Cover letter template
A good cover letter is one page, written for one job. It connects two or three of your strongest achievements to what the advert asks for, and makes it easy to invite you to interview.
The template
Fill it in by answering a few questions, and everything in [square brackets] is replaced with your details. Everything else can be edited too.
[your name]
[Your address]
[Email · Phone]
[Hiring manager’s name]
[Company name]
[Date]
Job application: [job title]
Dear [Hiring manager’s name],
I am applying for the role of [job title], advertised on [where you saw it]. [One sentence on why this role at this company.]
[Your most relevant experience or achievement, tied to what the job advert asks for.]
[A second strength that matches the role.]
My CV is enclosed. I would welcome the chance to discuss the role, and I am available [when].
Yours sincerely,
[your name]
When to use it
Use it with any CV you send — by post for roles that ask for paper applications, or printed to take to an interview or a recruitment fair.
Tips for writing it
- Address it to a named person where you can find one.
- Open with the role and why this company, not a summary of your whole career.
- Use the advert’s own wording for the skills you have, with one concrete example each.
- Keep it to one page and three or four short paragraphs.
- Match the date, contact details and format to your CV.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a cover letter be?
One page. Three or four short paragraphs is enough for almost every role.
Should I print my cover letter?
Take printed copies of your CV and cover letter to interviews and fairs, and post them where an application asks for paper. printle prints them flat, never folded, so they arrive crease-free.
Can you post my application for me?
Answer a few questions and the template fills itself in. Check it over in the editor, and we print it and post it for you with tracked delivery — sent flat in a hardbacked envelope, never folded, to any UK address.