what solution do you offer how are you the answer to their need again, keep it to a sentence or two., paragraph 3. explanation: what experience do you have that supports your assertion that you can help this paragraph can be 3-4 sentences, but keep it short., paragraph 4. call to action: suggest next steps. not “thank you” but let’s plan to discuss this next week..

Since hiring managers often spend less than 20 seconds on an application, your cover letter needs to grab their attention and get them to look at your resume. By highlighting how your experience matches the job, you make it easier for them to see you as a great fit for the role.

Now let’s examine each of these steps in more detail.

How to write a strong cover letter step-by-step

Now that you know the basics of what to include in your cover letter, let’s go through the process from start to finish to see how you can write a cover letter that will make you stand out from the rest of the candidates.

1. Do your research

Before writing your cover letter, research the company to understand its current challenges and goals. Visit the company website, read their latest news and press releases, and follow their social media channels.

Don’t skip this step! It’s crucial for writing a cover letter that truly resonates with a potential employer and sets you apart from other candidates.

After you’ve researched the company, carefully read the job description. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What specific problems or challenges is this role designed to address?
• How do my skills and experiences align with the job requirements?
• Am I a good fit for the role?
• What unique value can I bring to the company in this role?
• Are there any keywords or phrases that I should incorporate into my cover letter?

After researching the company and the role, you’re ready to start writing your cover letter.

2. Write your opening paragraphs

Many job seekers make the mistake of being too wordy in their cover letters. You’re not writing a novel. Use short words in short sentences. Remember, a hiring manager is going to quickly scan your application, so you need to get right to the point.

Here are some examples of how to start a cover letter:

Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],

I’ve noticed that NexGen is working hard to stand out in a crowded digital market, and keeping your brand top-of-mind for customers can be tough.

That’s where I come in—I specialize in creating engaging content and smart SEO strategies that boost online presence and drive customer engagement.

I understand that Weissman is seeking to maintain its innovative edge in the dancewear industry while consistently meeting sales and margin targets.

I am confident that my experience and passion for design can help Weissman continue to create stunning, market-leading dancewear.

I understand that Timmons Company needs motivated individuals to manage sales territories and boost product visibility in retail grocery stores around Quincy, IL.

I am excited to bring my self-motivation and sales-oriented mindset to your team, ensuring your products not only maintain their shelf presence but also thrive.

3. Prove you can do the job

Now you need to provide evidence that you’re the right person for the job. The best way to do this is to highlight your relevant experience and achievements. Here are some things you should focus on:

• Specific Accomplishments : Share examples of your successes, such as increasing sales, leading projects, or improving processes.
• Relevant Skills : Highlight the skills that match the job requirements, like planning, organizing, technical proficiencies, or specific industry experience.
• Problem-Solving : Discuss times when you successfully tackled challenges, such as resolving issues, managing conflicts, or implementing solutions.
• Industry Knowledge : Demonstrate your understanding of the field and awareness of current trends and standards.
• Team Collaboration : Mention how you’ve effectively worked in teams, mentored others, or collaborated across departments.

Remember to keep it concise. Your letter isn’t meant to tell your whole story; it’s about making a compelling case that you understand the key aspects of the job.

Your goal is to leave the reader eager to learn more about you. Here are some examples:

“Over the past five years, I’ve led digital marketing campaigns that ramped up organic traffic by 40% and bumped up conversion rates by 25%. I’ve worked with diverse teams to create compelling content that resonates with audiences and used data analytics to refine strategies for maximum impact. My experience with social media management and email marketing also ensures a holistic approach to your digital marketing needs.”

“With over ten years in apparel design, specializing in activewear and dancewear, I have a proven track record of developing designs that resonate with customers and drive sales. My expertise includes conducting global trend research, selecting inspiring materials, and leading teams to transform creative concepts into market-ready products. I am proficient in Adobe Creative Suite and have experience with CLO3D, ensuring that my designs are both innovative and technically sound. My leadership skills have been honed by mentoring junior designers and managing cross-functional teams, fostering a collaborative and efficient design process.”

“With several years of experience in CPG retail sales and merchandising, I have successfully managed sales territories, maintained product placements, and executed promotional strategies. My ability to plan and organize, combined with proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with iPads, positions me well to contribute effectively to your sales team. I am adept at thinking on my feet and delivering results in dynamic environments, ensuring that products are always tagged, rotated, and optimally displayed.”

4. Conclude with a call to action

When wrapping up your cover letter, it’s crucial to include a strong call to action in your closing paragraph. This isn’t just about expressing gratitude—it’s about setting the stage for the next steps in the hiring process.

Instead of a simple “thank you,” aim to propose a specific plan, such as scheduling a meeting or a call to discuss how you can contribute to the company.

Here are some examples of how to end a cover letter :

“Let’s discuss how I can help NexGen Creative Agency achieve its sales goals next week. Please let me know your availability for a meeting.”

“How about we chat next week about how I can help Weissman shine even brighter? Let me know when you’re free.”

