cover letter that got me hired reddit

How To Write An Amazing Cover Letter That Will Get You Hired (Template Included)

Writing a cover letter can be one of the most stress inducing aspects of the job search.

The reason writing them is so difficult is because we don’t have a defined framework to follow.

If you need to update your resume, you download a template and fill in the blanks. When you’re applying to jobs, the employer lays out the fields you need to complete right there in the application.

But when you’re writing a cover letter, you probably find yourself staring at a blank Word document wishing the right words would will themselves onto the page.

Most of us don’t consider ourselves to be the next Walter Isaacson, and the task of crafting the perfect story sits well outside of our comfort zone. It doesn’t help that most of the advice out there on the subject is vague at best.

I did a quick Google search for “How To Write A Cover Letter.” Here are a few things the “experts” recommend:

Assess the employer’s needs and your skills. Then try to match them in the letter in a way that will appeal to the employer’s self-interest.
Arrange the points in a logical sequence; organize each paragraph around a main point.
Basic fonts like Arial, Calibri, Helvetica , Verdana, and Open Sans work well. A font size of 10 or 12 points is easy to read. Standard margins are 1” on the top, bottom, and left and right sides of the page.
Be sure to include positive traits like “Focused,” “Hard Working,” and “Results Oriented”

While all of this advice is technically correct, did you feel your confidence skyrocket when you went back to type out that first sentence?

Yeah, me neither…

Infographic - Breakdown of Writing A Cover Letter That Gets Results

Writing A Cover Letter That Actually Gets You Hired

Here’s the thing – most career “experts” out there give vague advice that they’ve seen work in their corner of the market. It doesn’t get too specific because many career coaches (even recruiters) have never been through the application process at a world class company. They don’t know the nitty gritty.

When they do give specific advice, it’s usually tailored to a niche – software development, tech sales, finance, etc. But what works for one person in one industry or role might not work for a similar person in a different situation.

I’m hoping to change things with this article.

Over the course of this post, I’m going to lay out the cover letter strategies that thousands of my clients have used to land jobs across industries and at companies like Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Deloitte, ESPN, American Express, and more.

If you’re not getting the results you want from your resume or cover letter, check out my free resume builder . It lets you create a recruiter-approve, ATS-friendly resume in minutes and it’s 100% free (no fees, subscriptions or limits!).

The Truth About Cover Letters

Before we dive into the actionable stuff, I want to provide some context on where cover letters fit in the hiring process.

Cover letters are a strange animal. People seem to think that they are the missing link that will suddenly skyrocket the response rates of potential employers.

When I asked my audience to choose between a guide on cover letters, resumes or LinkedIn profiles, cover letters won out by a significant margin.

The truth is, in the mind of a recruiter/hiring manager, your cover letter is a tie breaker that is only read after the rest of your application has been reviewed. 90% of hiring managers don’t even read cover letters. However, over half of employers noted that they prefer candidates who submit a cover letter:

This leaves us in an interesting place.

We need to craft a good cover letter to help boost our chances, but we don’t want to spend several hours doing so because there are far better ways to spend our time to get results during the job search. If you follow the networking and value-add strategies in my other articles , those strategies are going to be far more effective at breaking ties than a 3-5 paragraph document.

My hope is that this guide will give you a framework that enables you to efficiently craft cover letters that are more likely to get you hired.

The 7 Cover Letter Mistakes That Cost People Jobs

If we want our cover letter to be as effective as possible we need to make sure we avoid the mistakes that employers hate to see, yet most people still make.

In order to be as accurate as possible, I went out and spoke to recruiters from Google, Microsoft, and a few Wall Street firms on top of my own research. Then I cross referenced that information with the several hundred cover letters that have come across my desk at Cultivated Culture.

After all was said and done, here are the 7 most common mistakes people make on cover letters that will cause recruiters to throw out their application:

1. Typos, grammatical errors, and general sloppiness

This is the most obvious and most common issue. Over 70% of recruiters noted that they would automatically toss a cover letter with some type of spelling or grammatical error. The good news is that it’s also the easiest mistake to fix.

Before you submit your cover letter, make sure it’s reviewed by at least two other parties. You might want to consider hiring a professional editor/proofreader as they’re not too expensive for a short document and they will pick up on things most people would miss. It’s easy enough to find one on Upwork .

Another trick you can use is including an obvious mistake about 75% of the way through. If you have “catching Justin Beiber’s sweaty t shirt at a concert” sitting in there and someone doesn’t call you out, you know they probably didn’t read it very carefully.

2. Going over a single page

99% of the resumes and cover letters I receive are over a single page. Funnily enough, 99% of the recruiters I speak to tell me that they absolutely hate resumes and cover letters that are more than one page.

The ideal length for a cover letter is 3-5 paragraphs. Changing the margins, font, and font size are all fair game – just keep things on one page, ok?

3. Regurgitating your resume in a slightly different format

Your cover letter is a space for you to truly differentiate yourself. If you’re just taking the bullets on your resume and turning them into full sentences, you’re missing out on a HUGE opportunity.

Use the cover letter to show a little personality and share something that people wouldn’t know if they just scanned through your resume (more on that in a sec).

Remember, this is a tie breaker. If your cover letter isn’t holding people’s attention it’s probably going to lose out.

4. Focusing on training or arbitrary credentials instead of results

Many of us feel unqualified for the jobs we want. As a result, we try to twist our experience to match the traditional qualifications for our target role.

The problem with this approach is that you are competing against people who qualify for the traditional credentials, no matter what role you’re applying for. If you try to beat them at their own game, you’re going to lose 9 times out of 10.

Am I saying you should forget about trying to spin your experience to position yourself well? Absolutely not. However, adding that business class on your resume when you’re 4-5 years out of college isn’t going to help much.

Instead, focus your time outside of work on building tangible results that you can showcase in your cover letter (and resume). If you want to be a developer, take a few coding courses and build something cool. If you want to be in digital marketing, land a few clients and run their ads for them.

Telling a story about how you took proactive steps to build experience in a field will beat traditional credentials in most cases. Companies love to see that you’re hungry to learn.

5. Not addressing your cover letter to an actual person

I die a little bit inside when I see cover letters addressed as “Dear Hiring Manager” or “To Whom It May Concern.”

Anyone who reads that is immediately going to mentally bucket it as impersonal. It’s far better to address your cover letter to an actual human, even if it doesn’t end up in their hands. Here is my strategy.

Let’s say I’m applying for an Account Manager role at Google:

Writing Effective Cover Letters - Google Account Manager Role Screenshot

I’m going to head over to LinkedIn and start by working to find the specific person who would manage the role I’m applying for. If I can’t find them, or I’m unsure, then I’ll aim for the most senior person that my target role would fall under.

The ladder for Account Managers typically follows with Senior Account Manager, Account Director, and VP. I’m going plug in “Account Director” under LinkedIn’s title filter to cover all of the bases there. Then I’m going to add “Google” in the company filter and “Greater New York Area” in the location filter:

Writing Effective Cover Letters - LinkedIn Search Filters For Identifying Contacts

That search is going to bring up a slew of people that I could address directly in my cover letter:

Screenshot of Account Directors in LinkedIn Search for Cover Letter

Regardless of who reads your cover letter, they’ll know that you did your research. On top of that, your cover letter might even make it into the hands of the person you addressed it to!

6. Failing to showcase any personality

As mentioned earlier, your cover letter is one of the few opportunities for you to truly differentiate yourself from the competition. If you’re applying for jobs online (which I don’t recommend), the only thing you have to sell yourself is your resume, your cover letter, and your application.

