How to Write a Cover Letter
Write a compelling cover letter with our paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown. Includes 3 complete examples for entry-level, career change, and experienced applicants.
A cover letter is your first opportunity to speak directly to a hiring manager — before they review your resume, before an interview, and before they know anything about you beyond what you choose to share. Done well, it transforms a stack of credentials into a human story that makes you memorable.
The best cover letters are not summaries of your resume. They connect your specific experience to the company's specific needs, explain the 'why' behind your application, and demonstrate that you understand the role and the organization. Hiring managers spend an average of 30 seconds reading a cover letter, so every paragraph must earn its place.
This guide walks you through each section of a strong cover letter — from the opening hook to the closing call-to-action — and provides complete examples for three common situations: a recent graduate applying for an entry-level role, a professional making a career change, and an experienced candidate pursuing a senior position.
How It Works
Header and Greeting
Begin with your contact information (name, email, phone, LinkedIn) followed by the date and the employer's contact information. Address the letter to a specific person whenever possible — research the hiring manager's name on LinkedIn or the company website. 'Dear Ms. Chen:' is far stronger than 'Dear Hiring Manager.' Use a colon for formal business letters.
Opening Paragraph: The Hook
Your first paragraph should immediately state the position you're applying for, where you found it, and a compelling reason why you are a strong candidate. Do not start with 'I am writing to apply for...' — it's expected and forgettable. Instead, lead with something specific: a shared mission, an accomplishment, or a direct connection to the role. One to three sentences.
Body Paragraph 1: Your Relevant Experience
In the first body paragraph, describe your most relevant professional experience as it relates to the specific job. Don't just list what you did — explain the impact. Use numbers and results where possible: 'increased sales by 22%', 'managed a team of 8', 'reduced processing time by 40%'. Tie your accomplishment directly to what the employer is looking for.
Body Paragraph 2: Your Skills and Fit
Use this paragraph to address a second key qualification from the job description, or to explain something that isn't obvious from your resume (a career gap, a pivot, a cross-functional skill). This is also where you demonstrate knowledge of the company — mention a specific product, initiative, value, or aspect of their culture that resonates with you. This shows you've done real research.
Closing Paragraph: The Call to Action
Close by expressing your enthusiasm for the opportunity, referencing any attached materials, and inviting next steps. Be direct: 'I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my background aligns with your team's goals.' Avoid passive closings like 'I hope to hear from you.' Sign off with 'Sincerely,' or 'Best regards,' followed by your full name.
Examples
Entry-Level: Marketing Coordinator
Recent marketing graduate applying for their first professional role at a mid-sized consumer brand.
Dear Ms. Rivera, When I saw Bluebell Goods' job posting for a Marketing Coordinator, I recognized immediately that this role was built for someone who loves both the analytical and creative sides of marketing — which is exactly how I've approached every project throughout my time at the University of Michigan. As a marketing major with a focus on digital strategy, I completed a six-month internship at Arrow Media Group, where I managed the company's Instagram and TikTok accounts, growing combined followers from 4,200 to over 11,000 in five months through a mix of trend analysis, organic content, and A/B-tested caption strategies. I also assisted with two product launch campaigns, coordinating assets across email, paid social, and the company blog. What draws me to Bluebell Goods specifically is your commitment to sustainable packaging and your transparent brand voice — values I've followed as a customer for two years. I'd be excited to bring that genuine enthusiasm to your content strategy alongside the analytical skills I've developed working with Google Analytics, Meta Ads Manager, and HubSpot. I've attached my resume and a brief portfolio of campaign work. I'd love the chance to talk through how I can contribute to Bluebell's growth this year. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Amelia D. Park ameliadpark@email.com | (503) 214-8891
Career Change: Teacher to Corporate Trainer
A high school teacher with 7 years of experience transitioning into a corporate Learning & Development role.