“Let’s plan to discuss how my self-motivation and sales-oriented mindset can boost product visibility for Timmons Company next week. Please let me know your availability for a meeting.”

There is no need to add anything more. Time is valuable, so hiring managers won’t spend it on a cover letter that isn’t concise and to the point.

Expert tips for writing a cover letter

We’ve gone over the basics of how to write a good cover letter. Here are some expert tips for formatting and how to make your cover letter even better.

Format your contact information correctly

Before diving into the content of your cover letter, it’s important to format the contact details and header correctly. You’ll need to include your name, full address, phone number, and email address.

Here’s an example:

Personalize your greeting

To whom should you address your cover letter to? “For maximum impact, see if you can find the hiring manager or recruiter for the role, and send your letter to them,” says career coach Susan Schwarz . “Addressing your letter to a specific person will significantly increase the likelihood of someone reading it.”

Check the company’s website or LinkedIn profile to find the name of the hiring manager. However, if you can’t find a specific name, “Dear Hiring Manager” will suffice.

To end a cover letter, you can use “best regards” or “kind regards” followed by your full name.

Show your personality

While it’s important to maintain a professional tone in your cover letter, don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through. But remember, you don’t want to overdo it—keep it concise and relevant .

Here are some ways to show your personality in your cover letter:

• Briefly mention a specific project or experience you enjoyed.
• Highlight a distinctive skill or trait that sets you apart.
• Talk about how your values align with the company’s mission or culture.
• Describe a unique volunteer experience.

Emphasize your adaptability

According to LinkedIn , the top “skill of the moment” is adaptability . This means being open to new ideas, ready to pivot when needed, and always looking for ways to improve. In a world where the only constant is change, being adaptable can set you apart.

Here’s an example of how to incorporate adaptability into your cover letter:

“In my previous role as a CPG retail sales merchandiser, I consistently demonstrated my ability to adjust to changing market conditions, customer preferences, and sales strategies. This adaptability allowed me to increase sales by 25% in a highly competitive market.”

Show enthusiasm

Research shows that 40% of employers would not hire a candidate if they lacked enthusiasm. Remember, you’re much more attractive to employers when you’re on fire .

Here’s an example of how to show enthusiasm for the company you’re applying to:

“I’ve long admired Weissman’s commitment to the dance community and the artistry of your costumes. Your dedication to empowering performances and celebrating creativity is inspiring, and I’m excited about the opportunity to join your passionate team.”

Balance professionalism with friendliness

Try to strike a balance between a professional and friendly tone. Don’t use overly formal language, but make sure your writing is polished and error-free. Use humor sparingly, as it can be easily misinterpreted.

This approach helps you come across as both competent and personable, making you an ideal candidate.

Cover letter do’s and don’ts

• Do personalize . Address your cover letter to a specific person whenever possible.
• Do be concise . Keep your cover letter to one page.
• Do show enthusiasm . Mention specific reasons why you want to work there.
• Do include measurable accomplishments . These are accomplishments that can be quantified, such as increasing sales by a percentage.
• Do show your personality . Share brief anecdotes or unique experiences relevant to the job.
• Do be professional yet friendly . Avoid overly formal language.
• Do proofread your cover letter. A single mistake can damage your chances of getting an interview.
• Do include a call to action. Suggest scheduling a meeting or a call.
• Don’t be too formal . Strike a balance between professionalism and friendliness.
• Don’t overuse humor . Humor can be easily misinterpreted or come off as unprofessional.
• Don’t repeat your resume . Your cover letter should complement your resume, not repeat it.
• Don’t include irrelevant information. Focus only on what’s most relevant to the job you’re applying for.
• Don’t use clichés . Phrases like “I am a hard worker” or “I think outside the box” are overused and add little value.
• Don’t make excuses . Avoid explaining gaps in employment or other potential negatives.
• Don’t forget to tailor each letter . Customizing each cover letter will help it pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

Cover letter examples

Here are a few cover letter examples that show how to highlight your skills, show your personality, and match your experiences with the job.

Cover letter example for someone with no work experience

Starting your career can be challenging, especially when you don’t have much experience to showcase. But don’t worry—a well-written cover letter can highlight your strengths and potential.

• Addresses the company’s needs : The letter begins by acknowledging the challenges the company faces, demonstrating an understanding of the industry and the company’s needs.
• Offers a solution : The candidate clearly states how they can provide value by offering a fresh perspective and innovative ideas.
• Highlights relevant experience : Even with limited work experience, the letter mentions a successful internship project that aligns with the job’s requirements.
• Shows enthusiasm and passion : The mention of a passion for sustainability and eagerness to contribute to the company’s efforts showcases the candidate’s genuine interest.
• Proposes next steps : The call to action is clear and professional, suggesting a meeting to discuss how the candidate can contribute, which shows initiative and confidence.

Cover letter example for someone changing careers

Changing careers can be a bold and exciting move, especially when you have a strong foundation of transferable skills. The following example of a cover letter demonstrates how to effectively highlight your previous experience and enthusiasm for a new industry.

