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Type writer with "Dear Madam" written on it

Three excellent cover letter examples

Cover letters are the first chance you have to impress an employer – they’re not just a protective jacket for your CV. Here’s our guide on what to include and how to format them

  • More CV and cover letter templates
  • Looking for a job? Explore the range of vacancies on Guardian Jobs and find the perfect role for you

The first thing a potential employer sees in your job application is the cover letter. This doesn’t just support your CV – it’s an opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd and persuade the recruiter to put you through to the next round.

Be wary of spending hours on perfecting your CV at the expense of your cover letter. If you need some inspiration on what to include and what format to use, here are our helpful guides – just remember not to copy them as exact templates.

1. Standard, conservative style

This is ideal for sectors such as business, law, accountancy and retail. For more creative sectors, a letter like this might be less appealing, and could work against you.

Dear Mr Black, Please find enclosed my CV in application for the post advertised in the Guardian on 30 November. The nature of my degree course has prepared me for this position. It involved a great deal of independent research, requiring initiative, self-motivation and a wide range of skills. For one course, [insert course], an understanding of the [insert sector] industry was essential. I found this subject very stimulating. I am a fast and accurate writer, with a keen eye for detail and I should be very grateful for the opportunity to progress to market reporting. I am able to take on the responsibility of this position immediately, and have the enthusiasm and determination to ensure that I make a success of it. Thank you for taking the time to consider this application and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Yours sincerely

2. Standard speculative letter

This may vary according to the nature of the organisation and the industry you’re applying to.

Dear Mr Brown, I am writing to enquire if you have any vacancies in your company. I enclose my CV for your information. As you can see, I have had extensive vacation work experience in office environments, the retail sector and service industries, giving me varied skills and the ability to work with many different types of people. I believe I could fit easily into your team. I am a conscientious person who works hard and pays attention to detail. I’m flexible, quick to pick up new skills and eager to learn from others. I also have lots of ideas and enthusiasm. I’m keen to work for a company with a great reputation and high profile like [insert company name]. I have excellent references and would be delighted to discuss any possible vacancy with you at your convenience. In case you do not have any suitable openings at the moment, I would be grateful if you would keep my CV on file for any future possibilities. Yours sincerely

3. Letter for creative jobs

We’ve used the example of a copywriter but you can adapt it for your profession. The aim of a creative letter is to be original and show you have imagination, but understand what the job entails. Balance is essential: don’t be too wacky, or it will turn off the reader.

Dear Ms Green, · Confused by commas? · Puzzled by parenthesis? · Stumped by spelling? · Perturbed by punctuation? · Annoyed at the apostrophe? (And alliteration?) Well, you’re not alone. It seems that fewer and fewer people can write. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of people who can read. So they’ll spot a gaffe from a mile off. And that means it’s a false economy, unless you’re 100% sure of yourself, to write your own materials. (Or to let clients do it for themselves.) To have materials properly copywritten is, when one considers the whole process of publishing materials and the impact that the client wishes to make, a minor expense. Sloppiness loses clients, loses customers. There is an answer. Me. Firm quotes are free. You can see some of what I do on my multilingual website at [insert web address]. If you’d like, I can get some samples out to you within 24 hours. And, if you use me, you’ll have some sort of guarantee that you can sleep soundly as those tens of thousands of copies are rolling off the presses. Luck shouldn’t come into it! With kindest regards

Other helpful resources

How to write a perfect CV and cover letter

Applying for jobs without experience? How to build and sell your skills

Five steps to the perfect graduate CV

School-leavers and graduates: how to write your first CV

How to write a personal statement for your CV

CV templates to fit every stage of your career

Looking for a job? Browse Guardian Jobs for your next career step.

  • Guardian Careers
  • CV and cover letter examples
  • Covering letters

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StandOut CV

12 CV cover letter examples

Andrew Fennell photo

A  cover letter  for your CV, or covering note is an introductory message that accompanies your CV when applying for a job.

The purpose of the cover letter is simple… Persuade the reader to open your CV.

Learn how to write a cover letter properly, and you will hugely increase your chances of getting responses and landing job interviews.

This guide, with 12 annotated cover letter examples will show you everything you need to know about creating a winning cover note.

Guide contents

  • Anatomy of a CV cover letter
  • CV cover letter examples
  • Cover letter writing guides

Bold CV builder - small

Anatomy of a cover letter for your CV

This annotated example of a cover letter shows you how you should structure your cover letters, and the type of information you should be including.

You should always write your CV in the body of your email (or j ob site messaging system) so that it can be read instantly. Never attach it as a separate document, or the recipient probably won’t open it.

CV cover letter example

Example CV cover letters

These 11 example CV cover letters from a range of industries should give you some good inspiration for creating your own cover letter

Admin CV cover letter

Admin CV cover letter

This cover letter is aimed at administrative roles , so it highlights the candidate’s abilities in efficiency, report writing and meeting deadlines, whilst demonstrating the types of environments they have worked in.

Learn how to write a cover letter step-by-step here.

Customer service CV cover letter

Customer service CV cover letter

This customer service cover letter briefly explains the candidate’s length of experience in the field and highlights some of the more important customer service skills such as call handling, order taking and complaint resolution.

This gives the reader an excellent introduction to the candidate and should certainly encourage them to open the CV.

See our full customer service cover letter guide,  sales assistant cover letter example  and waiter/waitress cover letter example .

Finance CV cover letter

Finance CV cover letter

As a finance professional, it’s important to highlight your specialisms within finance, the types of companies you’ve worked for, and high level functions you’ve carried out within your cover letter. This will give the hiring manager a good overall feel of your abilities, and if it’s well tailored to the role, should provide them with enough info to excite them about your CV.

Quick tip: Use our job application tracker spreadsheet to track your applications and follow up with employers who don’t respond.

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Events CV cover letter

Events CV cover letter

This events manager candidate has done a great job of summarising the type and size of events they manage, along with details of core skills such as leadership, project delivery and stakeholder management.

This certainly provides enough info to create a buzz around the CV attached and encourage the recipient to open it.

Executive assistant CV cover letter

Executive CV cover letter

This executive assistant CV cover letter provides a good high level intro to the candidate showing the reader key business support knowledge in areas such as admin, diary management and document management. It also shows that the candidate is confident supporting senior business figures.

Graduate CV cover letter

Graduate CV cover letter

As a graduate , your cover letter will need to be a little longer than an experienced candidates, to compensate for your lack of experience and really sell yourself.

This candidate speaks in lots of detail about their education, qualifications, and extra-curricular work which relates to the roles they are applying for.

IT CV cover letter

IT CV cover letter

As an IT candidate, it’s important not only to highlight your technical skills, but also show how you apply those skills in the workplace to translate real benefits for your employer.

This candidate gives a good overview of the candidates technical abilities and the types of projects they apply them to, along with results they achieve.

Marketing CV cover letter

Marketing CV cover letter

This marketing cover letter provides readers with a summary of the candidate’s core marketing abilities such as media planning, brand awareness and cost reduction. It also explains the types of marketing campaigns and companies they have experience with – a great high-level intro.

Cover letter examples

Warehouse Operative cover letter – Training Contract cover letter – Cleaning Job cover letter – Nursery Assistant cover letter – Recruitment Consultant cover letter – Dental Nurse cover letter –

Chef cover letter – Editorial Assistant cover letter – Aircraft Mechanic cover letter – Biomedical Science cover letter – Cabin Crew cover letter – Finance Assistant cover letter – Hotel Receptionist cover letter – Asset Management cover letter – Assistant Psychologist cover letter – Beauty Therapist cover letter – Cafe Worker cover letter – HR Administrator cover letter – NQT cover letter – Quantity Surveyor cover letter

