A cover letter allows you to impress a hiring professional with your achievements and convince them you’re the right candidate for the job. Furthermore, 83% of hiring managers believe that a strong cover letter could help a candidate move forward, even if their resume is weak.
However, creating this kind of document can be grueling, but with our cover letter tips, you’ll learn how to craft a stellar cover letter for any job!
Key Takeaways
A cover letter is an exquisite addition to your resume, as it enables you to go into more detail about your professional history, achievements, and skills. In support of the claim, 77% of hiring decision-makers stated they would still read the cover letter even if it weren't listed in the job ad.
To make a perfect cover letter, you need to format it properly and tailor it to every job you’re applying for.
A strong cover letter should include your best achievements supported by measurable results, figures, and percentages.
Don’t write a cover letter as if your life depended on it; it should be one page long, with an intriguing opening and an inviting call to action.
What Is a Cover Letter & Why Is It Important?
A cover letter is a one-page document you send together with your resume when you’re applying for a job. As a complement to your CV or resume, it lets you elaborate on your professional experience and your interest in the position, aiming to land you an interview.
While it’s not as strict as a resume in terms of format, here’s what to include in a cover letter:
Key Elements to Include
Heading that features your full name, job title, and contact information
Greeting
Introduction
Body, including your most relevant skills, qualifications, experience, and accomplishments
Reasons for applying
Conclusion and sign-off
Besides allowing you to introduce yourself and your professional background to a hiring professional, a well-written cover letter helps you stand out from other candidates.
Consider that 36% of hiring decision-makers read a candidate’s cover letter before they review the resume, and with an optimized cover letter, you let a hiring manager learn about your ambitions and aspirations, as well as why you’re applying for the position and what you expect from it.
A strong cover letter also shows what contribution you would make to the company, illustrating how it could benefit from you. This is a perfect chance for you to show how your career goals align with the company’s objectives, demonstrating that you’re the perfect candidate for the position.
How to Write a Cover Letter Like an Expert?
Here are 12 tips for writing a great cover letter:
#1. Format Your Cover Letter Properly
Formatting is the first thing a hiring professional will see upon opening your cover letter. If they notice it’s all jumbled, without paragraphs or adequate line spacing, and, worst of all, written in an unintelligible cursive font, they will ditch it instantly.
Here’s how to format your cover letter properly:
Element | Best practice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
Layout format | Use a formal business letter format | Ensures your letter looks professional and structured |
Margins | Set margins to 1–1.5 inches on all sides | Improves readability and keeps content balanced |
Choose professional fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman | Avoids stylistic fonts that may look unprofessional or unreadable | |
Font size | Use 10–12 pt | Keeps your text readable and properly spaced |
#2. Be Precise
You certainly have a lot to say about your professional work experience, education, and qualifications. But do you actually think a recruiter wants to learn about your exquisite chef or dance skills? The answer is: not really.
Here’s how to be precise in your cover letter:
Include only the relevant professional experience and accomplishments.
Focus on what you achieved in your previous positions, not in high school or poetry competitions.
#3. Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Specific Position
Only 18% of applicants write a customized cover letter for each job, and to stand out from the sea of other candidates, you need a cover letter that is tailored specifically to the position you’re applying for. However, if you decide to opt for a one-size-fits-all or AI-generated cover letter, you risk being rejected instantly.
For instance, here’s a generic cover letter that’s unlikely to help you land the job of your dreams:
Generic Cover Letter Example
Dear Hiring Manager,
I’m writing to express my interest in the sales representative position at your company. My skills and experience make me a strong candidate for this role, and I am eager to contribute to your team through my dedication and hard work.
In my previous positions, I interacted with a diverse range of customers, which helped me develop a set of skills that will be useful for this role. I will also bring confidence and a positive attitude to the team; two traits that are crucial for establishing rapport with clients.
I am excited about the opportunity to work in your company and look forward to your response. Thank you for your consideration.
