Cover Letter Templates

What is a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a one-page document that you submit alongside your resume or CV for your job application.

The main purpose of your cover letter is to:

• Show your motivation for working at the company

• Bring special attention to the most important parts of your work history

• Explain how your work experience fits whatever the company is looking for

What your cover letter is NOT about, is rehashing whatever you already mentioned in your resume. Sure, you should mention the most important bits, but it should NOT be a literal copy-paste.

Keep in mind that recruiters will usually read your cover letter after scanning your resume and deciding if you’re qualified for the position.

Our cover letter templates match both our resume templates and our CV templates! Make sure to check them out, too.

Why Use a Cover Letter Template?

A cover letter can complement your resume and increase your chances of getting hired.

But that's only if it's done right.

If your cover letter isn't the right length, is structured the wrong way, or doesn't match the style of your resume, it might do the opposite and hurt your application.

By using a cover letter template, you get a pre-formatted, professional, and recruiter-friendly document that’s ready to go. All YOU have to do is fill in the contents, and you’re all set.

What to Include in Your Cover Letter?

Every good cover letter has the following sections:

Header. Start your cover letter by writing down your own contact information, as well as the recruiter’s (recruiter name, company name, company address, etc…).

Greeting. Preferably, you want to address the recruiter by their last name (e.g. Dear Mr. Brown) or their full name, in case you’re not sure what their pronouns are (e.g. Dear Alex Brown). formal greeting for the recruiter.

Opening paragraph. This is the introduction to your resume. Here, you summarize your background info (“a financial analyst with X+ years of experience”), state your intent (“looking for X position at Company Y”), and summarize your top achievements to get the recruiter hooked.

Second paragraph. In the second paragraph, you explain how you’re qualified for the position by mentioning your skills, awards, certifications, etc., and why the recruiter should pick YOU.

Third paragraph. You talk about why you’re a good match for the company. Do you share common values? Is the company working on projects you’re interested in? Has this position always been your dream role?

Formal closing. Finally, you end the cover letter with a quick summary and a call to action (“I’m super excited to work with Company X. Looking forward to hearing from you!”).

How to Write a Great Cover Letter?

There’s a lot that goes into writing a great cover letter. If you want to get the full picture, you can check out our guide on how to write a cover letter.

For a quick summary, though, here are our top 4 cover letter tips:

• Avoid Fluff. You want to be as specific as possible with your cover letter. Avoid vague statements like “I’m a good fit for the company because I’m a good critical thinker!”

• Do Your Research. Most companies don’t like people who “spray and pray” - applying for dozens of jobs without giving them much thought. What they ARE looking for is someone who’s passionate about their field, the position, and even the company. So, research the companies you apply for as much as you can and show off your knowledge in your cover letter.

• Don’t Use a One-Fits-All Cover Letter. As much as you can, try to tailor your cover letter to the job you’re applying for. Even if it’s something small, like addressing the hiring manager by their last name instead of “Dear Sir/Madam,” or mentioning something specific about the role or the company that you’re passionate about, it can help you prove that you’re not using the same generic cover letter to apply to dozens of jobs.

• Back-Up Your Achievements with Data. When possible, back up your experience with data. Instead of saying, “I improved company revenue”, say “I managed to hit and exceed sales KPIs for 5 months in a row.”

How Long Should a Cover Letter Be?

Most recruiters agree that a cover letter should be brief and concise.

Optimally, that’s about half a page to one full page, and between 250 to 400 words long.

How Can I Write a Student Cover Letter?

You should write a student cover letter pretty much the same way you’d write a regular cover letter, with one key difference.

To make up for your lack of work experience, you should talk about the following:

• Why do you want to work for the company and the position you’re applying for.

• How your educational background has prepared you for the job.

• How your skill set can help you stand out and excel at the job.

You also want to mention anything else that’s relevant to the job and that can prove your abilities, such as any internships, awards, honors, and the like.

In case you’re writing a cover letter for an internship, make sure to check out our guide.

How Can I Write a Cover Letter With No Experience?

If you’re an entry-level candidate, writing a cover letter might seem super scary. If you don’t have any work experience and professional accomplishments, what are you supposed to talk about in your cover letter?

Here’s some good news—you can focus on these topics instead:

• Education highlights

• Relevant skills

• Independent projects

• Volunteering experience

• Extracurricular activities

• Passion to learn and grow as a candidate

For a complete guide on how to write an entry-level cover letter, check out our guide.

How to Format a Cover Letter?

Here’s what you need to know on how to format a cover letter the right way:

• Choose the right cover letter template for your industry. The better fit the cover letter, the less you’ll have to play with the layout and format.

• Use colors sparingly. Don’t go overboard with creativity unless you work in an industry where that’s valued (marketing, advertising, design, and the like).

• Select professional font styles and sizes.

• Set the margins to 1 inch on each side to make sure there is enough white space and the document doesn’t look crowded with text.