What is a cover letter for a job application?
A cover letter introduces you to the employer before they read your resume. Your resume lists what you have done; your cover letter connects it to this particular job and company and shows how you communicate. It is your chance to explain things a resume cannot, such as a career change, a relocation or a gap.
Do I need a cover letter?
Send one when the job post asks for it, when you apply by email to a person, when you are changing careers or returning after a gap, and when you are applying to a small company where a human reads every application. You can usually skip it when an online form has no field for it.
How long should a cover letter be?
Aim for 250 to 400 words in three or four paragraphs. That fits comfortably on half to three-quarters of a page with normal margins. A cover letter for an internship or entry-level job can be even shorter. Never go beyond one page.
Cover letter format
- Header: your name and contact details, ideally matching your resume header.
- Date and recipient: the date, then the hiring manager's name, title, company and city.
- Subject line (useful for emails and Indian employers): "Application for the Data Analyst position".
- Greeting: "Dear Ms. Verma,".
- Opening paragraph: the role, where you saw it and your strongest reason for applying.
- Middle paragraph or two: one or two achievements that match the job's top requirements.
- Closing paragraph: why this company, a thank-you and a request for an interview.
- Sign-off and name, with your signature if you print or send a PDF.
Who do you address a cover letter to?
Address it to the person who will make the hiring decision, usually the hiring manager for the team. Look for a name in the job post, on the company's careers or team page, or on LinkedIn by searching the company and the department. Use their title and surname: "Dear Mr. Iyer," or "Dear Dr. Rao,".
How to address a cover letter without a name
If you cannot find a name, use a role or team: "Dear Hiring Manager,", "Dear Recruitment Team," or "Dear Marketing Team,". These are polite and modern. "To whom it may concern" and "Dear Sir/Madam" still appear in formal and government letters but feel dated for most private-sector jobs.
How to end a cover letter
Your last paragraph should make the next step easy: thank the reader, restate your interest in one sentence and ask for a conversation. Then add a sign-off and your full name.
| Sign-off | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Sincerely, | The safest choice for any job, any country. |
| Kind regards, / Best regards, | Slightly warmer; good for email applications. |
| Yours sincerely, | British and Indian formal style when you used the person's name. |
| Yours faithfully, | Formal letters that start "Dear Sir or Madam". |
| Thank you, | Fine for informal emails; less formal on paper. |
Example closing line: "I would welcome the chance to discuss how my experience in patient education could support your ward team. Thank you for your time and consideration."
Best font for a cover letter
Use the same font as your resume so your application looks like a set. Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, Garamond and Times New Roman all work. Keep the body at 10.5 to 12 points, single line spacing with a blank line between paragraphs, and margins of about 2 to 2.5 cm.
Internship cover letter example
Dear Ms. Sharma,
I am applying for the Summer Marketing Internship at BrightLeaf Foods that I saw on your careers page. As a second-year BBA student who grew our college fest's Instagram following from 1,200 to 4,800 in two months, I would love to bring that energy to your product launches.
For the fest, I planned a 30-day content calendar, designed posts in Canva and ran two small paid campaigns that brought 900 registrations. I also tracked results weekly in Google Sheets, which taught me to drop ideas that did not work and double down on those that did.
BrightLeaf's focus on healthy snacks for students is something I care about as your target customer. I would be glad to discuss how I can help with your campus campaign this summer. Thank you for considering my application.
Sincerely,
Priya Nair
Letter of interest vs cover letter
A cover letter responds to a specific job opening. A letter of interest, also called a prospecting letter, is sent to a company that has not advertised a role, to ask about future opportunities. The structure is similar, but a letter of interest focuses on the kind of work you want and why that company, rather than one job description.
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Frequently asked questions
How long should a cover letter be?
About 250 to 400 words in three or four short paragraphs, never more than one page. Internship and entry-level cover letters can be shorter.
How do you end a cover letter?
Thank the reader, restate your interest and ask for an interview in your last paragraph, then sign off with "Sincerely," or "Kind regards," and your full name.
How do I address a cover letter without a name?
Use "Dear Hiring Manager," or the team's name, such as "Dear Recruitment Team,". First try the job post, company website and LinkedIn to find the right person.
Is a cover letter necessary?
It is necessary when the job post asks for one, and helpful when you are changing careers, explaining a gap or applying to a small company. If an online form has no place for it, you can usually skip it.
What font should a cover letter be in?
Use the same font as your resume, such as Calibri, Arial, Georgia or Times New Roman, at 10.5 to 12 points.
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