Cover Letter Examples: How to Write a Great Cover Letter

1. Cover letter example

The example at the top of this page is deliberately plain, because plain is what survives contact with a real hiring process. It names the role in the first line, gives two skills that the reader can check against their own posting, offers one accomplishment with enough context to be judged, states a reason for interest, and closes without begging. That's the whole job of a cover letter.

What makes it work is not the wording — it's what you put in the brackets. The sentence "In my current role at [Company], I [specific accomplishment with context and result]" is worthless if you fill it with "worked on various projects." It's strong if you fill it with something a stranger can picture: you rebuilt a scheduling process that cut turnaround from five days to two; you handled a caseload of sixty and kept documentation error-free through an audit; you trained four new staff who are all still in post. Real, checkable, and tied to something the employer said it needs.

Two mechanical notes before you copy it. Use a real name in the greeting when you can find one — the posting, the company's team page or the recruiter's email signature will often have it. If you genuinely can't, "Dear Hiring Manager" is fine and far better than "To Whom It May Concern." And if you're pasting this into an email body rather than attaching a document, drop the contact block at the top and put your details under your name at the bottom instead.

[Your Name]
[City, State]
[Email]
[Phone]
[Date]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I'm excited to apply for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. With experience in [relevant area], I've developed strong skills in [skill 1] and [skill 2] that align closely with what you're looking for.

In my current role at [Company], I [specific accomplishment with context and result]. I also [second relevant accomplishment or responsibility]. These experiences have prepared me to contribute to [specific need, team or objective from the job posting].

I'm particularly interested in [Company Name] because [specific, genuine reason connected to the role or company]. I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience could contribute to your team.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Every other example on this page is a variation on this same skeleton. The situation changes, the emphasis changes, the length changes — the underlying sequence doesn't.

2. What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a short written message that accompanies your resume when you apply for a job. It's usually three or four paragraphs, addressed to the hiring manager or recruiter, and its purpose is to explain something a resume can't: why you're applying for this particular role, and why the experience on the attached page adds up to a good fit for it.

The resume is a record. The cover letter is an argument. A resume tells the reader that you spent three years as an operations coordinator; a cover letter tells them that two of those years were spent fixing exactly the kind of process the posting describes as broken. Both are useful, and they do different jobs.

Interested in a company but not applying to one specific advertised role? A letter of interest may fit better.

If you're preparing both application documents, start with our copy-and-paste resume template, then tailor your cover letter to the role.

When employers ask for one

Practice varies a great deal. Some application systems require a cover letter before they will accept a submission. Some mark it optional. Some don't mention it at all, and a few explicitly say not to send one. Roles that involve writing, client contact, public communication or significant judgement tend to ask for one more often; high-volume hiring and technical screening processes often skip it.

It isn't true that every application needs a cover letter, and it isn't true that they're obsolete. The practical rule is simpler: if the employer asks for one, send a good one; if it's optional and you have something specific to say, send one; if the instructions say not to, don't.

Why customization matters

A letter that could be sent to any employer tells the reader nothing except that you sent it to everyone. Hiring managers read a lot of these, and the generic ones are obvious within a sentence. You don't need to rewrite the whole thing for every application — see how to personalize without rewriting — but the opening, one or two requirements and the reason for interest should be specific to the job in front of you.

3. How to write a cover letter

There's a sequence that works because it matches the order a reader wants the information in:

Role → Proof → Fit → Interest → Close

Start with the posting, not the blank page

Before writing anything, read the job description and pull out the three or four requirements that are clearly load-bearing — the ones stated as necessary, repeated, or placed first. Next to each, write the closest evidence you have. That two-column list is your letter. If a requirement has no evidence beside it, you now know where the weak spot is and can decide whether to address it or let the resume speak.

Replace filler with evidence

Phrases like "I am a hard worker and a team player," "detail-oriented self-starter" and "passionate about excellence" are invisible. Every candidate writes them, so they carry no information. The fix is mechanical: for each claim you're tempted to make, write the example that would prove it, then delete the claim and keep the example.

