A cover letter has one job: to make a busy reader want to open your CV. It should answer three questions in under a page: why this company, why you and what will you do for us. Most letters fail because they repeat the CV or sound like templates. Here is a structure that works.
Key takeaways
- Keep it to one page, 250 to 400 words.
- Tailor every letter to the job and company.
- Lead with results and evidence, not adjectives.
- Proofread twice and send as a PDF unless told otherwise.
The four-paragraph structure
| Paragraph | Purpose | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hook | The role you want and your strongest relevant achievement or connection to the company | 2 to 3 sentences |
| 2. Evidence | Two or three accomplishments that match the job requirements, with numbers where honest | 4 to 6 sentences |
| 3. Fit | Why this company: what you admire, what problem you want to help solve | 3 to 4 sentences |
| 4. Close | A confident, polite call to action and thanks | 2 sentences |
Step by step
- Study the job post. Highlight the top five requirements and keywords.
- Research the company for its products, recent news, values and customers.
- Find a name. LinkedIn or the company site often shows the hiring manager. "Dear Ms. Rahman" beats "To whom it may concern". If you cannot find one, use "Dear Hiring Team".
- Pick two stories from your experience that prove you can do the job.
- Write the draft quickly, then cut every sentence that does not help.
- Edit for tone: confident, specific and polite.
- Proofread aloud and check names, dates and the company name.
Example: experienced candidate (web developer)
Dear Ms. Rahman,
I am excited to apply for the Frontend Developer role at BrightCart. In my current job at ShopLine I rebuilt the checkout in Next.js and cut the average page load time from 5 seconds to under 2, which helped lift mobile conversions by 18 percent. I would like to bring the same performance focus to BrightCart's storefront.
The role asks for React and TypeScript experience and a care for accessibility. Over the last three years I have built and maintained a component library used by six product teams, written tests that caught regressions before release and led an accessibility audit that fixed 40 issues. I also mentor two junior developers.
I admire BrightCart's focus on small independent sellers, and your recent launch of one-click storefronts addresses a problem I have seen first-hand while helping friends start online shops. I would love to help make that experience faster and easier.
I have attached my CV and a link to my portfolio. I would welcome the chance to discuss how I can help your team. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Rahim Uddin
Notice the specific result, the match to the requirements, and a clear reason for choosing this company. (Numbers in examples are illustrative: use only true figures in yours.)
Example: entry-level or career changer
Dear Hiring Team,
I am applying for the Junior Digital Marketing Assistant role. While completing my degree in business, I grew a student society's Instagram account from 400 to 3,000 followers in six months by testing short videos and posting consistently, and I managed a small ad budget for our annual event.
I have also completed a Google Analytics course and built a portfolio blog where I practise SEO; one post now brings steady search visitors. I am comfortable with Canva, email tools and spreadsheets, and I learn quickly from feedback.
I am drawn to your agency's work with local restaurants because I helped my family's cafe attract more customers online. I would be glad to support your team and keep growing my skills.
Thank you for considering my application. I would be happy to share examples of my work.
Kind regards,
Sara Ahmed
Tailoring checklist
- Use the company's name and the job title correctly.
- Mirror two or three keywords from the posting, honestly.
- Mention one specific thing about the company that is not on its home page banner.
- Match your evidence to the top requirements in the job post.
- Explain any gap or career change briefly and positively.
Language to use and avoid
| Avoid | Use instead |
|---|---|
| "I am a hard-working team player" | "I led a team of four to deliver the project two weeks early" |
| "I am writing to apply for…" | Start with your strongest relevant achievement |
| "To whom it may concern" | The recruiter's name or "Dear Hiring Team" |
| "I think I might be a good fit" | "I can help you by…" |
| Long paragraphs that repeat the CV | Short paragraphs with new details and context |
Formatting
- Use a clean font (Calibri, Arial or similar) at 10.5 to 12 pt and generous margins.
- Match the style of your CV for a consistent application.
- Save as a PDF named
Firstname-Lastname-Cover-Letter.pdfunless the employer asks for another format. - For an applicant tracking system, keep the layout simple; see our ATS-friendly resume guide.
- Check length with our free word counter.
Using AI wisely
An AI assistant is useful for outlining, tightening and checking tone. Give it the job description and your real achievements, then edit heavily: recruiters notice generic text. See how to use ChatGPT well, and never let it invent experience.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending the same letter to every company.
- Writing about what you want rather than what you offer.
- Typos, a wrong company name or an old company's name left in the text.
- Apologising or being negative about a former employer.
- Making it longer than one page.
After you send it
Update your LinkedIn profile, prepare for interview questions and follow up politely after a week if you have not heard. Looking for remote roles? Read how to get a remote job from Bangladesh.