• Engaging opening : Starts with a bold question that captures attention and sets the tone for the rest of the letter.
• Clear value proposition : Quickly establishes how the candidate’s project management skills can benefit the finance industry.
• Relevant experience : Highlights a specific project that showcases the candidate’s ability to improve efficiency and manage complex tasks.
• Expresses enthusiasm : Shows genuine excitement about the career change and the specific company.
• Call to action : Concludes with a clear and confident call to action, suggesting a meeting to discuss how the candidate can contribute to the company’s success.

Cover letter example for someone re-entering the workforce

Re-entering the workforce after a significant break can be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity to showcase your resilience and the valuable skills you’ve developed during your time away.

The following cover letter example demonstrates how to effectively address employment gaps while highlighting your strengths and enthusiasm for the role.

• Strong opening statement : The cover letter begins with a compelling statement about the importance of adaptability and innovation, setting a positive and forward-thinking tone.
• Addresses employment gap : It acknowledges the employment gap upfront, providing context without dwelling on it, which demonstrates honesty and transparency.
• Highlights relevant experience : The letter emphasizes past accomplishments and specific projects, showcasing the candidate’s skills and ability to deliver results.
• Shows enthusiasm for the role : The candidate expresses excitement about re-entering the workforce and aligns their values with the company’s mission.
• Proposes next steps : It ends with a clear call to action, suggesting a meeting to discuss how the candidate can contribute to the company’s success.

Generate a perfectly crafted cover letter in seconds

If you’re still having trouble writing your cover letter, try Jobscan’s AI cover letter generator . It analyzes both your resume and the job ad to create a completely original cover letter customized for the job you’re applying for.

To learn more about how the cover letter generator works, watch this brief video:

You can try Jobscan’s cover letter generator for free below:

Key takeaways

Follow these key takeaways to write a compelling cover letter that sets you apart from other candidates and opens doors to new career opportunities.

• Write with the employer’s needs in mind. Explain how you can address their specific challenges and contribute to their goals.
• Keep it brief . Use short sentences and paragraphs to make it easy for hiring managers to scan quickly.
• Address your letter to a specific person . If you can’t find a name, “Dear Hiring Manager” will suffice.
• Showcase your relevant experience. Use specific examples to demonstrate your abilities.
• Inject your personality. Share brief anecdotes or unique experiences relevant to the job.
• End with a strong call to action . Suggest a meeting or a call to discuss how you can contribute to the company’s success.
• Proofread your letter. A single error can torpedo your chances at getting an interview.
• Show enthusiasm. Showing excitement and a willingness to learn can make you a more attractive candidate.

A cover letter should be one page long, consisting of three to four paragraphs. The total word count should be around 250-400 words.

When you don’t have a specific name, you can use “Dear Hiring Manager.” Avoid using “To Whom It May Concern,” as it is considered old-fashioned.

When emailing a cover letter, use a clear subject line like “Application for Content Developer – [Your Name].” Paste your cover letter into the email body. Attach your resume.

Yes, a cover letter is necessary because good first impressions are important. By highlighting your qualifications and showing enthusiasm for the role, you can gain an advantage over someone who doesn’t send one.

Employers look for personalization in a cover letter, showing that it’s tailored to the specific job and company. Highlight relevant experience and skills that match the job requirements. Include specific achievements that demonstrate your capabilities and contributions.

Yes. Providing specific examples of your achievements helps demonstrate your skills and qualifications, making your application more compelling to employers.

A cover letter starts with your contact information, first and last name, the date, and the employer’s details. Begin with an introduction about your suitability for the role. Include a brief section highlighting relevant experience and skills with examples. Conclude by asking for an interview.

The primary goals of a simple cover letter are to make a good impression, get someone to read your resume, and offer you a job interview. It also shows you have good communication skills, which are highly valuable in today’s workforce.

The opening sentence should state the problem the company faces or pose a thought-provoking question to grab the hiring manager’s attention.

Robert Henderson, CPRW, is a career advice writer and a resume expert at Jobscan.

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A Simple Guide to Writing an Effective Cover Letter | Remote Jobs in HR

• Cover Letter Writing Guide
• Write an Effective Cover Letter - Remote Jobs In HR
• September 11

A cover letter is a personalized document that accompanies your resume when applying for a job. Unlike a resume, which outlines your skills and experience in a more structured format, a cover letter allows you to speak directly to the hiring manager, giving you the opportunity to highlight why you are the best fit for the position.

Cover letters are still important in today’s job application process because they provide a space for you to explain why you are interested in the role, showcase your personality, and address any specific requirements mentioned in the job listing. While some candidates might overlook the importance of a cover letter, taking the time to craft one can set you apart from other applicants by showing your commitment and enthusiasm for the position.

A well-written cover letter can make a significant difference in how you are perceived by potential employers, making it a crucial element of a successful job application. Whether you are an entry-level candidate or an experienced professional, your cover letter is a chance to make a strong first impression and increase your chances of landing an interview.

