How to Write a Cover Letter That Adds Something Your Resume Doesn't

Most cover letters fail for one reason: they restate the resume in paragraph form. A recruiter who has just read your resume already knows your job titles and dates. A cover letter earns its place when it answers a question the resume cannot: why this role, why this company, and why you for it.

This guide shows when a cover letter is worth writing, a structure you can reuse, and the mistakes to avoid. It cannot promise an interview, because no letter can, but a focused one gives a hiring manager a reason to read your resume more carefully.

When a cover letter is worth writing

Write one when:

• The posting asks for it. Skipping a requested document looks like you did not read the instructions.
• You are changing fields or roles. Your resume shows what you did; the letter explains why it is relevant to the new direction. See our guide to changing careers for how to frame this.
• You have a gap or an unusual timeline that a single honest sentence can explain.
• You are applying to a smaller company or to a named person. A short, specific note can carry real weight there.
• You have a genuine, specific connection to the work, such as a product you use, a project you admire, or a problem you have already worked on.

Skip it, or keep it to a few lines in the application form, when the field is optional and you have nothing specific to add. A vague letter is worse than none.

The four-paragraph structure

1. The opening: the role and one specific reason. Name the position and say, in one or two sentences, why it interests you in a way that is particular to this job. Avoid "I am writing to apply for…" as your only sentence; the subject line already says that.

2. The evidence: one or two achievements chosen for this job. Pick the experience from your resume that matches the posting's main requirement and add the context the bullet could not hold: the problem, what you did, and what changed. Use a number only if you can stand behind it.

3. The fit: why this company. Mention something real you learned about the employer: a product, a project, how the team works, or a value that shows in how they hire. If you cannot find anything specific, spend ten more minutes researching before you write.

4. The close: a simple next step. Thank them, say you would welcome a conversation, and stop. Do not apologise for your lack of experience and do not repeat your whole pitch.

A reusable template

Replace everything in brackets with real details. If you cannot fill a bracket honestly, that tells you what to research or leave out.

Dear [Name, or "Hiring Team" if no name is available],

I am applying for the [role] position because [one specific reason connected to the role or company].

In my [role/project/course] at [place], I [what you did] in order to [problem or goal]. As a result, [outcome you can verify]. This is the kind of work your posting describes when it asks for [requirement from the posting].

What draws me to [company] is [something specific you learned about them]. I would bring [the one or two skills most relevant to them].

I would welcome the chance to talk about how I could contribute to [team or goal]. Thank you for your time.

[Your name]

[Phone and email]

Weak versus stronger openings (illustrative)

These examples are written for illustration, not from real applicants.

• Weak: "I am a hardworking and motivated professional looking for a new opportunity." Why it fails: it could be about anyone and says nothing about the job.
• Stronger: "Your posting for a customer support lead mentions reducing repeat tickets. In my current role I rebuilt our help-centre articles around the ten most common questions, and that is the work I want to do for your team." Why it works: it names the role, picks one requirement and shows relevant action.

How to tailor it in 15 minutes

1. Read the posting and underline the three requirements that appear most often or first.
2. Choose one real example of yours for each, and use the best one or two in the letter.
3. Note one detail about the company from its own website, product pages or recent announcements.
4. Compare the posting with your resume using our free job description match tool to see which keywords you may be missing, then fix the resume as well, not only the letter.

Format and delivery

• Keep it to one page with normal margins and a plain, readable font.
• Match your resume's header (name, phone, email) so the two documents look like a set.
• Send a PDF unless told otherwise. If you paste into a form, keep the formatting simple: plain paragraphs, no tables or columns, so it stays readable when it is parsed. Our guide to fixing your resume for ATS covers the same formatting rules.
• Address a person if you can find one honestly, otherwise "Dear Hiring Team" is fine.
• Do not mention salary unless the posting asks for it. When it does, see our salary negotiation guide.

Common mistakes

• Repeating the resume line by line.
• Opening with "To whom it may concern" and a paragraph about yourself.
• Listing adjectives (hardworking, passionate) instead of showing one example.
• Writing about what the job will do for you rather than what you can do for them.
• Leaving another company's name in a letter you reused.
• Apologising for what you lack instead of leading with what you have.
• Going over one page.

Final checklist

• The letter names the exact role and company.
• One specific reason for this job is in the first two sentences.
• At least one achievement is matched to a requirement in the posting.
• Nothing in it is exaggerated or cannot be explained in an interview.
• You proofread it aloud and checked the company name.
• It fits on one page.

Before you send anything, run your resume through our free ATS resume check so the document the letter introduces is as strong as the letter itself.