Overview

A cover letter is a one-page document that introduces you to a hiring manager. It shows why you're interested in this specific role and why your background makes you a great fit.

The Five Core Sections

1. Header

Your header should match your resume. Include your full name, phone number, email address, city and state, LinkedIn URL, the date, and the employer's details. Keep it clean and aligned to the left.

2. Greeting

Start with "Dear [Hiring Manager's Name]:" if you know it. Research the company website or LinkedIn to find the hiring manager's name. If you can't find it, use "Dear Hiring Manager:" or "Dear [Department] Team:"

3. Opening Paragraph

In 2–3 sentences, state the position you're applying for and one specific reason you're interested. Make it personal—mention something about the company's mission or a recent project.

4. Middle Paragraph(s)

Pick 2–3 achievements from your resume that directly relate to the job description. For each, explain the context, what you did, and the measurable result. Don't repeat your entire resume—translate your experience into proof.

5. Closing Paragraph

Reaffirm your interest and suggest a clear next step. Thank them for their time and invite them to contact you. Avoid vague language like "I hope to hear from you soon."

Final Tips

• Keep it to one page (roughly 250–400 words)
• Use a professional tone but let your personality show
• Proofread carefully—typos are a dealbreaker
• Avoid clichés like "I'm passionate"
• Address the specific company and role
• Save as PDF to preserve formatting

The Problem

Many cover letters fail because they list accomplishments instead of telling a story. Bullet points sound impressive on a resume but feel disconnected in a cover letter.

The Solution: Context + Action + Outcome

Part 1: Context (the situation)

Set the scene. What was the problem or opportunity? Give 1–2 sentences that help the reader understand the landscape.

"At my previous company, customer onboarding was complex and often took 3–4 weeks, leading to high early-churn rates."

Part 2: Action (what you did)

Describe your specific steps. What did you actually do? Who did you work with? What approach did you take?

"I partnered with the design and engineering teams to redesign our onboarding flow and created a help resource library to reduce support tickets."

Part 3: Outcome (the measurable result)

Show the impact. Numbers are powerful here—percentage increases, time saved, revenue generated.

"Within three months, onboarding time dropped to one week, and early-churn rates fell by 25%."

Why This Works

• It's easy to follow
• It shows your thinking, not just your actions
• It provides proof that you deliver results
• It demonstrates multiple skills in one paragraph

Why Tailoring Matters

A generic cover letter doesn't work for any job. Hiring managers can spot templated letters immediately. Tailored letters show respect, attention to detail, and genuine interest.

The Quick Tailoring Process

Step 1: Read the Job Posting (2 minutes)

Highlight 3–5 key phrases or requirements. These might be technical skills, soft skills, or company focus areas.

Step 2: Research the Company (2 minutes)

Visit their website and read the "About" page. Look for their mission, recent projects, and any commonality with your background.

Step 3: Customize Your Opening (2 minutes)

Replace generic language with specific references. Instead of "I'm applying for the Marketing Manager role," write about something specific you discovered about the company.

Step 4: Rewrite One Middle Paragraph (2 minutes)

Take your strongest achievement and reframe it using the job posting's language.

Step 5: Quick Proofread (1–2 minutes)

Read through once for typos and awkward phrasing.

The Short Answer

Aim for 250–400 words, roughly three quarters of a page. One page maximum. Never exceed one page.

Why This Length Matters

Hiring managers spend an average of 6 seconds skimming a resume. For a cover letter, they might spend 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Your job is to make those seconds count.

Too Short (Under 150 words)

A single paragraph feels rushed and incomplete. You haven't given the hiring manager enough information to understand your fit or told a meaningful story.

Too Long (Over 500 words)

You're asking too much of the reader's time. You're also likely repeating yourself. Hiring managers see this and assume you lack focus or prioritization skills.

The Sweet Spot (250–400 words)

This length gives you enough room to include a specific, personalized opening, 2–3 well-developed achievements with context and outcomes, and a close with enthusiasm and a clear call to action.

The Problem with Generic Openings

Most cover letters start with polite but forgettable lines like "I am writing to express my strong interest in the [Position] role."

These openings are polite, but they don't show personality or genuine interest. They sound like a template written by a robot.

What a Strong Opening Should Do

1. State the specific role you're applying for
2. Show that you've researched the company or role
3. Give a compelling reason why you're interested
4. Hint at a strength that makes you a good fit
5. Make the reader want to keep reading

Formula for a Strong Opening

[Specific role + company] + [something specific you learned about them] + [why it resonates with you]

Examples

Example 1: Design Role

Weak: "I am writing to express my interest in the UX Designer position at TechCorp."

Strong: "When I used TechCorp's design tool for the first time, I noticed something most tools miss—the onboarding actually teaches you. I'm applying for the UX Designer role because I want to help build more products that respect user time the way yours do."

Example 2: Marketing Role

Weak: "I was excited to see the job posting for Marketing Manager at GrowthCo."

Strong: "Your recent webinar on sustainable growth caught my attention, particularly your point that 'growth without community is just extraction.' I'm applying for your Marketing Manager role because I've spent the last three years building marketing strategies around that exact philosophy."

Why Numbers Matter

Numbers are the language of impact. When you say "I improved performance," a hiring manager doesn't know if you improved by 1% or 50%. Numbers cut through ambiguity and are memorable and credible.

Rule 1: Context First, Numbers Second

Weak: "Increased user engagement by 45%."

Better: "When I noticed that users were abandoning our app after the first session, I redesigned the onboarding flow to be more intuitive. That single change increased user engagement by 45%."

Rule 2: Explain Why the Number Matters

Weak: "Reduced customer churn by 15%."

Better: "Reduced customer churn by 15%, which meant 120 more customers retained and an additional $500K in annual revenue."

Rule 3: Use Specific Numbers, Not Vague Ones

Weak: "Increased sales by a significant amount."

Better: "Increased sales by 28%."

Vague numbers sound like you're hiding something. Specific numbers sound credible.