The Cover Letter Template that Will Get You Hired

The Cover Letter Template that Will Get You Hired

Table of contents.

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

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

in this guide we'll teach you:

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

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

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

The Cover Letter Template that Gets You the Job

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

The main components of the cover letter are:

A story showing your relevant skills

  • An explanation of your motivation for wanting the job

A strong conclusion

A quick closing.

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

cover letters that get you hired

The Opening

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

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

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

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

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

For example, don't say:

"I'm really good at customer service."

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

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

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

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

An explanation of why you want the job

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

cover letters that get you hired

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

"Sincerely,

(your name)."

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

A Cover Letter Template Example

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

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

cover_letter_template

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

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

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

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

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16 Secrets for Writing Cover Letters That Get You Hired

I can write a solid resume, interview well, and make sure that my online presence is on point.

The one thing that’s always been a struggle? The dreaded cover letter.

Cover letters can be absolute torture, and it feels like there are a million ways to screw them up. Is yours too formal or informal? Too long or short? Too much information or too vague?

There’s an upside, though: Making your cover letter awesome doesn’t have to be a long, difficult process. In fact, as I’ve written more and more cover letters over time (and started helping dozens of other people write theirs), they’ve actually become (gasp!) fun.

Below, I’ve listed the 16 most important tips I’ve learned to make crafting a cover letter into an easy and pain-free process. Half of the tips are related to what you write, and the other half are tiny things that’ll make sure your cover letter is better than the rest. By the end of the list, there’s no way a hiring manager will be able to shuffle you to the bottom of the pile. Or you know…delete your email…

8 Tips for Cover Letters That Grab Hiring Managers’ Attention

1. Describe a pain point

Here’s the most important question any cover letter should answer: What problem would hiring you solve?

Notice that this question is about the company’s problem, not your desire to land the job! Tricky, I know.

But think about it: If a company has put up a job description, it means they have a pain point and need a solution. For example, if a company is hiring a web designer, it means they don’t think their current layout is up to snuff and they’re looking for someone who can get them there. That’s the problem they need solved, and that’s what your cover letter should make clear in first few sentences.

2. Don’t regurgitate your resume

This is a tip that you’ve probably heard before, but it happens all the time : Don’t use your cover letter to simply restate your resume!

Your cover letter is the perfect place to expand on things that your resume doesn’t detail, illustrate the more intangible reasons why you’re perfect for the job, and explain any particular circumstances that warrant discussion (for example, if you’re making a sudden or drastic career change).

Skillcrush: 22 Things to Remove From Your Resume Immediately

3. The tone should match the company

Cover letters are great for companies not only because they can see if you can solve the problem at hand, but also because they give hiring managers a sense of whether or not you understand the company culture.

How do they figure this out? Tone.

Take a look at a company’s website, how its social media is phrased, and how its employees talk about it online. Is this company a little more informal and fun? Is it buttoned-up and corporate? Your cover letter should be written in a tone similar to that of the company’s copy. Obviously put a professional spin on it, but keep the company’s culture in mind.

4. Keep the focus on the company

Hiring managers assume that if you’re applying to a particular job, that must mean you really want that job. Thus, you don’t need to spend your entire cover letter reiterating how badly you want the job and how great the experience would be for you .

It’s okay to spend one or two sentences tops explaining your love for the company, but then it’s time to turn the tables.

The majority of your cover letter should be illustrating to a potential employer what hiring you would do for their company. Again, focus on the pain point: What talents and skills do you have that would help this organization tremendously?

5. Use your numbers

A big problem I’ve seen in lots of cover letters is that they tend to be very vague in describing any notable accomplishments or achievements.

For example, instead of saying that you have had “a great deal of success as an email marketer,” use your numbers: “I spearheaded an entire newsletter redesign that resulted in a 500% increase in our open rate, which proves…”

Numbers also add intrigue and leave hiring managers wanting to hear more!

Psst! This tip holds true for resumes! ( More here .) Adding numbers and statistics is a solid way to stand out!

6. Make your anecdotes short

While examples can make your cover letter super effective, many people make the mistake of including unnecessary or irrelevant information when using anecdotes that make them drag on and lose their umph .

My personal rule is to make any example or story no longer than three sentences so that you can avoid going overboard and wasting valuable space. Here’s how to break it down:

  • Sentence 1: Introduce the skill you’re highlighting.
  • Sentences 2: Explain the situation where you showed off this skill.
  • Sentence 3: What was the end result? Explain what it did for the company and what it proves about your character.

7. Make your opening line memorable

If the big opener to your cover letter is “I’m applying for Position X at Company Y” or “My name is…” it’s time to press the backspace button. There are two things wrong with both of these phrases:

  • They’re redundant, so you’re taking up precious space! A hiring manager is already going to know your name from your application as well as which position you’re applying for. No need to repeat it.
  • They’re generic and unmemorable. Give your hiring manager something to get excited about or be intrigued by.

So, how can you start a cover letter with something that has a little more pizzazz? Try opening with a favorite short anecdote, a quote that best describes you as a professional, or your personal tagline.

8. Everything should relate to the job description

As you write (and then read through) every line of your cover letter, ask yourself: How does this sentence relate to the job description? If you find yourself going on tangents or including facts that don’t prove your ability to excel at the job or understand the company culture, take it out.

And if you need some help making sense of exactly what will prove you are qualified for the job at hand, check out these 10 Tips for Deciphering Tech Job Listings .

8 Tips for Putting the Finishing Touches on Your Cover Letter

1. Research whom to address your letter to

Scrap the “To Whom It May Concern” greeting and do some research to find out who will be reading your cover letter.

In some cases, employers will be super helpful and straight up tell you whom to address that cover letter to. If you aren’t so lucky, a quick Google search can help, or if you have a connection to a potential employer, have a professional contact ask around to see if they can get a name.

If all else fails and you really want to avoid the dreaded “To Whom It May Concern” line, feel free to shoot the company an email. I did this before when I was applying to a company that had a plethora of people on its editorial and HR teams and I had no idea who’d be hiring me.

Here’s the quick template I used:

I’m applying to [name of company]’s [name of job title] position, and I was having some trouble figuring out whom specifically to address the cover letter to. Is there a particular person or department I should direct it to?

Thanks so much for your time!

[Your name]

2. Be smart with hyperlinks

If you’re going to use hyperlinks in your cover letter, there are two important things to keep in mind. First, try not to include more than two or three links tops in a cover letter (like an online portfolio or personal website). All links should be relevant, and your cover letter shouldn’t be used as a dumping ground for everything you’ve ever created!

