How to Write a Cover Letter (Step by Step)

Start With the Right Header and Greeting

Your cover letter header should match your resume header exactly — same font, same layout, same contact information. This creates a professional package and makes it easy for a recruiter to reach you. Include your name, phone number, email, LinkedIn URL, and city/state. Below that, add the date and the hiring manager's name, title, company, and address.

Always address a specific person. Spend five minutes on LinkedIn or the company website to find the hiring manager's name. 'Dear Ms. Chen' is always stronger than 'Dear Hiring Manager.' If you genuinely cannot find a name after searching, use 'Dear [Department] Hiring Team' — for example, 'Dear Marketing Hiring Team.'

Write an Opening Paragraph That Hooks Immediately

Your first paragraph needs to answer three questions in three sentences: What job are you applying for? Why do you want this specific company? What's the single strongest reason they should keep reading? Skip 'I am writing to express my interest in...' — it wastes the recruiter's most valuable attention.

Strong opening example: 'I'm applying for the Senior Account Manager role at Brightfield Solutions. Your team's recent expansion into healthcare SaaS is exactly the market I've spent the last four years in, closing $2.3M in ARR at MedTrack. I'd like to show you how I can replicate that growth for Brightfield.' That's specific, confident, and gives them a reason to read on.

Build the Middle With Evidence, Not Adjectives

The body of your cover letter — usually one or two paragraphs — is where most applicants go wrong. They write 'I am a results-driven, passionate team player with excellent communication skills.' None of that is evidence. Recruiters have read it ten thousand times and it registers as noise.

Instead, pick two or three achievements from your resume that directly match the job description's requirements and expand on them with context. Tell the story behind the number. For example: 'At Apex Logistics, I reduced customer churn by 18% over 12 months by rebuilding the onboarding sequence — a project I led end-to-end with no additional headcount. The job description mentions that Brightfield is prioritizing retention in 2024, so this is work I'm ready to apply on day one.'

• Mirror the exact language from the job posting — if they say 'cross-functional collaboration,' use that phrase
• Lead with impact, then explain how you achieved it
• Limit yourself to two or three achievements — depth beats breadth
• Connect each achievement explicitly to something in the job description

Address Potential Red Flags Briefly and Confidently

If you're changing industries, have a gap in employment, or are applying for a role that seems like a step down, one sentence of proactive framing is far better than silence. Recruiters will notice the gap and wonder; you want to control that narrative.

Keep it brief and forward-looking. 'After taking eight months away from the workforce to care for a family member, I've spent the past two months completing a data analytics certification and freelancing with two SaaS startups — I'm fully re-engaged and ready to commit long-term.' That's honest, explains the gap, and ends on a strong note. Don't over-apologize or over-explain.

Close With a Specific Call to Action

Your closing paragraph should do two things: restate your enthusiasm in one concrete sentence and ask for the interview directly. Don't end with 'I hope to hear from you' — it's passive. End with something like: 'I'd welcome the chance to walk you through how I built Apex's retention program and discuss how I can do the same for Brightfield. I'll follow up next Wednesday if I haven't heard back, but feel free to reach me at (312) 555-0174.'

Mentioning a follow-up date is assertive without being aggressive, and it gives you a legitimate reason to send one more touchpoint. Sign off with 'Sincerely' or 'Best regards' — avoid 'Warmly' or 'Cheers' in formal applications.

Format, Length, and Final Checks

A cover letter should fit on one page with comfortable margins (0.75 to 1 inch). Use the same font as your resume — 10.5 to 12pt in a readable face like Calibri, Georgia, or Garamond. Keep total word count between 250 and 400 words. Anything longer gets skimmed or skipped.

Before you submit, run through this checklist:

• The company name and job title are spelled correctly throughout
• You addressed a real person, not 'To Whom It May Concern'
• Every achievement includes a number or a concrete outcome
• You didn't copy-paste your resume bullet points verbatim
• The file is saved as a PDF unless the posting specifies Word
• You read it aloud once — anything that sounds stiff, rewrite it