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Cover letter templates

8 designs that sit alongside your resume, and 8 writing templates — each with a complete example letter — for the situations people actually apply in. Pick one, then write yours in the builder with your own details.

Open the cover letter builder Example letters by situation

Designs

The same letter in every design. All print on A4 with your text in normal reading order; font, size, spacing, margins and colour can be changed in the builder.

  • ClassicPortal-friendly

    Name and contact line over a hairline rule. Safe for every employer.

    Use this design

  • MinimalPortal-friendly

    No colour, no rules — just well-set text. The most portal-friendly.

    Use this design

  • ExecutivePortal-friendly

    A serif name with an accent underline and a subject line.

    Use this design

  • CentredPortal-friendly

    Centred name with small-caps contacts between double rules.

    Use this design

  • Accent RulePortal-friendly

    A bold accent bar beside the header; matches modern resumes.

    Use this design

  • Modern BandSend directly

    A full-width colour band with your name reversed out.

    Use this design

  • MonogramSend directly

    Your initials in a ring — for creative and client-facing roles.

    Use this design

  • SidebarSend directly

    Contact details in a tinted side column, letter on the right.

    Use this design

Example letters for every situation

Each template gives you a paragraph-by-paragraph structure. In the builder, the parts only you can write appear as [bracketed] prompts — nothing is filled in with made-up experience.

Experienced professional cover letter

You have direct experience in the kind of role you're applying for.

The default for most applications. Lead with your strongest relevant result, then show two requirements from the advert met by your record.

Structure

  1. Name the role and give the one-sentence reason you fit it.
  2. Evidence for the advert's most important requirement, with a result.
  3. Evidence for a second requirement — a different skill, not more of the same.
  4. Why this employer, in one honest sentence, then a clear close.

Example: Senior Payroll Analyst, Ferngate Housing Trust

Dear Ms Okafor,

I'm applying for the Senior Payroll Analyst role at Ferngate Housing Trust. I've spent six years running monthly payroll for organisations of 800 to 1,400 staff, most recently at a regional NHS supplier, and your advert's focus on accuracy during a system change is exactly the work I know best.

At my current employer I led the payroll side of our move from a legacy bureau to an in-house system. I rebuilt the pay element mapping, ran three parallel payrolls and reconciled every variance before go-live, and we went live with no underpayments in the first quarter — the requirement your advert puts first.

I also bring the stakeholder skills the role describes. I run a monthly pay clinic for line managers, which cut ad-hoc payroll queries by about a third over a year and made late overtime submissions far rarer.

Ferngate's work on affordable housing in the city is something I've followed since your Holbeck scheme, and I'd like my work to support an organisation with that purpose.

I'd welcome the chance to talk about how I could help you through your system upgrade next year. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Kind regards,
Priya Raman

Fictional example. 194 words.

Tips

  • Pick the two requirements the advert repeats or lists first.
  • One result per paragraph is plenty; a letter is not a second resume.
  • If you can't say why this employer honestly, keep that sentence short rather than generic.
Use this template

Graduate / entry-level cover letter

You're finishing study or have under two years of work experience.

When your best evidence is a degree, a project, an internship or part-time work. Show you can already do some of the job, and that you learn quickly.

Structure

  1. The role, your degree or course, and when you can start.
  2. A project, dissertation or internship that matches the work, with what you produced.
  3. Transferable proof from part-time work, societies or volunteering.
  4. Why this employer and an availability-led close.

Example: Junior Data Analyst, Lindenfield Analytics

Dear Hiring Manager,

I'm applying for the Junior Data Analyst position at Lindenfield Analytics. I graduate in May with a BSc in Economics from Ohio State, and I'm available to start in June.

For my capstone project I analysed five years of city bike-share trips in Python and SQL to find stations that ran empty at rush hour. My recommendations for rebalancing were presented to the city's transport team, and the work gave me practical experience of cleaning messy data and explaining results to non-specialists — both named in your advert.

Alongside my studies I've worked 15 hours a week at a campus café, where I took over the weekly stock order and built a simple spreadsheet that cut wasted milk and pastries. It taught me to work to deadlines and to make data useful to busy people.

Your graduate programme's mix of client projects and structured training is exactly the start I'm looking for.

I'd be glad to discuss the role and can make myself available for an interview at your convenience. Thank you for considering my application.

Yours sincerely,
Daniel Osei

Fictional example. 176 words.

