How to Make Cover Letter for Job Application

Crafting a compelling cover letter is one of the most important steps in the job application process. While your resume presents your qualifications, your cover letter gives life to your application by showing your personality, enthusiasm, and suitability for the role. Whether you're applying for your first job or transitioning to a new career, a strong cover letter can be your gateway to securing an interview. In this comprehensive guide, you'll learn exactly how to make a cover letter that stands out from the rest.

Ready to craft the perfect cover letter? Follow our proven tips and structure below to create a professional, personalized, and powerful letter that gets noticed!

Understand the Purpose of a Cover Letter

A cover letter is more than just a formal introduction. It’s your opportunity to connect directly with the hiring manager and explain why you’re an ideal candidate.

Unlike a resume, which focuses on listing your skills and accomplishments, a cover letter allows you to tell a story. It offers a narrative that connects your experience, motivation, and career goals with the company’s needs.

The primary goal of a cover letter is to convince the recruiter that you're worth interviewing. It should demonstrate your enthusiasm, highlight key qualifications, and reflect how your values align with the company's mission and culture.

 

In essence, a cover letter helps employers assess not just your technical fit, but your cultural fit too. It's where you can showcase the human side of your application.

Research the Company and Role

Before writing a single word of your cover letter, spend time researching the company and role.

Understand the company’s mission, culture, and recent achievements. Visit their official website, check out press releases, or follow them on LinkedIn. The goal is to collect details that can help you personalize your message.

Use this information to draw parallels between your experience and the company’s vision. Mention any notable projects or values they uphold that resonate with you. For instance, if a company is known for sustainability and you’ve led a green initiative, bring that up.

 

Also, try to find the name of the hiring manager. Addressing the letter personally shows effort and creates a stronger connection.

Personalize Your Cover Letter

Personalization is crucial. Recruiters can instantly recognize generic cover letters—and they rarely make it past the first read.

Tailor your cover letter to the specific job by aligning your qualifications with the job description. If the posting highlights “strong communication skills,” include a sentence showing how you've used this skill successfully in your previous roles.

When you personalize, you're not just swapping out company names. You're aligning your experience with their needs, using language that reflects their culture, and sharing genuine enthusiasm for the role.

 

Small touches, like referencing a recent company achievement or explaining how your values match theirs, can significantly boost your letter's impact.

Structure Your Cover Letter

A great cover letter follows a clear and professional structure. Stick to the standard business letter format with a beginning, middle, and end.

It typically includes:

1. Header and contact information

2. Salutation

3. Opening paragraph (intent and interest)

4. Body paragraphs (skills and achievements)

5. Closing paragraph (call to action and sign-off)

Keep it concise—one page is ideal. Each paragraph should serve a purpose and add value. Use clean formatting, professional fonts, and appropriate spacing to enhance readability.

Let’s break down each section:

Header and Contact Information

Start with your name, phone number, email, and address (optional) at the top. Align this to the left or center.

Include the current date, then the hiring manager’s name, job title, company name, and address.

This not only looks professional but ensures your contact details are easy to find.

Salutation: Address the Right Person

If you can find the hiring manager’s name, use it—e.g., “Dear Ms. Sharma.” If not, opt for “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear [Department] Team.”

Avoid outdated greetings like “To Whom It May Concern.” They make your letter feel impersonal.

When in doubt about gender, use the full name: “Dear Alex Rai.”

Opening Paragraph: State Your Intentions

Begin with a friendly and professional greeting, then state the job you're applying for.

Express your excitement about the opportunity and briefly highlight why you're a great fit. This sets the tone for the rest of the letter.

 

You can also mention how you discovered the job opening, especially if it was through a referral.

Highlight Relevant Skills and Experiences

Use the body of your cover letter to showcase relevant experience and skills. This is where you make your case.

Draw attention to your accomplishments and explain how they’ve prepared you for the new role. Mention key achievements and back them up with data when possible.

If you managed a team, implemented a new system, or improved a process—say so. The goal is to demonstrate your value using real examples, not just vague claims.

 

Explain how your past experience relates to the company’s mission and goals. This shows strategic alignment, not just tactical suitability.

Demonstrate Knowledge of the Company

Employers are impressed when applicants show they’ve done their homework.

In your cover letter, mention a recent company development, product launch, or award. Show how your background positions you to contribute meaningfully.

This not only conveys enthusiasm but also proves that you’re genuinely interested in that company—not just applying at random.

