How to I Write a Cover Letter: A Simple Guide

If you’re reading this, there’s a 99% chance you’ve stared at a blank Google Doc whispering, “how do I even… start?” Same. Writing a cover letter can feel like trying to flirt on a dating app: you want to seem confident, a lil funny, and actually interested—but please not desperate. Also it’d be nice if they texted back.

Good news: you don’t need to be Shakespeare or go full TED Talk to write a great cover letter. You just need a simple structure (aka the format), clear content that proves you can do the job, and a few practical tips to sound like a real human who gets things done. This guide walks you through it in plain English, with examples and micro-templates you can copy-paste and tweak. No fluff. Okay, maybe like 5% fluff. Let’s go.

What a Cover Letter Actually Is (and isn’t)

Think of your cover letter as a short story about why you + this role makes sense right now. It’s not your life memoir, not a regurgitated resume, and not a place to apologize for every gap on your timeline. It’s a one-page highlight reel that:

• Connects your experience to the company’s needs
• Shows you understand the role (and the industry a bit)
• Sounds like a person wrote it—ideally you, not a robot from 2009

If your resume answers “what have you done?”, your cover letter answers, “why should we care, for this specific job?” That’s the whole game.

Cover Letter Format: The Simple Shape That Just Works

Let’s keep the format super simple. One page. Short paragraphs. Clean fonts. Easy to scan. Shoot for ~300–450 words, four-ish sections:

1. Header: Your name + contact (city optional if remote), the date, and the company’s info if you want to look extra pro.
2. Greeting: “Hi [Name],” or “Dear [Name],” (skip “To Whom It May Concern”—it screams 1998).
3. Four paragraphs: Hook → Proof → Alignment → Close.
4. Signature: “Best,” “Warmly,” whatever fits your vibe, then your name.

Fast Format Checklist (so you don’t overthink it)

• Length: 1 page, ideally 350 words or less.
• Font: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, or Georgia. 11–12 pt.
• Margins: 1 inch.
• File type: PDF unless the posting says otherwise.
• File name: FirstName-LastName-Cover-Letter-Role.pdf (e.g., Aisha-Ramirez-Cover-Letter-Product-Designer.pdf).
• Spacing: single, extra line between paragraphs.
• Tone: friendly-professional (aka “I know my stuff, but I’m not a robot”).

The point of format is to be invisible. Recruiters should spend zero brain cells decoding your layout and 100% on your content.

The Core Content: What to Say in Each Section (Without Sounding Cheesy)

Here’s the simplest content flow that consistently lands interviews:

1) Start With a Hook (the opening)

Your first 2–3 lines should make them think, “ah, they get it.” Options that work:

• The relevant win: “In the last year at Bloom, I increased qualified leads by 38% while keeping CAC flat—exactly the growth challenge you described for the Lifecycle Marketer role.”
• The aligned mission: “As someone who scaled community-led education programs to 50k learners, your mission to denocratize AI training hits home.”
• The personal-but-professional angle: “I first found your app when I was… and it solved X. Now I’d love to help bring that to Y audience.”

Avoid: “I’m writing to express my interest…” It’s fine, just a little… snoozy. Not a crime though—use it if you’re stuck. Better to be clear than cute.

2) Prove You Can Do the Job (the body)

Translate your resume bullets into outcome-focused proof. Use mini-stories. Use numbers if you’ve got them. If no numbers, use scope, speed, quality, or user love. Structure:

• Problem → Action → Result (“PAR,” but not the golf kind).
• Name the skills tools that match the job post.
• Keep it skimmable: 4–6 sentences max, or a short list with 2–3 bullets.

Example content snippets:

• “Shipped a multi-step onboarding flow in 6 weeks that lifted activation by 19% and cut support tickets by ~30%.”
• “Negotiated vendor costs down 12% while improving SLAs; reinvested savings into CX pilots.”
• “Built a weekly data ritual: dashboards + standups, so we caught errors faster and shipped with fewer rollbacks.”

3) Show You Understand Them (alignment paragraph)

Companies want to feel chosen (lol, don’t we all). Use this paragraph to connect the dots: your experience → their roadmap. Prove you’ve done basic research: product, metrics, market, recent launch, or a customer pain point. Keep it honest and specific.

• “Your push into B2B self-serve means lifecycle + pricing experimentation matter. That’s exactly where I’ve been playing lately.”
• “You’re designing for Gen Z creators; my last role was building monetization features for small creators—DM me about the tipping flow we tested, I learned stuff.”