Instead of rehashing the experience on your resume, tell a story about how you got that experience. Make it unique and personable. I had the most success when I talked about how I transitioned from a job in medicine to the tech world by starting a side business generating leads for real estate agents. I’d speak openly about the challenges I faced, the mistakes I made, and why I went through it all in the first place.

Use this space to tell your story. Remember, people don’t buy what you do – they buy you why you do it.

7. Writing about an uncomfortable situation

While we’re on the topic of telling stories, there is one thing you want to avoid – talking about something extremely uncomfortable. What might have worked for your college essay isn’t going to work here.

You want to keep things professional. It’s okay to talk about business-related mistakes and challenges, but try to steer away from deeply personal stories. They are far more likely to hurt than help.

If your cover letter doesn’t violate any of the rules above, you’re off to a good start!

The Anatomy Of A Highly Effective Cover Letter

When I was job searching, one of the most frustrating things was trying to get a clear picture of what to include in my resume/cover letter/application. There is so much conflicting “expert” advice online it makes you feel like you’re shooting in the dark.

When I started Cultivated Culture, I began tracking how different factors influenced the success of my students. After working with hundreds of job seekers over the past few years, I’ve found a strong correlation between the following factors and a high rate of successfully landing interviews:

1. Capitalize On Your Cover Letter’s Header

Most people don’t realize that when they hit “submit” on their app, their cover letter gets scanned by a robot that’s looking for specific words and phrases.

One of the major keywords the look for is a matching or relevant job title. If you’re applying for a Project Manager role, are you including Project Manager, Project Management, PMP, or something similar in your cover letter? That’s what the robot is looking for and the header is a great place to inject it. I recommend dropping it in right below your name.

Once you get past the robots, your cover letter is going to end up in the hands of a real human.

We want to make it as easy as possible for this person to learn more about us and get in contact if they want. I always recommend that you include the following right at the top of your cover letter:

Email Address – Make sure it’s simple and professional. 76% of applications are rejected for having unprofessional email addresses. Also, don’t forget to hyperlink it! You want the employer to be able to click and get in touch.

Examples of good and bad email formatting for cover letters

LinkedIn Profile – A recent study showed that applications that include a link to a comprehensive LinkedIn profile increase their chances of hearing back by 71%!

Phone Number – If they like what they read, make it easy for them to pick up the phone and dial.

Relevant Links – Your header is also a great place to share links to things like Github, relevant social profiles, personal websites, your blog, etc.

Finally, a lot of people ask me about including a location. I don’t recommend adding your location when writing a cover letter unless the application requires it.

Your address and location are private, personal information and putting them on a resume or cover letter that you're upload across the internet is a major risk. You're putting yourself at the mercy of the company's data practices and, if they don't follow good data security practices , you could end up doing your best Jason Bateman impression chasing down data thieves in Florida.

2. Tell A Story In Your Opening Paragraph

This is an overarching theme that you want to include in each section of your cover letter.

Science has proven that people are more likely to remember information (or candidates in this case) when it’s delivered in the form of a story. Stories also help build a positive psychological association with the reader (or recruiter/hiring manger here).

Remember Dan Brown’s book The Da Vinci Code ?

It was a novel about cryptic clues in some of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous paintings leading to to holy grail. While the book itself is fictitious, the artists, pieces, and much of the history behind them is accurate.

Now, if you asked most people about their opinion on art history, they’d tell you it was boring. They’d also groan in disappointment if you tried to get them to read a book on the subject. However, Dan Brown’s novel skyrocketed to the top of the New York Times bestseller list and became an international sensation. In fact, it caused applications for art history degrees to jump up 25% in the years following its publication.

Why were all of these people suddenly interested in field previously considered to be “boring?” Because Dan Brown fed historical facts in the context of an interesting story!

We’re aiming to do the same in our cover letter – specific examples below.

2. Talk About Why You’re Interested In The Company

In the first section of your cover letter, you want to briefly talk about why you are interested in the role and the company. Remember, we want to drive the message through a story.

When I was applying at Google, I wanted to work there because they were a household name that was focused on cutting edge technology, but they also cared about impacting lives. Here is the story I used to drive that point home:

I wanted to recount a story from my referral [Name]. He’s in the education vertical and spends a significant amount of time at rural schools. When he was down in South Carolina, a teacher asked him about the possibility of getting wifi for the town and its students. [Name] said he would do his best and upon returning he asked around. He sent an email to Astro Teller who responded and they discussed the feasibility of implementing project Loon in the area. I don’t think it panned out but the fact that the communication took place over a tiny town in South Carolina sold me. That’s the kind of stuff I want to be doing.

If you don’t have a story that immediately jumps to mind, the best way to get one is by talking to people who work at the company. Look up the company’s mission or their core values beforehand and ask that person to tell you about the best example they’ve personally experienced.

You can check out this article if you want to know how to find someone’s corporate email address.

3. Highlight What You Bring To The Role

The second section of your cover letter should showcase what you’re going to bring to the role by talking about your past achievements. Be sure to use measurable metrics (actual numbers and quantitative results) to support your points.

If you’re coming from a non-traditional background (and don’t feel like you’re “qualified”) this is the time to address that objection. Here is another excerpt from my Google cover letter that addresses my background using measurable results:

You might notice that there isn’t much “traditional” digital experience on my resume. That is because, coming from a scientific background, I needed to take a different path. In an effort to gain experience, I created my own agency called OpenWater Analytics. I specialized in using AdWords to generate real estate leads for private communities. I managed the entire sales process from cold outreach, to closing, to servicing the accounts on your platform.

Most recently, I helped a community in South Carolina sell every listing on their site (about 15 homes) in less than 6 months. Our cost per lead was half of the competition and we did it all for less than the commission the realtor would have made on a single house (including ad spend).

When I wrote this, I didn’t have much digital experience to speak to. Rather than trying to spin what I had, I went out and built the experience myself by starting a digital marketing firm. Again, if you feel like your experience is lacking, get out there are create your own!

4. Reference Your “Value Validation” Project

If you’ve read my article on How To Get A Job Anywhere With No Connections , you know that I always advocate for creating what I like to call a “Value Validation Project.”

This consists of having a conversation with someone at the company you want to work for and identifying their largest challenge or upcoming initiative. You then use that information to research on your own and come up with several solutions/suggestions for your contact.

In the final section of your cover letter you want to mention this project and include a call to action to discuss it. It could look something like this:

In hopes of learning more about [Company], I had a meeting with [Name]. She told me that her team’s largest challenge was upselling customers into the company’s new, complementary platform. She noted that, despite the platform increasing retention and lowering costs for clients, the upfront cost to onboard was a major obstacle.

In my previous role, we dealt with a similar situation. Our clients were receptive to adopting a new platform despite the data showing that it would be beneficial for all parties. I spearheaded an initiative where we tested and analyzed several revenue models that maximized adoption rates and profit margins. In the end, we increased adoption rates by 30% without impacting revenue.

Using the information that [Name] gave me, I outlined the process in detail as it relates to your platform. I believe that your team could implement these strategies immediately and see similar results. If you’d like me to send it to you, please let me know! My email is [email protected].

This section is incredibly powerful because it shows that you are not only interested, you went ahead and proved out the value you could bring to the team. Additionally, the call to action can lead to conversations with the very people who will make the decision to hire you!

