How to Write a Cover Letter (With Examples and a Free Template)
A cover letter has one job: connect your resume to this specific role, in less than a page. Most letters fail because they try to do something else. Here's how to write one that doesn't.
To write a cover letter, address the hiring manager by name, open with the role and your strongest qualification, use one or two short paragraphs to prove you can do the job with specific results, explain why you want this company, and close by asking for an interview. Keep it to 250 to 400 words on one page, tailored to each job.
Do you still need a cover letter?
If the job posting asks for one, the answer is yes, no debate. Skipping it can take you out of the running before anyone reads your resume.
When it's optional, it comes down to whether your resume can speak for itself. A letter earns its 15 minutes when you're changing careers and need to connect the dots for the reader, when there's a gap or an unusual turn your resume can't explain on its own, or when someone at the company referred you and you can say so in the first line. It also matters more at smaller companies and for senior roles, where a person tends to read every application closely. And if you're a fresher, it's one of the few places you can show motivation that grades don't capture.
What a cover letter can't do is rescue a weak resume. Get that right first; our resume format guide is a good place to start.
Format and length
Keep it to one page, three or four paragraphs, and somewhere between 250 and 400 words. The details:
| Part | What to do |
|---|---|
| Header | Your name and contact details, the date, then the hiring manager's name, title and company |
| Greeting | "Dear Ms. Lee," or "Dear Hiring Manager," but not "To Whom It May Concern" |
| Font and margins | Same font as your resume, 10.5 to 12 pt, with 1 inch (2.5 cm) margins |
| Sign-off | "Kind regards," or "Sincerely," and your full name |
| File | PDF named "Firstname-Lastname-Cover-Letter.pdf", unless they ask for something else |
Writing it, step by step
Find a name to write to
Check the job posting, the company's team or careers page, and LinkedIn. A real name shows you made an effort, and it's surprisingly often findable. If it isn't, "Dear Hiring Manager" is perfectly fine. Nobody has ever lost a job over it.
Open with the job and your best fact
The first two sentences decide whether the rest gets read. Name the role, then give the single most convincing reason you're a match. If someone referred you, this is where their name goes.
I am writing to apply for the position advertised on your website. I believe I would be a great fit for your company.
I'm applying for the Data Analyst role at Brightline Retail. In my current job I built the sales dashboard that 60 store managers now open every morning, and I'd like to bring the same approach to your merchandising team.
The first version could be sent to any company on earth. The second could only be sent to this one.
Prove it with one or two stories
Look at the job description and pick the one or two requirements that matter most. For each, tell a short story from your experience: what the situation was, what you did, and what changed because of it. Use numbers where you have them. This is the place to go deeper than your resume can, not to repeat it.
Say why this company
Mention something specific: a product you use, a recent launch, the kind of customers they serve, something they've said publicly about how they work. Then connect it to what you want to do. It's the paragraph a copy-and-paste letter can't fake, which is exactly why it works.
Close with a clear next step
Thank them, say once more that you're interested, and ask for a conversation. Something like: "I'd welcome the chance to talk about how I can help your team. Thank you for your time." That's it. No need to restate your whole letter.
A cover letter template you can fill in
Copy this, replace everything in square brackets, and delete any line that doesn't fit your situation.
[Your name]
[City, Country] | [Phone] | [Email] | [LinkedIn]
[Date]
[Hiring manager's name]
[Their job title]
[Company name]
Dear [Mr./Ms./Dr. Last name or Hiring Manager],
I'm applying for the [job title] role at [company]. [One sentence with your strongest qualification for this job: your experience, a key result or a referral.]
In my [current or most recent role] at [employer], I [achievement that matches the top requirement in the job description, with a number]. I also [second achievement or skill that matches another requirement].
I'm especially drawn to [company] because [specific reason: product, mission, customers, recent news]. [One sentence on how your skills would help them with it.]
I'd welcome the chance to discuss how I can contribute to your team. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Kind regards,
[Your full name]
Two complete cover letter examples
Both of these are fictional, but they follow the structure above exactly. Read them for shape rather than wording.
An experienced professional
Dear Ms. Lee,
I'm applying for the Data Analyst role at Brightline Retail. Over the past four years I've helped a 120-store retailer replace weekly spreadsheet reports with live dashboards, and I'd like to bring the same approach to your merchandising team.
Your posting highlights SQL, Power BI and working with non-technical stakeholders. At my current company, I built a sales dashboard in Power BI that 60 store managers now check every morning. It replaced a manual report that took the team 10 hours a week, and it helped regional managers spot slow-moving stock two weeks earlier than before. I also ran the analysis behind a pricing test that lifted margin on our private-label range by 3 percentage points.
I've followed Brightline's move into same-day delivery with interest, and I'd enjoy helping your team understand how delivery customers shop differently from in-store customers.
I'd welcome the chance to talk about how I can help. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Kind regards,
Priya Sharma
A fresher or recent graduate
Dear Hiring Manager,
I'm applying for the Graduate Software Developer position at Cloudnest Technologies. I recently completed my B.Tech in Computer Science with a CGPA of 8.4, and I've spent the last year building full-stack applications in Java, Spring Boot and React.
For my final-year project, I led a team of three to build a library management system now used by more than 400 students at my college. I designed the REST API, wrote the automated tests and set up deployment on AWS. During a two-month internship, I fixed 25+ bugs in a production codebase and learned how a professional team reviews and ships code.
Cloudnest's work on tools for small businesses appeals to me because my family runs a small shop, and I've seen how much the right software can save. I'm eager to learn from your engineering team and contribute from the first sprint.
Thank you for considering my application. I'd be glad to discuss it at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Arjun Mehta
Notice what both letters leave out: no list of every skill, no life story, no "I am a hardworking team player". Just the role, the proof, a real reason for this company and a polite close.
Picking the right tone
A bank and a gaming startup won't respond to the same letter. Match the tone to the company, and to your situation.
| Tone | When it fits | How it might open |
|---|---|---|
| Professional | Corporate, finance, legal, government, senior roles | "I'm applying for the Senior Accountant role, bringing seven years of experience in month-end close and IFRS reporting." |
| Enthusiastic | Startups, creative teams, consumer brands, early-career roles | "I've used your app every day for two years, so seeing the Product Designer opening made my week." |
| Career change | Moving into a new field or function | "After eight years of designing lessons for 30 students at a time, I'm moving into instructional design to reach thousands." |
| Referral | Someone at the company recommended you | "Rahul Verma on your data team suggested I apply for the Analyst role, knowing my work on retail forecasting." |
Mistakes that get a letter skipped
The most common one by far is sending the same letter everywhere. Recruiters can tell within a sentence, and a generic letter is often worse than none because it signals you didn't care enough to change it.
Close behind: repeating your resume line by line, writing mostly about what the job would do for you, and apologising for skills you don't have ("Although I don't have experience in..."). Don't draw attention to gaps the reader may not have noticed. And leave salary out of it unless they've asked.
Finally, proofread the names. Misspelling the company or the hiring manager is the kind of small thing that sticks.
Drafting a cover letter with AI
If your resume is already in ResJo, the AI cover letter generator can give you a tailored first draft in about 15 seconds. You pick one of your resumes, add the job title and company, and paste in the job description if you have it (it makes the letter far more specific). Then choose a tone: Professional, Enthusiastic, Career Change or Referral.
You can edit any line, address it to the right person and download it as a PDF in a style that matches your resume. Each letter uses 1 AI credit, and AI credits come with paid plans. Editing and downloading are free, and no credit is used if generation fails.
One honest caveat: the AI is designed to use only what's in your resume and not to invent employers, dates or results, but treat it as a draft, not a finished letter. Read every line before you send it.
Four tones, a style that matches your resume, and every line editable.
Your summary and your cover letter should tell the same story. If yours don't yet, our resume summary examples will help with the top of the resume.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a cover letter be?
Between 250 and 400 words, in three or four short paragraphs, and never more than a page. Every sentence should give the reader a new reason to interview you.
Is a cover letter still necessary in 2026?
If the posting asks for one, yes, always. If it's optional, a short tailored letter still helps, especially when you're changing careers, explaining a gap, applying through a referral or applying to a smaller company where someone reads every application.
How do I address a cover letter if I don't know the hiring manager's name?
Look for the name in the job posting, on the company website or on LinkedIn first. If you can't find it, "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear Marketing Team" is fine. Skip "To Whom It May Concern"; it feels dated.
Should my cover letter match my resume design?
Yes. Same fonts, colours and header on both looks professional and makes your application easy to recognise. In ResJo, the cover letter's style matches the resume you create it from.
What should a fresher write in a cover letter?
Lead with your degree and the role you want, then use your best project, internship or leadership experience as proof of the skills in the job description. Show real interest in the company and end by asking for an interview. Specifics and enthusiasm make up for limited experience.
Can I use AI to write my cover letter?
Yes, as long as you review it. ResJo's AI cover letter generator writes a tailored letter from your resume and the job details in about 15 seconds, in four tones, and is designed to use only what's in your resume rather than invent experience. Read it carefully, fill in anything in square brackets and make sure every claim is true.
Should I send my cover letter as a PDF?
Yes, unless the employer asks for something else or wants the letter pasted into a form or email. Name the file clearly, for example "Firstname-Lastname-Cover-Letter.pdf".
What is the difference between a cover letter and a resume summary?
A resume summary is two to four lines at the top of your resume saying who you are and what you offer. A cover letter is a one-page letter that tells the story behind one or two achievements and explains why you want this particular job.
Put this guide to work in the next 10 minutes
Pick an ATS-friendly template, start from 4.25M+ pre-written examples and download your PDF free. No credit card needed.