Dear Mr. Johnson, After seven years developing curriculum and leading professional development workshops for 40-person teams of educators, I've come to understand that the core skills of teaching — diagnosing learning gaps, designing engaging content, and measuring outcomes — are exactly what great corporate trainers do. I'm excited to apply those skills to the Learning & Development Specialist role at Meridian Solutions. In my current role as a high school English department chair, I redesigned our district's writing curriculum from scratch, increasing standardized assessment scores by 18% over two years. I also built and facilitated a recurring professional development series for 120+ staff members on differentiated instruction, receiving an average satisfaction rating of 4.7 out of 5. I'm accustomed to working with adults who have competing priorities and limited bandwidth — and designing training that actually sticks. I've spent the past year pursuing this transition intentionally. I completed an ATD certificate in instructional design, became familiar with Articulate 360 and LMS platforms including Workday Learning and Cornerstone, and shadowed the L&D team at a regional healthcare company for a month. I'm ready to make this shift — and Meridian's reputation for investing in employee development makes it exactly the environment where I want to grow. I'd welcome the chance to discuss how my background translates to your team's needs. Thank you for considering my application. Best regards, Thomas W. Garner twgarner@email.com | (612) 497-3305
Experienced: Senior Product Manager
An experienced product manager with 10 years in B2B SaaS applying for a senior leadership role.
Dear Dr. Chen, Vaultify's approach to security-first product development — building trust as a feature, not an afterthought — is the philosophy I've operated under throughout a decade of shipping B2B SaaS products. I'd like to bring that alignment and my track record to your Senior Product Manager, Enterprise role. At Nexus Platform, I led the zero-to-one build of our enterprise security module, coordinating cross-functional teams across product, engineering, legal, and sales to deliver an SOC 2 Type II-compliant product eight months after initial scoping. That product is now responsible for $4.2M in annual recurring revenue and was the deciding factor in closing our two largest enterprise accounts. I've since grown into leading a team of four PMs and establishing the product discovery process we now use company-wide. I'm particularly energized by Vaultify's upcoming expansion into the EMEA market. I have direct experience navigating GDPR and data residency requirements, having led localization and compliance efforts for our EU launch in 2023. I understand the product tradeoffs that come with regulated markets and have the stakeholder communication skills to manage them without slowing engineering velocity. I've attached my resume and am happy to provide case studies on request. I'd welcome a conversation about how my experience could help Vaultify scale its enterprise product responsibly. Sincerely, Rachel S. Okonkwo rachel.okonkwo@email.com | (415) 809-2274 | linkedin.com/in/rachelokonkwo
Tips & Best Practices
Do
- Customize every cover letter — hiring managers immediately spot generic letters.
- Mirror language from the job description to show alignment without being robotic.
- Keep it to one page; three to four paragraphs is the ideal length.
- Research the company before writing — mention something specific to show genuine interest.
- Use numbers and results whenever possible: percentages, dollar amounts, team sizes.
- Spell check and proofread; a typo in a cover letter is often an immediate disqualifier.
- Address it to a specific person; 'Dear Hiring Manager' is a last resort.
- Match the tone of the company: a startup cover letter can be conversational; a law firm letter should be formal.
Don’t
- Never start a sentence with 'I' as the very first word of the letter.
- Don't repeat your resume verbatim — use the cover letter to tell the story behind the bullet points.
- Don't say 'I believe I would be a great fit' — show it with evidence instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a cover letter actually matter?
Yes, especially for competitive roles or when you are making a career change. Many hiring managers say a great cover letter is what elevates a candidate from the 'maybe' pile to the 'interview' pile. Even when optional, submitting one signals effort and genuine interest.
How long should a cover letter be?
One page maximum. Aim for three to four paragraphs totaling 250 to 400 words. Hiring managers do not read lengthy cover letters — they skim. Every sentence should add value.
What should I not include in a cover letter?
Avoid: salary requirements (unless asked), reasons you need the job rather than want it, negative comments about past employers, your entire work history (that's what the resume is for), and generic phrases like 'I am a hard worker and team player.'
Should I use the same cover letter for every job?
No. At minimum, customize the opening paragraph, the company-specific reference in the second body paragraph, and the closing. A completely generic cover letter reads as disinterested, even if the rest of your application is strong.
What if I don't know the hiring manager's name?
Try LinkedIn, the company website's team page, or call the main office and ask. If you truly cannot find a name, 'Dear Hiring Manager:' or 'Dear [Department] Team:' (e.g., 'Dear Marketing Team:') is an acceptable fallback.