Second, make sure you add context to a hyperlink to both draw attention to it and to make the hiring manager understand that it’s worth his or her time to click on. For example, if you’re referencing a recent design project you did, add that said project can be found “in my online portfolio” and add a hyperlink.

3. Delete extra images, clipart, emoticons and emojis

This is a no-brainer: Regardless of how “chill” the company says it is, keep clipart, emoticons, emojis, cute pictures of your puppy, and any other images OUT of your cover letter!

Squeeze an emoji into a cover email if you’re SUPER confident it’s appropriate. Otherwise, steer clear.

4. Keep it short (like, really short)

I’ve seen dozens of cover letters in the past month, and the biggest issue across the board is that people make their cover letters way too long.

Here’s the general rule of thumb to follow: Your cover letter should be a single page (no more!) and around 300-350 words. If you’re writing a cover email, three to five sentences works (since you usually have attachments or links for a hiring manager to click on).

5. Keep your font professional (and normal)

True story: I once received a cover letter from a friend where he’d had kept his writing to one page—but it was in eight-point font. Yikes.

Your cover letter font size should be normal (aim for between 10-point and 12-point), and your font should be straightforward and professional. Favorites include Arial, Times New Roman, and Georgia. Just say no to Curly Q or Comic Sans.

Skillcrush: 8 Free Font Pairings You Have to See

6. Break up your paragraphs

Nothing provokes fear in people faster than a wall of text. Hiring managers get a visual of your physical cover letter before they ever read it, and if their first reaction is, “Oh god, it’s all one paragraph!” that’s not a good sign.

Instead, break up your cover letter into smaller paragraphs of three or four sentences each. It’s so much more aesthetically pleasing, and the person reading your cover letter will thank you.

7. Cut the vague professional jargon

As with in a resume, using phrases like “team player,” “self-motivated,” or “results driven” only makes your cover letter generic and unmemorable. Use more lively language, or better yet, use specific examples to prove your point.

8. Re-read your cover letter over (and over and over)

Editing is the most tedious but also the most necessary part of any cover letter writing you do. Start by printing your cover letter out and reading it aloud. I also recommend reading the cover letter starting with the last sentence and working your way up.

Another pro tip: Definitely get someone else to read your cover letter. In many cases, you might think your writing is pristine, but a friend will find at least a couple typos and point out some places where your wording is a little clunky.

Getting that perfect cover letter doesn’t have to be a time-consuming process. Use these tips and you’ll be snagging the job (and impressing potential employers with your savvy) in no time!

Skillcrush: The Ultimate Guide the Perfect Email Cover Letter

Lily is a writer, editor, and social media manager, as well as co-founder of The Prospect , the world’s largest student-run college access organization. She also serves in editorial capacities at The Muse, HelloFlo, and Her Campus. Recently, she was named one of Glamour’s Top 10 College Women for her work helping underserved youth get into college. You can follow Lily on Twitter at @lkherman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yeah, me neither…

Infographic - Breakdown of Writing A Cover Letter That Gets Results

Writing A Cover Letter That Actually Gets You Hired

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

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

I’m hoping to change things with this article.

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

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

The Truth About Cover Letters

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

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

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

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

Cover Letter Statistics Infographic

This leaves us in an interesting place.

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

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

The 7 Cover Letter Mistakes That Cost People Jobs

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

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

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

1. Typos, grammatical errors, and general sloppiness

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

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

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

2. Going over a single page

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

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

3. Regurgitating your resume in a slightly different format

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

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

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

4. Focusing on training or arbitrary credentials instead of results

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

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

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

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

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

5. Not addressing your cover letter to an actual person

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

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

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

Writing Effective Cover Letters - Google Account Manager Role Screenshot

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

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

Writing Effective Cover Letters - LinkedIn Search Filters For Identifying Contacts

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

Screenshot of Account Directors in LinkedIn Search for Cover Letter

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

6. Failing to showcase any personality

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

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

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

7. Writing about an uncomfortable situation

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

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

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

The Anatomy Of A Highly Effective Cover Letter

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

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

1. Capitalize On Your Cover Letter’s Header

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

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

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

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

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

Examples of good and bad email formatting for cover letters

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

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

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

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

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

2. Tell A Story In Your Opening Paragraph

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

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

Remember Dan Brown’s book The Da Vinci Code ?

Da Vinci Code Promo Poster

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Highlight What You Bring To The Role

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

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

You might notice that there isn’t much “traditional” digital experience on my resume. That is because, coming from a scientific background, I needed to take a different path. In an effort to gain experience, I created my own agency called OpenWater Analytics. I specialized in using AdWords to generate real estate leads for private communities. I managed the entire sales process from cold outreach, to closing, to servicing the accounts on your platform.
Most recently, I helped a community in South Carolina sell every listing on their site (about 15 homes) in less than 6 months. Our cost per lead was half of the competition and we did it all for less than the commission the realtor would have made on a single house (including ad spend).

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

4. Reference Your “Value Validation” Project

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

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

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

In hopes of learning more about [Company], I had a meeting with [Name]. She told me that her team’s largest challenge was upselling customers into the company’s new, complementary platform. She noted that, despite the platform increasing retention and lowering costs for clients, the upfront cost to onboard was a major obstacle.
In my previous role, we dealt with a similar situation. Our clients were receptive to adopting a new platform despite the data showing that it would be beneficial for all parties. I spearheaded an initiative where we tested and analyzed several revenue models that maximized adoption rates and profit margins. In the end, we increased adoption rates by 30% without impacting revenue.
Using the information that [Name] gave me, I outlined the process in detail as it relates to your platform. I believe that your team could implement these strategies immediately and see similar results. If you’d like me to send it to you, please let me know! My email is [email protected].