Cover Letter Templates – Steal The Exact Cover Letter I Used At Google, Microsoft, & Twitter

At this point you should have a solid understanding of the science behind writing a killer cover letter. You should also have a good handle on what mistakes to avoid so your cover letter makes an awesome first impression.

Now we need to apply all of that to ink on paper! In order to make that easy for you, I’m including a copy of the cover letter templates that I used to land an interview at Google so you can see exactly how I wrote it.

Context For The Template

Before we dive into the exact cover letter template, I want to give you some context so you can better understand the content of the letter.

I was applying for a Digital Advertising Sales Account Manager at Google’s offices in New York. I started by doing some research on LinkedIn to find who I believed to be the hiring manager (her name was Emmy).

I knew that my non-traditional background was a big red flag for most employers so my goal was to proactively address it in my cover letter by calling it out, talking through what I’d done to build the right skills, and highlight the results I’d achieved from those efforts.

Finally, I had spoken to several Google employees who all told me that “Googliness” (cultural fit) was a huge factor in the company’s hiring decisions. If I wanted to have a chance, I needed a compelling narrative around why I wanted to work for them and why I was a good fit.

With all of that in mind, here’s the cover letter I wrote:

Austin’s Cover Letter Template

Dear Emmy Anlyan,

I grew up with Google. When I was seven years old, I used to sneak down to my Dad’s office at five in the morning to play video games. I still remember opening the browser and seeing the bright, multi-colored letters above the search box for the first time. I’ve always been interested in the tech space and, while my background has mainly been in the sciences, I’m ready to dive head first into the digital world.

I believe I would be a great fit for the Digital Advertising Sales Account Manager role because I have a deep understanding of the businesses that partner with Google and how they define success.

Understanding how these small businesses worked was critical to my success, and I believe those skills will help Google acquire happier, more successful customers who are inclined to spend. In addition, I’ve done some research on your team and have come to understand that your largest challenge is around successfully growing smaller accounts at scale. Based on my experience, I’ve put together a few suggestions below this letter – I’m happy to chat through them in more detail if you’d like.

I wanted to close with a quick story about Google that solidified my choice to apply. My referral, [Name of Referral] , works in the education vertical. He services the southeast and many of his accounts are rural. On his last visit down there, in a South Carolina town of 1,500 with no wifi, a teacher asked him if Google could help bring the internet to them.

When [Name of Referral] made it back to the office, he emailed Astro Teller asking about the potential for Project Loon to help bring this town in the 21st century. To his surprise, Astro wrote him back within the week mentioning that he’d look into it.

While things didn’t pan out, the fact that director of Google’s moonshot project division wrote back an employee about an elementary school in South Carolina blew me away. That is the kind of work I want to be doing.

Thank you for taking the time to read my note, I’m incredibly excited to have the opportunity to be considered for this position.

Best, Austin

Download A Free Copy Of Austin’s Cover Letter Template

If you want a copy of that cover letter template with the header included and everything formatted, here’s a link to a copy on my Google Drive.

After you click through the link, just hit File > Make A Copy > Organize to add it to your own Google Drive! You can also download it in a variety of formats.

If you still have questions or thoughts about writing an awesome cover letter, drop a comment below — I’m happy to reply with an answer!

Want the inside info on landing a dream job regardless of your background and without applying online?

Click here to get the 5 free strategies that my students have used to land jobs at Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and more without applying online.

I teach people how to land jobs they love without traditional experience and without applying online. Connect with me and follow along on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abelcak/

If this article was helpful, share it .

Learn to code for free. freeCodeCamp's open source curriculum has helped more than 40,000 people get jobs as developers. Get started

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

All fields are required.

You're all set!

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

good cover letter examples, short and sweet

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!

How to Write an Internship Cover Letter [Expert Advice & Examples]

How to Start a Cover Letter That Gets You Your Dream Job

General Cover Letter: 15 Cover Letter Templates to Perfect Your Next Job Application

Is a Cover Letter Necessary in 2024?

Letter of Interest Tips, Templates & Examples [A 2023 Guide]

The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Cover Letter

Eight Cover Letter Greetings for Every Situation

7 Expert Cover Letter Tips to Get the Job

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

Conditionally
Newsletter Signup

A Career Expert's Top 6 Tips For An Incredibly Effective Cover Letter

Image may contain Human Person Electronics Pc Computer Computer Hardware Keyboard Computer Keyboard and Hardware

Writing an amazing cover letter can feel impossible, but putting in that effort is so worth it. "Cover letters are an opportunity to make a case for why you’d excel at the job, totally aside from what’s on your résumé," Alison Green, a former hiring manager who runs the Ask a Manager blog, tells SELF. "Employers aren’t just hiring experience," she explains. Instead, they're looking for someone who more or less has the whole package, which is hard to tell if all they know is your job history! Here, Green offers her expert insight on how to make your cover letter rise to the top of the pile.

1. Use a more casual opening than "To whom it may concern."

Since the most successful cover letters are usually more conversational than formal, it can be good to leave this one behind. "If you know the name of the hiring manager, use that. But if you don’t, you really don’t need to go to great lengths to try to track it down," says Green. In instances where you have no idea who's in charge of the process, she recommends starting off with "Dear hiring manager" instead.

2. Inject some personality that plays to your strengths.

A cover letter that repeats what's on your résumé is a wasted opportunity to shine. "When you’re facing hundreds of generic form cover letters that summarize résumés, one written using a conversational tone, like it's by a real person, is incredibly refreshing," says Green. To catch the hiring manager's attention, add interesting tidbits that give a glimpse of who you are while also emphasizing why you'd be excellent in the position. Think of it as showing instead of telling—you're not just saying you're qualified, you're backing it up with examples.

Green remembers one woman who pulled this off pretty flawlessly. "Once when I was hiring for an assistant job, a candidate mentioned that her friends teased her about her obsessive organization because she color-coded her closet and kept her music catalogued on a spreadsheet," says Green. "That’s not the sort of thing that you’d put on a résumé, but it quickly gave me a sense of who she was and why she might be a great fit for a job that required organizational skills." Thanks to those kinds of compelling details (in addition to other awesome qualities, of course), the candidate ended up scoring the job .

That's not to say you can't touch on various details of your past roles! You can and should, but instead of standing alone, each one should be fleshed out to give the hiring manager a better picture of who you are. Maybe you talk about how thanks to your meticulous research, a recent presentation you made clinched a major deal for your office. Or perhaps this is your chance to mention how your career trajectory points to a long-held interest in what the company does. Whatever it is, that extra information can help you stand out in a good way.

3. Resist the urge to say you'll follow up to schedule an interview.

There's a difference between taking initiative and jumping the gun. "This is overly pushy and will turn off most hiring managers," says Green. "You've already expressed interest by applying for the job, so now it's in the employer's court to review your application along with the others they've received and decide if they’d like to talk further." She adds that most people who write this don't actually follow up, so then they seem unreliable in addition to being too forward.

4. Stay away from cover letter clichés.

You don't need a gimmick to pique the interest of whoever's reviewing your application. "Hiring managers don’t want to feel like you’re selling them," says Green. "They want to feel like you’re talking to them like a colleague." To that end, she suggests cutting anything "aggressively sales-y" from your cover letter. Think openings like, "If you are looking for a dynamic professional who can X, Y, and Z, look no further!” Beyond seeming forced, they've seen it before. "It's so generic at this point that the hiring manager’s eyes are likely to glaze over," says Green.