Then cut

Draft freely, then delete every sentence that isn't evidence, a link between evidence and the role, or a genuine courtesy. Most first drafts lose a third of their length and get better. Read the final version once out loud — anything you'd feel odd saying to a person usually reads badly on the page too.

Much of this preparation carries straight into the interview. The accomplishments you choose here are the same ones you'll use to answer why should we hire you and tell me about yourself, and your reason for interest is the raw material for why do you want to work here.

4. Cover letter format

Cover letter format is mostly about order. A reader expects certain information in certain places, and meeting that expectation makes the letter easy to process. The standard order is:

1. 1. Your contact information — name, city and state, email, phone.
2. 2. The date — the date you're sending it.
3. 3. Employer or hiring manager information — name, title, company, location, where appropriate.
4. 4. Greeting — "Dear [Name]," or "Dear Hiring Manager,".
5. 5. Opening paragraph — the role and why you're a credible candidate.
6. 6. Evidence and fit paragraph(s) — one or two accomplishments tied to the requirements.
7. 7. Closing paragraph — thanks and an invitation to talk.
8. 8. Sign-off — "Sincerely," or "Best regards," and your name.

Laid out, the structure looks like this:

[Your Name]
[City, State] | [Email] | [Phone]

[Date]

[Hiring Manager's Name]
[Job Title]
[Company Name]
[City, State]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

OPENING PARAGRAPH — name the role, say where you saw it if relevant,
and state in one line why you're a credible candidate.

EVIDENCE PARAGRAPH — one or two accomplishments that match the
requirements in the posting, with enough context to be believable.

FIT AND INTEREST PARAGRAPH — connect that evidence to what the
employer said it needs, and give a specific reason this role
interests you.

CLOSING PARAGRAPH — thank them and invite a conversation.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Page and typography basics

• • One page, single-spaced, with a blank line between paragraphs.
• • A standard readable typeface at roughly 10–12pt, matching your resume if you can.
• • Margins around one inch, left-aligned text rather than justified.
• • Three to four paragraphs; break up anything longer than about six lines.
• • Save as PDF unless the employer asks for another file type, and name the file clearly (for example, Firstname-Lastname-Cover-Letter.pdf).

Format changes with the channel

There is no single officially correct cover letter format, and the right one depends on how you're sending it:

• • Attached document. Use the full layout above, including the contact block and the employer's details.
• • Email body. Drop the header block and the date. Open with the greeting, keep the subject line specific ("Application — [Job Title] — [Your Name]"), and put your contact details under your sign-off.
• • Application form text box. Assume formatting will be stripped. Use plain paragraphs with blank lines between them, no bullets, no special characters, no tabs.
• • Industry convention. Conservative fields — law, finance, government, academia — tend to expect the full formal layout. Startups and creative teams often read a shorter, plainer note more favourably.
• • Employer instructions. These override everything on this page. If the posting asks for a specific length, file format, subject line or set of questions answered, follow it exactly.

5. How long should a cover letter be?

A cover letter should fit comfortably on one page. In practice that usually means three to four paragraphs and roughly 250–400 words. Treat that as a guide rather than a target: a focused 220-word letter is better than a padded 400-word one, and nobody is counting.

The reason for the ceiling is straightforward. A cover letter competes for attention against a stack of other applications, and the first pass is often a skim. A letter that fills a page in dense text is likely to be skimmed even harder. Everything past the first page is unlikely to be read at all, so anything important that ends up there is wasted.

Why very long letters are weaker

Long letters usually get long for one of three reasons: they restate the resume, they explain background nobody asked for, or they hedge. All three dilute the evidence. If your strongest accomplishment is in paragraph five, the reader may never reach it. Length also signals something about judgement — the ability to decide what matters is part of most jobs.

Why extremely short letters can miss

Three generic lines ("Please find my resume attached; I believe I'd be a great fit") add nothing and can read as indifference. If you're going to send a letter, it needs at least one specific piece of evidence and one specific reason for applying. Below that, the letter isn't doing work the resume doesn't already do.

When shorter is the right call

• • The letter goes in an email body rather than an attachment.
• • The application form gives you a small text box or a character limit.
• • You were referred and the introduction has already done the framing.
• • The role is high-volume or the posting signals a light-touch process.
• • The posting explicitly asks for a brief note.