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

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

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

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

Context For The Template

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

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

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

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

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

Austin’s Cover Letter Template

Dear Emmy Anlyan,
I grew up with Google. When I was seven years old, I used to sneak down to my Dad’s office at five in the morning to play video games. I still remember opening the browser and seeing the bright, multi-colored letters above the search box for the first time. I’ve always been interested in the tech space and, while my background has mainly been in the sciences, I’m ready to dive head first into the digital world.
I believe I would be a great fit for the Digital Advertising Sales Account Manager role because I have a deep understanding of the businesses that partner with Google and how they define success.
Understanding how these small businesses worked was critical to my success, and I believe those skills will help Google acquire happier, more successful customers who are inclined to spend. In addition, I’ve done some research on your team and have come to understand that your largest challenge is around successfully growing smaller accounts at scale. Based on my experience, I’ve put together a few suggestions below this letter – I’m happy to chat through them in more detail if you’d like.
I wanted to close with a quick story about Google that solidified my choice to apply. My referral, [Name of Referral] , works in the education vertical. He services the southeast and many of his accounts are rural. On his last visit down there, in a South Carolina town of 1,500 with no wifi, a teacher asked him if Google could help bring the internet to them.
When [Name of Referral] made it back to the office, he emailed Astro Teller asking about the potential for Project Loon to help bring this town in the 21st century. To his surprise, Astro wrote him back within the week mentioning that he’d look into it.
While things didn’t pan out, the fact that director of Google’s moonshot project division wrote back an employee about an elementary school in South Carolina blew me away. That is the kind of work I want to be doing.
Thank you for taking the time to read my note, I’m incredibly excited to have the opportunity to be considered for this position.
Best, Austin

Download A Free Copy Of Austin’s Cover Letter Template

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

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

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

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

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

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

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How to Write a Cover Letter That Will Get You Hired

By Marissa Miller

While a strong, concise, and error-free résumé can help move your application from a bottomless pit to the top of the stack, it’s a great cover letter that will get you plucked from that stack and in for that coveted interview. Yes, even in today’s digital age, a cover letter—which can also be written in the body of an email to the hiring manager rather than as a separate attachment—is absolutely essential. A thoughtful cover letter adds color to your accomplishments, tells the prospective employer why you’re right for their specific job, and gives a better sense of you and your personality. It’s a tall order for one document, but wielded correctly, it can be massively powerful. Here’s what you need to know to master your cover letter and hopefully land the job.

Master the basics. Unless you’re a graphic designer, this isn’t the place to get fancy with formatting. Stick to a standard business format with your letter: Your address as well as the hiring manager’s should be at the top, and you should sign the letter above your typed name at the bottom. (If writing your note in an email, these rules do not apply.) All letters should be single-spaced, flush left, with each paragraph followed by a blank line.

Keep it short. Stick to two or three paragraphs and jump right into compelling information—don’t waste space with a bland or lengthy introduction. And be sure to cover each of these four bases: a salutation (addressed to an actual person, not Sir/Madam or Hiring Manager), an enthusiastic opening, a body highlighting relevant skills and achievements, and a snappy conclusion requesting an interview.

Don’t regurgitate your résumé. This is rule number one of cover-letter writing. Don’t waste your time listing what the hiring manager already knows from your résumé. Call out only your most important accomplishments and skills (yes, these should be on your résumé as well) and highlight exactly how they can benefit the company. And, most important, this is the place to show your personality, enthusiasm about the industry, and interest in this particular job. Go beyond the basics and make it compelling.

Tailor it. Writing a cover letter can be intimidating, so you may be tempted to go online and use a template. Don’t do it. Hiring managers can sniff out generic letters a mile away. By failing to customize your letter, you are missing a great opportunity to connect personally and specifically with a potential employer.

Take the extra few minutes to treat this job posting like it’s the only one you’re eyeing (even if it’s not!). Do your research. Make specific references to the company’s evolution and how you plan to contribute to it. Talk about elements of your portfolio you could apply directly to their brand. And use industry jargon—without going overboard—so they know you’re “one of them.”

Get a second pair of eyes. First, read it aloud—you’ll often catch errors in flow you wouldn’t otherwise notice. Second, double (and triple) check that all names are spelled correctly. Finally, recruit a friend with immaculate grammar to give your draft a once-over. If you really want to be safe, hire a job coach or proofreader to give it a read.

Treat it like an interview. Nothing impresses a hiring manager more than a candidate who does his or her homework. Anticipate questions they might ask during the interview and address them preemptively in your cover letter. Why are you a perfect fit? What skills do you have to offer? What, in company history, resonated with you? This shows you possess strong foresight, which can only be an asset to you as a candidate.

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Mine your network. Did a former coworker connect you with this company? Did the CFO recommend you? Note it in your cover letter—“So-and-so suggested that I contact you about . . . .” This isn’t the time to be shy about your accomplishments or your relevant connections.

Hush the negative self-talk. Imposter’s syndrome is a huge mental block that can stand in the way of putting your best self forward in a cover letter. It can undoubtedly feel awkward to speak highly of yourself in a way that’s confident and assertive. Get out of that mind-set by looking at other résumés and picking out powerful words and phrases that resonate with yours; talking (out loud!) about your accomplishments as if you’re speaking with the recruiter—inspiration might strike; or chatting with a close friend who knows your work history for a bit of a pep talk—she surely won’t have any problem raving about you. Take note.

Expert advice from Karen Burns, the author of The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use.

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How to Write a Cover Letter in 2024 + Examples

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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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How to Write a Cover Letter That Will Get You Hired (20 Tips Backed By Science)

  • Noel Griffith, Ph.D.

Ah, the dreaded cover letter. Many gallons of computer ink (and sweat) have been spilled printing off copies of cover letters to mail to potential employers.

For many people, writing a solid cover letter is one of the bigger challenges of the job-hunting process.

Whereas resumes are relatively straightforward and consists of a more or less bullet list of your work accomplishment, cover letters are a bit more subjective and require some creativity.

Many people have trouble writing in a narrative fashion about themselves and their careers, so writing an engaging cover letter that will capture the attention of hiring managers is especially difficult.

In short, a cover letter is a single-page letter that you send in with job applications.

The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce yourself to hiring managers and give a short description of your work experience and skills, and how they make you the ideal candidate for the position.

The ideal cover letter should capture the reader’s attention and thoroughly and succinctly explain your accomplishments and talents.

As with many things, this is easier said than done.

Hiring managers are only human, and even the perfectly crafted cover letter can find itself placed into the resume “black hole”, never to be seen again.

All is not lost, however. There are several things you can do to significantly increase your chance of your cover letter being noticed by recruiters.

Some of these things are fairly obvious (no typos or grammatical mistakes) and others are a bit abstruse and counter-intuitive (don’t use serif fonts).

20 Science-Backed Tips For Writing A Successful Cover Letter

Here are 20 science-backed tips on how to write the perfect cover letter that will get you hired.

1. 86% of Executives Think That Cover Letters Are Valuable for Evaluating Candidates

86% of Executives Think That Cover Letters Are Valuable for Evaluating Candidates

Let’s start off our list with a simple one.