4) Close With Momentum (the CTA)

End with confident warmth. Thank them. Suggest next steps. Keep it short.

• “I’d love to share how we lifted conversion without extra ad spend. Thanks for reading—excited to chat.”
• “If helpful, I can send work samples and a quick teardown of your onboarding. Appreciate your time.”

Tips That Make a Real Difference (Tiny Levers, Big Impact)

You asked for tips—these are the ones that (ngl) change outcomes:

Voice & Vibe Tips

• Write how you’d speak at a professional coffee chat. Not Slack-chaos, not legal brief.
• Use contractions: it’s friendlier.
• Keep sentences mostly short. One longer sentence per paragraph max.
• Sprinkle personality, not glitter bombs. One tasteful joke > five dad jokes.
• A tiny, human aside (“hmm,” “you know”) can help, just don’t overdo. Like salt.

Research Tips (30 minutes, tops)

• Skim the job post and highlight 5–7 keywords (skills, tools, outcomes).
• Quick scan of the company site, product, and 1–2 recent announcements.
• Check LinkedIn for the hiring manager or team lead. Use their name.
• Identify 2–3 overlaps between your history and their needs. That’s your spine.

Keyword & ATS Tips

• Mirror the exact phrases from the job post when true (“SQL,” “lifecycle marketing,” “Figma component libraries”).
• Include 6–10 keywords naturally in the content body; don’t stuff.
• PDF is usually fine. If the portal says “paste your text,” keep formattting minimal.

Design & Readability Tips

• White space is your friend.
• If you use bullets, keep it to 2–3 max.
• Bold sparingly for key numbers or role names, but you can also skip bold entirely; clean text is totally fine.
• No headshots or fancy borders. Save the Canva energy for your portfolio.

Timing & Follow-Up Tips

• Submit early if possible; some roles fill rolling.
• Follow up once after 5–7 business days. Keep it kind and short.
• If you ghost the application for a bit (life happens), re-engage with a quick note: “Hey! Still excited. Here are two relevant projects I can share.”

Common Mistakes (And How to Dodge Them)

Let’s prevent the facepalms. These are incredibly fixable:

• Repeating your resume line-by-line. Your letter should interpret your resume—what it means for this job—not paste it.
• Going generic. If your letter could be sent to 100 companies with zero edits, it’s… fine-ish, but meh. Add a 2–3 sentence alignment paragraph.
• Apologizing. “I know I don’t have all the requirements…”—don’t self-own. Show transferable wins.
• Over-formatting. Wild fonts, colors, graphics—save for a design portfolio. Clean format wins.
• Typos. One typo isn’t doom, but run spellcheck, then read out loud. (I always catch a rogue “teh.” Same brain.)
• Too long. If someone has to scroll twice on mobile, it’s a lot. Trim.

Examples & Micro-Templates (Steal These, Make Them Yours)

These are scaffolds. Customize the verbs, nouns, numbers, vibes. Keep content honest.

Ultra-Short Cover Letter (When the posting barely wants one)

Hi [Name],

I’m excited about the [Role] at [Company]. In my last role at [Previous Co], I [impact: increased X / reduced Y / shipped Z], which maps directly to your goals around [insert goal from job post]. I love what you’re building, especially [specific product/team note], and I’d like to help accelerate [metric/initiative].

Could we schedule a quick chat? Happy to share a brief case study.
Best,
[Your Name]

Why it works: tight format, clear content, confident close. No “To Whom,” no fluff.

Standard Cover Letter (General Playbook)

Hi [Hiring Manager Name],

I’m applying for the [Role] at [Company]. At [Current/Recent Company], I led [project], which [result—ideally quantified]. For example, I [action—built/launched/optimized] [thing], improving [metric] by [number] in [timeframe]. I also collaborated with [teams] to [what you did cross-functionally], which is similar to how your [Team] operates.

What draws me to [Company] is [specific reason: product, mission, market move]. With [X years] in [field], I’ve developed [skills/tools] that line up with your needs for [requirement from job post]. I’d love to bring that experience to [key initiative] and help [clear outcome].

Thanks for your time—I’d love to chat and share more.
Warmly,
[Your Name]

Entry-Level / New Grad (No “Experience”? Use Projects)

Hi [Name],

As a recent [degree/certificate] grad who built [project/club/competition], I’m excited about the [Role] at [Company]. In my capstone, I [what you did], resulting in [outcome—users, score, time saved, etc.]. I also interned at [Place], where I [action], and co-led [club/team], coordinating [people/volunteers/budget].