Whatever general advice you read, the job posting wins. If it asks for half a page, half a page is the correct length. The short cover letter sample below is built for these situations.

6. Short cover letter sample

A short cover letter isn't a truncated long one. It's a complete letter with the same five moves — role, proof, fit, interest, close — compressed into fewer words. The sample below runs to about 110 words and still contains every element a reader needs.

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I'd like to apply for the [Job Title] role at [Company Name]. I've spent [number] years in [relevant area], most recently [one-line summary of your current work].

The part of the posting that matches my experience most directly is [requirement]. In my current role I [short, concrete accomplishment with a result].

[Company Name] interests me because [specific reason]. I'd be glad to talk about how I could help.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Email] | [Phone]

How to shorten your own letter

• • Keep exactly one accomplishment — the one that matches the posting most directly.
• • Merge fit and interest into a single sentence.
• • Delete any sentence that restates something already on your resume.
• • Cut adjectives before you cut facts.
• • Keep the close to one line; the invitation matters more than the wording.

What should never be cut: the role title, one piece of real evidence, and your contact details. A short letter that omits the job title reads as a mass mailing, which defeats the point.

7. Cover letter examples for different situations

Ten examples in total across this page, each written for a genuinely different situation rather than the same letter with a new job title. Copy the closest one and adapt the details — they're written to be edited, not sent as they are. All names, companies and scenarios are fictional placeholders.

Examples 1 and 2 are above. Examples 3, 5 and 6 have their own sections below, because they come up most often and need more explanation than a template alone can give. The rest follow here.

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I graduated in [month, year] with a degree in [subject] from [School], and I'm applying for the [Job Title] role at [Company Name].

Two parts of my degree are directly relevant. My coursework in [subject area] covered [specific tool, method or system named in the posting], and for my final project I [what you did and what the outcome was]. Alongside my studies I worked [number] hours a week at [job], where I [responsibility that shows reliability, customer contact, accuracy or teamwork].

The posting mentions [requirement], which is the part of the role I'm most prepared for and most interested in developing. [Company Name] appeals to me because [specific reason drawn from the company's work, not its marketing].

I'd be glad to discuss how I could contribute.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Email] | [Phone]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I'm writing about the [Job Title] role at [Company Name]. I've spent [number] years in [field], the last [number] leading [scope — a team, a region, a product line, a function].

Two results are probably the most relevant. At [Company], I [accomplishment with a number — growth, cost, time, quality, retention]. Before that, I [second accomplishment, ideally a different type of problem]. Both required [skill named in the posting], which your description places at the centre of the role.

Your posting mentions [specific challenge or objective]. That's close to the problem I worked on at [Company], and my view is that [one sentence of substantive, non-generic perspective]. I'd be interested to hear whether that matches how your team sees it.

I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss the role.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Email] | [Phone]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I'm applying for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. I've worked remotely for [time period] and I'm based in [City, State], within [time zone] — which overlaps with the hours your posting describes.

On the work itself: at [Company] I [accomplishment relevant to the posting]. Working remotely, that meant [how you handled it without being in a room — written updates, documented decisions, async handovers, scheduled check-ins], and [result].

I'm comfortable with the practical side of distributed work: a reliable home setup, clear written communication, and keeping progress visible without being asked. [Company Name] interests me because [specific reason].

I'd be glad to discuss the role at a time that suits your team.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Email] | [Phone] | [City, State]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

[Referrer's Name], [their role] on your [team], suggested I apply for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. We worked together on [project or context], and they thought my experience in [area] would fit what the team needs.

Most relevant: at [Company] I [accomplishment that matches a requirement in the posting]. I also [second point of overlap].

From what [Referrer's Name] described, the team is currently focused on [challenge]. That's the kind of work I'd like to be doing, and the reason I'm applying rather than just taking the introduction.

I'd welcome the chance to talk.

Thank you,
[Your Name]
[Email] | [Phone]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I'm applying for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. I stepped away from full-time work in [year] for [brief, neutral reason — caregiving, health, family, study], and I'm now returning to [field].

Before the break I spent [number] years in [role], where I [accomplishment with a result]. Those skills haven't gone anywhere, and I've kept them current by [specific step — refresher course, certification renewal, freelance or contract work, volunteering, keeping up with tools named in the posting].

The requirement in your posting I'd point to first is [requirement], which was the core of my previous role. I'm ready to work at full capacity and I'm looking for a team where [genuine reason].

I'd welcome a conversation about the role.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Email] | [Phone]

8. Cover letter example with no experience

"No experience" almost never means no evidence. It means no paid, full-time experience with the job title in the posting. Employers hiring at entry level know that, and what they're generally looking for is proof that you can do the underlying work reliably — whichever context it came from.

Sources worth drawing on:

• • Coursework and projects — particularly anything that produced a result someone else used or assessed.
• • Internships and placements, even short ones, described by what you actually did rather than what the team did.
• • Volunteering and community roles — schedules covered, events organized, money raised, people supported.
• • Part-time and seasonal work — retail and hospitality demonstrate reliability, customer handling and working under pressure.
• • Transferable skills — scheduling, record-keeping, writing, troubleshooting, training others.
• • Certifications and self-directed learning, when they relate to a tool or method the posting names.

Quantify wherever you honestly can. "Coordinated the volunteer rota for 20 people across three sites" is a real operational statement; "helped out with scheduling" isn't. What you should not do is inflate a small role into a large one or describe work you didn't do. Interviewers ask follow-up questions, and an invented detail is much more damaging than a modest one.

Address the gap once, briefly, without apologizing. One clause — "while this would be my first full-time role in the field" — is enough. Then spend the rest of the letter on evidence.

[Your Name]
[City, State] | [Email] | [Phone]
[Date]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I'm applying for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. I recently completed [degree, certificate or training program] in [subject], and while this would be my first full-time role in the field, the work I've already done maps closely to what the posting describes.

For my [course project, capstone or independent project], I [what you built, researched or organized], which required [skill from the posting] and [second skill]. I also spent [time period] volunteering with [organization], where I [responsibility with a measurable detail — people helped, events run, hours covered, error rate, turnaround time]. That experience taught me how to [transferable skill] under real deadlines rather than in theory.

I know I'd be starting at the beginning of this career, and I'm comfortable saying so. What I can offer now is [specific relevant skill], a willingness to learn the parts I haven't seen yet, and a track record of finishing what I start.

I'd welcome the chance to talk about the role.

Thank you for your time,
[Your Name]

9. Cover letter example for a career change

A career change letter has one job: make the transition look deliberate and low-risk. The reader's unspoken question isn't "can this person learn?" — it's "will this person stay, and can they do the work soon enough to be worth hiring?" Answer both with structure rather than enthusiasm.

The bridge has four parts:

1. 1. Previous experience — name the field plainly. Don't hide it.
2. 2. Transferable skill — identify the specific capability that carries across, not a vague "people skills."
3. 3. Evidence — show that skill producing a result in your old context.
4. 4. Relevance — state how it applies to a requirement in this posting.

Give the reason for the change in one forward-looking sentence. "I want to spend more of my time on the analysis side of the work" is fine. A paragraph about why your old industry disappointed you is not — it reads as baggage, and it takes space that evidence should occupy.

Drop the apologetic register entirely. "Although I don't have direct experience" and "I realise I'm an unusual candidate" invite the reader to agree with you. State what you have, state what you've done to close the gap — a course, a certification, freelance work, a portfolio project — and let the comparison stand.

[Your Name]
[City, State] | [Email] | [Phone]
[Date]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I'm applying for the [New Job Title] position at [Company Name]. My background is in [previous field], and I'm moving into [new field] because [short, forward-looking reason — the part of the work you want to do more of].

The overlap is larger than the job titles suggest. In [previous role], I [accomplishment that used a skill the posting asks for], which meant [context that makes it comparable to the new role]. I also [second transferable accomplishment]. To close the gap on the specifics, I've [completed a course, earned a certification, built a portfolio project or done freelance work], most recently [concrete example].