If you search on the internet, you will find tons of articles that say stuff like “the cover letter is dead” or “ditch the cover letter in your application”.

This is not entirely accurate though. While it is true that online recruitment sites like LinkedIn have cut down the number of employers who want to see a cover letter, the majority of employers still think cover letters are valuable.

86% of surveyed executives said that they think cover letters are valuable for evaluating potential employees [1] .

So, even if you think cover letters are pointless, you should still be sending one because you know everyone else is going to.

8 in 10 hiring managers said that it is common to receive a cover letter with electronic resumes.

2. However, Only 26% of Recruiters Say That a Cover Letter Is Valuable

Only 26% of Recruiters Say That a Cover Letter Is Valuable

Even though executives still think that cover letters are valuable for gauging candidate potential, only a small percentage of recruiters think the same.

According to a survey, only 26% of recruiters said they found cover letters valuable [2] .

The reason why is that most recruiters are more interested in looking at resumes that list job skills and work experience, not a cover letter that speaks to the personality of candidates.

Also, recruiters usually comb through hundreds of applications and resumes a day so they likely don’t have time to read through every cover letter they receive.

This may be a problem for job seekers who rely on their cover letter to explain gaps in employment or someone who wants to switch careers to a different industry.

Even though most recruiters don’t seem to value cover letters, you should still send one anyway because you never know if your application will fall in the hands of someone who cares about them.

If you need to explain any gaps in your resume, then you should consider adding a summary section to your resume.

3. 45% of Recruiters Say They Will Reject an Application If It Doesn’t Have a Cover Letter

45% of Recruiters Say They Will Reject an Application If It Doesn’t Have a Cover Letter

Another piece of information that points to the importance of including a cover letter.

Even though only about 1 in 4 recruiters think that a cover letter is valuable (see tip #2), according to a survey, 45% of surveyed recruiters said that they would reject an application if it does not include a cover letter [3] .

This statistic sounds strange, considering that only 26% of recruiters say that they find value in cover letters, but hey, recruiters are people too and sometimes believe and act in contradictory ways.

Of course, absolutely no recruiter said that they would reject an application that did include a cover letter, so no matter the job application, you should always send a cover letter with your resume.

In fact, the only time you shouldn’t send a cover letter is only if the posting explicitly states you cannot send one.

4. Social Media May Be The New Cover Letter

Social Media May Be The New Cover Letter

The point of a cover letter is to give hiring managers a picture of your personality and character.

However, many recruiters and hiring managers have turned to social media pages to find out more about candidates.

According to data, 70% of employers say that they use social media to investigate and vet candidates [4] .

This figure is up significantly from 60% in 2016. In fact, approximately 3 out of 10 employers have someone specifically dedicated to going through candidates’ social media pages.

Employers look at social media to figure things out like the candidate’s qualifications, their professionalism, what other people think of the candidate, and any reasons that would disqualify them from the position.

In other words, social media may soon become the new cover letter.

Among social media pages, LinkedIn and Facebook are by far the most commonly searched.

According to one study, more than 35 million people have been hired through LinkedIn [5] and nearly 89% of businesses say they have hired someone through a social media page [6] .

Hiring managers don’t stop just at social media either; 69% of employers search for candidates through search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

Basically, this means that when applying to jobs, you need to scrub your social media pages of any less-than-flattering information or pictures.

Here are some examples of big social media no-nos.

  • 39% of recruiters said that they have rejected a candidate’s application because they found provocative or inappropriate photos
  • 38% say they have rejected a candidate because of pictures of them drinking alcohol or using drugs
  • 32% have rejected a candidate because of racist or sexist comments made on their profile
  • 30% have axed a candidate because they badmouthed their previous employer or fellow employee
  • 23% have rejected a candidate because they shared confidential information about a company
  • 17% have rejected candidates because they have lied about absences, or frequently post during work hours.

5. 44% of Recruiters Have Found Info on Social Media That Made Them Hire The Candidate

44% of Recruiters Have Found Info on Social Media That Made Them Hire The Candidate

Social media is not entirely negative though.

Almost half of the surveyed recruiters say that social media has helped them hire candidates.

44% of employers have stated that a piece of information on a candidate’s social media page has made them hire a candidate [7] .

Some major reasons recruiters have hired candidates have been:

  • Information that has supported their claimed qualifications (37%)
  • Good communication skills (37%)
  • A professional image (36%)
  • Creativity (35%)

Be careful of interpreting these statistics as saying you should just opt out of social media entirely.

Not having any social media pages can actually hurt your chances of being hired.

Over 50% of recruiters have said they are less likely to give a callback to someone who does not have any social media pages.

6. 54% of Hiring Managers Will Reject a Generic Cover Letter That Is Not Customized for the Position

54% of Hiring Managers Will Reject a Generic Cover Letter That Is Not Customized for the Position

It is common knowledge that one should tailor their resume for the specific position they are applying to.

The same holds true for cover letters. According to data, 54% of hiring managers say that they have rejected an application because of a generic cover letter or resume that was not tailored for the position [3] .

To be clear, customizing your cover letter means more than just addressing the hiring staff by name and switching out company names.

Hiring managers are a perceptive bunch and they can tell when a cover letter for another position has been copied and had the titles changed.

You need to make sure the entire cover letter is unique for the application. In most cases, this means that you should just write a new cover letter for every job you apply to.

We know that this is a lot of work, but doing otherwise can seriously hurt your chances of being hired.

If you are not sure how you should structure your cover letter, use the job description as a reference.

Try to match the language of your cover letter with the language used in the job description.

Automated software combs through applications and looks for these keywords so using the language in the job description gives you a better chance that your resume and cover letter will get past the robo-censors.

If the job description uses lots of employment buzzwords like “dedicated” or “collaborative” try to incorporate those words into the structure of your cover letter.

Go through the job description line by line and ask yourself if your cover level hits all the main points and that you are using the same language.

7. The Ideal Cover Letter Length Is One Page

The Ideal Cover Letter Length Is One Page

While cover letters should be a bit more narrative than your resume, that does not mean you should give a long-winded rant in your cover letter.

Most experts agree that the ideal cover letter should be no more than 1 page long, fewer than 400 words, and contain 4 or fewer paragraphs.

This advice is backed up by science too [8] .

The majority of surveyed recruiters and teachers said that a cover letter longer than one page was undesirable. Any longer than one page and recruiter lose interest.