It also shows that your values align with theirs, making you a better cultural fit.

Connect Your Skills to Job Requirements

Review the job description carefully and extract two or three key skills or requirements.

In your letter, explain how your background directly matches these. Use examples and scenarios to show the hiring manager you’re ready for the job.

This technique also helps with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which scan applications for keyword relevance.

 

Don't forget to address gaps proactively. For instance, if you took time off, explain how you stayed productive and upskilled during that period.

Showcase Measurable Accomplishments

Quantify your success wherever possible. Numbers add credibility and provide evidence of your capabilities.

Examples:

• Increased social media engagement by 45% in 6 months.

• Reduced operational costs by 20% through process optimization.

• Generated ₹1.2M in new sales within a year.

These statistics tell a compelling story. They make your achievements tangible and impactful.

 

When paired with your resume, measurable accomplishments add dimension to your qualifications.

Express Enthusiasm Professionally

Let your passion shine—but keep it professional.

Explain what excites you about the job. Is it the company’s mission? A new project they’re working on? Or the potential to grow in your career?

Whatever it is, share it sincerely. Enthusiasm, when genuine, is contagious.

 

End your letter by reiterating your excitement and readiness to contribute. Just avoid going overboard or sounding desperate.

Avoid Seeming Desperate

Confidence is key. Don’t beg for the job or oversell yourself.

Avoid phrases like “I’ll take any opportunity” or “I really need this job.” These come across as desperate rather than assertive.

Instead, show your value. Let your experience, skills, and alignment with the company speak for themselves.

 

Keep the tone positive and focused on how you can contribute—not how they can help you.

Utilize a Cover Letter Template

Using a professionally designed template can streamline the writing process.

Templates help maintain consistent formatting, spacing, and design. Many even include helpful prompts to guide your content creation.

Choose a layout that suits your industry. For example, creative fields may allow for more design flexibility, while traditional roles may require a classic format.

 

Avoid overly decorative fonts or graphics. Clean and professional is the goal.

Proofread and Edit Thoughtfully

Never send your cover letter without proofreading it at least twice.

Typos, grammar issues, or formatting errors can ruin a great message.

Use tools like Grammarly or Hemingway App for an initial check. Then, ask a trusted colleague or mentor to review it.

Also, ensure your formatting is consistent—check margins, spacing, and font size.

 

A polished cover letter reflects attention to detail and strong communication skills—traits every employer values.

Keep the Tone Professional

Maintain a respectful and confident tone throughout.

Avoid slang, jokes, or overly casual language. Even if the company has a relaxed culture, your initial communication should reflect professionalism.

Steer clear of copy-pasting content from your resume. The cover letter should add new context, not duplicate information.

 

A professional tone helps create a strong, credible impression from the start.

Sign Off Respectfully

Close your letter with a short, polite paragraph.

Thank the reader for their time and express your interest in an interview. Mention that your resume is attached or available on request.

Use a formal sign-off like:

• Sincerely,

• Best regards,

• Thank you,

Then, include your full name and optionally your contact details again.

 

Example:

Sincerely,  

Ravi Shrestha  

ravi@example.com | +977-9840000000

Make Regular Customizations

No two job roles are the same—so your cover letter shouldn’t be either.

Customize the tone, language, and structure to suit each role. This shows genuine interest and increases your chances of getting noticed.

Use relevant keywords from the job posting. These can improve your visibility in ATS systems and make your letter more tailored.

Save different versions for different industries or roles. Over time, you’ll build a versatile library of cover letter drafts.

Use Cover Letter Builders (Optional)

Online cover letter builders are great for beginners or those short on time.

They guide you through the process with templates, examples, and formatting options. Some even use AI to help optimize your letter for ATS systems.

Popular tools include:

• Zety

• ResumeGenius

• Novoresume

• LiveCareer

 

These platforms are particularly helpful for generating ideas, formatting consistently, and crafting job-specific versions.

FAQs

How long should a cover letter be?

A cover letter should be one page or approximately 250–400 words. Keep it concise, focused, and impactful. Avoid overcrowding the page.

What should you avoid in a cover letter?

Avoid:

• Typos or grammatical errors

• Generic content

• Repeating your resume verbatim

• Negative language

• Begging for the job

• Using “To Whom It May Concern”

Is it necessary to follow up after sending a cover letter?

 

Yes, following up can show initiative and reinforce your interest. Wait 7–10 days after applying, then send a polite email inquiring about the status of your application.