5. Avoid phrases like, "I'm uniquely qualified for this job."

Along with "I'm the best candidate for this position" and other variations on the theme, these declarations can come across as either clueless or arrogant. "You just have no way of knowing those things, since you don’t know what the rest of the candidate pool looks like," says Green. Something self-assured but not hinting that you're omniscient is probably a better bet, like "I'm confident my X and Y could make me a great asset to your team."

6. Hit the length sweet spot.

If you can fill about a page with quality content, you're golden. "The perfect length is the amount of space it takes to explain why you’re an exceptionally strong candidate for the job. Half a page usually won’t be enough to do that," says Green. "On the other hand, you also shouldn’t be writing to hit a word minimum, since that often doesn't lead you anywhere good."

She suggests asking yourself if your cover letter explains why you'd thrive in the position without straight-up rattling off your work history at any point. If so, it's probably offering up just the right dose of "I'm amazing, you should bring me in for an interview ASAP" vibes that can get you one step closer to landing a new job .

A Career Expert's Top 6 Tips For An Incredibly Effective Cover Letter

Paramount Pictures / via Tumblr

Photo Credit: Viktor Hanacek / Unsplash

SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

Meet Olympian Trinity Rodman, the Soccer Star Leading Team USA Back to the Semis

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]

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

The Cover Letter Template that Will Get You Hired

Table of contents.

Key components of a great cover letter template
A cover letter template example

Writing a cover letter isn't easy. While the resume is a formal document that doesn't leave much room for creativity, the point of the cover letter is to wow the recruiter and convince them that you're the perfect candidate for the job. If this seems like a hard task, that's because it is, but don't worry - we're here to give you the cover letter template that will get you hired.

in this guide we'll teach you:

The process of writing a cover letter step-by-step
Key strategies for a successful cover letter

Before we get into the secrets of writing a killer cover letter, make sure that your resume is completed with all the necessary information and formatted well.

If you need some expert help, head over to our resume builder .

The Cover Letter Template that Gets You the Job

Cover letters are all about being persuasive, descriptive, and to the point. The best cover letter is that which shows your relevant skills . tells a story , and is no longer than one page .

The main components of the cover letter are:

A story showing your relevant skills

An explanation of your motivation for wanting the job

A strong conclusion

A quick closing.

Let's have a look at each of these elements.

The Opening

The opening of your cover letter should be targeted directly to the person you're speaking to. Ideally, you'd know who the hiring manager is and address them by name.

If not, use "Dear Hiring Manager," but never, EVER say: "To Whom it may concern." It's simply too impersonal and shows a lack of preparation.

For more tips on how to find out who the hiring manager is and how to open the cover letter, check out 5 Key Rules of Addressing a Cover Letter [Examples] .

The "show and not tell" method is crucial in a good cover letter template. The recruiter always looks at the resume first.

Once they've determined that you have the necessary skills, they'd want to see why you want the job. Instead of boring the recruiter to death with more facts, tell a story.

For example, don't say:

"I'm really good at customer service."

Use a story that conveys this message instead, such as:

"During my time as a Personal Banker at Bank X, I helped turn around an important customer who was really unhappy with the service. Her account had been compromised and I managed to calm her down and guide her through every step of the way while we resolved the case.

She ended up getting all of their $50,000 that had been stolen, and remained one of our most loyal customers."

The story is much more interesting to read and will catch the hiring manager's attention because it shows how the candidate puts their skills to work in real life.

An explanation of why you want the job

It's important to show motivation and state the reasons for wanting the job. Don't just say:

"I think this would be a great opportunity for me to learn and grow."

This is a generic statement and shows no personality. Instead say:

"Hotel X stands for treating all guests as family, and doing whatever it takes in order to make them feel comfortable.

Your values closely align with my own. Over the past 6 years of my career as a concierge for a boutique hotel, I've learned how to identify what makes each guest happy, create personal connections, and resolve any and all issues quickly and with empathy.

This is why I'd be happy to join your team and continue to provide the high-quality care and attention to guests that Hotel X is known for."

The second example goes as far as talking about values which firstly, means that the candidate is well-aware of the hotel's mission.

Secondly, it explains why the candidate would be happy to be a part of the hotel and which aspects of the job they enjoy in particular. This is the type of explanation that gets you the job.

The best cover letter template has a short and direct conclusion. There's no need to repeat everything you already said in terms of why you want the job and how you're qualified.

Finish your letter in a straightforward way. You can say:

"I look forward to bringing the Hotel X experience to your guests with care and understanding, and being an ambassador for the unique form of hospitality you stand for. and hope to have the opportunity to speak to you regarding joining the family/ team."

Touching on the values of the company in the conclusion is always a good idea, as is making it clear that you want to help the company improve as opposed to applying only for the money or benefits of the job.

The closing is very simple - you can finish your cover letter by saying:

"Sincerely,

(your name)."

You don't need to mention your email address or phone number because this information is already on your application file.

A Cover Letter Template Example

Now let's put all of the above to practice. Fill in the missing information with your own experiences and skills.

Sticking to this cover letter template will help you show the hiring manager that you've got the necessary skills and passion for the position.

Make sure you've got a good opening, show that you've done research on the values and mission of the company, and tell relevant stories about your accomplishments.

The perfect cover letter template conveys your skills and relevant qualifications in a straightforward way and in a single page.

Follow our template and you'll get it right. Make sure to revise your resume as it is the first thing recruiters look at long before reading your cover letter.

Need some expert help with your resume? Head over to our resume builder !

Resume Builder

Create a Resume in Minutes with Professional Resume Templates

MintResume Employee Morale Scholarship 2019

Are you an undergraduate or graduate college or university student?MintResume is proud to announce a $1000 scholarship for students studying in the...

How To Write An Email Cover Letter

What comes to mind when you hear "cover letter?" Are you thinking of a perfectly polished one-page document that goes in between your perfectly pol...

How To Format A Cover Letter (Examples)

Great writing is just step one of the process to getting your dream job. While your text may be amazing, featuring engaging stories, relevant examp...

How to Write an Amazing Cover Letter in 4 Paragraphs

Cover letter writing isn't easy. A lot goes into it - storytelling, outlining relevant accomplishments, talking about transferable skills, and shar...

The Winning Cover Letter Sample For a Resume

Table of Contents How to make your resume and cover letter correspond What information to include on your cover letter A cover letter sample...

The One Trick That Will Make Writing Cover Letters Super Easy

When pondering how to write a cover letter, many candidates get frustrated. Where do you start? What do you talk about? Where do you find this "wow...

More From Forbes

I've read more than 300 cover letters, and this is how i decide if they're good or bad within three minutes.

Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
Share to Linkedin

Shutterstock

I’ve read a lot of cover letters throughout my career. When I was a fellowship program manager, I reviewed them in consideration for more than 60 open positions each year. So I saw it all—the good, the bad and the standout examples that I can still remember.

As a result, I’ve become the go-to friend when people need feedback on their job applications. Based on my own experience putting people in the “yes” (and “no”) pile, I’m able to give these cover letters a quick scan and immediately identify what’ll turn a hiring manager off.

Watch On Forbes:

While I can’t give you insight into every person’s head who’ll be reading your materials, I can share with you the feedback that I give my own loved ones.

1. The Basics

First things first, I skim the document for anything that could be disqualifying. That includes typos, a “Dear Sir or Madam” or “ To Whom It May Concern ” salutation, or a vibe so non-specific that it reeks of find-replace. I know it seems harsh, but when a hiring manager sees any one of these things, she reads it as, “I didn’t take my time with this, and I don’t really care about working here.” So, she’s likely to pass.