What’s more, according to the Orange County Resume Survey , nearly 70% of employers said that a shorter cover letter is always better than a longer one and that they would prefer the cover letter to be no more than half a page; Their thinking might be that if you can’t give a succinct one page summary of why you deserve the position and are qualified, then your writing skills are probably lacking.

Also, experts recommend that a cover letter should never be double spaced. Using double spaces ups the page count for no tractable benefit.

Even if your resume is within the appropriate word count, double spaces make it look longer which can be a turn off for hiring managers.

8. Recruiters Spend an Average of 8 Seconds Reading Cover Letters

Recruiters Spend an Average of 8 Seconds Reading Cover Letters

It is an often-cited statistic that recruiters spend an average of 4-5 seconds looking at a resume, and the same is true of cover letters.

Studies have shown that recruiters spend an average of 8 seconds or less looking at a cover letter [9] .

Even though recruiters spend so little time looking at cover letters, that does not mean you shouldn’t send one in as that can disqualify you completely from the position.

The reason why recruiters spend so little time looking for cover letters is twofold. First, recruiters just don’t have the time to thoroughly read every submission they get.

Considering that the average job opening gets an average of 250 applications, there is no way they can actively read every cover letter they get.

Second, recruiters and hiring managers are experts at gauging candidates and largely feel they only need to skim a cover letter and resume to get a good gauge of the applicant’s ability.

Whether or not this is true is another matter entirely, but the implications for your cover letter writing are clear:

Your cover letter should consist of short, declarative sentences that make good use of the language used in the job posting.

Paragraphs should never go more than 4 lines in length and make sure you pick a font that is large enough to read easily.

Recruiters are much more likely to reject an application if the text is poorly formatted or too hard to read.

9. Recruiters Do Not Like Seeing Too Much Self-Promotion in Cover Letters

Recruiters Do Not Like Seeing Too Much Self-Promotion in Cover Letters

In a 2016 study published in the Journal of Business Psychology, researchers found that candidates that used a significant amount of self-promotion language in their cover letters are perceived as insincere and manipulative by hiring managers and recruiters  [10] .

The researchers defined self-promotion language as language that is primarily meant to indicate that the candidate is a better potential hire than other applicants.

The researchers found that, while some self-promotion can help your chances of recruiters remembering your application, too much ingratiation reflects negatively of applicant’s personality and they are more likely to be judged as not a good fit for the job.

The same study also showed that men seem to be judged more negatively for using lots of self–promotional language than women were.

This finding could reflect recruiters’ changing attitudes about gender and the workplace. In the past, women have been expected to downplay their accomplishments and the accomplishments have been dismissed.

These findings could indicate that hiring managers’ perceptions of women candidates are changing and that women should use more self-promotional language in their cover letters than men should.

10. Most Hiring Managers Do Not Care About Your Education Credentials for Your Cover Letter

Most Hiring Managers Do Not Care About Your Education Credentials for Your Cover Letter

It may sound counter-intuitive, but most hiring managers do not care about academic metrics on your cover letter. 2 surveys by Gallup found that only 28% of hiring managers from over 600 leading business said that they cared about seeing info on a candidate’s degree of GPa in a cover letter [11] .

The overwhelming majority (84%) stated that knowledge of the field is the most important thing to see in a cover letter.

The second most important factor in a cover letter was evidence of applied skills for the profession.

Further, only 9% of hiring managers said they cared greatly about the specific institution where you earned your degree.

This finding is in direct contradiction to public perceptions. The same surveys found that nearly half of US adults felt that the kind of degree was a very important factor for hiring managers and 30% said they thought that which institution you earned your degree from was important.

In other words, hiring managers don’t really care about your degree but care if you can demonstrate you have the knowledge and applied skills to succeed in the position.

So when writing your cover letter, feel free to leave out info about your GPA, institution you attended, or even your degree.

The 2 exceptions to this rule are for recent graduates who may not have previous work experience and for those applying for academic positions.

Most recent graduates do not have a pool of job experience to draw from, so adding your major and GPA can help your chances.

Further, applications for academic positions usually want to see your academic history which includes the institution you attended and your academic performance.

11. Using Strong Action Verbs in Your Cover Letter Can Increase Your Odds of Being Hired by 140%

Using Strong Action Verbs in Your Cover Letter Can Increase Your Odds of Being Hired by 140%

If there is one thing hiring managers hate it is a poorly written cover letter that is boring and does not capture their attention.

That is why it is important to use the active voice and strong action verbs in both your cover letter and resume.

Sentences should be constructed so that they are in an active voice and the subject appears before the verb. Hre is an example of active vs passive voice.

Don’t’ say:

“A comprehensive database containing client information was created by me.”

Instead, say:

“I developed a comprehensive database of client information.”

Using action verbs and the active voice give your sentences momentum and make them easier to follow and more engaging.

Using the passive voice gives your writing a wishy-washy cadence that reflects negatively on your communication skills.

A study by the data scientists over at TalentWorks found that using strong action verbs in your resume and cover letter can increase the odds of being hired by almost 140% [12] .

We recommend using distinct strong action verbs every 4 sentences in your cover letter.

12. Only 47% of Job Seekers Include a Cover Letter with Their Resume

Only 47% of Job Seekers Include a Cover Letter with Their Resume

Only 47% of job seekers send in cover letters with their applications [13] .

Don’t be one of these people. Even if the job position says that a cover letter is “optional”, it is usually anything but. Nearly 53% of employers think that a resume is not enough to judge whether you would be a suitable hire [14] .

So again, the data seems to imply that you are always better off if you send in a cover letter, even if the application states that a cover letter is optional.

13. Hiring Managers Want to See “Emotional Engagement” in a Cover Letter

Hiring Managers Want to See “Emotional Engagement” in a Cover Letter

A 2006 case study published in the journal Business Communication Quarterly found that using emotionally engaging language in a cover letter made it more likely to be called back for an interview.

The study defined “emotionally engaging” content as content that expresses a deep interest in the position (“I am extremely interested in the Y position at Company X.”), a willingness to negotiate salary, and describing experiences and skills that match the requisite qualifications.

The particular study sent out 27 identical resumes, 9 with no cover letter, 9 with a one-sentence note, and 9 with a 1-3 paragraph cover letter utilizing emotionally engaging content.

None of the 18 resumes sent without a cover letter or with the one-sentence note received a callback for an interview, but all 9 that were sent with a cover letter did.

Further, none of the hiring managers subsequently spoken to had a copy of the resume on hand for reference, but 55.5% of them (5) had printed copies of the cover letter and referred to its contents.

