The one rule that changes everything for non-native speakers
A cover letter for a US tech role does not need complex vocabulary or perfect grammar. It needs proof. Hiring managers in engineering teams scan for two things: can this person code, and will they be a pain to work with? If your English is intermediate, your strategy is to let your technical results speak and keep your sentences short — aim for an average of 12–15 words per sentence. That single rule eliminates most grammar errors and makes your letter easy to scan.
Why a short, proof-heavy letter beats a long, fluent one
Many non-native candidates write long cover letters trying to explain why their English is not perfect. That is a mistake. US tech hiring managers read cover letters in under 20 seconds. A three-paragraph letter with three concrete technical outcomes is more effective than a five-paragraph essay about your communication journey.
The structure that works
- Paragraph 1 — One sentence about the role you want + one sentence stating your strongest relevant technical achievement (with a number if possible).
- Paragraph 2 — Two to three bullet points. Each bullet is one technical result: "Built X using Y, which improved Z by N%." No flowery language, no apologies.
- Paragraph 3 — One sentence thanking them + a link to your GitHub, portfolio, or the specific pull request that is most relevant.
Before and after: a real rewrite
Here is a before-and-after example from an actual intermediate-English candidate who landed a front-end role at a Series B startup.
Before (candidate’s original):
"I have many years of experience in web development. My English is not very good but I try hard. I can use React, Vue, and also Node.js. I think my skills can help your company a lot. I hope you can give me a chance to show you."
After (rewritten using the structure above):
"I am applying for the Front-End Engineer role at [Company Name]. Last quarter I rebuilt a checkout flow in React that reduced page load time by 40% and increased conversion by 15%.
- Migrated a 10,000-line jQuery codebase to React hooks without breaking production
- Wrote 30+ unit tests with Jest that caught 3 regressions before deployment
- Coordinated with two backend engineers via written GitHub issues and PR comments
My full portfolio and the code for that checkout rebuild are at [link]. Thank you for your time."
The rewritten version has no grammar complexity, no apology, and the reader learns nothing about English level — only about delivered results.
A copy-paste checklist for your cover letter
Before you send any cover letter for a US tech role, run this checklist. If you miss more than one item, rewrite.
[] Maximum length: 250–350 words. No more.
[] Number in the first paragraph: did you mention a % improvement, a dollar figure, or a user count?
[] Bullet format: use plain bullet points (hyphens or asterisks) — do not use symbols or emoji.
[] No apologies: do not say "my English is not good" or "please excuse my grammar" anywhere.
[] Single font: Arial, Calibri, or Verdana in 11pt or 12pt. No mix of fonts.
[] PDF format: save as a PDF (not .docx) so the hiring manager sees your formatting exactly as you intended.
[] File name: use your full name, e.g. "Maria-Chen-Cover-Letter.pdf" — never "resume.pdf" or "coverletter.pdf".
[] Link check: every link works and opens in a browser. Test on your phone.
[___] Grammar pass: run the letter through a free tool like Grammarly or LanguageTool. Ignore style suggestions that want you to add fancy words — focus on fixing subject-verb agreement and missing articles (a, an, the).
A precise ATS formatting fact
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that tech companies use — like Greenhouse, Lever, or Workday — scan the text layer of a PDF. They can read bullet points and numbers without issue. However, they cannot read text inside images, tables, or headers/footers reliably. Keep your cover letter as straight text with simple hyphens for bullets, and do not embed a screenshot of your code or your diploma. The ATS will ignore it.
FAQ
Should I mention that English is not my first language?
No. Never apologize or explain your English level in a cover letter or resume. Let your technical outcomes and clean formatting speak for themselves. If the interviewer cares about language during a call, they will ask.
How many technical details should I include?
Include two to three specific technical outcomes. Each should mention a tool (React, Python, Docker, etc.) and a measurable result (% improvement, hours saved, users affected). More than three bullet points becomes noise.
What if I do not have a GitHub or public portfolio?
Create a minimal portfolio page with one or two projects this weekend. Even a single well-documented project on GitHub demonstrates more than a cover letter with no link. Alternatively, describe a work project you are allowed to discuss generically.
Should I use AI to write the cover letter?
You can use tools like ChatGPT or Grammarly to clean up grammar, but never submit an AI-generated letter without editing it yourself. AI tends to write long, generic sentences that hurt your credibility. Edit every sentence to be shorter and more specific than the AI wrote.
The fastest way to check your cover letter’s readiness
Before you send your cover letter, run it through a free resume and cover letter checker that catches formatting issues and language weaknesses — no sign-up needed.
Originally published at prismresume.com.
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