Cover letter examples that a hiring manager would finish reading
Eight complete letters for fictional applicants, each under a page, each built the same way: name the job and your strongest fact, prove two things with real numbers, say one specific thing about the employer, close short. Pick the one closest to your situation and copy the structure, not the sentences.
- Customer service representativeCustomer Service cover letter
- Registered nurseNursing cover letter
- TeacherTeacher cover letter
- Software engineerSoftware Engineer cover letter
- Administrative assistantAdministrative Assistant cover letter
- Sales representativeSales cover letter
- No experience / first jobCover Letter Example With No Experience (Student, Graduate, or Career Starter)
- Career changeCareer Change cover letter
Or write yours from your own resume
Paste your resume and the posting; get a letter that uses your real experience and the employer's own words, plus an email version. $9, once. Write my cover letter
The structure every example uses
- Opening (2 sentences). The job title, and the single fact about you that best matches it. Not "I am writing to apply for".
- Two proof paragraphs. One story each, with a result you can put a number on. Map each to something the posting asks for.
- One employer paragraph. Something you could only write after reading the posting or knowing the company. Their words, honestly used.
- Close (2 sentences). Thanks, and a plain ask: a call, a demo lesson, fifteen minutes.
What to cut
- Any sentence that could appear in someone else's letter unchanged.
- Adjectives about yourself: passionate, dedicated, hard-working, detail-oriented. Show the detail instead.
- A paragraph restating the resume. The letter is the argument; the resume is the evidence.
- Anything past 350 words.
Cover letter questions, answered plainly
Do employers still read cover letters?
Some do, some never will, and you cannot tell which from the posting. The ones who read them use them to break ties. A short, specific letter costs you twenty minutes and can only help; a generic one can hurt.
How long should a cover letter be?
Between 230 and 330 words, three to five short paragraphs, one page with room to spare. Engineers and executives can go shorter.
Should the cover letter repeat the resume?
No. Pick two items from the resume and tell the story behind them with the result. The resume lists; the letter argues.
Who do I address it to?
The hiring manager by name if the posting or LinkedIn gives it. Otherwise "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear [Team] Team". Never "To Whom It May Concern".
PDF or Word?
PDF unless the posting asks for Word. Name the file "Firstname-Lastname-Cover-Letter.pdf".