Basically, this case study seems to imply 2 things:

1) Cover letters are an essential part of the job application, no matter what recruiters might say on the matter, and 2), using emotionally engaging language in a cover letter makes you more likely to get a callback for an interview.

To be clear, this is just one study that has an admittedly small sample size, but the focus on using emotionally engaging language in the cover letter is unique.

14. There Are 6 Key “Self-Validation” Strategies for Cover Letters That Make You More Likely to Get an Interview

There Are 6 Key “Self-Validation” Strategies for Cover Letters That Make You More Likely to Get an Interview

The purpose of a cover letter is not only to describe why you are qualified for the position but to convince hiring managers that your claims are true.

Plenty of people embellish or lie on their cover letters which is why job seekers usually use “self-validation” strategies. These self-validation strategies are meant to not only describe the applicant and their abilities but convince the reader that the claims are true.

In other words, self-validation strategies are rhetorical tactics that job seekers use to enhance the likelihood that their claimed merits will be believed by hiring managers.

A large scale 2002 study published in the journal Advances in Qualitative Organizational Research identified 6 key self-validation strategies and described how the use of those self-validation strategies on cover letters affected the chances of getting a callback for an interview.

The 6 key self-validation strategies they identified were:

  • Self-report : Simply stating your qualifications (ex. “I am qualified for the position due to my communication skills, technical knowledge, and professional attitude.”)
  • Important others : Referring to the judgment of important individuals (ex. “My references can confirm and provide more details about my work experience and qualifications.”)
  • External indicators : An important organization can back up your claims. (ex. I have scored highly in tests meant to assess the quality of candidates for similar positions.”
  • Evidence of achievement : Providing evidence of successes and accomplishments meant to demonstrate your merit. (ex. “After a 2-year stint as project coordinator, I was promoted to a senior manager at company X.”
  • Previous roles : Describing similar roles to the position that you have had in the past. (ex. I have 5 years of experience working in software engineering and have worked in positions X, Y, Z.)
  • Similar situations : Describing tasks you have completed that are similar to the ones you’d be performing in the position. (ex. “I was a family counselor which requires a large amount of compassion and understanding, similar to the position advertised.”

These 6 key strategies were identified from a pool of over 400 applications submitted for a company in Israel looking to fill positions in sales, marketing, and administrative assistance.

Next, the researchers took the key strategies they identified and tested the efficacy of their use for another position that was different from the initial position.

The researchers had 3 key findings from their study: 1) applications that used any of these self-validation strategies were more likely to get an interview, 2) applications that made frequent and creative use of theses strategies (using multiple strategies in one part of the text) were much more likely to get an interview, and 3), the strategy of appealing to multiple entities as proof (e.g. the previous roles and similar situations strategies) seemed to be the most significant factors that affected interview callback rates.

To put the findings in plain English, the study implies that you should frequently and creatively use these 6 self-validation strategies in cover letters.

Also, the study implies that the most important ones you should use are previous roles you have filled and how you have performed in similar situations.

This matches up with what hiring managers think of the matter; that previous work experience and skillset are the most important things to look for in candidates.

15. Women Who Emphasize Their “Feminine” Qualities in Cover Letters Are More Likely to Get Hired

Women Who Emphasize Their “Feminine” Qualities in Cover Letters Are More Likely to Get Hired

There is a laundry list of research on gender bias and how those biases affect hiring.

The general gist of this research tells us that qualified women are often looked over for positions in male-dominated fields and that hiring managers are more likely to judge women as unfit for a position due to their gender than they are for men.

A 2019 article from researchers at the University of Toronto performed a 4 part study to answer 2 primary questions: “do women modify their gendered language in cover letters when applying for male-dominated fields and female-dominated fields?” and “Are women who downplay their feminine qualities when applying for male-dominated fields more likely to be hired or rejected?”

The study found that of the 25% of women who claimed they modified their language in a cover letter for male and female-dominated fields, the majority said they changed their language for male-dominated fields.

Responses from males indicated that only 7% of men change their language when applying for male-dominated and female-dominated fields.

Further, the study also found, contrary to the researchers’ initial hypothesis, that women who downplayed their feminine qualities when applying to male-dominated positions were actually less likely to get the job compared to women who used more language perceived as feminine.

In other words, the research found that women who deemphasize their feminine qualities to increase the chances of being hired in male-dominated fields were actually penalized for doing so.

The researchers take their findings as confirmation that women are penalized in the job search for not adhering to traditional normative gender roles.

To be clear, we are not saying that women should bear the responsibility for circumventing bias in the hiring process by changing how they present themselves to hiring managers in male-dominated fields.

Changing the hiring system is a structural issue that requires eliminating the bias from the hiring process, not expecting women and other minorities who are discriminated against during the hiring process to overcome these biases. The only way this can happen is with social awareness and advocacy.

However, the fact still stands that when women emphasize their feminine qualities in cover letters and resumes, they are more likely to get the position. Whether or not this is a good thing is another matter entirely.

However, if we are being strict pragmatists about the matter, then it stands to reason that women who emphasize feminine qualities have a leg up on the competition.

We know it’s not fair and women should not be penalized for not adhering to stereotypes about gender, however, the reality of the system means that this is a viable strategy for getting a job.

So if you are a woman, do not feel pressured to downplay your feminine qualities in your cover letter and resume.

16. 44% of Hiring Managers Say They Will Reject a Cover Letter or Resume If It Appears to Duplicate the Job Posting

44% of Hiring Managers Say They Will Reject a Cover Letter or Resume If It Appears to Duplicate the Job Posting

Plagiarism bothers everyone especially hiring managers who have their job posting copied. According to survey data, 44% of hiring managers said they would reject a cover letter or resume if it appeared to have copied sections from the job description [15] .

To be clear this does not mean using language and key phrases found in the job description, that can actually help you.

Copy means copied and pasted from the job description. Hiring managers feel that plagiarizing a job description reflects poorly on a candidate’s integrity, motivation, and honesty.

So while you should use keywords and phrases from the job description, make sure the cover letter is your own voice, not directly copied.

Common keywords identified by the same survey were:

  • Problem-solving and decision making
  • Performance and productivity
  • Team-building (we’ll come back to this one)
  • Customer retention
  • Strategic Planning

17. Half of Hiring Managers Said They Would Automatically Dismiss an Application If It Contained Spelling or Grammatical Errors

Half of Hiring Managers Said They Would Automatically Dismiss an Application If It Contained Spelling or Grammatical Errors

If there is one thing hiring managers hate it is acting as a proofreader on submitted resumes and cover letters.

