How to Write a Cover Letter That Gets Read

Most cover letters fail because they restate the resume ("As you can see from my CV...") or are written for the writer, not the reader. Here's how to write one that works.

The Honest Truth About Cover Letters

Many hiring managers don't read them. But some do — especially for roles where writing, communication, or attention to detail matters. A bad cover letter eliminates you. A good one moves you to the top of the shortlist.

Write one as if it will be read by someone who cares.

What a Good Cover Letter Does

Explains why you want this specific role at this specific company (not any job)
Highlights 1–2 things from your background that are directly relevant
Shows you can communicate clearly and concisely
Gives the reader a reason to look at your resume

That's it. One page maximum. Three to four paragraphs.

Structure That Works

Opening (don't start with "I am writing to apply for..."):

Say something specific. Reference something about the company or role that genuinely interests you, or lead with your most relevant credential.

"After five years building backend systems at fintech startups, I've been following [Company]'s approach to [specific thing] with real interest — it's solving a problem I've spent years working on."

Middle (1–2 paragraphs):

Connect your specific experience to their specific needs. Don't list everything on your resume — pick one or two things and go deeper on them.

"At [Previous Company], I led the migration of our payment infrastructure to X, reducing error rates by 40% and cutting processing costs by 15%. The problem you're hiring for maps closely to what I worked through there."

Closing (brief):

Express genuine interest, invite next steps, and stop.

"I'd welcome the chance to talk through how my background fits what you're building. Thank you for your time."

Common Mistakes

Generic opening: "I am excited to apply for the [Job Title] position at [Company]." This tells them nothing. Delete it.

Restating your resume: A cover letter should add context, not repeat what they can already read.

Talking about what the job does for you: "This role would allow me to grow my skills in..." Nobody cares. Talk about what you bring to them.

Too long: If it's over one page, cut it. Hiring managers are busy.

Not customising it: A cover letter that could apply to any company might as well not exist.

A Simple Template

[Your Name | your@email.com | Phone]

[Date]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name / Hiring Team],

[Opening: specific hook — why this company, why this role, or your strongest relevant credential in one sentence.]

[Paragraph 2: Your most relevant experience. One specific example with a result if possible. Keep it to 3–4 sentences.]

[Paragraph 3 (optional): A second relevant point, or a brief line on why you're interested in this specific company — something that shows you've done research.]

I'd love to discuss how my background fits what you're working on. Thank you for your consideration.

[Your name]

When to Skip the Cover Letter

If the application says it's optional and you can't write a genuinely customised one in the time available, skip it. A generic cover letter hurts more than none.

Save your effort for applications where you have something real to say.