More cover letter examples

  • Academic cover letter
  • Account Manager cover letter
  • Accountant cover letter
  • Accounting cover letter
  • Accounts Assistant cover letter
  • Acting cover letter
  • Admin Assistant cover letter
  • Administrator cover letter
  • Apprenticeship cover letter
  • Architecture cover letter
  • Assistant Manager cover letter
  • Banking cover letter
  • Bar Staff cover letter
  • Barclays cover letter
  • Barista cover letter
  • Bartender cover letter
  • Business Analyst cover letter
  • Business Development Manager cover letter
  • Car Sales Person cover letter
  • Care Assistant cover letter
  • Career Change cover letter
  • Catering Assistant cover letter
  • Civil Engineer cover letter
  • Computer Science cover letter
  • Consulting cover letter
  • Copywriter cover letter
  • Cyber Security cover letter
  • Data Entry Clerk cover letter
  • Data Scientist cover letter
  • Delivery Driver cover letter
  • Digital Marketing cover letter
  • Electrician cover letter
  • Engineering cover letter
  • Estate Agent cover letter
  • Event Manager cover letter
  • Exam Invigilator cover letter
  • Executive Assistant cover letter
  • Fashion Designer cover letter
  • Finance cover letter
  • Financial Analyst cover letter
  • Google cover letter
  • Graduate cover letter
  • Graduate Engineer cover letter
  • Graduate Scheme cover letter
  • Graphic Design cover letter
  • Health Care Assistant cover letter
  • Hospitality cover letter
  • HR Assistant cover letter
  • HR cover letter
  • Interior Designer cover letter
  • Internal Position cover letter
  • Internship cover letter
  • Investment Banking cover letter
  • Investment Manager cover letter
  • IT Support cover letter
  • Journalist cover letter
  • JP Morgan cover letter
  • Lawyer cover letter
  • Legal Assistant cover letter
  • Legal cover letter
  • Library Assistant cover letter
  • Manager cover letter
  • Marine Engineer cover letter
  • Marketing Assistant cover letter
  • Marketing cover letter
  • Marketing Intern cover letter
  • Marketing Manager cover letter
  • McKinsey cover letter
  • Mechanical Engineer cover letter
  • Medical Receptionist cover letter
  • Medical Writer cover letter
  • Model cover letter
  • Nanny cover letter
  • Nurse cover letter
  • Nursing cover letter
  • Office Assistant cover letter
  • Office Manager cover letter
  • Operations Manager cover letter
  • Optical Assistant cover letter
  • Paralegal cover letter
  • Part Time cover letter
  • PE Teacher cover letter
  • Personal Assistant cover letter
  • Personal Trainer cover letter
  • Pharmacist cover letter
  • Pharmacy Assistant cover letter
  • PHD Application cover letter
  • Photographer cover letter
  • Placement cover letter
  • Private Equity cover letter
  • Product Manager cover letter
  • Production Assistant cover letter
  • Production Operator cover letter
  • Project Coordinator cover letter
  • Promotion cover letter
  • PWC cover letter
  • Quantity Surveyor cover letter
  • Receptionist cover letter
  • Research Assistant cover letter
  • Researcher cover letter
  • Retail Assistant cover letter
  • Retail cover letter
  • Retail Manager cover letter
  • Sales Advisor cover letter
  • Sales Executive cover letter
  • Sales Manager cover letter
  • Scrum Master cover letter
  • Security Officer cover letter
  • Ski Season cover letter
  • Social Media Executive cover letter
  • Social Media Manager cover letter
  • Software Developer cover letter
  • Software Engineer cover letter
  • Speculative cover letter
  • Student cover letter
  • Support Worker cover letter
  • Teaching Assistant cover letter
  • Team Leader cover letter
  • Trainee Dental Nurse cover letter
  • University cover letter
  • UX Designer cover letter
  • Volunteer cover letter

Project manager CV cover letter

Project manager CV cover letter

A project manager’ s cover letter needs to quickly explain to recipients the types of projects they lead and the technical expertise they bring to the projects. It’s also important to describe level of experience, seniority and background.

See full project manager cover letter example + writing guide

Operations manager

Operations CV cover letter

This operations management CV provides a brief introduction to the types of operations the candidate manages and the firms they work for.

They also touch upon some core operations skills such as efficiency, logistics and ROI improvement.

Sales CV cover letter

Sales CV cover letter

As a sales candidate, this cover letter shows the types of business this person can generate and the size and scale of the impact they create by highlighting some sales results.

It also mentions some core sales skills like business development, presenting, working under pressure and closing deals.

Cover letter templates

Teacher cover letter

Teacher cover letter

This teacher cover letter does a great job of introducing the candidate, and showing the recipient the key facts they will be looking for, such as; the age group they teach, subject specialisms, and the results they have achieved.

The cover letter is brief and gets to the point quickly, so that readers will instantly look to open the attached CV .

How to write your CV cover letter

Now that you’ve seem good examples of cover letters to accompany your CV (or resume if you are in the USA) this guide will show exactly how to write your own, and the content that needs to be included .

Send your CV cover letter in email format (when possible)

When applying for jobs online you usually have 2 choices…

1) Send a message via the job website’s messaging system

2) Send the recruiter an email directly

If you can find an email address for the recruiter, then I would always recommend sending an email directly because it gives you more control.

When you send a message through a job website, it will transfer into an email with basic formatting and an auto-generated headline , which will look like this when the recruiter receives it.

Job website application email

If you cannot find an email address for the recruiter on the job advert, then try searching LinkedIn or the company website to find the relevant contact.

You may not always be able to find an email address, but when you can – always send a job application by email .

Make your subject line appealing

As you can see in the picture above, a bad subject line can kill your chances of actually having your email read in the first place.

Your subject line should stand out and give the recruiter a reason to open your email.

When recruiters look into their inbox, they are looking for one thing; a candidate who can do the job they are advertising – so give that to them in your subject line.

Your subject line should be a short summary of your experience that relates directly to the job you are applying for.

The following are good subject line examples;

KS2 Teacher with 5 years experience

Front End Web developer with HTML, HTML & JavaScript experience

Junior Graphic designer with 1st BA Hons Graphic Design

If your subject line shows that you have one or two of the most important requirements for the job, your email should get opened every time.

Address the recruiter by name

Introduce yourself

To get the relationship off on the right foot, you should try to address the recruiter by name if you can.

Often the recruiter’s details will appear on the job advert but sometimes you may have to check out the company website or do some digging around on LinkedIn.

If you really can’t find the name, then it’s not the end of the world – just start with a simple friendly opening like “ Hi ”

(If you applying to a more traditional organisation such as an academic post for a university, you may want to use something a bit more formal like “ Dear sir or madam ”)

Use a friendly yet professional tone

Balance

It’s important to sound professional when writing a cover letter but you also need to demonstrate your ability to communicate with other people and show some personality.

If your email is too casual and written in an over-familiar tone, then you will come across us un-professional.

But on the other hand, if your email is too formal and shows no signs of rapport building, you risk appearing as somebody who lacks social skills.

So when writing your cover letter, try to strike a nice balance of professionalism and friendliness.

Opening with a line such as “ hope you’re well ” is a nice way to breathe a bit of personality into your cover letter.

Ensure that your spelling and grammar is perfect throughout your cover letter because sloppy mistakes are a huge red flag for recruiters.

Quick tip:  If you struggle with spelling and grammar, try our partner’s CV builder

Keep it brief

too many letters

Unless the job advert specifies otherwise; keep your cover letter short and sweet.

Recruiters and employers receive hundreds of job applications per week, so they don’t want to read a 2 page cover letter.

Depending on the role, around 2-4 sentences should be enough for the content of the cover letter.

You just need to write enough to persuade them to open your CV – It should roughly contain the same amount of information as your CV profile or personal statement.

Show how your skills match the job

skills match job

To ensure that recruiters open your CV, you simply need to explain how your skills and experience match the job requirements from the advert.

Scan the job advert to discover what the most important candidate abilities are, and show how your previous experience has prepared you to cover these.

In particular, look out for any requirements that are essential to the job .

Focus on what you have to offer at this stage and not what you want.

At this stage, your covering letter is simply a means of getting the recruiter to open your CV, so it’s too early to talk about salary demands etc. Save that for your initial conversation with the recruiter.

Include a professional signature

cover letter signatures

End your cover letter with a friendly salutation such as “Regards” and a smart signature which includes your name and most direct contact method (usually mobile phone for most people)

A professional email signature will show recruiters that you understand business-email etiquette and ensure they have a means of contacting you – even if they can’t open your CV for any reason.

Writing a CV cover letter

Hopefully this guide has given you everything you need to create a winning cover letter that will ensure you CV gets opened every time you send it.

Just remember to keep it brief, be friendly, tailor it towards your target role, and give recruiters some good reasons to be interested in you.

Good luck with the job hunt!

How to Write a Cover Letter in 2023 + Examples

Background Image

After weeks of heavy job search, 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 your application and call it a day, you remember that the job ad requires a cover letter.

Now you’re stuck wondering how to write a cover letter ...

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.

  • What’s a cover letter & why it’s important for your job search
  • How to write a convincing cover letter that gets you the job (step-by-step!)
  • How to perfect your cover letter with the Novoresume free checklist
  • What excellent cover letter examples look like

New to cover letter writing? Give our resumes 101 video a watch before diving into the article!

So, let’s get started with the basics!

What is a Cover Letter? (and Why It’s Important)

A cover letter is a one-page document that you submit as part of your job application (alongside your CV or Resume). 

Its purpose is to introduce you and briefly summarize your professional background. On average, your cover letter should be from 250 to 400 words long .

A good cover letter can spark the HR manager’s interest and get them to read your resume. 

A bad cover letter, on the other hand, might mean that your application is going directly to the paper shredder. So, to make sure this doesn’t happen, it’s essential to know how to write a convincing cover letter.

How does a good cover letter look, you might ask. Well, here’s an example:

how to write cover letter

Keep in mind, though, that a cover letter is a supplement to your resume, not a replacement. Meaning, you don’t just repeat whatever is mentioned in your resume.

If you’re writing a cover letter for the first time, writing all this might seem pretty tough. After all, you’re probably not a professional writer.

The thing is, though, you don’t need to be creative, or even any good at writing. All you have to do is follow a tried-and-tested format:

  • Header - Input contact information
  • Greeting the hiring manager
  • Opening paragraph - Grab the reader’s attention with 2-3 of your top achievements
  • Second paragraph - Explain why you’re the perfect candidate for the job
  • Third paragraph - Explain why you’re a good match for the company
  • Formal closing

Or, here’s what this looks like in practice:

structure of a cover letter

How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter (And Get Hired!)

Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, we’re going to guide you through the process of writing a cover letter step by step. 

Step #1 - Pick 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, visual template?

cover letter templates

You can simply pick one of our hand-picked cover letter templates , and you’ll be all set in a jiffy!

As a bonus, our AI will even give you suggestions on how to improve your cover letter on the go.

Step #2 - Start the Cover Letter with a Header

As with a resume, it’s important to start your cover letter with a Contact Information section:

contact information on a cover letter

Here, you want to include all essential information, including:

  • Phone Number
  • Name of the hiring manager / their professional title
  • Name of the company you’re applying to

In certain cases, you might also consider adding:

  • Social Media Profiles - Any type of profile that’s relevant to your field. Social Profiles on websites like LinkedIn, GitHub (for developers), Medium (for writers), etc.
  • Personal Website - If you have a personal website that somehow adds value to your application, you can mention it. Let’s say you’re a professional writer. In that case, you’d want to link to your blog.

And here’s what you shouldn’t mention in your header:

  • Your Full Address 
  • Unprofessional Email - Make sure your email is presentable. It’s pretty hard for a hiring manager to take you seriously if your email address is “[email protected].” Whenever applying for jobs, stick to the “[first name] + [last name] @ email provider.com” format.

matching resume and cover letter

Step #3 - Greet the Hiring Manager

Once you’ve properly listed your contact information, you need to start writing the cover letter contents.

The first thing to do here is to address the cover letter to the hiring manager .

That’s right, the hiring manager! Not the overly popular “Dear Sir or Madam.” You want to show your future boss that you did your research and are really passionate about working with their team.

No one wants to hire a job seeker who just spams 20+ companies and hopes to get hired in any of them.

So, how do you find out who’s the hiring manager? There are several ways to do this. 

The simplest option is to look up the head of the relevant department on LinkedIn. Let’s say you’re applying for the position of a Communication Specialist at Novoresume. The hiring manager is probably Head of Communications or Chief Communications Office.

So, you do a quick lookup on LinkedIn:

linkedin search cco

And voila! You have your hiring manager.

Or let’s say you’re applying for the position of a server. In that case, you’d be looking for the “restaurant manager.”

If this doesn’t work, you can also check out the “Team” page on the company website; there’s a good chance you’ll at least find the right person there.

Here are several other greetings you could use:

  • Dear [Department] Hiring Manager
  • Dear Hiring Manager
  • To whom it may concern
  • Dear [Department] Team

Step #4 - Write an Attention-Grabbing Introduction

First impressions matter, especially when it comes to your job search.

Recruiters 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 #1 problem we see with most cover letter opening paragraphs is that they’re usually extremely generic. Most of them look something like this..

  • Hey, 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 pretty much anything except the fact that you’ve worked the job before.

Do you know who else has similar work experience? All the other applicants you’re competing with.

Instead, you want to start off with 2-3 of your top achievements to really grab the reader’s attention. Preferably, the achievements should be as relevant as possible to the position.

So now, let’s make our previous example shine:

My name’s Michael and I’d like to help XYZ Inc. hit and exceed their sales goals as a Sales Manager. I’ve worked with Company X, a fin-tech company, for 3+ years. As a Sales Representative, I generated an average of $30,000+ in sales per month (beating the KPIs by around 40%). I believe that my previous industry experience, as well as excellence in sales, makes me the right candidate for the job.

See the difference between the two examples? If you were the hiring manager, which sales manager would you hire, Jonathan or Michael?

Now that we’ve covered the introduction, let’s talk about the body of your cover letter. This part is split into two paragraphs: the first is for explaining why you’re the perfect person for the job, and the latter is for proving that you’re a good fit for the company.

So, let’s get started...

Step #5 - Explain why you’re the perfect person for the job

This is where you show off your professional skills and convince the HR manager that you’re a better fit for the job than all the other applicants.

But first things first - before you even write anything, you need to learn what the most important requirements for the role are. So, open up the job ad and identify which of the responsibilities are the most critical.

For the sake of the example, let’s say you’re applying for the position of a Facebook Advertiser. You scan the job ad and see that the top requirements are:

  • Experience managing a Facebook ad budget of $10,000+ / month
  • Some skills in advertising on other platforms (Google Search + Twitter)
  • Excellent copywriting skills

Now, in this section, you need to discuss how you fulfill these requirements. So, here’s how that would look for our example:

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 $20,000+ . As the sole digital marketer at the company, I managed the ad creation & management process end-to-end. Meaning, I created the ad copy , 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

Are you a student applying for your first internship? You probably don’t have a lot of work experience to show off in this section. Learn how to write an internship cover letter here.

Step #6 - Explain why you’re a good fit for the company

Once you’ve written the last paragraph, you might be thinking - I’m a shoo-in for the job! What else do I need to write? I’ll just wrap up the cover letter and hit that sweet SEND button.

Well, no. You’re not quite there yet.

The HR manager doesn’t only look at whether you’ll be good at the job or not. They’re looking for someone that’s also a good fit for the company culture.

After all, employees that don’t fit in are bound to quit, sooner or later. This ends up costing the company a ton of money, up to 50% of the employee’s annual salary . 

Meaning, you also need to convince the HR manager that you’re really passionate about working with them.

How do you do this? Well, as a start, you want to do some research about the company. You want to know things like:

  • What’s the company’s business model?
  • What’s the company product or service? Have you used it?
  • What’s the culture like? Will someone micro-manage your work, or will you have autonomy on how you get things done?

So, get to Googling. Chances are, you’ll find all the information you need either on the company website or somewhere around the web.

Then, you need to figure out what you like about the company and turn that into text.

Let’s say, for example, you’re passionate about their product and you like the culture of innovation / independent work in the organization.

You’d 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 thrives for excellence for all its product lines, creating market-leading tech. As someone that thrives in a self-driven environment, I truly believe that I and Company XYZ will be a great match.

What you don’t want to do here is be super generic for the sake of having something to write. Most job seekers tend to mess this one up. Let’s take a look at a very common example we tend to see (way too often):

I’d love to work for Company XYZ because of its culture of innovation. I believe that since I’m super creative, I’d be a good fit for the company. The company values of integrity and transparency really vibe with me.

See what’s wrong here? The example doesn’t really say anything about the company. “Culture of Innovation” is something most companies claim to have. 

The same goes for “values of integrity and transparency” - the writer just googled what the values for the organization are, and said that they like them.

Any hiring manager that reads this will see through the fluff.

So, make sure to do a lot of research and come up with good reasons why you're applying.

Step #7 - Wrap up with a call to action

Finally, it’s time to finish up your cover letter and write the conclusion.

In the final paragraph, you want to:

  • Wrap up any points you couldn't in the previous paragraphs. Do you have anything left to say? Any other information that could help the hiring manager make their decision? Mention it here.
  • Thank the hiring manager for their time. It never hurts to be courteous, as long as you don’t come off as too needy.
  • Finish the cover letter with a call to action. The very last sentence in your cover letter should be a call to action. You should ask the hiring manager to take some sort of action.

And now, let’s turn this into a practical example:

So to wrap it all up, thanks for looking into my application. I hope I can help Company X make the most out 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.

Step #8 - Use the right formal closing

Once you’re done with the final paragraph, all you have to do is write down a formal “goodbye” and you’re good to go.

Feel free to use one of the most popular conclusions to a cover letter:

  • Best Regards,
  • Kind Regards,

And we’re finally done! Before sending off the cover letter, make sure to proofread it with software like Grammarly, or maybe even get a friend to review it for you.

Does your cover letter heading include all essential information?

  • Professional email
  • Relevant Social Media Profiles

Do you address the right person? I.e. hiring manager in the company / your future direct supervisor

Does your introductory paragraph grab the reader's attention?

  • Did you mention 2-3 of your top achievements?
  • Did you use numbers and facts to back up your experience?

Do you successfully convey that you’re the right pro for the job?

  • Did you identify the core requirements?
  • Did you successfully convey how your experiences help 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 finalize the conclusion with a call to action?

Did you use the right formal closure for the cover letter?

5+ Cover Letter Examples

Need some inspiration? Read on to learn about some of the best cover letter examples we’ve seen (for different fields).

College Student Cover Letter Example

college or student cover letter example

Middle Management Cover Letter Example

Middle Management Cover Letter

Career Change Cover Letter Example

Career Change Cover Letter

Management Cover Letter Example

Management Cover Letter Example

Senior Executive Cover Letter Example

Senior Executive Cover Letter Example

Want to discover more examples AND learn what makes them stand out? Check out our guide to cover letter examples .

Next Steps in 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 is for naught. 

After all, a cover letter is just an introduction. Imagine going through all this effort to leave an amazing first impression, but flopping at the end because of a mediocre resume.

...But don’t you worry, we’ve got you covered on that end, too.

If you want to learn more about Resumes & CVs, we have a dedicated FREE guide for that. Check out our complete guide on how to make a resume , as well as how to write a CV - our experts will teach you everything you need to know in order to land your dream job.

Or, if you’re already an expert, just pick one of our resume templates and get started.

resume examples for cover letter

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 convinces the hiring manager of your competence
  • A cover letter goes in your job application alongside your resume
  • Your introduction to the cover letter should grab the hiring manager’s attention and keep it all the way until the conclusion
  • There are 2 main topics you need to include in your cover letter: why you’re the perfect candidate for the job & why you’re passionate about working in the company you’re applying to
  • Most of the content of your cover letter should be factual , without any fluff or generalizations

At Novorésumé, we’re committed to helping you get the job you deserve, every step of the way! Follow our blog to stay up to date with the industry-leading advice. Or, check out some of our top guides…

  • How to Write a Motivational Letter
  • How to Write a Resume with No Work Experience
  • Most Common Interview Questions and Answers

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LiveCareer

Best Cover Letter Examples for 2023

Our cover letter examples help with your job application because they show you what to include and how to convince employers you’re the right person for the job. We have 245+ samples from over 18 industries. Plus, we give advice and tips on how to use cover letters in various hiring situations.