Nearly half (49%) of surveyed hiring managers said that they would automatically reject a cover letter if it contained any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes [15] .

Some of the more common spelling and grammar mistakes seen on cover letters include:

  • Misspelling the employer’s name or title in the address
  • Using “there”, “their”, and “they’re” improperly
  • Forgetting to change the company name from a previous application
  • Misspelling or incorrectly naming the position or job title
  • Incorrect agreement between singular nouns and plural verbs (e.g “She were” instead of “she was.”)
  • Forgetting apostrophes “e.g. “the companys” instead of “the company’s”)

Make sure that you do not entirely rely on an electronic spell checker either. Those only look for typographical errors but won’t catch it if you use the incorrect word in the sentence.

See the difference between “My team was responsible for ruining the whole project” and “My team was responsible for running the whole project.”

Make sure you have another human being look over your cover letter for any improper word choices that spellcheck would miss.

Also, while we are on the subject of grammar, try not to use contractions (“I’ve” or ”didn’t”) on your cover letter or resume.

The general consensus is that contractions are too informal and should not be used in professional writing, which a cover letter is [16] .

18. 66% of Large Companies Use Automated Systems to Vet Reject Cover Letters and Resumes

66% of Large Companies Use Automated Systems to Vet Reject Cover Letters and Resumes

Since the average job posting gets around 250 applications, hiring managers don’t have time to go through every application by hand.

Approximately 66% of large companies rely on applicant tracking systems (ATS) to automate the selection process [17] .

These programs comb through cover letters and resumes and reject any that do not have certain keywords and phrases related to work experience, education, or skills.

Unfortunately, this means that it is entirely possible that you send in a cover letter and it never is looked at by a human.

So, you have to hack your cover letter to get past the robo-censors. One way you can do that is to mimic the language in the job posting.

Be careful to not lift exact sections from the posting (see tip #16) or else you run the risk of being rejected for plagiarizing. Instead, pepper your cover letter with keywords from the posting and strong action verbs (see tip #11).

Don’t overdo it though. Too many keywords and your cover letter may sound artificial and insincere, so recruiters might start to think you’re the robot.

The ideal method is to use a keyword from the posting every 3-5 sentences. Otherwise, make sure your cover letter for each position is unique as a generic copy and pasted on will get caught by the system.

Here are some other things you can do to get past the robots:

  • Use long-form and acronym versions of keywords like“Master of Public Health (MPH)” so there is a better chance the bot will pick up on it.
  • Leave out tables and columns. These kinds of formats are almost always parsed incorrectly by the ATS so your information can get garbled or deleted.
  • Don’t use headers or footers for the same reason.
  • Don’t use weird fonts. If the ATS doesn’t recognize the font you use it may translate it into meaningless blank boxes called “tofu” that render when the font doesn’t register. Stick to traditional ones like Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica Neutral. And please, whatever you do, avoid Comic Sans [18] .
  • Use standard formatting with section headings like “Work Experience” and “Professional Skills.”
  • Submit your cover letter as a .docx or .pdf file. There are the most common cover letter formats. PDF files are especially useful as they preserve the original structure of the text and won’t get mangled by some automated software.

19. 58% of Hiring Managers Have Caught a Lie on a Cover Letter or Resume

58% of Hiring Managers Have Caught a Lie on a Cover Letter or Resume

Hiring managers are a perceptive bunch. Most hiring managers have a few years of experience under their belt, so it is pretty easy for them to spot when a candidate is obviously full of it or embellishing their achievements and qualifications.

According to a survey, 58% of hiring managers say they have caught someone lying on a cover letter or resume, and 33% say that they have noticed more embellishments on applications post-recession [19] .

The most commonly reported fabrications were:

  • Embellishing their skillset (57%)
  • Embellishing responsibilities (55%)
  • Dates of employment (42%)
  • Job title (34%)
  • Academic degree (33%)
  • Accolades/awards (18%)

Moreover, over half (51%) of employers said that they would automatically reject an application if they caught a lie on a cover letter or resume while 40% said that it depended on what the lie was about. Only 7% said that they would be willing to overlook a lie if they felt that the candidate was qualified.

That last statistic is interesting, as it hints that most hiring managers care a great deal about integrity and honesty.

The majority of hiring managers said they would not overlook a lie on a cover letter, even if they felt the applicant was a good fit for the position.

Their thinking might be, “If you’re willing to lie about yourself to get the position, then what would you lie about when you have the position?”

So don’t try to lie on your resume, even if you are tempted. It’s just not worth the risk of being rejected. There is nothing wrong with portraying your accomplishments in a flattering light, but there is a distinct difference between self-promotion and straight up making stuff up.

20. Serif Fonts Are Perceived as More Formal Than Sans Serif Fonts, but Sans Serif Fonts Are Easier to Read

Serif Fonts Are Perceived as More Formal Than Sans Serif Fonts, but Sans Serif Fonts Are Easier to Read

Serif fonts are fonts that have small embellishes on the typeface like the word Hello. The small tails on the tops and bottoms of the letters are called serifs.

Conversely, the font used in this article is sans serif, it does not have the embellishments.

There is a solid body of research indicating that serif fonts are generally perceived as more formal, elegant, and rational. For example, some studies [20] show that people rate scientific texts more favorably when they are written in a serif font and others have shown that serif fonts seem more elegant and beautiful [21] .

On the other hand, sans serif fonts have been found to be more readable. One study showed that of 12 different serifs and sans serifs fonts between font sizes 6.0 to 9.75, people rated the larger sans serif fonts highest in terms of reading speed, comprehension, accuracy, and preference, though the researchers found that larger serif fonts also perform well in terms of readability.

The same study also found that font sizes under 7.5 decreased readability by almost a third. So the implications are clear.

If you want to sound more formal and elegant, use a serif typeface but make sure it is a large enough font. Otherwise, you should try to stick to a larger sans serif font. Hiring managers care more about whether they can quickly skim your cover letter rather than whether the font looks pretty.

Conclusions

So there you have it, 20 science-backed facts and tips that will help you craft the perfect cover letter that recruiters will remember.

Obviously, a cover letter is just one of the important parts of job applications, there is also your resume and interview as well.

Even though the cover letter seems to be on its way out, it’s not dead yet. A good chunk of hiring managers say they still want to seem them and you never know if your application will fall into one of their hands. So make sure you submit a cover letter with job applications unless the posting explicitly says you can’t.