Warm regards, James Tucker
By tailoring your cover letter, you’ll highlight your unique skills and achievements that are relevant to the role and demonstrate how you’ll contribute to the company’s growth. Your qualifications and achievements won’t be of great significance if the company can’t benefit from them and overcome the challenges it may be facing.
That said, here’s how to make your cover letter stand out:
Tailored Cover Letter Example
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to express my interest in the sales representative position at XYZ Media, as advertised on your website. With over 10 years of experience working with customers and exceeding sales targets, I am confident that I possess the skills your company is seeking.
In my previous role at ABC Sales, I maintained relationships with existing clients while simultaneously bringing in new business opportunities. In a single quarter, I managed to expand our client base by 10%, which earned me the Employee of the Month award two times in a row.
I am drawn to XYZ Media because of your client-oriented approach that prioritizes long-term connections over one-time sales. This resonates with me, as I also believe customer loyalty is vital for success.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss my qualifications in more detail over an interview and explain how I can contribute to your company’s growth.
Warm regards, James Tucker
#4. Address the Hiring Manager
The best way to address a hiring manager is to use a more personal greeting that includes the hiring manager’s name.
If you can’t find their name in the job posting, use your research skills to discover it. Check out the company’s LinkedIn and staff section on the official website. Alternatively, you can greet them with ‘Dear Hiring Manager.’
On the other hand, here is a brief list of greetings you shouldn’t use in your cover letter:
Greetings To Avoid
“Hey, Hiring Manager”
“Dear Sir or Madam”
“Hi there”
“To the HR department
#5. Use Numbers and Keywords
Using figures and percentages will allow you to demonstrate the measurable impact you had on your previous company and your contribution to the new employer. Therefore, if you brought new clients, increased sales, or drew traffic to the company’s website, provide precise numbers to quantify the results.
For instance, compare these two sentences:
In my previous role, I leveraged my skills to bring in more customers and increase brand awareness.
In my previous role, I implemented innovative email outreach strategies to increase the company’s customer base and boost brand awareness by 20%.
Obviously, the second one is far more impactful, partly because it demonstrates a measurable impact. On the other hand, the first one makes claims without any concrete evidence, which makes it sound generic and vague.
Also, make sure that you include keywords from the job posting. It will help you pass the ATS and pre-screening filters and get the hiring professionals to read your application.
#6. Proofread Your Cover Letter
Proofread your cover letter with your family or friends before hitting the 'send' button because submitting a cover letter full of typos is among the greatest mistakes you can make.
Spelling and grammar errors are a huge red flag for most recruiters, as they imply that:
You are too lazy to proofread for mistakes.
Don’t pay much attention to details.
#7. Don’t Be Arrogant
You don’t need to be arrogant to persuade the hiring manager that you’re the perfect candidate for the job. Instead, you need to brim with confidence and present yourself in the best possible light.
However, this can be a double-edged sword. Though you need to boast a little about your accomplishments, be careful not to brag. Rather than saying you’ll make the company succeed, let your past accomplishments speak for themselves.
For example, instead of writing “I’m the key to your company’s future growth,” say, “I led a campaign that increased qualified leads by 38% in three months.”
#8. Don’t Be Too Humble
Don’t underrate yourself; think about the achievements that make you a good fit for the job and include them in your cover letter.
How many times have you given up applying for a job because you thought you didn’t have adequate experience? More often than not, impostor syndrome makes us believe we’re not good enough for the position and that we’re nothing but fraud. Due to this, we may undervalue ourselves in our cover letters, fearing that we’ll be exposed as cheaters.
#9. Keep Your Cover Letter at One Page
If you’ve ever wondered how long a cover letter should be, the answer is 250–400 words, or one page. Anything more than that would be a waste of your time and effort, as a hiring manager will probably refuse to read it.
If you have a wealth of experience, you may be tempted to write a longer cover letter instead of a shorter one, but you shouldn’t do it. Instead, focus on your most relevant experiences and accomplishments and elaborate on them.