Another thing I look for in this initial read through is tone. Even if you’re applying to your dream company, you don’t want to come off like you think someone entertaining your candidacy is the same as him offering you water at the end of a lengthy hike. You don’t need to thank the hiring manager so incredibly much for reading your application—that’s his job. If you align considering your application with the biggest favor ever, you’ll make the other person think it’s because you’re desperate .

So, skip effusive thanks and demonstrate genuine interest by writing a cover letter that connects the dots between your experience and the requirements of the position. Telling the reader what you’ve accomplished and how it directly translates to meeting the company’s needs is always a better use of space than gushing.

2. The Opening Sentence

If your first line reads: “I am writing to apply for [job] at [company],” I will delete it and suggest a swap every time. (Yes, every single time.) When a hiring manager sees that, she won’t think, “How thoughtful of the applicant to remind me what I’m reading!” Her reaction will be much closer to, “boring,” “meh” or even “next!”

Compare it to one of these statements: ‌ ‌• “I’ve wanted to work in education ever since my third grade teacher, Mrs. Dorchester, helped me discover a love of reading.”

‌• “My approach to management is simple: I strive to be the kind of leader I’d want to work for.”

‌• “In my three years at [prior company], I increased our average quarterly sales by [percentage].”

See how these examples make you want to keep reading? That’s half the battle right there. Additionally, it makes you memorable, which’ll help when you’re competing against a sea of applicants.

To try it out for yourself, pick a jumping off point. It could be something about you or an aspect of the job description that you’re really drawn to. Then, open a blank document and just free write (translation: write whatever comes to mind) for 10 minutes. Some of the sentences you come up with will sound embarrassing or lame: That’s fine—no one has to see those! Look for the sentence that’s most engaging and see how it reads as the opening line for your cover letter.

3. The Examples

Most often, people send me just their cover letter and resume, so I don’t have the benefit of reviewing the position description. And yet, whenever a letter follows the format of “I am skilled at [skill], [skill], [skill], as evidenced by my time at [place].” Or “You’re looking for [skill], and I am a talented [skill], ” I could pretty much recreate it. Surprise : that’s actually not a good thing.

Again, the goal isn’t just to show you’re qualified: It’s to make the case that you’re more qualified than all the other applicants. You want to make clear what distinguishes you, so the hiring manager can see why you’re worth following up with to learn more. And—again—you want to be memorable.

If you write a laundry list, it’ll blend into every other submission formatted the same way. So, just like you went with a unique opener , do the same with your examples. Sure, you might still include lists of skills, but break those up with anecdotes or splashes of personality.

Here’s a real, two-line excerpt from a cover letter I’ve written before:

If I’m in a conference room and the video isn’t working, I’m not the sort to simply call IT and wait. I’ll also (gracefully) crawl under the table and check that everything is properly plugged in.

A couple lines like this will not only lighten up your letter, but also highlight your soft skills. I got the point across that I’m a take-charge problem solver, without saying, “I’m a take-charge problem solver.” Plus the “(gracefully)” shows that I don’t take myself too seriously—even in a job application. If your submission follows the same list-type format all the way through, see if you can’t pepper in an example or anecdote that’ll add some personality.

You want your cover letter to stand out for all the right reasons. So, before you click submit, take a few minutes to make sure you’re putting your best (and most memorable) foot forward.

"I've Read Over 300+ Cover Letters And This Is How I Decide If It's Good Or Bad Within 3 Minutes" was originally published on The Daily Muse .

Sara McCord is a Staff Writer/Editor for The Daily Muse.

Editorial Standards
Reprints & Permissions

Resume Templates Simple Professional Modern Creative View all
Resume Examples Nurse Student Internship Teacher Accountant View all
Resume Builder
Cover Letter Templates Simple Professional Modern Creative View all
Cover Letter Examples Nursing Administrative Assistant Internship Graduate Teacher View all
Cover Letter Builder

Google cover letter example

Cover letter header

Cover letter greeting, cover letter introduction, cover letter middle part (body), how to close a google cover letter (conclusion and sign-off).

While the variety of roles at the tech giant Google may be as mind-boggling as their algorithm, there are a number of common denominators. After all, all these people have to pull together to drive one of the most innovative companies on the planet. Your Google cover letter is the best place to show why you’d make a great addition to the team.

Google’s corporate ethos and company culture are legendary, and while it is hard to get across your personal “fit” in a resume, the free-flowing nature of a cover letter is perfect to show the hiring team that you are one of them. While the cover letter should focus on your specific fit for the role, it also allows you to highlight some of the broader “T-shaped” experiences that you think might be valued. When you appreciate the breadth of skills possessed by those around you, new opportunities arise more often than you think.

In short, this Google cover letter example will explore how to curate your story and focus on the aspects that you wish to be touched on in an interview. In a company of brilliant individuals (who come together as a cohesive team), unless the hiring managers understand your depths of individual experience, they will not be able to see whether you will fit within the collective. Sometimes, you have to stand out in order to fit in.

No matter how detailed the job description, only the hiring managers know exactly what they are looking for, so use your Google cover letter to be yourself. Here is what this guide and our Google resume sample will explore:

A compelling format based on our Google cover letter example
Create an eye-popping cover letter introduction, middle part and closing
Exploring the psychology of the Google hiring manager
Mistakes to avoid with your Google cover letter sample

Google is one of Glassdoor ’s best places to work, with over 2 million applications per year. It is easier to get into Harvard than secure a role at Google.

Best format for Google cover letter example

Google hiring managers do not have a lot of time to read cover letters, so while it might be tempting to concoct some crazy cover letter to showcase your individuality, in reality it is your past experiences that will testify to this. Your Google cover letter should therefore follow a standard format where a reader knows where to find certain information.

Innovation is not required here. You need to showcase that within your career story. Trying to be innovative with the structure of a cover letter is like trying to redesign the Google search module. If it works, don't seek to change it.

This Google cover letter example will expand on the following sections:

Greeting / salutation
Cover letter intro
Middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
Ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)

This Google cover letter example and guide contains a few hints and tips that are specific to the company, but if you are looking for a more in-depth exploration of the art of writing a cover letter, then our comprehensive cover letter example is well worth a read. There are many options in terms of how you present and tell your story – make sure that you have thought about all the nuances of how it might be received.

Our Google cover letter sample might be a starting point for some inspiration. This likely won’t be your story, but we hope that it might trigger some interesting thoughts:

Dear Ms. Hickersby,

Since winning a young scientist prize at a Google-run competition, I have been set on a career with your wonderful company. Ten years later, I am now ready to make an impact.

After receiving my master’s in data science from Penn State and beginning my career in data-modelling, I spent the first years with the U.S. government working on their digital citizen project. This introduced me to the impact of data-driven conclusions and the psychology of choice. I enclose one of my whitepapers about informational design that has been cited over 900 times in industry publications. I know that this area of work is important for many of your spheres of business, and I hope to dive yet deeper into my work.

At BetTech, I spent four years creating algorithms and decision-making engines, increasing profits by 48% retaining 31 more players and increasing game time by a third in their first 90 days. Analyzing the data of why people stayed engaged was complex with an 18 million strong player base. This commercial experience was an invaluable addition to my public sector work.

My contribution to a machine learning application for the U.S. postal service led to operational efficiencies and savings of $30m+ - ensuring that their vast resources were optimized. The data contradicted 40% of the conventional wisdom, necessitating influencing at the highest levels of the organization. We drove through the required changes.

I am used to explaining my work and communicating with the most senior of stakeholders and believe that without their understanding, any data insights are wasted. Harriet Jarman recommended the role to me, and I would welcome an interview to discuss the parameters of the position.

