How to Write a Cover Letter That Gets Read
Updated November 10, 2026 3 min readBy the M2Toolkit team
A cover letter isn't a summary of your resume. It's a short argument: here is the role, here is the evidence that I can do it, here is why I want it here. Done well it takes ten minutes to tailor and is the part of an application a hiring manager actually reads in full.
You'll learn how to
- Structure a letter in four short paragraphs
- Pick the two pieces of evidence that matter for this advert
- Write an honest “why this company” line
- Avoid the openings and phrases that get letters skimmed
Do you still need a cover letter?
If the application asks for one, yes — a missing or generic letter is an easy reason to reject. If it's optional, write one when you have something the resume can't say on its own: a career change, a move to a new city, a referral, a gap, or a genuine connection to the employer's work. For high-volume portals that don't ask for one, put the effort into tailoring the resume instead.
The four-paragraph structure
- Opening — the role you're applying for and the one-sentence reason you're a fit. No “I am writing to apply…” throat-clearing.
- Evidence one — the advert's most important requirement, met by a specific thing you did and what came of it.
- Evidence two — a second, different requirement. Two strong examples beat five thin ones.
- Why them and close — one honest sentence about this employer, then a clear, polite close.
That's 250–400 words on one page. An email application can be shorter: around 100–150 words, three paragraphs, with the resume attached.
Weak opening
I am writing to express my interest in the position of Marketing Manager which I saw advertised on your website.
Stronger opening
I'm applying for the Marketing Manager role at Brightquill. I've spent eight years in B2B SaaS marketing, and your plan to build an inbound programme from scratch is exactly what I did at my last company.
Tailor it in ten minutes
- Read the advert and underline the requirements it repeats or lists first. Those are what the reader is scoring.
- For the top two, find one example each from your resume where you did that thing and something changed as a result.
- Write each example as two or three sentences: the situation in a clause, what you did, the outcome.
- Find one true, specific reason you want this employer — a product, a project, a value they act on, a person you've spoken to. If you can't, keep that line short rather than generic.
- Read it aloud. Cut every sentence that would fit any company.
Writing an honest “why this company”
This is the line most letters get wrong, usually by flattering the employer (“an industry leader”, “a company with great values”). Specific beats enthusiastic. Good sources: something they've shipped or published, a problem they're solving that you've faced, the way they describe their customers, or a conversation with someone who works there.
Weak why this company
I have always admired your company's reputation for excellence and innovation.
Stronger why this company
Your tools are used by schools like the one I taught in, so I understand your customers' working day from the inside.
Format, greeting and sign-off
- Match the letter's design to your resume — same font and accent colour — so the application looks like one document.
- Address a named person when you can find one (the advert, the company site, LinkedIn). Otherwise “Dear Hiring Manager” is fine; avoid “To whom it may concern”.
- UK and Ireland: “Yours sincerely” after a named person, “Yours faithfully” after “Dear Sir or Madam”. Elsewhere, “Kind regards” or “Sincerely” works.
- Save as PDF, named with your name and the role.
- Keep the date and employer's address for printed or formal letters; drop them in an email.
What to leave out
- Repeating your resume line by line — the reader has it.
- Salary expectations, unless the advert asks for them.
- Negative comments about a current or former employer.
- Apologies for gaps or missing experience. State the facts briefly and move to what you offer.
- Claims you couldn't back up in an interview. Every sentence in a letter is a possible interview question.
- Generic phrases: “team player”, “passionate”, “think outside the box”, “perfect fit”.
Different situations, different emphasis
| Situation | Lead with | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate / entry-level | A project, internship or dissertation that matches the work | Listing modules instead of saying what you produced |
| Career change | The move, stated plainly, then transferable results in the new field's words | Apologising for the change |
| Internal move | Results they may not have seen, and what you'd do first | Repeating your history to people who know it |
| Speculative | Why this employer, specifically, and a small ask | Writing to “Sir or Madam” |
| Referral | The referrer's name in the first sentence (with their permission) | Leaning on the referral instead of evidence |
| Returning to work | A one-line, matter-of-fact note about the break, then experience | Over-explaining the gap |
Frequently asked questions
How long should a cover letter be?
250–400 words on a single page, in three to five short paragraphs. Email applications can be 100–150 words. Longer letters are rarely read in full.
Should a cover letter repeat my resume?
No. Pick two pieces of evidence that match the advert's top requirements and explain them in a little more depth than a bullet allows — what the situation was, what you did, what changed.
Is it okay to use a cover letter template?
Yes, for structure. Don't copy the wording: recruiters recognise stock letters. Use a template's paragraphs as prompts and write your own facts into each.
What if I can't find the hiring manager's name?
Use “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear [Team] Team” (for example, “Dear Finance Team”). It's better than a guess or a dated formula.
Should I send the letter as PDF or Word?
PDF keeps the layout exactly as you designed it, so it's the default. Send Word only if the employer asks for it.