Not every application requires a cover letter. Knowing when to invest the time and when to skip it will save you hours of unnecessary work.
Always write one when:
- The job posting explicitly asks for one
- The application has a dedicated upload field
- You are applying to a competitive or senior-level role
- You are making a career change and need to explain your motivation
- You have a personal connection at the company
You can skip it when:
- The application has no way to attach one
- The posting says "no cover letter required"
- You are applying through LinkedIn Easy Apply or similar quick-apply systems
When in doubt, include one. A well-written cover letter rarely hurts. A generic, copy-pasted one actively works against you.
Cover Letter Format and Structure
One page, 250-400 words, four sections.
1. Header
Your name, phone, email, and date. If submitting a formal letter (not pasting into a text box), add the hiring manager's name, title, and company address.
2. Greeting
Address the hiring manager by name whenever possible. Check the job posting, the company's team page, or LinkedIn.
- Good: "Dear Sarah Chen," or "Dear Hiring Team,"
- Avoid: "To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Sir/Madam"
If you can't find a name, "Dear Hiring Manager" works fine.
3. Opening Paragraph
Your first sentence needs to state the role and give the reader a reason to keep reading.
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| "I am writing to apply for the Marketing Manager position at Acme Corp. I believe I would be a great fit." | "When I saw Acme Corp's Marketing Manager opening, it lined up exactly with what I have spent the last five years building: demand generation programs that turn content into pipeline. At my current company, I led campaigns that generated $3.8M in qualified opportunities last year." |
The strong version immediately tells the reader who you are, what you do, and provides a concrete result. It earns the next paragraph.
4. Body Paragraphs (1-2 paragraphs)
Pick 2-3 specific accomplishments that directly relate to the job requirements and expand on them with context your resume can't capture.
Cover:
- Why this specific company interests you (genuine reasons, not flattery)
- A project or result that demonstrates you can do this job
- How your skills solve a problem the company is facing
Two well-developed points beat five surface-level ones.
5. Closing Paragraph
End with a confident closing that restates your interest and includes a clear next step.
"I would welcome the chance to discuss how my experience scaling B2B content programs could support Acme's growth goals. I am available for a conversation at your convenience and look forward to hearing from you."
How to Customize for Each Application
Hiring managers can spot a generic letter immediately. Here's a practical process that keeps customization under 20 minutes:
- Read the JD carefully - highlight the top 3-4 requirements you need to address directly
- Research the company - spend 10 minutes finding one specific thing you can reference that shows genuine interest
- Match your accomplishments to their needs - for each key requirement, identify a relevant result from your experience
- Use the same language the JD uses - mirror their terminology
- Update your opening and closing - reference the specific role and something specific about the team or product
This takes 15-20 minutes per application. That's a worthwhile investment when it doubles your response rate compared to a generic letter.
What to Include When You Have No Experience
Shift focus from what you've done professionally to what you bring to the table. Draw from:
- Academic projects - a capstone, research paper, or group project requiring relevant skills
- Internships and part-time work - even unrelated jobs demonstrate reliability and work ethic
- Volunteer work - leading a campus club, organizing events, community service
- Personal projects - a portfolio, freelance work, an app you built
- Transferable skills - problem-solving, teamwork, communication apply to nearly every role
Hiring managers filling entry-level roles know candidates won't have extensive experience. They're looking for potential, initiative, and fit.
Cover Letter vs. Resume: What Goes Where
| Resume handles | Cover letter handles |
|---|---|
| Chronological work history | Why you want this specific role at this company |
| Quantified bullet points | Context and narrative behind key accomplishments |
| Skills lists and certifications | How your experience connects to the company's needs |
| Education details | Career changes, employment gaps, or relocations |
| Personality and communication style |
If you can copy a sentence from your cover letter and paste it into your resume without it feeling out of place, the cover letter isn't doing its job.
3 Full Cover Letter Examples
Example 1: Entry-Level (Recent Graduate)
Applying for: Junior Data Analyst at a mid-size tech company
Dear Ms. Rivera,
Your Junior Data Analyst posting caught my attention because it combines two things I focused on throughout my degree at the University of Michigan: statistical analysis and turning data into actionable business recommendations.
During my senior capstone project, I analyzed 18 months of customer churn data for a local SaaS startup and built a predictive model that identified at-risk accounts with 82% accuracy. The company used our recommendations to redesign their onboarding flow, and early results showed a 15% reduction in 90-day churn. That experience taught me how to work with messy real-world data, communicate findings to non-technical stakeholders, and deliver insights under tight deadlines.
I am proficient in Python, SQL, and Tableau, and completed a Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate to supplement my coursework. What excites me about this role is the opportunity to apply these skills to problems at scale while learning from your analytics team.
I would love to discuss how my analytical background and hands-on project experience could contribute to your team.
Best regards,
Alex Nakamura
Example 2: Mid-Career Professional
Applying for: Senior Product Manager at a fintech company
Dear Jordan,
I have spent the last six years building consumer fintech products, and your Senior PM role aligns closely with the work I find most rewarding: simplifying complex financial workflows for everyday users.
At my current company, I led the redesign of our mobile payments experience, which serves 2.3M monthly active users. By running 40+ user research sessions and iterating through three rounds of A/B tests, we increased payment completion rates by 28% and reduced support tickets related to failed transactions by 41%. I managed a cross-functional team of 8 engineers, 2 designers, and a data analyst to ship the project two weeks ahead of schedule.
What draws me to your company specifically is your approach to transparent pricing. I have seen firsthand how hidden fees erode user trust, and I would be excited to contribute to a product team that is building the alternative.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my product management experience in fintech could support your next phase of growth.
Best regards,
Priya Desai
Example 3: Career Changer
Applying for: UX Designer, transitioning from teaching
Dear Hiring Manager,
After eight years as a high school science teacher, I am transitioning into UX design, and I believe the skills that made me an effective educator translate directly to designing user-centered products.
I redesigned my AP Biology curriculum using backward design principles, starting with learning outcomes and working backward to build each lesson. Student pass rates on the AP exam improved from 62% to 84% over three years. That process mirrors UX design: define the outcome, understand the user, prototype, test, and iterate.
Over the past year, I completed a UX certification through the Google program, built a portfolio of four case studies, and freelanced on two small projects where I conducted user research and designed interfaces in Figma. My teaching background gives me a unique advantage in stakeholder communication and user empathy.
I would love to discuss how my combination of design skills and user-focused thinking could contribute to your team.
Sincerely,
Marcus Lee
Common Cover Letter Mistakes
- Generic openings - "I am writing to express my interest" tells the reader nothing
- Repeating your resume - use the cover letter for context and narrative, not bullet-point summaries
- Too long - anything beyond one page signals poor judgment. Edit ruthlessly.
- Focusing on what you want - flip it: explain what you bring to the company
- Wrong company name - sending a letter addressed to the wrong company is an instant rejection. Triple-check before submitting.
- Apologizing for gaps - "Although I do not have experience in..." draws attention to weaknesses. Focus on what you bring.
ATS Considerations
- Submit as PDF or DOCX - both parse reliably
- Use simple formatting - no text boxes, columns, headers, or images
- Include relevant keywords naturally - if the JD mentions "Agile" or "stakeholder management," weave them in where they fit organically
- Name your file clearly - "FirstName-LastName-Cover-Letter.pdf"
- Paste into text fields when provided - some ATS systems prioritize text field content over attachments
The bottom line: optimize your resume for ATS scoring. Write your cover letter for the human who reads it after you pass through.
Before you submit, make sure your resume is as strong as your cover letter. WriteCV gives you an honest ATS score with per-bullet feedback in 30 seconds.
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