#10. Start Strong
Knowing how to start a cover letter is vital if you want to grab a hiring professional’s attention right off the bat. A strong opening paragraph will spark their interest so that they have no other option than to continue reading. Plus, it should let them find out why you’re the right candidate for the role.
To create an impactful introduction, emphasize your most impressive achievements and state how your personal aspirations align with the company’s goals and mission. Remember to support your statements with credible results or actions.
Here is a good example of strong cover letter opening:
Cover Letter Opening
Dear Hiring Manager,
I’m writing to express my interest in the open SEO specialist position at XYZ Media. With over 7 years of experience in the field and a track record of increasing brand visibility by up to 40%, I believe I have the skills and expertise your company is looking for.
Also, don’t forget to show your zeal and enthusiasm for the job, particularly if you lack relevant experience. Employers love motivated employees, as they are bound to stay longer with the company.
#11. Avoid Cliches and Buzzwords
Admit it—how many times have you written that you’re an excellent team player and exquisite negotiator or that you possess exceptional interpersonal and communication skills?
There’s nothing inherently wrong with these; after all, they are among the most sought-after soft skills for nearly every job in the market. However, they are so overused that they have become empty words or cliches. Today, everyone is an exceptional problem solver or decision-maker on paper, but can it be proved in practice?
In addition to these cliches, other buzzwords to avoid adding to your cover letter include phrases like ‘ninja,’ ‘master,’ or ‘guru.’ They might sound super fancy in a cover letter or resume, but in reality, they convey very little meaningful information.
#12. Include a Call to Action
The closing of your cover letter is a great opportunity to thank a hiring professional for considering your application and wrap up your document. It is also a good place to include a call to action that will compel them to reply.
The best CTA would be to directly request an interview by stating that you’re available for it and that you’d be delighted to discuss what contribution you can make to the company in more detail.
Here’s a good example of how to close your cover letter:
Cover Letter Closing
Thank you for your time and consideration. I’m looking forward to an opportunity to discuss my qualifications over an interview and explain how I can leverage my skills for your company’s benefit further.
Skipping a call to action is another red flag for a hiring manager, as it signals that you’re not willing or ready to take the initiative. Since such employees are not wanted, you will be rejected.
Furthermore, writing a weak CTA could also decrease your chances of landing an interview. Here are a few that might make you appear passive, disinterested, or overly familiar:
Weak CTA Examples
“I hope to hear from you soon.”
“Thank you for your time.”
“I’m available for an interview.”
“Please call me if you want.”
“Thanks for reading.”
Cover Letter Examples
To see these cover letter tips in action, check out the following cover letter examples:
Struggling to write the perfect cover letter?
Use our cover letter builder now!Final Thoughts
A cover letter gives you an opportunity to provide more details about your professional background, qualifications, and achievements, all in order to demonstrate to a recruiter that you’re the right candidate for the job.
Due to its specificity, composing this document can be somewhat challenging. However, with the cover letter tips we’ve provided, you’ll craft a perfect one without hassle!
Cover Letter Tips FAQs
#1. What is the rule of 3 in a cover letter?
The rule of 3 in a cover letter means highlighting three key strengths or achievements that match the job ad. This structure keeps your message clear, persuasive, and easy to remember, helping you stand out.
#2. How do you start a cover letter to make a strong first impression?
Start your cover letter with a personalized greeting (like “Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name]”) and an engaging opening line that shows enthusiasm for the role and immediately connects your skills to the company’s needs.
#3. What should you avoid in a cover letter?
Avoid generic statements, overly formal or casual language, repeating your resume word-for-word, and making unsupported claims like “I’m the perfect candidate.” Instead, focus on showing your value through evidence and examples.
#4. How can I make my cover letter stand out from other applicants?
To stand out, tailor your cover letter to the job posting, use storytelling to illustrate accomplishments, and quantify your impact when possible. This shows you’ve done your homework and understand what the employer is looking for.
#5. Should you include keywords in a cover letter for ATS?
Yes, including relevant keywords from the job description in your cover letter can help with ATS (Applicant Tracking System) screening. Make sure they fit naturally within your experience and achievements.
