How to Write a Cover Letter

A good cover letter is one of the most under-used tools in a job search. Many applicants treat it as a tedious formality — a few generic lines about being a hard-working team player — and then wonder why it makes no difference. Done properly, a cover letter does something a CV cannot: it tells a short, targeted story about why you fit this role, in your own voice. It is your chance to connect the dots for the reader before they have even reached your CV.

What a cover letter is for

A cover letter is a brief, tailored document that accompanies your CV and explains why you are applying for a specific job and why you are a strong fit for it. Its job is not to restate your CV in paragraph form. It is to interpret your experience for one particular employer — to say, in effect, "here is how what I have done maps onto what you need."

That single idea solves most cover-letter problems. A letter that could be sent for any job, to any company, is doing nothing. The whole value lies in being specific: this role, this organisation, these requirements. Guidance from the National Careers Service makes the same point — relevance beats length every time.

Before you write: read and research

The best cover letters are mostly preparation. Spend ten minutes before you write a word:

• Read the job description closely. Underline the key responsibilities and the "essential" requirements. These are your prompts; your letter should speak to them directly.
• Research the organisation. Skim the website, recent news, their products or services and their tone. A line that shows genuine knowledge of the employer stands out instantly.
• Find the hiring manager's name if you can, from the advert, the company site or LinkedIn.
• Note your strongest matches. Pick two or three examples from your experience that map most clearly onto what they are asking for.

This research is what lets you tailor the letter quickly, rather than agonising over a blank page. It is the same "preview first" discipline that makes studying more efficient: orient yourself before you start producing.

A reliable structure

Most strong cover letters follow the same four-part shape. Keep the whole thing to one page.

1. The opening (the hook). State the role you are applying for and where you saw it, then give one compelling reason you are a strong candidate. Skip "I am writing to apply for…" as your only opener; lead with something that earns attention.
2. The evidence (why you). One or two paragraphs matching your experience to their requirements, using concrete examples. This is the heart of the letter.
3. The fit (why them). A short paragraph on why you want this role at this organisation specifically. Show you understand and are drawn to what they do.
4. The close. A confident, polite sign-off: reiterate your interest, mention your CV, and say you would welcome the chance to discuss the role.

A cover letter answers two questions: why you, and why us. If a sentence does neither, cut it.

Show, do not just tell

The fastest way to make a letter forgettable is to fill it with unsupported claims: "I am highly organised, a great communicator and a natural leader." Anyone can write that. What persuades is evidence.

Compare these:

You do not need many examples — two or three well-chosen ones are plenty. Where you can, include a brief result or outcome, because numbers and consequences make claims credible. Careers resources such as Prospects consistently stress this "show, don't tell" principle for graduates and experienced applicants alike.

Tailor without starting over

Tailoring every letter from scratch is exhausting and unnecessary. The efficient approach is to build a flexible base and adapt it:

• Keep a master version with your structure and a few strong, reusable example paragraphs.
• For each application, rewrite the opening and the "why them" section completely — these must be specific.
• Swap in the examples that best match that job's requirements.
• Echo the language of the advert where it is honest to do so; if they ask for "stakeholder management", use that phrase if it genuinely fits.

This way you tailor where it counts and reuse where you safely can. A letter assembled this way still reads as bespoke, because the parts that matter most are.

Tone, formatting and the basics

A few practical points that quietly make or break a letter:

• Address it properly. Use the hiring manager's name where possible; "Dear Hiring Manager" if not. Avoid "To Whom It May Concern".
• Match the employer's register. A formal institution and a small creative studio expect different tones. Professional and warm suits most cases.
• Keep paragraphs short. Dense blocks get skimmed past. White space helps the reader.
• Proofread ruthlessly. Spelling and grammar errors, and — fatally — the wrong company name left in from a previous application, signal carelessness. Read it aloud, and ask someone else to check.
• Save and send as a PDF unless told otherwise, so your formatting survives.

If you are early in your career and unsure of your rights or the process around applications, Citizens Advice has straightforward guidance on job-hunting in the UK. And remember that a cover letter is a writing sample in itself — the same clarity that makes any piece of writing effective applies here.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Repeating your CV line by line instead of interpreting it.
• Being vague: a letter that fits any job fits none.
• Focusing entirely on what you want from the role, rather than what you offer.
• Overusing clichés ("team player", "hit the ground running") with no evidence.
• Going over one page, or shrinking the font to cram more in.
• Forgetting to update the company name or role title.

The bottom line

A cover letter is not a formality to dread; it is a short, persuasive argument that connects your experience to one specific job. Do your research, follow a clear structure — hook, evidence, fit, close — and back every claim with a concrete example. Tailor the parts that matter, keep it to a page, address it properly and proofread it hard. A letter that is specific, evidenced and well-written does what a CV alone cannot: it makes the reader want to meet you.