A cover letter gives context that a list of jobs cannot. It explains why this particular role interests you and how a small amount of relevant evidence supports your application. Write it after you have read the vacancy and checked your resume. A generic letter that could be sent to any company adds little.
Start here
- Choose the evidence before polishing the wording.
- Explain why the evidence matters to this particular role.
- Keep the letter concise and follow the employer’s limits.
Start with the application instructions
Check whether a letter is requested, optional, or replaced by questions in a form. Follow any page, word or character limit. Confirm the role title and reference number. Keep the employer’s own description open so you can distinguish the actual work from your assumptions about the company.
Choose one reason for applying that you can explain specifically. It might concern the work, the people served or a project the employer describes. You do not need an exaggerated story about lifelong admiration.
Pick two connections before drafting
Create a small evidence map in your notes. On one side, write an important requirement. On the other, write a task, project, qualification or contribution from your background that relates to it. Choose the strongest connections for the letter.
If your experience is adjacent rather than identical, explain the link. For example, the relevant part of a student project might be testing, documentation or handling conflicting requirements. Do not rename a project as professional employment to make that link sound stronger.
Opening: name the role and your reason for writing
Use a short first paragraph to identify the vacancy and the connection that made you apply. A neutral greeting such as Dear Hiring Team works when you cannot verify a recipient’s name. Do not guess a name or title.
A planning prompt is: I am applying for [role] because [specific connection to the work]. Replace every bracketed prompt with your own information before using it. The prompt is a writing structure, not text to submit unchanged.
Middle: explain one or two pieces of evidence
Give the reader enough context to understand what you actually did and why it matters here. Choose a contribution, explain your role in it, and connect it to the vacancy. A single developed example usually says more than a list of flattering adjectives.
Keep the same responsibility limits as your resume. Assisted, supported and contributed describe real work. Replacing them with led or owned changes the evidence. Use numbers only when you know what they measure and can support them.
Closing: make the next step clear
Finish with a brief expression of interest in discussing the role and a thank-you. Check that the contact information agrees with your resume. Availability belongs here only if it is relevant and accurate.
For formal UK correspondence, the National Careers Service distinguishes Yours sincerely for a named recipient from Yours faithfully after Dear Sir or Madam. Other professional sign-offs may suit the employer’s context. A typed name is usually enough for a digital draft unless instructions require something else.
Edit for the reader, then check the file
As an editorial starting point, aim for three or four focused paragraphs on one page. This is not a universal word-count rule. National Careers Service guidance describes a short letter of three to five paragraphs; Harvard’s guidance recommends keeping the letter to one page. Employer instructions take priority.
Read the letter without the company name. If almost every sentence still fits any employer, make the reasons and evidence more specific. Remove repetitions of the resume, unsupported praise, leftover prompts and invented results. Open the final attachment to check its appearance and text before submitting.