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.

Cover letter best practices

Keep it brief
Your cover letter should be no more than a few paragraphs long. Recruiters are busy and process hundreds of applicants in some cases, so make sure you get to the point quickly. Keep the cover letter within a page because the recruiters don’t have the time to read that much about every candidate.

Don’t make it too similar to your resume
A cover letter is an opportunity to expand on your qualifications and highlight key experiences that may not be evident from your resume alone. Make sure not to simply repeat the same information that you have on your resume!

Talk about previous experiences
Use specific examples to illustrate how your skills and experiences can benefit the company you’re interested in working for.

Don’t use a generic cover letter
Every job is different, so each cover letter should be tailored to the specific position you’re applying for. Taking the time to customize your letter will show recruiters that you’re truly interested in the role and not just mass-applying to multiple jobs.

Cover letter format

Now that you know the dos and don’ts of your cover letter, you need to know how to structure it. Here’s an example of a great cover letter format that could get you through to a job interview:

1. Your contact details
The first thing on your cover letter should be your contact information. This includes your full name, phone number, email, and a link to your portfolio or LinkedIn profile.

2. The hiring manager’s details
In this part, you should mention the details of the person that you are writing for. For example, name of hiring manager, or name of the company and its address.

3. A greeting
Use the word “Dear…” to start your letter. It will make your cover letter look professional and polite. For example, Dear Hiring Manager or Dear Mr. John.

4. Opening paragraph
In this part, you state the title for the job that you want to apply including the information on how you found it and why you think you are the right candidate for this position.

5. Main paragraph
This is the part that you talk about your experience, professional success and qualifications and how they bring the value to the company. It is a very important part to persuade the recruiter to consider you for the job.

6. Closing paragraph
Use this paragraph to thank them for their time and consideration, also to state that you’re looking forward to their feedback and wish them well.

7. Sign-off
End the letter with “Sincerely”, add your name, and if it’s a physical letter, add your signature at the bottom.