Popular cover letter examples

Here are some of our most-viewed cover letter samples.

Don’t see your job title? Keep scrolling to search for the exact job title you need,and find hundreds more examples below!

Universal cover letter example

Every cover letter should include the same sections as the sample seen here, regardless of the job.

All cover letters should include these six sections:

Address/Salutation:

  • This belongs at the top of the document, where you include your contact info and the address of the person to whom you are writing.

Salutation:

  • You should identify the person you are writing to by name .

Introduction paragraph:

  • An attention-grabbing opening paragraph where you introduce yourself, mention the role you want and briefly explain what makes you qualified.

Body paragraph(s):

  • One or two paragraphs that tell a story about your relevant professional experience, career growth, achievements or skills.

Closing paragraph:

  • A final paragraph that restates your interest in the role, thanks the hiring manager for their time, and expresses hope for a future chat or meeting.
  • A formal sign-off with your name.

Cover letter samples can inspire and show what’s needed to write your cover letter .

For even more help, use our Cover Letter Builder ! It’s a modern tool that gives easy, step-by-step guidance, features 30+ cover letter designs and provides industry-specific phrasing written by resume experts.

Cover letter examples by industry and job title

Looking for a sample cover letter for a resume in your industry? Check out our examples listed by job title and organized by industry.

SEARCH BY JOB TITLE

  • Accounting & Finance
  • Administrative
  • Construction
  • Customer Service
  • Firefighting
  • Hotel & Hospitality
  • Human Resources
  • Information Technology
  • Safety & Security
  • Transportation

Accounting & Finance Cover Letter Examples

Study our accounting and finance cover letter samples for your job application to multiply your chance for success. See how other candidates describe their math skills, tax code knowledge and education to earn these roles.

  • Accounting Clerk
  • Accounting Manager
  • Internal Audit Manager
  • Junior Accountant
  • Payroll Accountant
  • Revenue Manager

Administrative Cover Letter Examples

A cover letter demonstrates your organization and communication skills before you step into the office. These administrative letter examples will help you get ready to write. Use our cover letter examples for the job you desire.

  • Administrative Assistant
  • Data Collector
  • Data Entry Clerk
  • Deputy Clerk
  • Executive Assistant
  • Office Manager
  • Personal Assistant
  • Receptionist

Business Cover Letter Examples

Here are good cover letter examples for business roles. They’ll help you see the selling points your job competition uses to frame their experience.

  • Assistant Director
  • Business Analyst
  • Business Consultant
  • General Manager
  • Operations Manager
  • Risk Manager
  • Shift Manager

Construction Cover Letter Examples

We’ve got example cover letters that you can use as blueprints for your own solid introduction. Get inspired and learn how other job seekers are framing their skills in the construction field.

  • Construction Supervisor
  • Crane Operator
  • General Contractor
  • Independent Contractor
  • Manual Labor
  • Site Supervisor

Customer Service Cover Letter Examples

Writing a cover letter is a breeze if you’ve got the patience and communication skills required for customer service roles. Just stick to the script! Write a great letter using our cover letter examples to guide you.

  • Airline Customer Service
  • Call Center Representative
  • Customer Service Associate
  • Customer Service Manager
  • Customer Service Representative CV
  • Room Attendant
  • Service Coordinator
  • Ticket Agent

Education Cover Letter Examples

A good cover letter example can show you what you should say to get hired. Study our education cover letter examples below. They’ll help you brainstorm and craft a cover letter worthy of a gold star.

  • Academic Dean
  • Admissions Counselor
  • Assistant Superintendent
  • Assistant Teacher
  • Director of Admissions
  • Instructional Designer
  • Literacy Coach
  • Preschool Director
  • School Guidance Counselor
  • School Principal
  • School Superintendent

Fire Fighting Cover Letter Examples

Our firefighting example cover letters provide you with good ideas for how you can tell your own career story.

  • Fire Inspector
  • Firefighter

Healthcare Cover Letter Examples

Give your job search the booster shot it needs, a cover letter that demands attention. Our cover letter samples will help you write your own letter that will impress hiring managers and land you an interview.

  • Assisted Living Manager
  • Health Care Assistant
  • Medical Billing Specialist
  • Medical Interpreter
  • Medical Office Assistant
  • Patient Care Coordinator
  • Patient Care Technician
  • Patient Service Representative
  • Personal Care Assistant
  • Speech Therapist
  • Wellness Activities Assistant

Hotel & Hospitality Cover Letter Examples

Our cover letters are at your service! Check out our collection of hospitality cover letter samples below. They’re full of great ideas for describing your passion for hospitality, guest satisfaction and great service.

  • Guest Service Representative
  • Hotel Concierge
  • Hotel Guest Service Agent
  • Hotel Manager
  • Hotel Receptionist
  • Retail and Restaurant Associate

Human Resources Cover Letter Examples

HR is often responsible for hiring at many companies, so your cover letter should be top-notch. Review our cover letter samples for HR positions. See how others describe their skills in hiring, managing and developing talent within a company.

  • Benefits Analyst
  • Compensation and Benefits
  • Corporate Recruiter
  • Employment Advisor
  • HR Business Partner
  • HR Coordinator
  • HR Executive
  • Human Resource Specialist
  • Human Resources Generalist
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Organizational Development
  • Recruiting and Employment
  • Recruitment Coordinator
  • Technical Recruiter
  • Training and Development Manager

Information Technology Cover Letter Examples

Nearly every modern business needs technical support. Get insight into how others sell their tech skills. Take advantage of our great cover letter examples to help land the IT job you desire.

  • Chief Technology Officer
  • Computer Technician
  • Data Coordinator
  • IT Service Manager
  • Project Officer
  • Service Delivery Manager
  • Service Desk Analyst
  • Technology Director

Janitorial Cover Letter Examples

Spruce up your cover letter to score a new job with our maintenance and janitorial example cover letters below. They’ll help you craft a letter that shows employers you’ll keep their workplaces up and running.

  • Cleaning Professionals
  • Executive Housekeeper
  • Housekeeper
  • Housekeeping Supervisor

Marketing Cover Letter Examples

If your resume is your personal branding statement, your cover letter is the sales pitch to get hired. Hone your message for marketing and advertising positions by looking over cover letter example letters here.

  • Account Manager
  • Advertising Operations Manager
  • Analytics Manager
  • Brand Manager
  • Chief Marketing Officer
  • Digital Marketing Manager
  • E Commerce Manager
  • Market Researcher
  • Product Marketer
  • Public Relations
  • Social Media Manager

Medical Cover Letter Examples

Our cover letter samples for medical professionals will show hiring managers you’ve got the necessary skills, schooling and work experience to succeed. We’ve got examples from every medical specialty.

  • Acupuncturist
  • Anesthesiologist
  • Audiologist
  • Cardiologist
  • Clinical Research Assistant
  • Dialysis Patient Care Technician
  • General Practitioner
  • Health And Safety Officer
  • Hospital Clerk
  • Medical Records Clerk
  • Nursing Home Administrator
  • Optical Assistant
  • Pediatrician
  • Phlebotomist
  • Respiratory Therapist
  • Ultrasound Technician

Retail Cover Letter Examples

Earn a new job in retail with a stellar cover letter. See how our cover example letters for retail jobs demonstrate the full range of skills needed in the industry.

  • Area Manager
  • Assistant General Manager
  • Assistant Merchandiser
  • Merchandise Associate
  • Mobile Sales Pro
  • Retail Assistant Store Manager
  • Retail Merchandiser
  • Retail Sales Associate
  • Retail Supervisor
  • Store Manager
  • Storekeeper
  • Supermarket Cashier

Sales Cover Letter Examples

Sell your future employer on hiring you with an excellent cover letter. Browse through our sales cover letter samples for one matching the role you want.

  • Automotive Salesperson
  • Client Relationship Manager
  • Franchise Owner
  • Inside Sales Representative
  • Medical Sales Representative
  • Outside Sales Representative
  • Regional Manager
  • Sales Account Executive
  • Sales and Marketing Coordinator
  • Sales Coordinator
  • Sales Director
  • Sales Operations Manager
  • Sales Representative
  • Sales Supervisor
  • Salesperson
  • Technical Sales Representative
  • Telemarketer
  • Territory Sales Manager

Safety & Security Cover Letter Examples

Secure a job by submitting a great cover letter. Check out some top-notch security cover letter samples to see how you can best sell your own experience to employers.

  • Director of Security
  • Loss Prevention Manager
  • Protection Officer
  • Safety Coordinator
  • Safety Manager
  • Security Guard
  • Security Officer
  • Security Supervisor

Transportation Cover Letter Examples

A cover letter is a vehicle to accelerate your job hunt. Take a look at our transportation application letter examples for ideas on how to impress hiring managers. They’ll help you arrive at your next job.

  • Fleet Manager
  • Freight Associate
  • Passenger Service Agent
  • Transportation Customer Service Advisor
  • Transportation Manager

Cover letter examples for every scenario

Use the example letters below to find the right words or phrases to explain yourself in different professional scenarios.

If you lack work experience, a cover letter can help you fill in the gaps by pointing out the skills, education and training you possess that make you an excellent fit for the role. It’s also the best place to share your enthusiasm and eagerness to learn.

Why this cover letter works:

  • Establishes a personal connection to the business.
  • Uses volunteer experience to support skills.
  • Focuses on how the job seeker meets the needs of the shop.