I’m particularly drawn to [Company] because [specific thing—feature, mission, customer]. I can jump in quickly on [task 1, task 2], and I’m comfortable with [tools/skills from posting]. I’d love to bring that energy (and, ngl, a very organized Notion) to your team.

Appreciate your time, and I’d be happy to share a short demo.
Best,
[Your Name]

Career Switcher (Translate Your Value)

Hi [Name],

I’m applying for [Role] at [Company]. While my background is in [Previous Field], I’ve been operating in [New Field] through [bootcamp/certifications/freelance/projects], including [one-liner win]. In my last role, I led [transferable achievement], which maps to your needs around [requirement].

Here’s where I’m a fit: I’ve shipped [projects/examples], I work closely with [relevant partners/stakeholders], and I turn ambiguous problems into testable experiments. I’m excited about [Company]’s push into [market/feature], and I’d love to help with [initiative you can contribute to immediately].

Thanks for considering my application—open to a short intro call anytime.
Best,
[Your Name]

Cold Email / Speculative Letter (When There’s No Posting)

Subject: Quick idea for [Company]’s [team/product]

Hi [Name],

I’m a [role/skill] who recently [relevant win]. I noticed [Company] is [observation], and I have a lightweight idea that could help [improve metric]. If you’re open, I can send a one-pager or jump on a 10-min call. Either way, big fan of what you’re building—especially [specific feature/community/mission].

Cheers,
[Your Name] | [Portfolio/LinkedIn]

The Template (Minimalist, Adaptable, You’re Welcome)

Copy this into a doc, then customize the content and format bits:

[Your Name]
[Email] · [Phone] · [City (optional)] · [Portfolio/LinkedIn]

[Date]

[Hiring Manager Name]
[Company Name]

Hi [Name],

[Hook: 2–3 lines connecting your strongest, most relevant win to their goals.]

[Proof: 3–5 lines or 2–3 bullets that show problem → action → result, with skills/tools that match the posting.]

[Alignment: 2–3 lines about why them, right now. Mention product, mission, market, or a recent initiative.]

[Close: 1–2 lines with a friendly CTA—offer to share work samples or a quick case study.]

Best,
[Your Name]

Formatting Notes Most People Google at 2 a.m.

• Greetings: Use a name if you can. If not, “Hi Hiring Team,” is fine.
• Pronouns: First person (“I”) is okay; it’s your letter. Avoid overusing “I” at the start of every sentence.
• Jargon: Use the company’s language, not your last team’s inside jokes.
• Length: If you’re going past 450 words, you’re likely explaining too much. Trim until the core content shines.
• P.S. lines: Optional, but can be a nice touch: “P.S. Happy to share a 2-min Loom walking through my approach.”
• Attachments: If they ask for a cover letter in the body of the email, paste it cleanly and still attach the PDF. Different systems, different vibes.
• Accessibility: Clear headings, simple format, and descriptive file names help everyone.

How to Research Fast (Without Falling Into a YouTube Spiral)

You don’t need a PhD-level deep-dive. Just get enough to not sound like you copied a generic template at 3x speed.

1. Job post: Highlight 5–7 “must-haves” (skills, tools, outcomes). Those are your keyword anchors.
2. Company: Homepage → “About” → “Blog/News.” Grab one specific detail.
3. Product: Sign up (if easy). What’s one thing you’d improve or celebrate?
4. People: Peek at the hiring manager’s profile or team page to find terminology they use.
5. Your angle: Pick 2–3 experiences that most closely match those priorities. That becomes your content.

Adapting Your Letter for Different Roles (Because One Size Doesn’t Fit Anyone)

• Product/Design: Emphasize user impact, research insights, and how you narrowed scope. Link to a portfolio.
• Marketing/Growth: Lead with numbers (conversion, CAC, LTV), experiments, channel mix.
• Ops/Program/Project: Talk about systems you built, on-time delivery, cross-functional wrangling.
• Engineering/Data: Summarize technical depth without turning it into a README. Mention languages, stacks, environments.
• Customer/Success/Support: Highlight empathy, retention wins, playbooks, and tricky escalations you solved.
• Creative/Content: Show craft with a crisp voice; include clips or a small portfolio. Yes, your cover letter itself is a writing sample—keep it tight.

