How to write a cover letter

The structure that works

• Your contact details and the date — matching the header on your CV, so the two documents read as a set.
• The recipient — a name if you can find one. 'Dear Ms Sharma' beats 'To Whom It May Concern' by a wide margin, and the name is often on the advert or the company's website.
• Opening paragraph — the role you want and the single strongest reason you are a serious candidate.
• Middle, one or two paragraphs — the evidence. Pick two achievements from your CV that map directly onto what the advert asks for, and expand them.
• Why this organisation — one or two sentences showing you know something specific about them.
• Close — say you would welcome the chance to discuss it, and thank them. 'Yours sincerely' if you used their name, 'Yours faithfully' if you did not.

How long?

One page, always. Three or four short paragraphs, 250 to 400 words. If it runs longer, it is a sign you are restating your CV instead of adding to it.

How to open without a cliché

"I am writing to apply for the position of…" wastes your best line telling the reader something they already know. Start with the reason you are worth reading.

Weak: 'I am writing to apply for the position of Marketing Officer advertised on your website.'

Better: 'I have spent three years growing a retail brand's online audience from 4,000 to 40,000 on a budget of almost nothing, and I would like to do the same for [Company].'

The second version names the role by implication, gives evidence in the first line, and sounds like a person rather than a form.

A worked example

Dear Ms Sharma,

I have spent the last three years running the customer support desk at a fifteen-person software company, where I cut average first-response time from nine hours to under two. Your advertisement for a Support Lead describes almost exactly the problem I spent that time solving, which is why I am writing.

In my current role I rebuilt our ticket triage from scratch, introduced a shared response library that new staff could use from their first day, and trained four joiners who each reached full productivity within a fortnight. Our satisfaction score rose from 71% to 94% over eighteen months, and it has held there.

I have followed [Company]'s work in the education sector since your Kathmandu schools programme, and the prospect of building a support function around users who are not technical is exactly the kind of problem I want next.

I would welcome the chance to discuss the role. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,
Ramesh Adhikari

Mistakes to avoid

• Sending the same letter to everyone. A generic letter is worse than none, because it demonstrates the effort you are willing to make.
• Leaving the previous company's name in. It happens constantly and it ends the application.
• Restating your CV. The letter should add context, not repeat facts.
• Apologising. Never draw attention to what you lack. Write about what you bring.
• Getting the name wrong. Check the spelling twice.