A cover letter is valuable if you have limited work or internship experience. It helps you draw a direct connection between the experience and education milestones to the employer’s needs.

  • Does a good job tying education to the demands of the job.
  • Grabs attention by including numbers in the body paragraph.
  • Expresses enthusiasm for the role.

If you have an employment gap on your resume, a hiring manager may wonder why. In this case, a cover letter is the perfect opportunity to explain. In the body of your letter, briefly mention why you stepped away from the workforce, such as a layoff, family emergency or to raise children.

  • Tells a story about the candidate’s career development.
  • Uses body paragraph to explain reasons for the job gap.
  • Sells the gap as helping the candidate renew and improve.

When you want to make a career change, your cover letter is the space to explain your reason(s) for doing so. Keep your explanation for the change brief and highlight your passion. The bulk of your cover letter should highlight your relevant work experience and transferable skills .

  • Connects skills developed in previous roles to the new one.
  • Explains the job seeker’s motivation for the career change.
  • Shows candidate’s personality and commitment to learning.

A cover letter is critical when seeking a promotion or transfer with your current employer. Use it to explain your motivation and why you believe you would excel in the new role.

  • Mentions notable contributions, e.g., 15% revenue increase.
  • Establishes a sense of devotion and passion for the company.
  • Identifies top skills that make the job seeker qualified.

If you have a connection who works at the company you’re applying to or is a colleague of the hiring manager, mention it in your cover letter’s first paragraph. Your chances of getting the job will increase if someone inside the company recommends you.

  • Builds trust with the hiring manager by citing reference.
  • Establishes that the candidate is involved in the industry.
  • Reinforces qualifications by telling a story.

If you have your eye on a company you want to work for but haven’t seen any job openings, you can use a cover letter to show your interest. Your introduction should explain why you want to work for this company in addition to selling your skills.

  • Shows the candidate’s passion for inquiring about a role.
  • Mentions a former colleague to create an internal reference.
  • Cites top skills that the job seeker brings to the table.

Have a lead on a great role that will open in the future? There’s no need to wait for it to post on a job board. Get ahead of your job competition by reaching out with a cover letter that explains how you heard about this opportunity ahead of time.

  • Establishes trust with connection to a current employee.
  • Shows motivation by being ahead of the application process.
  • Angles for a meeting before the interview process begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cover letter.

A cover letter is a document that accompanies your resume when applying for a job. Its aim is to introduce yourself, outline your skills and experience, and explain why you would be the best fit for the role.

Cover letters shouldn’t be long, just a few paragraphs –– about 250 words or one double-spaced page.

They are a great way to convey your enthusiasm for the position or company and discuss what interests you about the role. Personalize your letter by directly addressing the hiring manager or recruiter.

What does a cover letter look like?

A cover letter looks like any other standard business letter: It consists of a recipient address, a greeting, two to three body paragraphs (the main text) and a signature. It’s three to four paragraphs long and should all fit on a single page.

While a cover letter will always consist of the same parts, you can change the appearance by changing details such as the font or adding a touch of color.

If you’re uncertain about what a cover letter looks like, it’s a good idea to use a cover letter template .

A template is just a preformatted document that takes care of the visual elements of your cover letter. That way, you can focus on the message of your cover letter instead of the design.

How important are cover letters when applying for jobs?

Cover letters are very important to apply for jobs. The only time that you shouldn’t include one is if the job post requests that you don’t or if the website you’re using to apply for a job does not allow you to attach one.

Even if it’s not requested, submitting a cover letter will help attract the attention of hiring managers. It’s a way to show that you have solid communication skills and expand on your resume’s key skills.

Since it’s more space to advertise yourself than a resume alone, it helps you better sell yourself. Cover letters are critical because you may be at a disadvantage for the job if you don’t take the time to include one, and other candidates do.

What are three good cover letter tips to remember?

Here are three helpful cover letter tips:

  • Customize your cover letter for every role. Make sure you tailor your letter to the employer’s needs based on what it says in the job post. That way, it speaks to an employer’s needs and better appeals to them. Furthermore, many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS). ATS is software that scans your resume and cover letter for specific phrases. Targeting your cover letter to the job post helps ensure that you pass an ATS.
  • Go deeper than what’s on the resume. Cover letters should elaborate on key details in your resume, not repeat them. For example, instead of just restating that you are organized, you could expand on this by including a line about how you used that skill to revamp the company filing system, which increased efficiency. Turn the lifeless details of your resume into an engaging story!
  • Use numbers and metrics. Including numerical metrics helps quantify your skills to a potential employer. Saying something like, “Analyzed ways to reduce costs, enhance revenues and improve profits 33%,” will help you. That’s because numbers pop out and grab the attention of the person reading your cover letter. Furthermore, they add more detail to your abilities and performance level.

What should be in a well-written cover letter?

Our sample cover letters show you all the elements of a strong cover letter. At its most basic, a well-written cover letter is composed of five key sections:

  • Header: The header of your cover letter contains your contact information. Include your telephone number, professional email address and links to your LinkedIn profile, personal website or online portfolio, if applicable.
  • Greeting: Do your research to find the hiring manager’s name and address your cover letter to that person. If it’s not listed in the job ad, research LinkedIn or the company website to identify the right person. In a pinch, find the name of someone in the recruiting department and address your letter to that person. Avoid generic greetings, such as “To whom it may concern,” if possible.
  • Opening paragraph: The opening paragraph of your letter should mention the name of the company and the job title to which you are applying. It should also briefly say why you are applying for the job. Then, you should cite the top skills that make you qualified for the role.
  • Body paragraph(s): The body of your cover letter is its longest, most important section. It’s one or two paragraphs where you expand on the most relevant parts of your experience or education. Whereas in the opening paragraph, you tell the employer you’re right for the job, in these paragraphs, you should show them by using numbers or telling a story that illustrates your abilities. This is the section where you should use data and metrics in this section to detail to recruiters the impact your work has had and what you will bring to the table if hired.
  • Closing paragraph: Your closing paragraph should briefly summarize your enthusiasm for the role and express hope for a future discussion. Then, thank the reader for their time. Sign off with a formal closing statement like “Regards” or “Sincerely” and your name.

Is it OK to have a two-page cover letter?

Cover letters should be focused and concise, so it’s not advised to go past one page. That’s the accepted standard practice for cover letters.

That’s because recruiters often get hundreds of applications for a single job opening and don’t have time to read long letters. That’s not to mention including a cover letter that is longer than other candidates’ may look sloppy and unprofessional.

How should I prepare my cover letter?

There are two ways to write a cover letter:

  • You can do it the old-fashioned way, from scratch. That means formatting your page, brainstorming what to say, writing and then editing your document.
  • Use a modern tool: Our Cover Letter Builder . It uses computer automation to make creating a resume much easier than doing it from scratch!That’s because it’s like having an expert guide you through the process. All you have to do is answer a series of easy-to-follow prompts.Best of all, our builder offers suggested prewritten text suggestions crafted by our team of career experts. They’re all targeted to the job title for which you’re applying.This extra help saves time compared to doing it the old-fashioned way. You can complete a cover letter in under 15 minutes!

See more on our FAQ Page

Create a Cover Letter with LiveCareer

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cover letter for a cv examples

The Ultimate Guide to CV Templates & Cover Letter Writing

How to write a cover letter, how to write a cv, download cv templates.

  • More CV Articles

If you aren’t sure how to write a cv and what to include in your cover letter, then our Ultimate Guide To CV and Cover Letter Writing will answer all your questions, providing you with a helpful CV template and Cover Letter Sample .

Every successful job hunt starts with a good cover letter and a great CV.

Free CV Template and Cover Letter Sample: the Ultimate Guide

What is a Cover Letter

A cover letter is a document you include with your CV when applying to job ads. It helps you sell your application and enables you to explain why you’re the best person for the role.

What to include in your Cover Letter?

Here is a quick overview of what you need to add to your cover letter:

  • A heading with personal information such as your name, phone number, email address, date, name of the hiring manager, their professional title, and the hiring company’s name and address
  • A professional greeting; preferably, you will know the name of the likely reader
  • An eye-catching opening paragraph that outlines your skills, experience, and suitability for the job
  • A second paragraph showcasing the fact you’re the best fit for the organization
  • A third paragraph highlighting your desire to join while reiterating your suitability
  • A closing paragraph outlining how you can help the company fulfil its goals
  • A formal closing
  • A postscript adding one of your most impressive achievements

Don’t forget to send a follow-up email a few days after applying.

What is the purpose of a Cover Letter for a CV?

A lot of people don’t bother sending a cover letter because they believe a CV is sufficient. Others regurgitate their CV, rendering the letter redundant. A well-written cover letter highlights your skills and experience and expands on your CV rather than duplicating it. In general, 3-5 paragraphs on a single A4 page is long enough for a cover letter.

Now, let’s look at two cover letter samples; one is for a typical job, the other is for an internship.

You should always include a cover letter with your application even if the employer doesn’t ask you for one.  Why? Well, it’s a fantastic way to add information that doesn’t fit into a CV.  It will also help to give your  application a bit more ‘personality’.

When it comes to cover letters, most employers look for the following:

  • Tailored skills from the job description
  • Well written and formatted content
  • Further details from information in your CV (but NOT a direct copy)
  • The ‘value’ you would bring to the organisation. In other words, why should we hire you?
  • Perfect spelling & grammar
  • A reflection of your personality

Top Cover Letter Tips

Get the balance right.

