How to write a cover letter

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a short letter, one page at most, that goes with your CV and tells the employer which job you want and why you suit it.

Your CV lists the facts. The letter picks out the few facts that matter for this job and puts them in your own words. Its only job is to make the employer want to read your CV and call you.

That is why you write a new letter for every application. You can keep the same layout, but the job, the company and the reasons change each time.

Do you need a cover letter if the advert does not ask for one?

Yes, send one unless the advert says not to: it costs you a few minutes and shows you took the application seriously.

If you apply by email, the email itself can be your cover letter. Write it as a short letter in the body of the email and attach your CV. If you apply on a job site with a box for a message, use the same few paragraphs there.

How to write a cover letter, step by step

This is the order in the Career Office cover-letter template.

1. Your details. Your name, phone number, email address and town at the top.
2. The date. The day you send it.
3. Who it is for. The name of the person hiring if the advert gives it, then the company name and address. If there is no name, write “Dear Hiring Manager”.
4. The opening paragraph. Say which job you are applying for, with the reference number if there is one, and where you saw it. Add one line on why you want this job.
5. The middle paragraph or two. Pick two or three things from the advert and show, with a real example each, that you can do them. This is the part to change for every job.
6. The closing paragraph. Thank them for reading, say you would like an interview, and give the number and times they can reach you.
7. Sign off. “Yours sincerely” or “Kind regards”, then your full name.

Before you send it, read it aloud once. Check the company name and the job title are right, because a letter with another company’s name in it is easy to spot. Check the spelling, and make sure the phone number works.

How do you write a cover letter with no experience?

Write about what you have done instead of jobs you have had: your matric, a course, volunteering, school responsibilities or helping in a family business.

Read the advert and look for the qualities it asks for, such as being reliable, good with people or careful with money. Then find one true example for each. Helping at a church event, being a class rep or handling the till at a relative’s shop all show something an employer can use.

Don’t apologise for having no experience, and don’t claim things you cannot back up. Say plainly that you are ready to learn, and show it with what you have already done. Our guide on writing a CV with no experience has more on what counts.

An example cover letter

Here is an invented example for a first job. The person, the company and the reference number are fictional.

Questions people ask

How long should a cover letter be?

No more than one page. Three or four short paragraphs is usually right, and an employer is more likely to read all of it.

Is a cover letter the same as a motivation letter?

They are close. Some adverts, especially for learnerships and bursaries, ask for a motivation letter: it uses the same layout, with more about why you want this opportunity and what you hope to learn.

What should I write in the email subject line?

The job title, the reference number if there is one, and your name. That way the email is easy to find.

Should I put personal details like my ID number in the letter?

No. Your name, phone number, email and town are enough. Our privacy page explains how the Career Office handles what you tell us.