Why You Need a Cover Letter

1.     personalization.

One of the main advantages of a cover letter is the ability to tailor your application specifically to the job and company you’re applying to. Unlike a resume, which is often a general summary of your skills and experience, a cover letter allows you to address the unique requirements and culture of the company. By customizing your cover letter to reflect the job description and the company's values, you demonstrate that you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested in the role. This personalized approach can make a strong impression on hiring managers, setting you apart from candidates who submit generic applications.

2.     Showcase Your Personality

A cover letter is your chance to show more of your personality and passion for the role, something that a resume alone may not fully capture. Employers want to hire people who not only have the right skills but who also fit well within the company culture. By expressing your enthusiasm for the position and sharing what excites you about the opportunity, you give the employer a glimpse of who you are beyond your qualifications. This can help create a connection with the hiring manager and increase your chances of moving forward in the hiring process.

3.     Address Gaps or Concerns

If there are any gaps in your employment history or other concerns that might raise questions for the employer, a cover letter is the perfect place to address them. Whether you took time off for personal reasons, switched careers, or had a period of unemployment, you can use the cover letter to provide context and reassure the employer that you are still a strong candidate for the job. By proactively explaining these issues, you can help prevent them from becoming a barrier to getting an interview.

4.     Highlight Key Achievements

While your resume lists your experience, a cover letter allows you to highlight your most relevant accomplishments in a way that directly ties them to the job you’re applying for. You can use this space to draw attention to specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to succeed in the role. By focusing on how your past successes can translate to future contributions at the company, you provide a compelling reason for the employer to consider you for the position.

What to Say in a Cover Letter

1.     introduction.

The introduction of your cover letter is your opportunity to grab the hiring manager’s attention right away. Start by clearly stating the position you are applying for and how you found the job listing. This shows that you are organized and know exactly what role you are interested in. Follow this with a brief expression of your enthusiasm for the role and the company. Mentioning specific aspects of the company that appeal to you can help make your introduction stand out and demonstrate that you’ve done your research.

2.     Body

A.     why you’re a good fit.

In this section, you should focus on explaining why you are the best candidate for the job. Discuss your relevant experience, skills, and achievements that directly relate to the position. Be specific and use examples that demonstrate your qualifications. For instance, if the job requires project management skills, mention a project you successfully managed and the results you achieved. Highlighting how your experience aligns with the job requirements will show the employer that you are well-equipped to handle the responsibilities of the role.

B.    Why You Want the Job

Beyond explaining why you’re qualified, it’s also important to convey why you are genuinely interested in the job and the company. Explain what excites you about the role and how it aligns with your career goals. Show that you’ve researched the company by mentioning its values, culture, or recent achievements that resonate with you. This not only demonstrates your interest but also helps you connect with the employer on a more personal level, making you a more memorable candidate.

3.     Conclusion

The conclusion of your cover letter should reinforce your interest in the position and leave a positive impression. Restate your enthusiasm for the role and briefly summarize why you believe you are a strong candidate. Thank the reader for considering your application, and express your eagerness to discuss the opportunity further. Mention that you look forward to the possibility of interviewing and that you are available at their convenience. A polite and confident closing can encourage the employer to take the next step in the hiring process.

Examples of Effective Cover Letters

Example 1: entry-level position.

When applying for an entry-level position, it's important to focus on your education, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn. Here’s a brief example:

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to apply for the HR Generalist position at XYZ Company, which I found Remote Jobs In HR. As a recent graduate with a degree in Human Resources, I am eager to bring my knowledge of HR practices and employee relations to your team. During my time at university, I completed several internships where I gained hands-on experience in recruitment, onboarding, and benefits administration. I am particularly drawn to XYZ Company because of your commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace, and I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing how I can contribute to your company.

[Your Name]

This example highlights the candidate's education, relevant internships, and enthusiasm for the company. The focus is on the candidate’s readiness to learn and contribute, which is key for entry-level roles.

Example 2: Experienced Professional

For an experienced professional, it’s essential to emphasize your extensive experience, specific achievements, and how you can bring value to the company. Here’s an example:

I am excited to apply for the Senior HR Manager position at ABC Corporation, which I found on Remote Jobs In HR. With over 10 years of experience in human resources, I have successfully led HR initiatives that support company goals and enhance employee engagement. In my current role at DEF Solutions, I developed and implemented a new talent management strategy that improved employee retention by 15% and streamlined the recruitment process. I am particularly impressed by ABC Corporation's dedication to fostering a positive workplace culture, and I am eager to bring my expertise in employee relations and leadership to your organization. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience aligns with your needs.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to your continued success.

In this example, the candidate highlights their extensive experience, specific achievements, and how they align with the company’s goals. The emphasis is on how the candidate’s skills and accomplishments can bring immediate value to the employer.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1.      generic cover letters.