There is a fine line between being confident and being arrogant. At the same time,  you have to showcase your skill and experience.  For example, saying “Although I don’t have vast experience as a leader, I have led teams in the absence of supervisors”, won’t impress anyone. It is better to say “I have led teams for 10 years in various phases in my organisation and gained [skill X] during each occasion.”

Pick at least 3 of  the qualities mentioned in the job application and briefly refer to them in your cover letter.

Stick to the facts surrounding your achievements. Don’t’ be tempted to show off in your cover letter but this can come across as arrogant which is a real turn-off for employers.

Show Evidence of your Abilities

Pick at least 3 of the qualities mentioned in the job application and briefly refer to them in your cover letter; they should already be listed in your CV. It’s always best to use hard data in terms of facts and figures when necessary. For example, “During my financial executive role in Cork, I was involved in banking contracts ranging from €40 million to €150 million” is better than “I was a financial executive in Australia.”

Discuss the Company

Research the company then mention the aspects of what it does that impresses you the most. If you love its innovation, give an example of how it is leading the field in this department.

Keep it Short

There is no need to go beyond a single A4 page because unless the application is for a managerial/executive position, the recruiter won’t go past page one anyway. Your cover letter should consist of the highlights of your career to date and should be brief. You shouldn’t have more than three paragraphs and each one should get straight to the point.

Send as a PDF

Every computer can open a PDF file without the need for conversion. The last thing you want is to send your cover letter in a file that needs to be converted as the recruiter might just move onto the next person instead.

Personalise (If Possible)

If you’re savvy you’ll perform the necessary research to find out who you’re sending the application to. “Hello Mr. Johnson” is much better than “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam.” However, there may be occasions when you simply don’t know who will be reading the letter. In this case, it’s better not to address anyone. The only thing worse than a generic opening is addressing the person by the wrong name!

How to write a cover letter - proofread

You would be astonished at the number of spelling and grammatical errors contained in the average cover letter. The reader will assume you were too lazy or haphazard to check your own work which almost guarantees rejection. Get a friend or family member to read over it after you’ve proofread it yourself.

Stick to the Point

Hiring managers read dozens of cover letters and the last thing they want is to sift through irrelevant information on a page. Rather than focus on activities and tell the company about your love of bowling, look for ways to align the company’s values with your own.

Cover Letter Template

A classic cover letter should contain 3-4 paragraphs. Try to address a specific person if necessary and then do the following:

  • Opening Paragraph: Outline what you have to offer that is directly relevant to the role. If you begin rambling you will immediately lose the reader. You can also state the position you are applying for and the reasons why you applied. While this is seen as a complete waste of time by some, there’s a chance that the company will be advertising more than one job.
  • Middle Paragraphs: This section should include details on how the skills, experience and education you possess make you an ideal fit for the specific requirements of the job. This is where your research comes in handy; you can include details on the company itself (and why you specifically want to work for them) to show that you have done your homework.
  • Final Paragraph: Conclude by thanking the reader for their consideration and state that you would welcome the opportunity for an interview.

Cover Letter Example

Dear Mr. Jones,

I am applying for the available marketing assistant role advertised at www.jobs.ie.

As well as having experience in the marketing field, I graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) with a BA in Marketing. I am now looking to use the knowledge gained so far in my career to further help clients achieve their sales targets and the opening at Acme Business presents me with the ideal opportunity to achieve this goal.

I believe I meet all the criteria needed for the role. In the course of my studies, I learned a great deal about the financial side of running a business including details on setting a budget. I worked as part of a group for a number of projects and feel comfortable as part of a team due to my interpersonal and communication skills.

At Johnson Marketing, I worked for a variety of major international firms and helped them learn crucial details about customer behaviour. As a result, we were able to streamline the marketing campaigns of these clients to reduce costs while increasing ROI. I worked with five different clients during my tenure at Johnson Marketing and all five enjoyed a sales increase of at least 10%.

In addition to this extensive marketing campaign experience, I also have strong administrative, communication, problem solving and time management skills. This broad background makes me an ideal candidate for this position and I believe I will bring flexibility, efficiency, reliability and innovation to your company. Please read the accompanying CV which will provide you with further details of my skill set and academic qualifications.

I appreciate you taking the time to read my application and I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards,

Cover Letter Dont’s

Beginning with your name.

This is unnecessary since your name is already on your CV and other parts of your application. It is a weak opening and you’re already on the back foot. A better way to start your cover letter is to open by stating that you have a qualification relevant to the job opening.

Beginning with “I’m a marketing professional with 15+ years of healthcare industry experience” is far better than “My name is Jane Doe.”

Cover Letter for a Job Application Template

Cover letter for an internship template, repeating your cv.

It is a total waste of time and paper to turn your cover letter into another version of your CV.   Remember it actually attached your CV!

Your cover letter is your opportunity to show an interest in the field, curiosity and your  personality.

Always Google the hiring company and don’t be afraid to throw in a historical fact or two related to the company’s past. For example, tech professionals could talk about how thrilling it is to be part of the industry’s transformation and perhaps mention a recent change that altered the field.

This should be an obvious point and it also applies to your CV. You may think it can improve your chances of landing the role but in reality, it’s very likely your deception will be uncovered. These days, companies take no chances and are extremely thorough when performing background checks.

These days, companies take no chances and are extremely thorough when performing background checks.

All it takes is one ‘white lie’ to be uncovered and your chances of being employed are finished. Worse still, word might get around and other companies will be reluctant to hire you also.

Adding References

References are irrelevant when it comes to cover letters and are a waste of valuable space. From the hiring manager’s point of view, all you’re doing is including the names of people that mean nothing to them.

Trying to Justify Quitting or a Redundancy

The reader of your cover letter is only interested in current information and isn’t too concerned about why you were laid off or even why you quit your last job. In fact, bringing these issues up in your cover letter could set off alarm bells in the mind of the hiring manager. They may believe that you still have unresolved issues and are unable to move forward. The interview is the time and place to discuss these matters.

As you probably know, CV stands for Curriculum Vitae.  Bear in mind it is not the story of your life.  Instead, think of it as a sales brochure which is a summary of your experience, skills and education written to convince employers that you are the best choice for their vacancy.

How to write a cv

How long should a CV be?

The best CVs are concise and contain nothing but information that will get you an interview. A general rule of thumb is to keep your CV to two pages and ensure it is well spaced out with subheadings.

However, individuals with little experience or education may find that a single page is sufficient for entry-level jobs. On the flip side, a manager with decades of experience could conceivably write a CV that’s three pages long.

There are different types of CVs. The conventional version is best used if you have reasonable experience and a decent educational background. However, a different approach is required if you have little experience. Below, we provide two CV samples for job applicants with a shortage of real-world work experience.

Top CV Tips

Keep it to 2 a4 pages.

There is no reason to ever go beyond two A4 pages when writing a CV. Remember, hiring managers tend to ‘skim’ the content and have to read a host of applications. If he/she is confronted by a CV spanning several pages, it will end up in the bin.

Your CV is an opportunity to show a company that you tick all the right boxes and the goal is to get an interview. As a result, you have to keep things relatively short and sweet. You can let your personality shine through in your cover letter.

Think of your CV as a sales brochure. The product you are selling is you! 

Ensure it is Error Free

A staggering number of CVs sent to employers have at least one spelling and/or grammatical error. This is cause for immediate rejection.

In other words, meticulous proofreading will immediately increase your chances of being called in for an interview!

Other potential errors to watch out for include providing the wrong contact information (phone numbers and email addresses) and getting the dates in your education and employment history wrong. Double check everything!

Show that you Understand the Job Description

You wouldn’t believe how many people apparently skim the job description only to create a completely unsuitable CV. Always read the job description from start to finish and highlight keywords. Try to find out the aspects of the job you can satisfy and those you can’t.

You don’t need to be a 100% perfect fit in order to have a good chance of getting an interview for the role.

If you find there are a few areas where you’re not strong, compensate by adapting your existing skills. This process will be a lot easier if you have a number of ‘transferable’ skills. By carefully reading the job description, you can avoid wasting time by applying for jobs you have little chance of getting.

Show Your Value

The person reading your CV wants to know if you can do the job and if you are a good fit for the company’s corporate culture.  A good CV should answer both these questions conclusively.  and involves making the most of the Skills and Interests sections. Include key skills relevant to the role; they may include Teamworking, Problem Solving and Communication skills.

To do that make the mo st of the Skills and Interests sections. Include key skills relevant to the role; they may include Teamworking, Problem Solving and Communication skills.

Take a moment to consider how you’ve grown your skills. You don’t necessarily need to have gained them in a working capacity. You may have gained Leadership skills by running a volunteer scheme for example.

When it comes to your Interests, avoid being generic and adding things such as ‘watching TV’. Such hobbies may make you seem unsociable and the reader may even perceive you to be lacking people skills if your interests are all solo endeavours. Add examples where you worked as part of a team. For instance, you may have worked for your college’s newspaper or been involved in a local GAA team.

Make the Most of Your Experience

You should focus on your most recent 2-3 positions unless you have older jobs relevant to the position you’re applying for. When describing your employment history, try and be as specific as possible when listing responsibilities, duties, skills and achievements.

It is always best to include details of how you managed to help your employer. For example, in your role as manager you could outline how you increased productivity by 20% or saved the company money by eliminating inefficient processes. When talking about your experience, you need to forget about showing how amazing you are and concentrate on how you can be a fantastic acquisition for the company.