What I bring from [previous field] is [distinct strength — data discipline, customer instinct, regulatory care, operational speed]. What I'm looking for is a team where that transfers into [new field], and the responsibilities in your posting are a close match.

I'd welcome a conversation about how my experience applies.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

10. Cover letter example for an internal position

Applying internally changes what the letter needs to prove. The reader may already know you, or may be able to ask three people about you in an afternoon. What they can't assume is that you understand the target role, or that you're ready for it rather than simply available.

Emphasize:

• • Knowledge of the organization — systems, customers, constraints and history a new hire would take months to absorb.
• • Accomplishments in your current role, with results, not just tenure.
• • Cross-team work — collaboration with the target team is the strongest evidence you know what the job involves.
• • Readiness for broader responsibility — concrete steps you've already taken, such as leading a workstream or training colleagues.
• • Understanding of the team's actual needs — name the challenge, not just the title.

Don't assume the internal route is an advantage. Familiarity cuts both ways, and hiring managers sometimes weigh an internal candidate against the possibility of fresh perspective. Being known also means your letter is checked against reality by people who were there, so keep every claim accurate and modest.

Tone matters too. A letter that's too casual because "they know me" reads as though you didn't take the process seriously; a letter that's stiffly formal to people you speak to daily reads oddly. Write it as you'd write a considered proposal to a colleague you respect.

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I'd like to be considered for the [Job Title] position on the [Team Name] team. I've been with [Company Name] for [time period], currently as [Current Job Title].

In my current role I [accomplishment with a result that matters to the business]. I've also worked directly with [Team Name] on [project or process], which is where I got a clear view of what the team is responsible for and where the pressure sits — particularly [specific challenge named in the posting or known internally].

I'm applying because [genuine reason connected to the work, not just the level]. I understand the role covers [responsibility] and [responsibility], and I've prepared for that by [specific step — leading a workstream, training others, taking a course, covering for someone].

I'd be glad to talk through how I'd approach the first few months.

Thank you,
[Your Name]
[Current Job Title], [Department]

If the internal move is really a promotion conversation, the letter is only part of it. Our guide on how to ask for a promotion covers building the case and the discussion that follows.

11. What to include in a cover letter

Run this checklist before you send. Everything here should be present in almost every letter.

• □ The correct role title and company name, spelled correctly
• □ Skills that appear in the job posting, not a generic list
• □ At least one accomplishment with enough context to be believable
• □ A specific reason you're interested in this employer
• □ A clear link between your experience and the stated requirements
• □ A professional close that invites a conversation
• □ Accurate contact details — email and phone at minimum

Include only if relevant

• • A referral, named in the first paragraph if you have one
• • A portfolio, GitHub or work-sample link, if relevant to the role
• • Availability or notice period, if the posting asks or it's genuinely useful
• • Location or relocation context, if the role is on-site and you're not local
• • A brief, neutral note on a career gap, if you'd rather address it upfront

Leave out

Personal details employers don't need and generally shouldn't consider: age, date of birth, marital status, family arrangements, health information, a photo unless the employer explicitly requires one, your full home address, religious or political affiliation, and salary history you haven't been asked for. Also leave out negative commentary about previous employers, and any claim you couldn't support in an interview.

Personalizing without rewriting

You don't need a blank page for every application. Keep one strong base letter and change seven things: the company name, the role title, the opening sentence, the one or two requirements you address, the accomplishment you lead with, the reason for interest, and the closing line if the tone of the posting is unusual. That takes ten minutes and produces something that reads as written for the job.

Base the changes on the actual job description rather than the company's About page. And don't manufacture enthusiasm — a reader can tell the difference between "I've used your product in two roles" and "I have long admired your commitment to innovation." If you can't find a genuine reason, a plain, honest one ("the scope of this role is exactly the work I want to be doing") is better than a fabricated one.

12. Cover letter mistakes to avoid

Most weak cover letters fail in one of a small number of predictable ways. Each has a straightforward fix.

The single most expensive mistake is the wrong company name, usually left over from a previous application. It's the one error a reader is guaranteed to notice and the one hardest to recover from. Before sending anything, search the document for the previous employer's name and the previous job title.

13. Frequently asked questions