One of the most common mistakes job seekers make is submitting a generic cover letter that isn’t tailored to the specific job or company. A generic cover letter can give the impression that you’re not genuinely interested in the role or that you haven’t taken the time to understand the company’s needs. To avoid this mistake, always personalize your cover letter by mentioning the specific job title, the company’s name, and how your skills and experiences align with the job requirements. This shows the employer that you are serious about the opportunity and have put thought into your application.

2.      Repeating Your Resume

Another common mistake is simply repeating the content of your resume in your cover letter. Your cover letter should complement your resume, not duplicate it. Instead of listing your past jobs and responsibilities, use the cover letter to explain how your experiences have prepared you for the specific role you’re applying for. Highlight key achievements and provide examples that aren’t included in your resume to give the employer a fuller picture of your qualifications.

3.      Lack of Enthusiasm

A cover letter that lacks enthusiasm can come across as flat and uninspiring. Employers want to hire candidates who are excited about the role and the company. If your cover letter doesn’t convey enthusiasm, it may cause the hiring manager to question your interest in the position. To avoid this, make sure your writing reflects genuine excitement for the job and the opportunity to contribute to the company. Mention specific aspects of the company or role that you find appealing, and explain why you are passionate about working there.

4.      Typos and Errors

Typos and grammatical errors can quickly undermine an otherwise strong cover letter. These mistakes can make you appear careless and unprofessional, which can hurt your chances of getting an interview. Always proofread your cover letter multiple times before sending it, and consider asking a friend or colleague to review it as well. Taking the time to eliminate typos and errors shows that you are detail-oriented and serious about your job search.

The Importance of a Cover Letter

A well-crafted cover letter is a crucial element in the job application process. It offers you the opportunity to personalize your application, showcase your personality, address any potential concerns, and highlight key achievements. By taking the time to write a thoughtful and tailored cover letter, you can significantly increase your chances of standing out in a competitive job market and securing an interview.

To ensure your cover letter is effective, remember these final tips:

• Personalize each cover letter to the specific job and company.
• Show enthusiasm for the role and the company.
• Highlight achievements that demonstrate your qualifications.
• Proofread carefully to avoid typos and errors.

A little extra effort in crafting a strong cover letter can make a big difference in your job search success.

About Remote Jobs In HR :

Remote Jobs In HR is a premier online platform specializing in remote and hybrid Human Resources (HR) job opportunities and Human Resources (HR) talent solutions. With over 25 years of expertise in human resources, we adeptly connect skilled Human Resources (HR) professionals with leading companies seeking remote and hybrid talent. Our comprehensive database features a wide range of remote and hybrid HR roles, catering to diverse career aspirations of job seekers and the varied needs of employers.

Our platform is synonymous with user-friendly design, diversity in Human Resources (HR) roles, and a commitment to innovation, setting us apart in the remote and hybrid work landscape. Remote Jobs In HR is dedicated to enhancing the remote and hybrid job search and recruitment experience, focusing on quality and diversity in Human Resources (HR) opportunities. We empower both professionals seeking remote and hybrid Human Resources (HR) careers and companies in pursuit of top remote and hybrid Human Resources (HR) talent.

Discover your next opportunity or find your ideal candidate at Remote Jobs In HR . For more insights and updates on remote and hybrid Human Resources (HR) careers and recruitment, visit our blog at RemoteJobsInHR.com/blog . Join us as we navigate the dynamic and evolving world of remote and hybrid human resources.

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How and Why to Write a Great Cover Letter

A cover letter is a one-page business letter that you submit when applying to a job, along with your resume. As a piece of persuasive writing, your cover letter will aim to convey to the employer why you’re a great candidate for the role.

What is the purpose of a cover letter?

Your cover letter complements your resume by making it easy for the employer to see how your experience and interest connect to the position. Your goal is to convince the employer to interview you.

With your cover letter, you’ll aim to:

• Highlight your qualifications:  You’ll show how your skills and experience relate to the employer’s needs for a specific position.
• Showcase your motivation: You’ll demonstrate your enthusiasm for the specific position and the organization.
• Reflect your voice and written communication skills: You’ll give the employer a sense of your personality and writing style.

When should I write a cover letter?

Not all jobs require cover letters. So, how do you decide whether to submit one?

Submit a Cover Letter when…

• The posting explicitly requests that you do so
• You’re applying to an opportunity at a mission-driven organization
• You think that doing so could provide important information to the employer that they wouldn’t get from your resume

Consider Submitting a Cover Letter when…

• It’s marked “optional” in an application, and you have the bandwidth to do so
• You have content that you can easily recycle or repurpose into a tailored cover letter

No Need to Submit a Cover Letter when…

• A posting specifically tells you not to submit one
• There’s no way to submit one in an application portal, and doing so would require a serious workaround

If you’re applying to several similar opportunities, creating a draft cover letter in advance, geared toward that type of opportunity, can be a helpful way to save time in your actual application process.

How do I write a cover letter?

Your cover letter should articulate your qualifications and motivation for the position. Read the job description closely and research the organization. As you craft your cover letter, use examples that demonstrate your relevant skills, knowledge, and interests. The cover letter should be concise, clear, and well-organized.