Sincerely,

When looking at the cover letter example, the header will be the first thing to catch your eye. Google is all about minimalism and practical impact, so make sure that all the simple aspects of your candidature are covered off – your name and contact details should be right at the top in the cover letter header section. They will want to get to know you as a person, so consider adding any social media links that show your contribution to industry.

The Google cover letter should be visually impactful, so choose a design where the header already carries a message of professionalism with a hint of individuality. The reader’s brain won’t quite have clicked into gear in these first milliseconds, but they are already forming an impression of your application. Put their mind at rest that all the important details are there and they will be ready to start reading the main part of the letter.

Your full home address does not need to be in the cover letter header. Just your city and state will be fine. Equally, the Google office address does not need to be there. There is no guarantee that your hiring manager will work there, anyway. Make as much space as possible on the cover letter for your story.

A cover letter template can help you present a modern and polished professional image without spending hours struggling with graphic design software.

Goal of the cover letter header: Make the basic requirements of your application visible. You don’t want the reader working through the letter hoping that you have included your contact details somewhere. They need to concentrate on your story!

If you find this Google cover letter example to be helpful, check out some of our related information technology cover letter examples for some additional inspiration.

Software Engineer cover letter sample
IT cover letter sample
Graphic Design cover letter sample
Programmer cover letter sample
Data Analyst cover letter sample
Software Developer cover letter sample
Data Scientist cover letter sample
Data entry cover letter sample
IT Manager cover letter sample
System Administrator cover letter sample
Apple cover letter sample
Computer Science cover letter sample
Scrum Master cover letter sample
Software Tester cover letter sample
Cyber Security cover letter sample
DevOps Engineer cover letter sample
IT Director cover letter sample
Full Stack Developer cover letter sample
IT Project Manager cover letter sample
UX Designer cover letter sample
IT Technician cover letter sample

Your cover letter greeting is the way you address the person who will be reading your letter. Google is one of the best companies in the world and they know everything. No, they really do. Therefore, when you come to address the hiring manager, never ever go with “to whom it may concern.” Do your research and do all you can to find out who will be reading the letter. The harder it is to find out, the more people will likely not do it and the more you stand out. Obviously, getting it wrong would be disastrous, so double check.

Everyone likes being called by their name and it starts the Google cover letter on a warm and personal note. Are they a Mr, Mrs, Dr, or Professor? Ask the question. Call the company to find out, if required.

Goal of letter greeting: Show that you can do your research. Get the greeting right.

The cover letter introduction in the cover letter example demonstrates how important the first couple of lines of a cover letter are. Did you get a sense that there was more to come? Did the introduction seem relevant for the role? Was there a sense that the applicant had a burning desire to join Google?

What is the main reason that Google should consider your application? Is there one aspect of your story that you would like to be front and center during your interview? How can you stand out in a sea of outstanding candidates? These are questions a great Google cover letter sample should aim to answer.

If there is one thing that you want the Google hiring manager to remember about your application when they come to interview you, include it in those first few lines. It doesn’t hurt to quantify achievements with numbers, but if you do include numbers make sure that they are truly impressive. There is nothing worse than stating something proudly when in reality it is fairly underwhelming. If you cannot find enough examples where you shine, maybe you need to set your sights a little lower?

Goal of the cover letter intro: Grab the interest of the hiring manager with a part of your story that elevates you about the rest of the candidates.

Google is all about data, so no matter what function or department you work in, the middle part of your cover letter (also called the body) should contain accomplishments from your career that are backed up by numbers and put into context in terms of their scale. Google is no stranger to big numbers, but if your competitors are also doing big numbers, then it is all about relative achievement. How can you prove (beyond doubt) that you are the best in your field?

Study “googliness.” Yes, that is a real word. Those 3-4 paragraphs in your Google cover letter have to come across as if you are one of them. The cover letter example offers one approach, but everyone is different. Think about the demands that you will face in your future role on a daily basis and use your past experiences to illustrate how you will thrive. If you take the attitude of "hey, this is me, take me or leave me", it isn't likely that you will get a call back. Google wants to know that you have carefully considered whether you are a culture fit.

You won’t be able to talk about every achievement in the couple of paragraphs, so make sure that you give just enough detail about each one to make the reader want more. What was unusual about how you went about a certain project? What did you do differently to others to give you the edge? Show how your personality made a difference to the performance of those around you. Talk about the team as well as yourself.

Goal of the body of your cover letter: This is your chance to reach your future hiring manager and convince them to find out more at an interview. Be incredibly selective about what you share – they won’t want any hint that they might be wasting their time.

People working at Google are confident in their ability to make an impact, so the conclusion and sign-off of a Google cover letter should not shy away from offering one last reminder of why you deserve to be hired. Let the hiring manager know just how much you want the role and suggest that you would very much look forward to the opportunity of an interview.

Select an appropriately formal sign-off phrase such as “sincerely” and then wait for the interview invite to drop.

Goal of the conclusion: Finish with a confident (but not arrogant) call to action.

Mistakes to avoid in a Google cover letter

Attention to detail is crucial for any job, but when you are applying to one of the most popular companies in the world, it really pays to avoid mistakes in what you are writing. It isn’t out of the question that the ATS software might grade you on the standard of your writing, so be careful.

These mistakes are more common than you might think:

Grammar and spelling errors: Asking someone to check your grammar and spelling will never be a waste of time. Alternatively, using an online service such as Grammarly can highlight little errors that you might miss in the excitement.
Suitable language: It is important to write your Google cover letter in the sort of language that fits your role. If you are an engineer, make sure it is not too descriptive, but if you work in HR it should be warm and friendly.
Generic examples: This is obvious, but even if you are applying for an entry-level role at Google, none of your cover letter should be generic, no matter how impressive the sentence sounds. It is your letter, so make it about you.

Find out all the information that you can online. Google them.

To start with, check out where they suggest reading. Look at the Google company and our teams pages. Sit down with a coffee in front of their YouTube . Subscribe to the blog and understand how Google care for their Googlers . You will only understand whether you fit in (you might not) if you do your research and be honest with yourself.

Key takeaways

You should spend extra time on personalising your Google cover letter – just copying what you have done for other companies definitely won’t be enough.
Include the required info up front in the header and choose a clean format.
Make every word in the body of the Google cover letter sample intensely relevant to the role. Any hint of copy/paste phrases or irrelevance and the reader will move on.
Proofread your letter, use the right language and choose impressive examples.

We hope this guide and our resources have been useful in helping to prepare for your next role. For even more tips, check out our more than 200 resume and cover letter examples.

Free professionally designed templates

Finally, an Answer To: Are Cover Letters Still Necessary?

The cover letter is a contender for job seekers’ most hated part of the job search. Personally, when browsing job boards, I’ve always gravitated toward the postings that said “cover letter optional” or didn’t mention one at all— and I’m a writer. When you’re deep in a job hunt—particularly one where you feel like you’re throwing applications into a black hole—cover letters might feel pointless. It’s not like we’re mailing out our resumes anymore—so what is the letter covering? Does anyone read cover letters anymore? Are cover letters even necessary at all, or are they outdated?

I set out to find the answer by speaking to experts, combing through studies, and putting out a call to hiring managers and recruiters to find out how they handle cover letters when they’re making hires.

Does Anyone Still Read Cover Letters?