“But What If…” (Edge Cases You’ll Probably Hit)

• Gap in work history? Don’t write an essay about it. One line max, then pivot to value. “After a short break to [thing], I’m excited to bring my [skill] back to [role].”
• Overqualified? Spin it as leverage, not baggage. “I’m intentionally targeting IC roles where I can ship hands-on work and mentor lightly.”
• Career pivot? Translate wins across contexts. “Different industry, same muscles: stakeholder wrangling, data-driven decisions, shipping reliably.”
• No name for greeting? “Hi Hiring Team,” is perfectly acceptable.
• They ask for salary? If you must: give a thoughtful range with context, then pivot. Otherwise, “I’m open and would love to learn more about scope first.”

A Quick Word on Style (a little messy is… kinda nice?)

You don’t need to scrub every ounce of personality out of your letter. A few conversational touches make you memorable. A tiny “hmm,” a “you know,” even a “ngl” (used sparingly) can sound real. Just don’t let the vibes overshadow the value. Clarity beats cleverness. Always.

The 10-Minute Polishing Pass (Before You Hit Submit)

1. Trim fluff. Delete any sentence that doesn’t prove you can do the job or show you get them.
2. Numbers check. Add or clarify at least one measurable result.
3. Keyword sweep. Mirror the job post language (again, honestly).
4. Name check. Hiring manager and company spelled right? (Ask me how I know… oops.)
5. Read out loud. If you run out of breath, split the sentence.
6. Final format pass. Clean header, spacing, PDF saved with a sensible file name.
7. CTA. End with momentum. “Happy to share a quick case study.”

A Sample You Can Adapt (350-ish words)

Hi Maya,

When I saw your Lifecycle Marketer role, the focus on retention and pricing experiments jumped out. At BrightLoop, I led a cross-functional growth pod (PM, Eng, Design) and increased activation by 19% in two quarters by tightening our onboarding narrative and introducing event-based nudges. We ran seven pricing tests last year that lifted ARPU 11% without a hit to churn.

My work blends data and copy. I write and ship quickly, then iterate based on dashboards I maintain with Eng. For our creator cohort, I built a two-week onboarding series that drove a 24% jump in “first earnings,” and we cut time-to-value from 10 days to 6. Tools: SQL, GA4, Braze, and a very opinionated Notion (sorry, but it’s color-coded; it sparks joy).

I’m excited about Rally’s move into self-serve B2B. Your last launch around team workspaces suggests there’s low-hanging fruit in activation and expansion—especially progressive paywalls and in-product education. I’ve shipped similar flows and would love to help you test pricing/packaging in a way that aligns with your PLG motion.

I’d love to share a short case study on the onboarding changes we shipped (two charts, no fluff). Thanks for reading and congrats on the workspace launch—it’s a legit step toward deeper account-level value.

Best,
Jordan

Why it works: tight format, specific content, clear tips embedded (keywords, metrics, alignment, CTA).

The Final Pre-Flight Checklist (Format, Content, Tips)

• Format
  • One page, readable font, sane margins, PDF saved smartly.
  • Clean header, consistent spacing, no rainbow chaos.
• Content
  • Hook ties your best win to their needs.
  • Proof uses numbers or tangible outcomes (PAR: problem → action → result).
  • Alignment shows you understand their product/market/team.
  • Close asks for the next step (case study, chat, portfolio).
• Tips
  • Mirror job keywords naturally (ATS but make it human).
  • Keep voice friendly-professional; tiny personality welcome.
  • Follow up politely in a week if you haven’t heard back.

Quick FAQ (Because You’re Probably Wondering)

Do I always need a cover letter? Not always, but if the app portal has a field, use it. It’s a chance to differentiate, especially when your resume isn’t an obvious 1:1 match.

How long should it be? Shorter than you think. 300–450 words is the sweet spot for most roles.

Should I repeat my resume bullets? No. Interpret them. Add context and outcomes.

Can I use a template? Yep—start with a template, then personalize the hook and alignment paragraph. If those two sections feel custom, you’re golden.

PDF or DOCX? PDF unless the posting says otherwise. If pasting into a portal, keep format simple.

Can I be a little funny? A lil, sure. Prioritize clarity over comedy. If the company voice is serious (fintech compliance, healthcare), lean buttoned-up.

What about AI? Using AI to brainstorm structure or tighten wording is fine—just ensure the final content sounds like you: specific, accurate, and aligned.

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Friendly Wrap-Up

You don’t need a perfect cover letter. You need a clear, specific, human one. Keep the format clean, the content aligned to the role, and apply a few tips to make your voice pop (without turning it into a stand-up set). Write the first draft fast, trim the fluff, add one more measurable win, and hit send.

Seriously—you’ve got this. Open a doc, drop in the template, and write that hook in the next five minutes. Then apply to two roles today. Future-you will be grateful. Go make it happen 💪