Before Writing

Research the employer.

Learn enough about the organization to articulate why you are a strong fit for that firm. 

• Review the firm’s website and LinkedIn page.
• Speak with current or previous employees.
• Read articles and social media for current news.

Analyze the job description

Look for skills, duties, and qualifications of the job so you can design your letter to match these as much as possible.

Reflect on your experience and motivation

Identify skills and personal qualities you have developed which will be useful in this role. Ask yourself:

• What attracts you about this role/company/industry?
• What have you have done in your work experiences, classes, internships, activities, projects, volunteer work, travel, etc., that is similar to the duties required of the job? 

Cover Letter Structure

As a business letter, the cover letter should include:

• Heading: Include your name and contact information in the same format as your resume
• Salutation: Address your letter to the specific individual who can hire you, if this is known. If the name is not included in the job description, address the letter to the Hiring Manager or title mentioned in the job description.
• Body Paragraphs:  Discuss your experiences, interests, and skills to show the employer how you can add value to their team. See the section below for more guidance.
• Signature Line: Include a closing and your name.

The cover letter should be one page, about three or four paragraphs, and single spaced. Use 10-12 point font and one inch margins. 

When applying online, upload your cover letter as a PDF file, unless another format is specified. When sending your resume and cover letter by email, you may write a short note or paste your cover letter in the body of your email (without the address header) and also attach the PDF file.

Cover Letter Content

Your cover letter should answer who, what, when, where and why you are applying for the opportunity. 

Introduction

State the position for which you are applying. If you have a referral or spoke with someone from the company, you can mention it in the introduction. Provide some basic information about yourself; this can include your class year and what you’re studying at Columbia. Briefly outline why you’re interested in the organization and what you bring in terms of relevant experience and skills. 

Body Paragraphs

These paragraphs will highlight your qualifications and strengths that are most relevant to the organization and position. Use the job posting and your research as clues to determine what the employer is seeking in a candidate. Have your resume beside you and reflect on what you want the employer to know about you. Are there experiences you want to expand upon that demonstrate your understanding of the role and ability to do the job requirements?

Structure the paragraphs based on relevance, not chronology. Lead with your most relevant skill or strongest experience.

Start each body paragraph with a clear topic sentence.  This can highlight a key skill set, a transferable experience, or a core area of knowledge you’ve built through your studies. Walk the reader through a project or experience, integrating the relevant skills you used and qualities you demonstrated. Provide details about your accomplishments and impact. Connect how these experiences have prepared you for this role and why you are motivated to do this job. There is no need to apologize if you feel you lack experience; focus on the accomplishments that you have.

Recap what you would bring to the organization and your interest in the position. Thank the employer for their consideration. Keep your tone positive and enthusiastic. 

Check out our example of how to structure your cover letter content . 

Editing Tips

Use our  Cover Letter Checklist to make sure your format and content is in line with best practices. 

• Ensure that the content reflects the requirements in the job description
• Keep the cover letter concise, at one page or less
• Correct any errors in grammar, sentence structure, and spelling
• Use the active voice
• Avoid beginning too many sentences with “I”

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Top 5 Tips For Creating a Winning Cover Letter

Mastering the art of cover letters: expert tips to elevate your job application.

Cover letters can be a powerful way to add a compelling narrative about your skills to your job application, but like all things career-related, they need to be done effectively.

A cover letter should never be an afterthought. The goal is for your cover letter to enhance your chances of getting an interview, but when done incorrectly, they have the exact opposite effect! 

Here are the top 5 tips for creating a winning cover letter.

1) Tell Me Why You Are The Best Candidate: Cover Letters are written in 1st person, which provides the opportunity to really sell yourself to that company. Hiring managers want to hear that you are the best candidate and the perfect fit for that Company and position, so focus your cover letter on making that specific case, i.e. find the match between your education and past experience and the employer’s specific needs. I advise students to target their cover letters based on what the reader wants to hear. Dedicate a paragraph to a description of what makes that company unique or special, followed immediately by a paragraph that demonstrates that your interests, skills and abilities (just so) happen to be a perfect match for that environment! You can even paraphrase some of the language in the job description to highlight your own skills and experience.

2) Generic Templates: I cannot tell you how many times I have seen generic cover letters sent to multiple companies, where the writer has changed only the relevant contact information. Again, the goal of your cover letter is to describe why you are perfect fit for the specific position and that company. There is no way a generic format can accomplish that. Write an individually tailored cover letter for each job application that describes your qualifications and fit for that position.

3) To Whom It May Concern: One of the quickest ways to ensure that your cover letter and resume are ignored is by including the generic and impersonal “To Whom It May Concern” line. If you can, try to find the name of the hiring manager so you can address him or her specifically. Most companies are very good at hiding that information, so instead of “To Whom It May Concern (or its close cousin, “Dear Sir or Madam”) try to target your cover letter with something more specific and personable like “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Human Resources Professional.” 

