Cover Letter Templates

A cover letter is a one-page document you submit alongside your resume or CV. Its purpose is to support the content of your resume or CV by expanding on your achievements, showcasing your personality and explaining why you’re a great fit for the company.

Even though a cover letter has a supporting role in the application process, it’s no less critical and could decide whether you get hired. Check out these cover letter basics and our cover letter writing tips to get hired fast.

Yes. A recent survey found that 83% of hiring managers, recruiters and HR staff consider cover letters essential to decision-making. We always recommend writing a cover letter because:

• It allows you to provide information that isn’t in your resume.
• It gives hiring managers and recruiters a glimpse into your personality.
• It has the space you need to market yourself as the best candidate.

Choose a cover letter layout template from this page to increase your chances of getting the job. Look at the five qualities of every successful cover letter to learn more.

You can write a cover letter for your resume in just 15 minutes — and we’re here to help you.

A successful cover letter should be formatted neatly for easy reading, and the content should catch hiring managers’ attention. To achieve the first goal, use a cover letter sample template as a model, and keep your letter to the point and one page long.

To ensure your content fits the bill, consult the job description and pinpoint essential keywords that you should mention in your letter. For example, if you’re applying to a customer service position that stresses knowledge of customer relations management (CRM) systems, mention your experience with CRM in your cover letter. 

Doing so will also help your letter pass automated applicant tracking systems (ATS), which many employers use to scan cover letters for the right keywords. We also recommend exploring how to make an ATS-friendly resume to ensure that your job application reaches hiring managers. 

Using an AI cover letter generator can help you tailor your cover letter to your target job with keywords and industry-specific content.  

Finally, your cover letter should answer the most critical question: Why are you interested in the job and the company? Explain why you should be hired for the role and what makes you the best fit. Employers will be impressed by a cover letter that shows you’ve done your homework and thought about how you can contribute. Download a free professional cover letter template and get started today!

A cover letter is a blank canvas where you can formally introduce yourself to the hiring manager — think of it as your sales pitch. Generally speaking, the hiring manager wants to know more about your skills and background, why you want to work for them and how you will help them. Still, this approach may differ depending on your professional experience.

For example, hiring managers will want to know why you have a career gap in your resume if you have one. If you ventured into running a small business or were affected by COVID-19, you’d want to explain what happened and show how your past experiences will help you fill this new role, as our professional cover letter templates show.

We recommend checking out our guide on what to include in a cover letter for tips from career advice experts.

Using a cover letter builder is not just OK but encouraged! Our Cover Letter Builder makes the writing process a breeze by providing over 15 cover letter templates, expert suggestions, step-by-step guidance, and customization tools to create and save as many versions of your cover letter as you want.

It’s the easiest way to assemble a professional cover letter for your resume, and all you have to do to get started is choose the downloadable cover letter template that best works for you.

A cover letter should be one page long. This cover letter length allows you to detail key achievements without overwhelming the reader. The recruiter or hiring manager won’t spend that much time reviewing your application, so your writing must be concise and straightforward. A work cover letter template from this page can help you organize your cover letter on one page.

If you don’t know who to address your cover letter to, here are some options to try:

• Address the cover letter to the department you’re interested in joining. For example, “Dear Creative Department,” “Dear Accounting Department,” or “Dear [Company] Team.”
• If you have the hiring manager’s name but are unsure whether to use titles like Mr., Mrs., or Ms., you can leave it out and use their full name. For example, “Dear John Smith” or “Dear Helena Law.”

Avoid starting your cover letter with greetings such as “To whom it may concern” or “Dear sir or madam” — it’s old-fashioned. This page’s cover letter samples can point you in the right direction.