Keep Your CV Updated

You need to keep your CV updated on a regular basis and add new experience or skills as you achieve them. For example, don’t neglect to add details of a new project you’ve just worked on. Employers are always seeking people who are constantly looking to improve their existing capabilities.

Add References

This is a tricky one. In a lot of cases, you could get away with adding ‘references available upon request’ but in some instances, employers will specifically ask for them.

Try to get your references from past employers as they can back you up when it comes to skills and experience. This is why you should always look to leave your current workplace on good terms.

If you haven’t worked before, use a teacher or a tutor as your reference. Most employers want two references.

Create Your CV for the Search Engines Too

An increasing number of people are applying for jobs through online sites. In this instance, you need to include keywords specific to the industry and the role you’re applying for in order to ensure the search engine picks you out from the crowd.

For example, if you’re applying for a marketing position, you could include terms such as digital marketing and SEO. Go online to find out the keywords best associated with the job title.

Mind that Gap

If there are clear gaps in your CV, employers immediately become suspicious. First of all, don’t try and change the dates of past jobs to make everything ‘fit’ as employers can just ring up past employers and uncover your deception.

A better tactic is to try to ‘reframe’ your absence from the workforce as a positive. An example would be to mention any volunteer work you did and mention that it helped you develop soft skills such as project management and teamwork.

Use Professional Fonts

Good font choices include Times New Roman, Arial or Garamond and size 11 or 12 lettering is ideal. You should also use bold font when starting a new section to separate it from the rest and make it easier to ‘skim’.

CV Template

A typical CV should have the following layout:

  • Contact Information: Include your full name, address, mobile phone number and email address. Don’t include your full home address if you are posting the CV online.
  • Personal Profile: This is a great way to begin a CV as it immediately provides the reader with an outline of why you would be a great fit for the role. A surprising number of CVs don’t have a personal profile so adding one immediately gives you an edge. Include a few skills and achievements relevant to the role and use them to highlight your experience in the field. Keep this section to 200 words or less.
  • Education: Include details of college and secondary school information with the most recent first. Be sure to add any professional qualifications you’ve achieved to date.
  • Skills: Pick at least 5 skills and show how they relate to the job in question.
  • Work Experience: The most recent jobs should be listed first and then you work your way backwards. Don’t include more than 3 or jobs and only include older roles if they are relevant to the job opening. You can also include volunteer work and internships if relevant.

Is There Anything Else?

If you are asked to provide references, include two from past employers. Make sure these people will give you positive feedback!

You can include hobbies if you wish but please ensure they are in some way related to the job opening. While learning a spare language in your free time may be seen as useful by an employer, spending hours watching the latest TV shows does little for your chances of getting an interview!

You should also leave the following information out of your CV:

  • Date of Birth: Legally employers can’t discriminate on age so you don’t need to include your date of birth on your CV
  • Place of Birth: There is no need to provide this unnecessary information .
  • A Photo: CVs with photos are more common in the US but less so in Europe so there is no need to include one.

CV Examples

There are different CV types but the sample below relates to a ‘traditional’ CV.

14 Lighthouse Lane, Lucan, Dublin

Mobile: xxx xxxxxx               [email protected]

Personal Statement

A Marketing graduate from University College Dublin (UCD). Possesses the skills and knowledge essential for managing an organisation’s key areas along with the problem solving skills necessary in the field. Looking for a post in marketing where I can use my communication and sales skills.

2010 – 2013: Dublin City University

BA (Hons) Marketing 2:1

Modules included:

  • Advertising
  • Accounting & Finance
  • Human Resource Management

Completed two dissertations in the final year including one on the immediate impact of the global financial crisis on marketing strategies.

2006-2010:  St William’s Secondary School, Dublin

Leaving Certificate Honours: Mathematics, English, History, Physics, Business Studies, Irish and Accounting.

Work Experience

Feb 2014 – Aug 2016:           Market Researcher, Johnson Marketing, Dublin

This role involved helping clients make effective decisions about their products by researching and analysing customer opinion data. Worked as part of a team that determined what our clients’ target audience wanted, why people chose the brand and why they purchase certain products.

Also worked in a number of high profile projects for clients such as Tyrell, Jones and Mitchells. Was a member of teams that identified the needs of clients’ target audiences and increased sales revenue. Jones saw an 20% increase in profits in first 6 months after we gave them our findings.

June 2012 – Jan 2014:          Retail Assistant, Marks & Spencer, Dublin

This role involved working the tills and taking deliveries. Worked as part of a team that was entrusted with reducing queuing times and increasing customer satisfaction levels. Was chosen to count the till receipts and open and close the shop on a regular basis.

Oct 2010 – May 2012:           Ladieswear Advisor, Primark, Dublin

Supported the store in delivering outstanding customer service, successfully promoted products and helped customers choose purchases by offering 1-on-1 advice in a friendly manner. Helped customers to further understand the features and benefits of the clothing on offer.

  • Interpersonal: Ability to develop good working relationships with people of all backgrounds while encouraging development of colleagues in order to achieve specified team goals.
  • Innovation : Uses a methodical and detailed thought process to resolve in-depth queries with the aim of finding efficient, safe and appropriate resolutions.
  • Initiative: Resourceful, energetic and results-driven. Keen self-starter who enjoys taking ownership of her work to ensure the expectations of colleagues and customers are managed.
  • Communication: Experience dealing with internal and external customers via telephone and email and has the ability to actively listen and ask probing questions to discover a solution.
  • Flexibility: Versatile, adaptable, and multi-skilled. Has a penchant for forward planning with long-term targets in mind.

Additional Achievements & Interests

  • Proficient in Microsoft Office packages including Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
  • Experienced in social media content marketing.
  • Volunteered at Johnston’s Conservation Club 2012-2015
  • Enjoys reading business articles in a bid to learn more about marketing techniques and increasing customer satisfaction.

Mr. Paul O’Shea                                                                    Mrs. Kate Brady

Manager                                                                                  Assistant Manager

Johnson Marketing                                                                Marks & Spencer, Dublin

Tel: 086543210                                                                      Tel: 0876543221

Email: [email protected]                                          Email: [email protected]

cv template

New Job CV Template

If you are thinking of looking for a new job then this is the CV sample for you.

This CV focuses on your achievements and work history so this is the best CV to use if you are going for a job in a new company or looking for a promotion with your current employer.

First Job / Graduate CV Template

If you have just left school or have graduated from college then this is the CV sample for you.

In this CV you need to focus on your skills, training and enthusiasm. Remember, if you are applying for a junior or graduate role most employers won’t expect a huge amount of work experience.

CV with no Experience Template

Skills based cv template.

There are several different types of CV and you’ll need to create the one that bests suits your skills, education and situation.

Traditional

This is also known as a chronological CV and it is designed to match your work experience and qualifications with the job’s requirements. It should be written in reverse chronological order with your most recent education and work experience added first.

With this CV you can offer clear details of your work history, responsibilities and qualifications which match the job description criteria.

Skills Based

This is sometimes called a ‘functional’ CV and is a good choice if you wish to cover some gaps in your employment history. It’s also useful if your degree doesn’t match the job opening or if you don’t have much experience.

With this CV type, you can show employers your ‘transferable’ skills. These are skills which work in a variety of settings. When creating a Skills Based CV, be sure to match the skills with the job opening and show evidence of how you’ve used these skills in a real world situation.

This type of CV is primarily for IT jobs such as IT consultant, applications developer or web developer. You should open with a paragraph that outlines your technical skills and experience and add in a Key Skills section which enables you to go into more detail.

Make sure you highlight relevant skills and remember, the document will be read by non-technical people so keep jargon to a minimum. Focus on your problem solving abilities, communication skills and ability to maintain software applications while designing new ones.

Lying on your CV may seem like a good idea at the time but it will only end badly. Even a minor lie will torpedo your chances of landing a job and it will probably kill your chances of landing a job in the industry if word gets out. If you were to lie and claim you achieved a higher grade with your university degree, it could be seen as ‘fraud’ and you could be classified as a criminal in extreme cases!

You may think you’ll get away with it but the past has a habit of catching up with you. For instance, you might get the job despite your lie only for it to be discovered later on. Then you face the prospect of being fired! A more likely scenario is that you get asked questions you can’t answer at the interview.

Use Lengthy Sentences

Sentences and paragraphs in your CV must be kept short and to the point. Even if you have the ability to write like Shakespeare, your CV is NOT the place to showcase your talent for flowery prose.

A better method is to write almost in a news headline style. An ‘action-result’ format usually works well in a CV. For instance, you could say something like “Cut 20% off company’s budget plan by eliminating inefficiencies.”

 Employers hire people who get things done. Don’t tell them your responsibilities,   tell them what you achieved.

Not Minding Your Language

Make sure your CV isn’t bogged down by dull language. If you want to send a HR manager to sleep include phrases such as “my duties included” and “I am applying for.” You need to use action verbs at the start of your sentences such as “transformed.”

However, you must avoid going too far in the other direction by filling your CV with vague phrases. You might think you’re an “innovative problem solver” but can you prove it? Don’t include things you can’t back up with concrete examples.

Many interviewers use a candidate’s CV as a jumping off point for their interview questions so only include examples and statements in your CV that you are happy and confident to talk about.

Bad Formatting

Since recruiters spend approximately 8 seconds skimming every CV they receive, you need to ensure yours is easy to read. Your CV should be  concise and well-formatted so it can be absorbed quickly. A typical mistake is to use too many fonts or font sizes rather than sticking to the tried and trusted fonts we outlined above.

Not Selling Achievements

Always look to highlight relevant successes as this shows employers that you’re someone who gets results. A lot of people tend to shy away from this process as they think it makes them come across as arrogant. In reality, selling your achievements in the right way will likely send you hurtling to the top of the queue.

Recommended Jobs

Of course, you have to understand what is important to the business you want to join. For businesses, the best achievements to mention are decreasing costs, increasing revenue and streamlining processes.

Undervaluing experience

Although you have to trim down your experience, leaving out relevant information from more humble roles can be a mistake. For example, you might not mention that you were the leader of a club in college. If the club achieved something under your leadership, it is well worth mentioning. Even working part time in a bar in university can show your ability to effectively balance work and study.

Too much detail

Day-to-day details of previous jobs are unnecessary and often dull. For example, don’t include details of your duties in a bar during summer as they are fairly easy to guess. Instead, concentrate on whether you were trusted to take payments and how many customers you had to serve per shift.

No evidence

It isn’t enough to say ‘Profits increased’. You have to specify the level of profit and make sure it is accurate! This means saying something like “Profits increased by 15% over a 9 month period once we implemented the changes.”

Tailoring Your CV & Cover Letter For Each Application

Hiring managers can receive up to 100 applications for a job so they’re well-versed in the art of uncovering generic cover letters and CVs. Do this and your application will end up in the nearest bin.

Use a template to make sure your format and layout is correct but tailor the content so it meets the criteria for every single position you apply for even if the basics are the same.

Tailor Made CVs

When it comes to tailoring your CV to suit a specific role, here are a few things to consider:

  • Reading the Job Description: Think about what the words in the description actually mean when it comes to your day-to-day role and look at ways to make your CV ‘fit’. This can help you show that you have what it takes to handle these responsibilities.
  • Terminology: It is okay to add a technical term or two in your CV when appropriate but don’t get bogged down with jargon. For the most part, use ‘everyday’ language and throw in an applicable term just to show that you understand the industry.
  • Company Culture: Your research into the company should help uncover its culture. For example, if it is a ‘work hard, play hard’ type environment, you can tailor your Interests section to show how you would fit into such a culture.
  • Skills: In your Skills section, use adjectives similar to those you see in the job description. Obviously, you have to be a little creative or else it will be obvious that you blatantly copied the company.

Tailor Made Cover Letter

Since a good cover letter involves thinking deeply about the role you’re applying for, it takes a lot of time and effort. If you don’t bother writing one or come up with a generic version, the reader will assume you’re simply too lazy to make the effort and are clearly not worth considering. Here are a few quick tips on tailored cover letters:

  • Make it Memorable: The reader should be able to remember key things about you by the end of the letter.
  • Personalise: Take the time to find out who will read the letter and address it to that individual specifically.
  • Show Your Interest: Outline why you’re interested in the job and the company. Reference some of the company’s recent projects to show that you’ve done your homework.
  • Provide Evidence of your Skills: Explain why you’re the best candidate without repeating the CV’s content. Use examples to demonstrate why you’re the right choice for that particular firm.
  • End Strongly: Reiterate your enthusiasm for the job and the company and say that you’ll provide any further information they need.

If you adopt a common sense approach and tailor your CV and cover letter to the specific needs of the employer, you have an excellent chance of being called in for an interview. Read our  interview tips section to prepare for this stage.

Remember, companies aren’t that interested in how good you say you are, they want to know why you are the best pick for them .

Show the company that you’re the ideal choice and they’ll have no choice but to interview you to find out for themselves.

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CVs and cover letters

CVs are tricky to get right and the success of a job application often hinges on your cover letter. If you're in need of expert CV and cover letter advice then you've come to the right place. Discover how to write them, mistakes to avoid and a variety of CV and cover letter examples to help you target your application to the company.

How to write a CV

Learn how to write a winning CV to give yourself the best chance of success

Example CVs

Creative CVs

Writing a personal statement for your CV

Cover letters

Top 7 CV mistakes

5 things to avoid when writing a cover letter

Create a great video CV

Writing a legal CV and cover letter

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How To Write a Cover Letter for a CV (With Examples)

cover letter for a cv examples

Tips for Writing a Cover Letter for a CV

Proofread before sending, cover letter template, cover letter sample, sending an email cover letter, more cover letter examples.

When you apply for a job with a  curriculum vitae  (CV), it's important to include a cover letter, also known as a covering letter. This letter allows you to make a favorable first impression, using narrative in your own tone of voice to catch the reader’s attention and encourage them to seriously review your attached CV.

Like a resume, a CV summarizes your skills and experience. The  difference between a CV and a resume  is length, the focus on credentials, and what the documents are used for. Typically, a CV is required to apply for roles in academia, scientific research, and medical fields. 

While your CV provides a detailed—and often lengthy—look at your experience and credentials, the cover letter is an opportunity to call out your most important qualifications and make a compelling case for your candidacy for the role at hand. Here's what you need to know to write a successful curriculum vitae cover letter. 

Tailor the Letter to Fit the Organization

The CV cover letter should be  tailored to respond to the unique and specific requirements  requested by each organization you are approaching. 

Do not use the same cover letter for every job you apply to, even though it may seem like a timesaver. 

Each letter needs to provide detailed information about why are you are qualified for the specific job in question, and it should outline the reasons for your interest in the company or organization. Being specific is advantageous. Even if you're applying for two similar roles in two different hospitals, the two hospitals may serve different populations or require slightly different responsibilities for people in the role. Your letters to each hospital should reflect that. 

Use your cover letter to identify the skills or experiences most specific to the job, rather than copying directly the information in your CV.

What to Include

As a candidate, it's tempting to feel like the cover letter is unnecessary, since it is likely that all the pertinent information is included in your CV. Still, as you can see, the cover letter is a helpful tool in your application. Here's what to keep in mind as you write a cover letter. 

Format Matters

The content of your cover letter should be brief and structured. Aim for 3-5 paragraphs in your letter.  Start with a salutation. Your letter should address the relevant contact, whose name often appears in the job advertisement. Avoid “Sir” or “Madam” if possible.

If the letter recipient's name isn't provided, try these  tips to determine the correct contact person . 

Start With an Introduction

Typically, the first paragraph will be an introduction—if you are applying to a job ad, mention it here. Mention the job title, any reference number, and where and when you saw it. The first paragraph is also where you should mention if someone referred you to the position. 

The Body of the Cover Letter

The body of the letter—the second and third paragraphs—should highlight your relevant skills and experience. Highlight your  transferable skills , achievements, and versatility. Explain what you can contribute and what makes you stand out from your competition. Include mention of your current or last job, qualifications, and professional and academic training, tailoring your information to make it as relevant as possible to the organization or job applied for.

In the body of the cover letter, you can mention personality traits relevant to the role at hand. You can also use this space to call out why you're interested in this specific role, at this specific company. Potential employers and hiring managers will appreciate it if you can show you've read the job ad and researched the company. 

Avoid lengthy repetition of information covered in your CV. Unlike a CV, it is acceptable to write a cover letter in the first person.

Conclude the letter by succinctly summarizing why an employer may want to meet and employ you. Include a polite expression of interest in further dialogue with the recruiter. Do mention that you would like the opportunity to discuss your suitability further in a personal interview and that you await a response in due course.

Follow Instructions 

In some cases, an advertisement will indicate that a more substantial letter is required. 

Always follow specific instructions and include any information if it is specifically requested. For instance, some employers may ask you to include your current salary or your desired salary range. 

Make Sure the Letter Reads Well 

Ensure that your CV cover letter flows freely. You do not need to precisely match every point on the job description. The reader should be left with an overall impression that you are a potentially valuable addition to the workforce.

The letter should be readable and engaging. 

Negative information of any sort should be avoided in your cover letter, as well as on your CV.

You'll want to be sure your letter is free from grammar or spelling errors. It should also be clearly presented—that means using standard formatting, and common  readable fonts  (such as Times New Roman or Verdana) in an appropriate size. 

This is a cover letter example. Download the cover letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Depending on the employer's submission requirements, cover letters can be submitted online with your CV, uploaded online, or mailed. Be sure to follow the application instructions and follow the directions on how to apply. Consider this template for how to structure your letter: 

Belinda Applicant 123 Main Street Anytown, CA 12345 555-555-5555 belinda.applicant@gmail.com

October 25, 2021

Clark Lee, PhD Biology Department Chair Northwestern University 123 Business Rd. Business City, NY 54321

Dear Dr, Lee:

I am writing to apply for the position of assistant professor in the Biology department, as described in the Northern University website. The opportunity to teach biology appeals to me, and I believe I can be an asset to the department due to my experience as a field biologist, as well as my work as an adjunct professor at Southern State University. In accordance with your job description, I have the following skills:

• Experience lecturing to large audiences

• Experience with learning management systems and course design

• Ability to assist with labs for other professors

• Experience with grant writing and research

I have enclosed my curriculum vitae so you may examine my work and research experience, the papers I’ve published, and my educational background.

I can be reached anytime by email at Belinda.applicant@gmail.com or my cell phone, 555-555-5555. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I look forward to speaking with you about this position.

Signature (hard copy letter)

Belinda Applicant

When you are sending your cover letter by email, list your contact information in your signature rather than at the top of the letter. List your name and the job title in the subject line of the message. 

Here are more examples of cover letters that you can use as a starting point for your own correspondence.

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