A cover letter has one job: make the reader want to open your résumé. Learn the structure that does exactly that, without sounding like everyone else's.
A cover letter is a formal letter with a specific job: convince a stranger, in under a page, that you're worth interviewing.
It builds directly on Formal Letter Writing (Topic I) — the same address block, salutation, and sign-off apply — but the body follows its own structure, built around three questions a hiring manager is silently asking: Why this role? Why you? What's next?
This guide breaks down each section of a strong cover letter, shows the difference between generic and specific writing, and covers common mistakes — before testing your understanding with ten practice questions.
Open by stating exactly which role you're applying for and where you saw it. Avoid generic openers like "I am writing to apply for a job" — name the position specifically.
I am writing to apply for the Marketing Coordinator position advertised on your company's careers page.
This is where most cover letters fail — by simply repeating the résumé. Instead, connect one or two specific experiences directly to what the job requires, showing cause and effect rather than just listing facts.
| Generic (Weak) | Specific (Strong) |
|---|---|
| I have good communication skills. | Leading weekly team briefings at my last job taught me how to summarise complex updates clearly and quickly. |
| I am a hard worker. | I managed three concurrent projects last quarter without missing a single deadline. |
Show that you've actually researched the organisation — a specific product, value, or recent project works far better than a vague compliment like "I've always admired your company."
Your recent shift toward sustainable packaging closely matches the environmental focus I brought to my last role, where I helped reduce material waste by 15%.
End with a confident, brief closing that invites further conversation, rather than sounding desperate or overly humble.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience could contribute to your team. Thank you for considering my application.
| Mistake | Why It Hurts |
|---|---|
| Restating the résumé line by line | Gives the reader no new reason to care |
| Using the same letter for every application | Easy to spot, signals low effort |
| Focusing only on what you want from the job | Reads as self-centred rather than value-focused |
| Excessive length | Hiring managers rarely read past one page |
Two candidates with identical qualifications apply for the same role. One sends a cover letter that lists their skills generically; the other connects one specific past achievement directly to a requirement in the job posting. Hiring managers consistently report remembering candidates who make that direct, specific connection — because it does the interpretive work for them.
Here is a complete cover letter for the Marketing Coordinator role from Section 1, built from every paragraph covered above plus the formal letter structure from Topic I.
19 Fairview Road
Austin, TX 78701
14 March 2026
Hiring Manager
Greenfield Marketing Co.
400 Riverside Blvd
Austin, TX 78702
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to apply for the Marketing Coordinator position advertised on your company's careers page.
Leading weekly team briefings at my last job taught me how to summarise complex updates clearly and quickly, a skill I understand is central to coordinating across departments in this role. I also managed three concurrent projects last quarter without missing a single deadline, which I believe reflects the organisation this position requires.
Your recent shift toward sustainable packaging closely matches the environmental focus I brought to my last role, where I helped reduce material waste by 15%. I would welcome the chance to bring that same focus to Greenfield's marketing team.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience could contribute to your team. Thank you for considering my application.
Yours sincerely,
Priya Nandakumar
Each paragraph does its own job: the opening names the exact role, the second paragraph proves ability with specific evidence rather than generic claims, the third shows real research into the company, and the closing invites the next step without sounding desperate.
A cover letter is often the only piece of writing a hiring manager reads before deciding whether to open your résumé at all. Applying the formal structure from Topic I with the specific, evidence-based content covered here gives your application a real edge over generic submissions.
10 questions. Select an answer for each, then submit to see your score instantly.