4) A Warm Lead: If you know someone at that company, reach out to him or her and ask if he would submit your resume and cover letter on your behalf, or at the very least, if you can use his or her name on your cover letter. Companies love internal referrals, so nothing beats a current employee submitting on your behalf. When that is not possible, being able to add a line (with permission) like “Chaim Shapiro, Assistant Director of Career Services at Touro recommended that I apply for this position,” lends credibility and can be a powerful way to get your application noticed and moved to the next level of review. 

5) Should I even bother? This may be a bit controversial, but I usually advise students to only include a cover letter when the application requires it specifically. Why? Cover Letters are a powerful tool that can enhance your chances at landing the job but, I have found that most applicants do not take their Cover Letters seriously. Most students do not have 2-3 hours to invest in a targeted cover letter for each of their applications, so they revert to a generic format that ends up doing a lot more harm than good. Do not make that mistake. Write a targeted cover letter for each job, or just let your resume do your talking!

By Chaim Shapiro, Touro's Director of the Office for Student Success

Why a Cover Letter is Important for Job Applications: A Comprehensive Guide

• Career Advice

• Posted On: 2024-09-19
• Posted By: Shacara

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What’s the purpose of a cover letter?

Your resumé provides hiring managers with an overview of your qualifications, skills and experience. But what is the purpose of a cover letter?

A cover letter is a more personalised introduction, a one-page document that accompanies your resumé when you submit a job application. It’s an opportunity to introduce yourself and elaborate on how your background makes you the ideal applicant for the role.

In this article, we explore the purpose of a cover letter, explain how to write a cover letter , and how to ensure yours stands out.

The cover letter’s purpose

How to write a cover letter.

What is the purpose of a cover letter? A cover letter provides an explanation of your professional history, qualifications and interest in the position. It should be closely tailored to the role you’re applying for and addressed to the hiring manager . It’s a formal introduction of who you are and how you meet the job criteria.

Express your enthusiasm

Use your cover letter as an opportunity to set yourself apart from the other job seekers applying for the same position. Rather than just stating that you’re applying for a role, take your time to explain what excites you about the specific position and company.

It can be a good idea to spend a bit of time researching the organisation’s mission, values and recent projects to demonstrate genuine interest and knowledge. This can also come in handy for the interview round of the application process.

Showcase your skills and experience

Your cover letter shouldn’t just repeat your resumé. Instead, select two to three skills or experiences directly related to the job description. From here, you can use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to provide examples demonstrating how you’ve applied these skills and achieved results. Consider quantifying your achievements, if relevant, for example: ‘Increased sales over three months by 20%.’ This helps to illustrate the specific value you can bring to the new role.

Tell your story

Use your cover letter to briefly explain your career path and motivations, connecting them to the position you're applying for. Highlight the relevant soft skills that you might not have captured in your resumé, like leadership, teamwork, problem solving and decision-making. While a cover letter is a great opportunity to provide a little more depth and context around your resumé, it’s important to keep it concise; around three short paragraphs.

Address requirements from the job description

Whether you’re writing your resumé or your cover letter, it’s important to pay close attention to the job description. If it mentions specific details to include, like salary expectations or relevant certifications, be sure to address them in your cover letter. Following instructions demonstrates your attention to detail and ability to follow directions, which are both important qualities for any employer.

When it comes to writing a cover letter , it always helps to have a plan. Here are a few steps to help you turn a blank page into an attention-grabbing cover letter for your next job application.

1. Do your research

Researching the company can take a bit of time, especially if you’re applying at several different places, but it’s essential to understand each company’s culture and values. Using company-specific information allows you to personalise your cover letter to suit not just the role, but the organisation too.

It’s even better if you can show an understanding of the problems the company is trying to solve (their main objectives, like expanding into a new market or getting highly skilled labourers). Highlight the experience you bring to the table to help them overcome these pain points.

2. Focus on the future

Use your cover letter to demonstrate how you can contribute to the company’s future successes. It can help to line up your career aspirations and professional goals with the company’s goals. Ultimately, you want to highlight what you can add to the company.

How to stand out from other applicants

Use your cover letter as an opportunity to set yourself apart from the other applicants. Avoid generic openings and start with a compelling introduction that grabs the reader’s attention. You could mention a specific achievement, a mutual connection or something unique about the company that excites you.

Here are a couple of examples of eye-catching email subject lines and letter introductions:

Subject line: Bringing [specific skill] to your [position] team

Dear [hiring manager’s name],

I am thrilled to apply for the maintenance plumber position at XYZ Corp. With 10 years of experience as a commercial plumber, I am excited about the opportunity to bring my skills and knowledge to your team.

Subject line: Excited to apply for [position] at [company]

As a lifelong admirer of XYZ Corp’s commitment to sustainability, I am excited to apply for the environmental consultant position. I believe my recent project at Green Earth, where I led a team to reduce product carbon emissions by 15%, makes me a perfect addition to your team.

