Cover letter
Cover letters that actually get read
Most cover letters restate the résumé. The ones that work make a single argument: why this person, for this role, right now.
6 min read · Updated September 2026
Key takeaways
- Three to four short paragraphs, under 300 words.
- Open with a specific reason for this company, not a job-board template.
- Prove one claim with one story instead of listing five skills.
- Match the letter's design to your résumé so the pair reads as one document.
The four-paragraph shape that works
A strong letter follows a predictable arc. Paragraph one names the role and gives a concrete reason you are writing to this employer. Paragraph two proves one relevant claim with a short story and a number. Paragraph three connects your working style to their context. Paragraph four asks for the conversation.
- Hook: the role, and one specific thing about the company.
- Proof: one accomplishment told in three sentences, with a result.
- Fit: why their stage, market, or team suits how you work.
- Close: a direct, unfussy request for a conversation.
Kill the opening everyone uses
"I am writing to apply for the position of..." wastes the only line you are guaranteed to have read. Replace it with a sentence only you could write: a detail about their product, a number from their recent announcement, or the specific problem you would take on first.
Say it once, and stop
Recruiters read dozens of letters in a sitting. Under 300 words on a single page signals respect for their time and confidence in your case. If a sentence could appear in someone else's letter unchanged, delete it.
Keep the letterhead, typeface, and accent colour identical to your résumé. A matched pair looks deliberate; two mismatched documents look assembled in a hurry.
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