Know what the letter needs to add
A cover letter is most useful when it explains a connection that a résumé cannot show as clearly: why this work interests you, how apparently separate experiences prepare you for it, or why a particular problem matters to you. It should not retell your education and employment history line by line.
Translate the posting into three priorities before drafting. These may be a core technical skill, a way of working, and a motivation for the sector. Choose the two priorities for which you have the strongest evidence. A focused letter is more convincing than a broad claim that you meet every possible requirement.
- Check whether the employer requests a letter, statement, or answers to specific questions.
- Use the exact role title and organisation name.
- Address a named person only when you can verify who should receive the application.
Open with a specific reason
Your opening should identify the role and give one credible reason for your interest. Connect that reason to the work, customers, product, research, or learning opportunity rather than relying on general enthusiasm. A specific opening signals that the application was made deliberately.
Avoid beginning with a childhood story unless it directly explains your current evidence and direction. You do not need a dramatic origin narrative. Two or three clear sentences about what attracts you to the role and what you bring are enough to establish purpose.
- Name a problem or responsibility from the posting that genuinely interests you.
- Keep praise factual and proportionate.
- Do not claim the organisation is your lifelong dream unless that is both true and useful.
Build the middle around evidence
Use one paragraph for each of your strongest matches. Begin with the capability the employer needs, describe a relevant example, and explain the result or learning. Evidence can come from coursework, a society, part-time work, volunteering, research, caring responsibilities, or a personal project when you make your contribution clear.
Select examples that add information rather than copying résumé bullets. A résumé may state that you analysed survey data; the letter can explain how you chose the method, handled an imperfect dataset, and presented a recommendation. This turns a credential into a preview of how you think and work.
Close, edit, and submit
End by briefly restating the match and expressing interest in discussing it. A professional closing does not need to be forceful or overly formal. Keep the complete letter to roughly one page unless the employer gives another limit, and use the same clear visual style as your résumé.
Edit for specificity by highlighting every sentence that could be sent unchanged to another employer. Rewrite or remove the weakest ones. Then check names, role title, dates, file format, and any application instructions. A concise, accurate letter will do more for you than a longer one filled with generic confidence.
- Read the letter aloud to find long or unnatural sentences.
- Save a reusable structure, but verify every employer-specific detail.
- Export to a selectable-text PDF unless another format is requested.