These are good examples of email introductions, because they:

• Connect your abilities to the job ad criteria
• Quantify related achievements
• Show specific skills
• Display professionalism and research skills

Things to avoid

There are also some things you may want to avoid when putting together your cover letter introduction. Here are some examples of what not to write when it comes to your email subject line and introduction.

Example 1: Being vague and generic

Subject line: Excited to apply for the banking consultant position

I am writing to apply for the consultant position as advertised online. I have more than five years’ experience across all areas of commercial banking and believe I could be an excellent addition to your team.

This is an okay introduction, but there are ways it can be improved:

• It should be addressed to a person or the hiring manager
• It can be more specific about past experience
• It should mention the hiring company
• It could include a quantifiable result

Example 2: Being too casual

Subject line: Please Hire Me As You New Night Manager!

Dear Hiring Manager,

I’m an experienced night manager, with nearly two years of experience in luxury five-star hospitality. I’m an international student with a current work visa for working in Australia, and would be grateful if you could consider my application. I am sure I can do well in your company!

There are a few issues with this intro:

• There is a typo in the subject line
• It is too generic about past experience
• It is too casual, especially for a manager-level role
• It doesn’t mention the hiring company
• It should be more concise, i.e. not repetitive or wordy

Emphasise your value proposition

Use your cover letter to identify and articulate your unique strengths . Be sure to connect your skills with the company’s needs to demonstrate the value you could bring to the team.

Convey enthusiasm, but ensure tone is professional

While it’s important to convey your enthusiasm for the position and company, balancing excitement with professionalism is important. For example, replace “I can’t wait to work with you guys” with “I’m eager to bring my skills to your team.” While the first example is too casual, the second example demonstrates your enthusiasm in a professional tone.

Here’s another example of an overly enthusiastic and informal tone, “I’m super excited about this job! I’ve always dreamed of working at XYZ Corp, and I know I’d be amazing in this role!”

Instead, you’d be better off saying, “I am excited to apply for the receptionist position at XYZ Corp. With my strong background in office administration and a passion for customer service excellence, I am eager to contribute to your team.”

Keep it short

Don’t go overboard with your cover letter. Even though your cover letter is meant to provide hiring managers with more information about you and what excites you about the role, it’s important to keep it concise and limit it to a single page.

To help you keep it short and sweet, focus on starting strong with an attention-grabbing introduction and tailor your content to ensure it’s specific and relevant to the role you’re applying for.

Writing a great cover letter is an essential part of the job application process. By tailoring your cover letter to the specific company and role, you’ll be able to highlight the skills, knowledge, and experience that are relevant to the position. Your cover letter plays a big role in whether you’ll get a callback for an interview, so it’s worth investing time and effort into getting it right.

What exactly is a cover letter and how is it different from a resumé?

While a resumé offers a bullet-listed overview of your skills and experience, your cover letter is like a personal pitch to the hiring manager, elaborating on your resumé and providing a little more detail to demonstrate why you’d be a good fit for the position.

Is a cover letter always mandatory when applying for a job?

Cover letters aren’t always a requirement for job applications, but it’s always a good idea to submit one. Not only can including a cover letter improve your chances of getting noticed, but it allows you to set yourself apart from the other applicants and further try to convince the hiring manager why you’re the right fit for the role.

What are the main benefits of including a cover letter with my job application?

Including a cover letter as part of your application can enhance your chances of getting noticed by potential employers. Here are some of the main benefits:

• Provides a personal introduction and good first impression
• Allows you to highlight your most relevant skills and experience for the role
• Demonstrates communication skills
• Shows initiative and effort

How long should a cover letter typically be?

A cover letter shouldn’t be any longer than a single page. Aim for around 250–400 words or three or four paragraphs. The only time you should go over a page in length for your cover letter is if the job description specifically asks for a longer letter.

Should I use a generic cover letter template for all my applications?

There’s no harm in using a cover letter template to guide your cover letter, but it’s essential that you tailor every cover letter to suit the role and company. You should be adjusting your cover letter for each role you apply for.

What kind of information should I include in a cover letter to showcase my skills and experience?

Your cover letter should include details that are most relevant to the position and company you’re applying for. Based on your research, you should be able to identify specific skills, knowledge and experience that would help the company succeed.

Is it okay to mention my salary expectations in the cover letter?

Unless the job description specifically ask that you include your salary expectations in the cover letter, it’s often better to avoid this topic so early in the recruitment process . These types of discussions are better left for the interview.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a cover letter?

You want to make a positive first impression with your cover letter, so here are a few common mistakes to avoid:

• Using generic statements
• Lack of research into the company
• Repeating your resumé without adding anything new
• Being too vague and not providing specific examples
• Focusing on what you want rather than what you can provide to the company
• Ignoring the job description keywords
• Failing to proofread your cover letter before submitting it

Is a cover letter still necessary when applying for jobs online?

Yes, cover letters are still essential to the job application process for many roles. They give you a chance to stand out from the other applicants and fill in potential gaps that aren’t covered by your resumé. Not to mention, including a cover letter demonstrates your initiative and enthusiasm for the role.

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