In a 2020 survey of 236 hiring managers and recruiters, ResumeGo found that 87% of respondents read cover letters. Only 13% did not. I got similar answers in my own research. The overwhelming majority of recruiters and hiring managers I heard from—folks who work across career functions and industries—told me they do still read cover letters in some capacity.

The most common answers I got were that hiring professionals read cover letters:

For all qualified applicants
For any candidates they’re considering moving to the next step of the hiring process
For any candidates who are on the border of being moved forward
For any candidates whose resumes raised questions for them

So if you’re submitting applications to any opening you come across and apply for a manager-level position as an entry-level candidate, or upload a teaching-focused resume for an accounting job, don’t be surprised if your cover letter gets skipped. For the most part, if your resume doesn’t even come close, no one is going to bother reading your cover letter, says Muse career coach Eliot Kaplan , who spent 18 years as VP of Talent Acquisition at Hearst Magazines before founding Eliot Kaplan Coaching .

This does mark a shift in how hiring professionals use cover letters, however. Traditionally, the cover letter was the cover page for your resume (hence the name), so its purpose was to convince the reader to look at your resume. Now, your resume usually (though not always) gets looked at first, and your cover letter is there to further persuade the reader to move you to the next round in the hiring process. So while cover letters are serving a different purpose now, they’re still being read and considered.

Unsurprisingly, everyone I heard from involved in hiring for jobs where writing, editing, and/or messaging is a key skill said they read and considered cover letters. For example, Glen Muñoz, who has been in marketing and operations for over 30 years, says that he reads all cover letters for candidates who meet the minimum requirements because the cover letter serves as a sample of their written communication skills, which are of course vital to whether or not you can do these jobs. Kaplan also said this was true in journalism.

Outside of these careers, cover letters are still widely read by the hiring professionals I heard from. Hiring managers, recruiters, and HR professionals across sales, finance, healthcare, accounting, customer service, and yes, even tech indicated that they read and considered at least some—if not all—candidates’ cover letters. “If I didn’t read [an applicant’s cover letter], there’s another reason that I’m not going to hire them,” says Karen Gordon, VP of Growth for Goodshuffle Pro , who hires for various roles including software developers. Those who said they read cover letters at all usually read them for all positions even if they’re hiring across different functions.

Employers also read cover letters across experience levels. “I have found the cover letter to be an important arsenal in a job seeker’s toolbox, even those seeking higher-up roles,” says Paul French, founder and managing director of Intrinsic Search , a recruiting firm specializing in executive positions for SaaS companies. At the other end of the spectrum, Kaplan says entry-level candidate’s cover letters are useful for hiring professionals to see how your education, part-time jobs, and other less traditional sources of experience connect to the job you’re applying for: “If you have less of a track record, you’re going to have a little more vamping,” and your cover letter is the place that it happens.

In my research, I noticed that the hiring professionals most likely to say that they skipped or skimmed cover letters to save time identified themselves as recruiters. Respondents also mentioned knowing other hiring professionals who did not read cover letters, most often recruiters. In its 2020 Recruiter Nation Report , based on a survey of 806 recruiters conducted by Zogby Analytics, Jobvite found that just 27% of recruiters consider cover letters when evaluating a job application.

And it makes sense. Often a recruiter’s primary job is to find and screen candidates for open positions, meaning they might be looking at hundreds of applications a day for a range of jobs. However, recruiters are usually not the only person seeing an application before a final hiring decision is made. They’re just the first step. So a recruiter not reading your cover letter doesn’t mean that someone else–like the hiring manager or a future member of your team—won’t. For example, tech recruiter and Muse career coach Steven Davis admits that he doesn’t read every cover letter as a recruiter, but as a coach, he still encourages his clients to “write a concise, enthusiastic cover letter” because he believes they’re valuable pieces of a job application that can help you land a later-round interview.

It’s important to note that while the 2020 Recruiter Nation report found that only 27% of recruiters considered cover letters in their decision, that’s up from 8% in 2017—a threefold increase in as many years. So the number of recruiters who read and consider cover letters is actually growing, not shrinking.

Do Cover Letters Help You Get a Job?

“For 80-90% of jobs I still believe in the cover letter,” Kaplan says. Cover letters help make the case for you as an applicant and can provide valuable information to recruiters and hiring managers, not only through their content but just through the fact that you took the time to write one at all.

In ResumeGo’s survey of recruiters and hiring managers, 65% of respondents said they are “materially influenced” by cover letters in their hiring decisions. ResumeGo also conducted a field experiment, submitting fake applications to over 7,000 job postings with either no cover letter (leaving the field blank or writing in “N/A” when needed), a generic cover letter, or a tailored cover letter that gave details on how the applicant matched the company culture and job description.

After 30 days, applications with tailored cover letters were 53% more likely to have gotten an interview callback than applications with no cover letter, and even generic cover letters were 17% better than no cover letter at all. Meaning, yes: Cover letters do still matter and they can help you get to the next round in the hiring process.

“One of the biggest takeaways was that tailored cover letters are far superior to generic cover letters when it comes to boosting a job applicant’s chances of being hired,” says Peter Yang, CEO of ResumeGo. Tailoring a cover letter doesn’t necessarily mean starting from scratch each time. You’re likely applying to a lot of similar jobs, so you might create a basic template for yourself, but add to it based on the job and company, Kaplan says. He estimates you can keep about two-thirds of your cover letter the same across most positions and customize the remaining third.

Read More: The Best Cover Letter Examples for Every Type of Job Seeker

When Do You Absolutely Need a Cover Letter?

There are some situations where you should definitely include a cover letter or you’ll greatly increase the risk of being rejected when you otherwise might’ve had a chance.

Many job applications require a cover letter and in those cases, if you want a real shot, you have to write one whether you want to or not, Kaplan says. You don’t want the first message you send a prospective employer to be that you can’t or won’t follow directions.

You might also have some other signal that a cover letter is crucial to a specific role. Before I applied to my current job at The Muse, I saw that my future manager had tweeted out the job listing. In the tweet, she said to include a cover letter; they’d be using it to gauge my writing skills and it was a chance to sell myself for the role. So of course I wrote one! In addition to social media, this signal could also come from conversations with current and former employees of the company, or the job description might stress the cover letter’s importance or ask you to include certain information in it, even if the online application doesn’t have a mandatory slot for it.

But job seekers don’t always get a giant flashing neon sign declaring that a cover letter is crucial for a particular position. In some cases, the cue that a cover letter is extra important will come from your side. If you have any special situations surrounding your candidacy or there’s anything on your resume or application that needs additional context to be understood, writing a cover letter is really in your best interest. If there’s something on (or not on) your resume that might be a red flag to people reading, your cover letter can keep your application out of the rejection pile.

According to the experts, some special situations that can be explained by a cover letter include:

Career transitions : If this is going to be your first job in a new of type role or a different industry, or if you’ve followed a non-linear career path, a cover letter can explain why you want this job and how your past experiences have prepared you for it. It’s also an opportunity to highlight how your transferable skills will help you in your next job. For example, Kaplan once coached a “management consultant who wanted to become a fighter pilot.” She wrote a compelling story about her background, how she overcame obstacles in her past jobs, and how she would do that in the air.
Employment gaps: Whether this will be your first job after your employment gap or you have one further back on your resume that you’re worried might raise eyebrows, including a cover letter gives you an opportunity to explain.
Out-of-area applications: If you’re moving and hoping to secure a job before you get there, you can explain that in a cover letter so hiring managers understand why your application is coming from a different geographic location.
Personal connections to a company or job referrals: If someone in your network referred you to a job or you have another connection to the company, this goes in your cover letter, not on your resume, Kaplan says.