Tips

  • Coursework and projects are real evidence — describe what you produced.
  • Name the start date; employers hiring graduates plan around it.
  • Keep it to one page and four short paragraphs.
Use this template

Career change cover letter

You're moving into a field where your job titles don't match yet.

When a recruiter skimming your resume might ask 'why this person?'. Answer it in the first paragraph, then map your past results onto the new role's requirements.

Structure

  1. The role and the change you're making, stated plainly.
  2. Transferable experience translated into the new field's language.
  3. What you've done to build the new skills: training, projects, volunteering.
  4. Why now and why them, then the close.

Example: Customer Success Manager, Brightquill Learning

Dear Mr Alvarez,

I'm applying for the Customer Success Manager role at Brightquill Learning. After eight years teaching secondary maths, I'm moving into customer success, and I'm bringing experience that maps closely onto this role.

As head of year I was responsible for 180 students and their families: I ran onboarding for each new intake, tracked progress against targets and stepped in early when someone was falling behind. That is account management under another name, and the skills behind it — explaining complex things simply and spotting risk early — are the ones your advert asks for.

To build the specialist knowledge I completed a customer success certification this year and volunteered with a local edtech start-up, where I wrote their help-centre articles and ran onboarding calls for 20 schools.

Brightquill's tools are used by schools like mine, so I understand your customers' working day from the inside, and that's where I think I can add most.

I'd value the opportunity to explain how my background could help your team. Thank you for reading my application.

Kind regards,
Sofia Marín

Fictional example. 173 words.

Tips

  • Translate, don't apologise: describe past work in the new field's vocabulary.
  • Show recent proof of commitment — a course, a project or volunteering.
  • Pair it with a resume that opens with a skills section.
Use this template

Internal promotion or transfer cover letter

You're applying for a role in the organisation you already work for.

When the hiring manager may already know you. Don't repeat your history; show results they may not have seen and what you'd do in the new role.

Structure

  1. The role, your current position and how long you've been there.
  2. Results in your current role that matter for the new one.
  3. What you already know about the team's priorities and how you'd contribute.
  4. Thanks and a handover-aware close.

Example: Operations Team Lead, Oakmere Logistics

Dear Hannah,

I'd like to be considered for the Operations Team Lead position. I've been a senior shift coordinator in the Northfield depot for three years, and I'd welcome the chance to take on responsibility for the whole night operation.

Over the past year I've rebuilt our shift handover checklist and trained the other coordinators to use it, and our missed-collection rate has fallen from roughly one a week to one a month. I've also covered the team lead role for six weeks during Sam's leave.

Working with the day team, I've seen how often loading delays start with late trailer allocation. In the role I'd start by agreeing a fixed allocation cut-off with the transport office.

I'd make sure my current work is handed over smoothly. Thank you for considering my application — I'd be glad to talk it through whenever suits you.

Best regards,
Marcus Lee

Fictional example. 142 words.

Tips

  • Assume they know your job title, not your results.
  • Mention any time you've already covered the role.
  • Keep the tone collegiate; this is a conversation with colleagues.
Use this template

Speculative (unadvertised) cover letter

You're writing to an employer that hasn't advertised a vacancy.

For networking-led sectors and small firms that hire without job adverts. Be specific about the kind of role, short, and easy to say yes to.

Structure

  1. Who you are and the kind of role you're looking for.
  2. Why this employer, with something specific about their work.
  3. Your most relevant evidence in two or three sentences.
  4. A small, concrete ask: a short call, or to be kept in mind.

Example: Junior Designer, Bluefen Studio

Dear Leah,

I'm a graphic designer with two years' experience in branding for independent food businesses, and I'm writing to ask whether Bluefen Studio has, or expects to have, an opening for a junior designer.

Your packaging for the Harrow Bakery range is the reason I'm writing: the way the illustration system stretches from labels to the shop front is the kind of work I want to learn to do at a higher level.

Recently I rebranded a local coffee roaster, from logo to bag labels and market stall signage, and their wholesale enquiries rose after the relaunch. I'm comfortable taking work from sketch to print-ready files in the Adobe suite and Figma.

My portfolio link is above. Would you be open to a 15-minute call in the next few weeks? Even if there's nothing now, I'd be grateful to be kept in mind.

With thanks,
Amara Nwosu

Fictional example. 142 words.

Tips

  • Address a named person — speculative letters to 'Sir or Madam' are rarely read.
  • Keep it under 250 words.
  • Follow up once, politely, after two weeks.
Use this template

Referral from a contact cover letter

Someone at the company suggested you apply or agreed to recommend you.