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  • “CareerBuilder.com Survey Reveals Top Three Fatal Resume and Cover Letter Mistakes… and How to Fix Them.”  CareerBuilder , https://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?sd=7/6/2005&id=pr181&ed=12/31/2005. Accessed 28 November 2019  [ ↑ ]  [ ↑ ]
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  • “Why You Hate Comic Sans.”  Design for Hackers , 27 Feb. 2017, https://designforhackers.com/blog/comic-sans-hate/. Accessed 28 November  [ ↑ ]
  • “Fifty-Eight Percent of Employers Have Caught a Lie on a Resume, According to a New CareerBuilder Survey.”  CareerBuilder , https://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?sd=8/7/2014&id=pr837&ed=12/31/2014. Accessed 28 November 2019  [ ↑ ]
  • Kaspar, Kai, et al. “A Matter of Font Type: The Effect of Serifs on the Evaluation of Scientific Abstracts.”  Wiley Online Library , John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 22 Feb. 2015, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijop.12160/abstract?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false. Accessed 28 November 2019  [ ↑ ]
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Write Email Cover Letters That Get You Hired

  • Career Advice
  • Write Email Cover Letters That…

man smiling as he works at his laptop on his couch

Writing a strong cover letter has always been a concern for job seekers. With the digitization of networking and employment applications, not to mention the invasion of email, the stakes are now higher than ever – and most people are confused as to where the cover letter fits in to the recipe.

Now, not only does your cover letter need to scream “You’d be making a mistake not to hire me!” to a prospective employer, you need to be able to communicate that message in an even shorter format than ever. Cover letter were always supposed to be succinct, containing not more than three short paragraphs summarizing your key strengths, assets to your hopeful employer and your career aspirations. With the rise of email cover letters, however, has come a whole new challenge: capturing the attention of an overworked marketing recruiter who would love nothing more than to close his or her email and call it a night.

To attach or not to attach One of the most common questions associated with email cover letters is: “Do I attach my word doc to an email, or write my cover letter directly in the email”? The answer is simple: Always make the email your cover letter.

By attaching a document, you’re adding one more step to the process and increasing the chances that the receiver won’t even download it. Ensure your cover letter gets seen by putting it directly into the email. This way, they’ll have no choice but to give it at least a quick read.

It’s all in the tone One of the great advantages of being able to send email cover letters is the opportunity it brings to show recruiters who you are. Traditional cover letters are formal – and so boring. Always maintain a professional tone in your emails, but feel free to be personable, wish the recruiter a great afternoon, or even open your message with an interesting hook.

When describing your experience, write with confidence and assertiveness, while maintaining respect and admiration for the company you’re applying for.

Speak to the reader’s needs However proud you are of your professional accomplishments, remember that the cover letter needs to be all about the employer. Give some background on your work experience, but tie that experience with how it will directly benefit the company you are applying for. Two paragraphs is more than enough to cover any necessary ground – anything longer won’t get the attention it deserves.

Make sure to address first the position you are applying for, why you are interested and how your skill set is aligned specifically with the needs of this position. All too often, candidates fall into the trap of talking only about their background, failing to tie this to how they can actually benefit the company.

Here’s a brief example:

Dear John Smith,

I saw your post on LinkedIn for a Social Media Manager and am highly interested in this position. As a young startup, I can understand the need for a mentally strong and creative social media curator who can help build your brand and create a narrative your customers can fall in love with.

My three years of experience at a bustling start-up, where I not only doubled our social media engagement levels by year two, but tripled our blog viewership by the time I left for a new opportunity, gave me solid experience and profound insight as to what it takes to create brand buzz from the ground up. I’d love to have a conversation with you to tell you more about how my experience could bring value to your team.

Don’t forget to research the company on LinkedIn to find the recruiter’s name. And most importantly: Be yourself.

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Her Agenda

7 Smart Cover Letter Tips To Get You Hired

T he job market has a reputation for favoring employers, which could make standing out from the pack a challenging task. Matched with a decline in hiring — a whopping 23.8% a year in the United States alone — you may find yourself scrambling to gain that competitive edge. However, your cover letter can help you shine. 

Drafting a cover letter is often considered a cumbersome task for job seekers looking to address issues that can cause employer disinterest — from gaps in employment to lack of experience. The cover letter has become a game-changer in improving the chance of candidates securing their next role. In this article, we discuss quick and easy cover letter tips to help improve your job prospects.

An Attention-Grabbing Opener

Be direct when addressing the hiring manager or recruiter reviewing your application. Shy away from the sir/ma’am greeting. LinkedIn is a great starting point to narrow in on this information. Do your research. It’s vital to lead with achievements, discuss how they apply to the role, and maintain your reader’s attention. Remember, hiring managers are scanning and waiting for details to jump out at them.

Show Confidence

Be confident. Have you ever heard of the phrase fake it until you make it? Apply it. Whether you’re a seasoned applicant or venturing into the unknown, you should adopt the right mindset. Know your worth and what you bring to the table. Compile a short list of examples — that apply to the job — and weave them throughout your cover letter.

Be Professional

Infusing your cover letter with a pinch of personality never hurts. After all, employers want a clear understanding of who you are to determine if you’re a cultural fit. Be mindful of your audience. Avoid using slang, jargon, emojis, or humor that hiring managers can misunderstand or deem inappropriate. Further, maintain respect at all times.

Flex Your Skillset

Does your ability to persuade decision-making impress your boss? Are you praised for your ability to shape top-performing teams? Share your wins. A cover letter is a perfect tool to educate a potential employer about your skill set and how it relates to the job opening.

State Goals/Expectations

Employers have goals and expectations and you should have a pulse on matters to you. Are you looking to learn and grow but are unsure about growth opportunities? Make it explicit. Share that you are interested in learning and growing with [company]. Detail what you love most about the [company] and how you would be a valuable asset to their culture.

Good Grammar Is Important

Always proofread your cover letter, then read it again. You can catch basic spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors that may turn off a potential employer. Draft your cover letter in a Word document or leverage editing tools such as Grammarly.

Summarize your thoughts and extend a genuine thank you. After all, hiring managers and recruiters spend countless hours reviewing applications daily. Be mindful that the time you put into your cover letter mirrors the effort hiring managers take to evaluate your application.

The author’s content and opinions have not been pre-reviewed, approved or endorsed by Discover.

This article 7 Smart Cover Letter Tips To Get You Hired was originally published on HerAgenda.com

7 Smart Cover Letter Tips To Get You Hired

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  21. Write Email Cover Letters That Get You Hired

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