You have the CV ready, the job description open, and a blank page where the cover letter should be. The hardest part is usually not the words but the shape: what goes at the top, what each paragraph is for, and how to finish. This guide gives you the layout first, then explains each part.
The Layout at a Glance
Here is the whole letter as a skeleton. Each part is explained below.
Your name
Your phone number | your email
Date
Name of the person hiring (if you know it)
Their job title
Company name
Dear Ms Byrne, (or "Dear Sir or Madam")
1. Opening: who you are, the job title and reference
number, and where you saw the role.
2. Why you fit: the skills and experience you have that
match what the job description asks for.
3. Extra information (optional): anything that helps,
such as context for a gap in your work history.
4. Closing: thank them for considering your application
and say how best to contact you.
Yours sincerely, (or "Yours faithfully")
Your name
The National Careers Service describes a cover letter as "usually 3 to 5 paragraphs long". That is the whole job: a short letter that makes the reader want to open your CV.
The Top: Your Details, the Date and Who It's To
Start with your name and how to reach you: a phone number and an email address you check. Then the date, then the details of the person you are writing to, if you have them.
If you are applying online, you can write the cover letter as an email instead; for a paper application, print a copy to go with your CV (National Careers Service).
The Greeting: Find a Name if You Can
A letter to a named person reads as if you made an effort, because you did. Check the job description, the company's website or LinkedIn for the hiring manager or recruiter. If you can't find a name, "Dear Sir or Madam" is the standard fallback.
Paragraph by Paragraph
1. The opening. Introduce yourself and the job you are applying for. Mention the job title, and the reference number if there is one, and say where you saw the role. One or two sentences is enough.
2. Why you fit. This is the paragraph that matters most. Pick the two or three requirements in the job description that you match best, and show each one with something you have actually done. Use the employer's own words where they honestly describe your experience; the National Careers Service also advises matching the keywords the employer uses. This is the same principle as tailoring your CV to each job: a generic letter reads as if it was sent to fifty employers, because it probably was.
3. Extra information (optional). Use this for anything that helps the employer read your application fairly. If you have a gap in your work history, one confident line about what you did or learned is enough. We cover how to word it in how to explain employment gaps on your CV. The National Careers Service also notes that you do not have to mention a disability at this stage if you prefer not to.
4. The closing. Thank them for considering your application and tell them how best to contact you. Keep it to a sentence or two.
Signing Off: Sincerely or Faithfully
There is one rule to remember, and it depends on your greeting:
- "Yours sincerely" when you know the name of the person you are writing to ("Dear Ms Byrne").
- "Yours faithfully" when you have written "Dear Sir or Madam".
Then your name underneath. That is the rule the National Careers Service gives.
Length and Formatting
- Keep it short: 3 to 5 paragraphs, each doing one job.
- Match your CV: use the same font and size as your CV, so the two documents look like a set. Our CV formatting guide covers which fonts and sizes to use.
- One letter per job: reuse your structure, not your sentences. Write the "why you fit" paragraph fresh for each job description.
- Check it before you send it: spelling, the company name, and the job title. A letter addressed to the wrong company is the fastest way to the "no" pile.
What Makes a Good Cover Letter
A good cover letter is not a summary of your CV. It does three things the CV can't: it connects your experience to this specific job, it explains anything the CV leaves open, and it sounds like a person. If a sentence could appear in anyone's letter for any job ("I am a hard-working team player"), cut it and put something specific in its place.
Keep a copy of every letter you send: if you get an interview, they may ask you about what you wrote (National Careers Service).
Want It Written for This Job?
The layout above works for any letter. The hard part is paragraph 2 for this job: reading the job description, choosing what to match, and proving each point from your own experience. That's the part we do.
Results vary, but a letter written for the job always beats one written for every job.