Only with the person's permission. Name them in the first sentence — it's the reason the letter gets read — then let your evidence do the rest.

Structure

  1. The referral and the role, in the first sentence.
  2. What your contact knows about your work, briefly.
  3. Your strongest evidence against the advert.
  4. A close that doesn't lean on the referral.

Example: Procurement Specialist, Saffron Bay Facilities

Dear Ms Haddad,

Karim Nasser, Senior Buyer at Saffron Bay Facilities, suggested I apply for the Procurement Specialist position, and I'm delighted to do so.

We worked together at a hospitality group on its supplier consolidation, so Karim has seen first-hand how I prepare tenders and keep negotiations on schedule.

Most relevant to this role, I ran the tender for our cleaning and consumables contracts across 14 hotels, reducing the supplier list from 23 to 6 and agreeing fixed pricing for two years.

I'd welcome the chance to discuss the role with you. Thank you for your time.

Kind regards,
Tomás Herrera

Fictional example. 95 words.

Tips

  • Ask your contact first, and tell them when you've applied.
  • One mention of the referral is enough.
  • Your evidence still has to stand on its own.
Use this template

Returning to work cover letter

You've had a career break — caring, health, study, travel or redundancy.

When a gap is visible on your resume. Mention it briefly and positively, then move on to what you offer now.

Structure

  1. The role and a one-line, matter-of-fact note about the break.
  2. Your previous experience that matches the role.
  3. How you've kept current (if you have) and why you're ready now.
  4. A confident close.

Example: Accounts Payable Officer, Wattlegrove Health

Dear Hiring Manager,

I'm applying for the Accounts Payable Officer role at Wattlegrove Health. I'm returning to work after a three-year career break to care for a family member, and I'm ready to commit fully to a new role.

Before my break I spent seven years in accounts payable for a hospital supplier, where I processed around 1,200 invoices a month and set up a three-way matching check that caught duplicate payments before they went out.

During the break I completed a Xero certification and kept the books for a local community group, so I'm up to date with cloud accounting and e-invoicing.

I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience fits the role. Thank you for considering my application.

Yours sincerely,
Helen Carter

Fictional example. 118 words.

Tips

  • One sentence on the gap is enough; you don't owe a detailed reason.
  • Lead with the experience you had before the break.
  • Show anything recent: courses, volunteering, freelance work.
Use this template

Short email application cover letter

The cover letter is the body of an email, or the form allows only a short message.

When an advert says 'send your CV to…'. Three short paragraphs, a clear subject line, and the resume attached as a PDF.

Structure

  1. The role, where you saw it, and that your resume is attached.
  2. Two or three sentences of your best evidence.
  3. A brief close with your availability.

Example: QA Engineer, Quillby Software

Dear Hiring Manager,

I'd like to apply for the QA Engineer role at Quillby Software that I saw on your careers page. My resume is attached.

I'm currently a test engineer at a fintech start-up, where I built our first automated regression suite in Playwright and cut the manual test cycle before each release from three days to one. I'm comfortable with API testing and with writing clear bug reports for developers.

I'm available for a call or interview any weekday afternoon. Thank you for your time.

Best regards,
Aisha Khan

Fictional example. 84 words.

Tips

  • Subject line: 'Application — {role} — Your Name'.
  • Attach the resume as a PDF named with your name.
  • No need for addresses or a date in an email.
Use this template

Questions

Which cover letter template should I use?

Choose the writing template by your situation — experienced, graduate, career change, internal move, speculative, referral, returning to work or a short email — and the design by where you're sending it. For online application portals use Classic, Minimal, Executive or Centred; the colour-block designs are best sent directly to a person.

Will the design match my resume?

Yes, if you build your resume here. In the cover letter builder, “Match my resume” picks the letter design closest to your resume template and copies its body font and accent colour.

Are the example letters real?

No. The people and employers in the examples are fictional, written to show each structure in practice. Don't copy their details: the builder leaves [bracketed] prompts where your own facts go, and warns you if any are left before you download.

How long should a cover letter be?

Usually 250–400 words on one page: three to five short paragraphs. An email application can be shorter — around 100–150 words — because the resume is attached.

Can I download the letter as Word or PDF?

Yes. The builder downloads Word (.docx), PDF (through your browser's Save as PDF) and plain text, with no watermark and no sign-up.