How to Write a Short Cover Letter That Works (Samples and Guide)

If you know how to write a cover letter properly, you’ll know that employers are looking for specific examples of your skills and a strong statement of purpose. But how much writing does that really require?

A good cover letter should be more than a single paragraph — but if you do your research and write thoughtfully, you can make a compelling case for yourself in under 250 words.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to write a short but effective cover letter that grabs the employer’s attention and pitches the right strengths — all while injecting a bit of personality into your application.

Short cover letter sample

Here’s something for you to work with. This short cover letter template can be easily tweaked for any job opportunity because it does the four things all good cover letters should do:

1. Specifies which job the application is for
2. Briefly highlights the applicant’s main strengths
3. Explains why the applicant is applying
4. Tells the employer how to get in touch

[Your Name]

Your Address | Email | Phone Number

Dear [Mr/Ms/Mx] [Contact Person’s Name],

With [number] of years experience as a [Position Title] in [industry name], as well as my [adjective] work ethic and [adjective] personality, I’d love to contribute my [type of skill #1] and [type of skill #2] skills to [Company Name].

 

My previous job experience included [details of experience #1] where I learnt [results of experience] and helped my team [achievements and hard numbers].

 

I’d love to interview at your earliest convenience. You can reach me anytime at [your phone number] or [your email]. Thank you for reading my cover letter.

Yours sincerely,

Your Name

Build My Cover Letter

5 tips for a brief but effective cover letter

Cover letter formatting tricks, like tweaking your font size, might reduce your word count, but they won’t be enough to get you the job interview.

To write a concise cover letter that actually makes a professional impression on the employer, you need to carefully consider the value of your skills and experience.

The tricks below will help you refine your argument and make every word count.

1. Make it about the employer

The real secret to writing a short but persuasive cover letter is to focus on the employer’s needs first and your achievements second.

Think of it this way: the company is hiring because they have a shortage of something, whether it’s specific technical skills or enough staff for an important project. Your job is to show how you are the solution to that problem.

If you can present yourself as a good investment of the company resources, it won’t matter whether your cover letter is two paragraphs or a full page, you’ll land the interview.

2. Open with your biggest selling point

Hook your readers by focusing on the strengths that would be most valuable in the role.

Focusing your cover letter introduction on one qualification or knowledge area shows the employer that you understand their needs and have the skills to address them.

Look back over the job description and ask yourself the following questions:

• Who is the ideal applicant for this employer?
• What specific skills does this applicant need?
• How can I fit that role?

Really put yourself in the shoes of the employer. Then, write a concise pitch that tells them who you are and how you can address their needs.

The opening line below is brief but makes an immediate impression because the applicant has pulled keywords from the job description and connected them to their experience.

Need sharp research skills, SEO expertise, and compelling storytelling? With 5+ years in digital content writing, I’d love to put these skills to work at ClickStart.

3. Establish your authority

Your second paragraph should explain why you’re the right person for the job.

The best way to do this concisely in a short cover letter is to give an example of an achievement that illustrates the value you would bring to the team if hired.

As a Senior Content Writer for MoneyFacts, I led a team of four writers in building a content library of 150+ blogs and landing pages, growing monthly clicks to one of our domains from 50K in January 2024 to 200K in January 2025. I’m a big fan of your brand’s user-focused content and would love to help you achieve the same growth.

This paragraph hits a lot of key points in just 60 words. The applicant highlights leadership experience, quantifies a key achievement, and mentions why they’re interested in the specific employer.

4. Be proactive and enthusiastic

Remember, you’re presenting yourself as the solution to the employer’s problem. So show enthusiasm and confidence in your cover letter’s closing lines, encouraging them to contact you for an interview.

This is really the easiest and quickest section you’ll write:

Let’s set up a time to discuss how I can help your team move forward. You can reach me on 07123 123 123 or at j.clarke@email.com.

Kind regards,

James Clarke

5. Be a ruthless editor

Some amount of fluff will always make it into your first draft. Read through your cover letter and remove any unnecessary words to reduce your cover letter’s length.

Consider whether a wordy clause or sentence can be expressed more concisely. The two introductions below are great examples of how a bit of careful editing can tighten up your writing style.

Here are three questions to ask yourself as you look through your letter:

1. Can you replace a long phrase with a shorter one?
2. Are you mentioning any nonessential skills or achievements?
3. Does every sentence directly support your case?

Example short cover letters for different situations

When you’re trying to make a strong argument in a few words, it’s worth considering where you stand as an applicant and what you have to offer.

Are you a recent graduate with academic achievements to highlight or a career changer with transferable skills to offer?

These cover letter examples demonstrate how short cover letters look in different common scenarios.

Short cover letter for an entry-level applicant

When hiring for entry-level positions, employers want to know who is worth investing in — who wants to be at their company in five years’ time.

This applicant for a customer service associate role stands out by highlighting their personal interest in the job.

Short cover letter for a recent graduate

When you’re applying for your first full-time job after university, it’s important to show how your interest and qualifications extend beyond your degree.

Use your graduate cover letter to emphasise internships, part-time jobs, and personal projects to show how you’ve made a proactive effort to prepare yourself for the job.

Short cover letter to a company that isn’t hiring

This short cover letter sample demonstrates how to introduce yourself professionally to a company that isn’t actively trying to fill a vacancy. Speculative cover letters help create professional opportunities by showcasing your skills and interest in the employer. To write an engaging letter, focus on your interest in the company or highlight skills and expertise that would be useful to the employer.

Short cover letter addressing a career gap

Your cover letter is a good opportunity to address career gaps on your CV, provided you can frame them in a positive or meaningful way. This short sample addresses a career break to care for a family member.

Frequently asked questions

Here are the answers to three questions people often ask about writing short cover letters.

1. What’s the shortest my cover letter can be?

Your cover letter should be at least 150 words (roughly two body paragraphs). However, don’t worry to much about the word count. Instead, make sure your cover letter contains the following information:

• Which job you’re applying for
• What qualifies you for the job
• Why you’re applying for the specific job

2. When should I not write a short cover letter?

You should not write a short cover letter if the job posting requests a letter with a specific word count. Certain positions often require longer cover letters (legal positions, academia, etc.). Aim to fully address the application requirements before worrying about the word count.

3. How do I make the introduction to my cover letter interesting?

Make your cover letter introduction interesting by addressing a specific employer need and using direct, engaging language. Here are a few good examples of interesting cover letter introductions:

As a UX designer with 6+ years of experience working for fashion and retail brands, I was excited to see that Summer Hill Studios is looking for a new Design Team Lead.

With 5 years of experience using JavaScript and React.js to develop seamless websites, I have just the skill set Evolve Solutions is looking for in your next Front-End Developer.

Don’t worry about writing a highly creative or unorthodox introduction. Clarity and relevance are more important.

And avoid the following generic opening phrases, which can make your cover letter sound boring and clichéd:

I am writing to express my interest in [Job Title] role.

Please accept my application for the [Job Title] role at [Company Name].

 

More FAQs to help you with your cover letter

Here are a few more cover letter questions you might have:

• What does ‘Mx’ stand for?
• How do you address a cover letter without a name?
• How do you write a cover letter for an internal promotion?