How to Write a Short, Strong Cover Letter

Recruiters often have many applications to review, so brevity is a strength. Three or four short paragraphs, roughly half a page to one page, is usually enough. If the application form has a text box instead of an upload, the same structure works in a shorter form.

Use the same font and header style as your CV so the two documents look like a set. Address the letter to a named person if the advert gives one. If not, 'Dear Hiring Manager' is a safe, widely accepted choice.

The first paragraph should state the job you are applying for and give a brief, specific reason you are interested or well suited. Avoid opening with 'My name is…' or 'I am writing to apply for…' followed by nothing else, as these waste your strongest line.

A stronger opening links you to the role straight away. For example: 'I am applying for the Junior Data Analyst role. In my final-year project I cleaned and analysed survey data in Excel and SQL, and I would like to bring those skills to your reporting team.'

Read the job advert and pick the two or three requirements that matter most. Then, for each one, give a short example from your experience, studies or projects that shows you can meet it. Concrete examples are far more convincing than adjectives such as 'motivated' or 'passionate'.

A simple way to structure each example is:

• The situation or task, in one sentence
• What you did, using clear action verbs
• The result, described honestly
• How it relates to the job you want

Employers want to feel the letter was written for them, not sent to fifty companies. Mention something specific: a product, a service, the type of customers they work with or the way the role is described in the advert. One or two sentences are enough. Do not invent facts or flatter the company with claims you cannot support. If you know little about them, focus on what attracts you to the role itself.

End with a short paragraph that restates your interest and invites the next step, such as 'I would welcome the chance to discuss how I could contribute to your team.' Thank the reader and sign off with 'Kind regards' or 'Yours sincerely' if you used their name. In the UK, 'Yours faithfully' is traditionally paired with 'Dear Sir or Madam'.

Before sending, check the company name, the job title and the contact name. Sending a letter with another company's name in it is one of the quickest ways to be rejected. Strong written communication shows in the letter itself, and if you want to check your level, you can take a free written communication test on Talaskill.

• Do not copy whole sentences from your CV
• Do not focus on what the job gives you rather than what you offer
• Do not mention salary unless the employer asks
• Save it as a PDF with a clear file name

The cover letter points to your best evidence, and the CV provides the full picture. Make sure the strengths you highlight in the letter are easy to find on your CV. A tidy CV from a CV builder and a focused letter make a strong pair. When both are ready, you can browse open jobs and tailor them for each application.