Ultimately, it’s up to you whether or not to write a cover letter. In the ResumeGo survey, only 26% of respondents said they “punished” or “deducted points” from candidates who didn’t include a cover letter when the job posting didn’t require one, and in its 2018 Job Seeker Nation Study , Jobvite found that only 45% of respondents had submitted a cover letter for their current or most recent job. So you can definitely get a job without a cover letter. But ask yourself this: Why would you skip out on the chance to make your application even stronger?

IMAGES

Cover Letter Examples Reddit
18 Professional Cover Letter Examples To Use in 2021 : r/Rezi
How To Write An Amazing Cover Letter That Will Get You Hired (Template
Simple Cover Letter Template Reddit : Our cover letter templates make
How to write the best cover letter to get hired fast!
11 Extremely Funny Cover Letters That People Actually Sent. #

COMMENTS

Please post examples of cover letters that have got you hired ...
Please post examples of cover letters that have got you hired recently. : r/cscareerquestions.     TOPICS. Go to cscareerquestions. r/cscareerquestions. r/cscareerquestions. CSCareerQuestions protests in solidarity with the developers who made third party reddit apps. reddit's new API changes kill third party apps that offer ...
How important are cover letters? Ever got a job without ...
For me, a cover letter won't get you a job, but it does mean that of all the resumes HR sends to me, I'll probably read yours first. As a job seeker, I always submit a cover letter. In my last job search, I formatted a cover letter that could be used again and again after tweaking only a few details. I don't start from scratch with every job ...
Cover Letters that got me interviews (hired only).
Cover Letters that got me interviews (hired only). People that post this shit are either too stupid to be real (training their competition to take money out of their pockets) or moving on to sell their guru wanker course and never made anything on Upwork. They are all absolute garbage.
How To Write An Amazing Cover Letter That Will Get You Hired (Template
Download A Free Copy Of Austin's Cover Letter Template. If you want a copy of that cover letter template with the header included and everything formatted, here's a link to a copy on my Google Drive. After you click through the link, just hit File > Make A Copy > Organize to add it to your own Google Drive!
The 46 Best Cover Letter Examples: What They Got Right
6. The Cover Letter with H.E.A.R.T. HubSpot has a lot of H.E.A.R.T. — Humble, Empathetic, Adaptable, Remarkable, Transparent. Our Culture Code is the foundation of the company's culture, the driving force behind our mission to help millions grow better, and serves as the scaffolding for our hiring practices.
Cover Letters That Have Actually Worked!
Read cover letter samples and examples from 2020 and 2021 that have landed our clients amazing jobs at top companies! This article includes generic cover letter examples for a job and what to write in a cover letter to get your dream job. ... Here is an example of an unsolicited cover letter that got this person hired in an unposted job ...
The 11 Best Cover Letter Examples of 2024
1. The professional cover letter. In this great cover letter example, the applicant landed an IT project management job by proving they had the required project management skills and experience while providing highlights from their career: Include hard numbers in your cover letter to impress the employer.
4 Cover Letter Examples + Tips on How to Write Yours
Don't panic! We've got examples of four types of cover letters below: a traditional cover letter, an impact cover letter, a writing sample cover letter, and a career change cover letter. So let's take a look at these examples, why they work, and how you can use them to craft your own. 1.
here's a real-life example of a fantastic cover letter
The caveats I've learned to give when sharing these: • The writer has allowed me to share this here as a favor. Please remember she's a real person when you're commenting. • This writer's voice is her voice. It will not be your voice, and that's part of the point. • There is no single cover letter in the world that all hiring ...
A Career Expert's Top 6 Tips For An Incredibly Effective Cover Letter
Here, Green offers her expert insight on how to make your cover letter rise to the top of the pile. 1. Use a more casual opening than "To whom it may concern." Since the most successful cover ...
How to Write a Cover Letter to a Hiring Manager (With Templates)
1. Choose the right salutation. We are well past the days when "To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Sir or Madam" were considered gold standard business salutations. Unless you're hoping to look like a nonagenarian on paper, plan to address your cover letter directly to the hiring manager or recruiter involved with the search. It may ...
Thoughts on cover letters : r/recruitinghell
I always submit cover letters out of fear, but I feel like it could potentially be making me more severely critiqued and subsequently rejected opposed to just submitting a resume. As a hiring manager, I've never read a cover letter. Don't submit them unless required. They're a waste of time.
How to Write a Cover Letter [Full Guide & Examples for 2024]
How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter #1. Choose the Right Cover Letter Template #2. Put Contact Information in the Header #3. Address the Hiring Manager #4. Write an Eye-Catching Introduction #5. Use the Cover Letter Body for Details #6. Wrap It Up and Sign It Cover Letter Writing Checklist 15 Cover Letter Tips 15+ Cover Letter Examples 5 ...
The Cover Letter Template that Will Get You Hired
The Cover Letter Template that Gets You the Job. Cover letters are all about being persuasive, descriptive, and to the point. The best cover letter is that which shows your relevant skills. tells a story, and is no longer than one page. The main components of the cover letter are: An opening. A story showing your relevant skills.
How to Start a Cover Letter: 30 Creative Opening Sentences
1. Avoid boring or overused openers. Recruiters have read cover letters that start with lines like "I'm excited to apply for the front-end engineering position," or "Your job posting on The Muse prompted me to…" so often they could wallpaper their homes with them. While those are OK and still acceptable, you'll have a better shot at ...
Resume & Cover letter Tips
The Episode 2 of AIQ talks about how to prepare resume (tips and tricks) for AI and ML jobs by answering some important questions like. 1. Important sections of the resume. 2. Resume tips for freshers. 3. Certifications vs Projects. 4. Mistakes to avoid.
Free Cover Letter Generator: Create Yours in Under 5 Minutes
Our cover letters got candidates hired by * Check our top-rated reviews. Excellent. 4.8 out of 5. Based on 2,954 reviews. timd. The simple user friendly ease in creating an up to date touch on building resumes. EW. Made it super easy to create my resume to look more professional and better organized.
I've Read More Than 300 Cover Letters, And This Is How I ...
Here's a real, two-line excerpt from a cover letter I've written before: If I'm in a conference room and the video isn't working, I'm not the sort to simply call IT and wait.
The Cover Letter That Led to Awesome Interviews
On your application, you won't get the chance—but you can do the next best thing: Pick up on your interviewer's subtle cues and phrases and then mirror their speaking language in your cover letter. 3. Offer the Solution. By this point, you've got the hiring manager squirming at the table. Now, deliver the solution.
I hate cover letters, so I instructed AI to write one for me ...
I hope you're ready for the ride of your life, because I am about to blow your mind with my extraordinary qualifications and unparalleled experience. I am not just a candidate, I am a one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am a unicorn, a phoenix, and a dragon all rolled into one. I have the ability to teleport, to read minds, and to ...
Google Cover Letter Examples & Expert Tips · Resume.io
Use this Google cover letter example to finish your application and get hired fast - no frustration, no guesswork. This cover letter example is specifically designed for Google positions in 2024. Take advantage of our sample sentences + expert guides to download the perfect cover letter in just minutes. 4.5.
Do I Need a Cover Letter? Answers From Hiring Professionals
Meaning, yes: Cover letters do still matter and they can help you get to the next round in the hiring process. "One of the biggest takeaways was that tailored cover letters are far superior to generic cover letters when it comes to boosting a job applicant's chances of being hired," says Peter Yang, CEO of ResumeGo.