How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job

A cover letter is a letter you write when applying for a job. Your cover letter highlights why you want that specific job, and what makes you qualified for it.

Not every company requires applicants to write a cover letter. But submitting a clear, thought-out cover letter helps you make a positive first impression on employers and improves your chance of getting an interview.

Ready to make a great cover letter? We explain exactly what to include in your letter, outline how write a great cover letter for a job, and provide a variety of cover letter examples. Let’s get started:

What to include in a cover letter in 2022

Here’s what you should include in your cover letter:

• A cover letter header with your first and last name
• Your contact information (and the recipient’s)
• Three to four body paragraphs outlining your experience, achievements, and skills — tailored to the job advert
• A sign off and your name (and signature if printed out)

Here’s a template that breaks down the standard cover letter format paragraph-by-paragraph:

How to write a good cover letter

Now that you know the general information to put in your cover letter, you need to fill in each section.

Here’s how to make a cover letter that’s sure to impress even the most picky HR manager:

1. List your name and contact details

The top of your cover letter is where the reader will look first. Place your contact details in this area using an eye-catching cover letter header so they quickly internalise your name.

List the following contact details in the header of your cover letter:

• Name: First and last name (middle name optional).
• Phone number: Mobile is best, and absolutely don’t use your work number!
• Email address: Something with your name in it is professional and makes your application easier for employers to find.

You can also add links to relevant web pages, such as your LinkedIn profile or your online profile (for graphic artists) or blog (for writers).

2. Address the employer

Underneath your header, right-align the date and then switch to left alignment for the employer’s address.

Add the following details for the recipient of your cover letter:

• Contact person’s name (if you have it)
• Contact person’s email
• Company name
• Company address
• Company phone number

Essentially, you should address your cover letter the same as you would if you were sending a letter by post.

Then, you should formally start your cover letter by addressing the employer by name, like so:

If you can’t find a contact person’s name in the job advert, you may need to do a little research. In this situation, you should:

• Check the company’s website to see who’s the department head for the role
• Ring the company and tell whoever picks up that you need a name to address your cover letter to

If all else fails, you can address your cover letter using a position title, like this:

3. Write a direct, personalised opening paragraph

The best way to make sure employers read your entire cover letter is by grabbing their attention from the beginning. To do this, start your cover letter with an informative, concise first paragraph.

Include the following information in your cover letter’s opening paragraph:

• Who you are: quickly explain your professional background
• The job title: state the title of the advertised position and the name of the company you want to work at
• How you discovered the opening: mention where you saw the job advert. In most cases saying you found it on Indeed or reed.co.uk is sufficient
• Your interest in the position: state your enthusiasm for the role and what drove you to apply
• Your notable accomplishments: if you have relevant work experience, highlight one or two of your most important achievements to show that you’re qualified

Here’s an example of an opening paragraph that includes all of the important details:

4. Explain why you’re qualified for the job

Once you’ve finished writing the first paragraph of your cover letter, it’s time to show employers why you’re worth their time.

Your second and third paragraphs should provide a compelling case for why you’re the most qualified person for the job by highlighting your relevant experience, skills, and educational qualifications.

Here are some details you can mention in your body paragraphs to show that you’re worth the employer’s consideration:

• Achievements: whether you exceeded your sales goals at work or finished a major project at university, use your cover letter to highlight your accomplishments.
• Awards: if you received an award at school, university, or work, you should mention it.
• Praise: have your employers praised you for your work? Use your cover letter to showcase moments you were applauded for.

However, any accomplishments on your cover letter should be directly relevant to the job you want or demonstrate transferable skills that would be useful for the position.

To make it clear that your achievements are relevant, add a short third paragraph towards the end of your cover letter. In this paragraph, emphasise that you’re confident your achievements would help you succeed in the new role.

Here’s an example of how to effectively demonstrate your achievements and relate them back to the job requirements in the body of your cover letter:

5. Recap with a confident closing paragraph

In any business letter, you use the final paragraph to sum up your arguments and make a request. A cover letter is no different.

Here’s how to write a strong closing to your cover letter:

1. Start by thanking the reader for taking the time to read your letter
2.  Politely request an interview and state your availability

Additionally, you can restate your phone number and email address just to make it a bit easier for the interviewer to get in touch with you.

Here’s what a correctly formatted cover letter final paragraph looks like:

6. Use a formal closing and sign your name

Finally, close your cover letter by writing a polite sign-off and writing your name.

The rules for sign-offs for a cover letter are simple:

• If you addressed the reader by name (for example, ‘Dear Ms Stephanopolous,’), then you should end with ‘Yours sincerely,’.
• If you used a job title (‘Dear Sales Manager,’) or generic greeting (‘Dear Sir/Madam,’), then it needs to end with ‘Yours faithfully,’.

This distinction might seem minor, but applying proper letter-writing etiquette when ending your cover letter shows the reader that you’re an experienced professional.

3 cover letter examples

Now that you know the basics of how to write a good cover letter, here are three examples that demonstrate how to put these lessons into practice:

Experienced example

Here’s an example of a cover letter written by a candidate with four years of work experience:

Speculative example

Here’s an example of a speculative cover letter that demonstrates the candidate’s passion for their line of work:

Creative example

Here’s a creative cover letter example from a candidate in the podcast industry: