The Complete Guide to Writing a Cover Letter in 2025

## Do Cover Letters Still Matter? Short answer: yes, but context matters. For most online applications, your cover letter is only read if something in your resume already sparked interest. But for smaller companies, creative roles, and referral-based applications, a strong cover letter can be the deciding factor. More importantly: a great cover letter can help you stand out when your experience isn't a perfect match. ## The 5 Elements of a High-Impact Cover Letter ### 1. A Strong Opening Line Don't start with "I am writing to apply for the position of...". Everyone does that. Instead: - Reference a specific reason you want this company - Mention a mutual connection - Lead with your strongest qualification - Open with an interesting fact or observation about their industry **Example:** "When I saw that [Company] just launched [product/initiative], I immediately thought about the three years I spent solving exactly that problem at [previous company]." ### 2. One Key Achievement (Not a Resume Summary) Don't restate your resume. Instead, expand on one experience that's directly relevant to this role. Quantify it: "Led a team of 6 to launch a B2B SaaS product that acquired 800 paying customers in its first quarter." ### 3. Why This Company Specifically Recruit readers can smell a copy-paste cover letter from a mile away. Do 5 minutes of research and mention something specific: - A recent product launch or announcement - Their stated mission or values - A specific person or piece of content that impressed you ### 4. What You Can Do for Them (Not What They Can Do for You) Avoid: "This role would help me develop my skills in X." Use: "My experience in X would allow me to immediately contribute to [specific challenge]." ### 5. A Clear, Confident Close End with a direct ask — not a passive "I hope to hear from you." Instead: "I'd love 20 minutes to discuss how I can help [Company] with [challenge]. I'm available [days/times] and can be reached at [email]." ## Tone Guide - **Startup / Creative agency:** More casual, show personality, be direct - **Corporate / Finance:** Formal, structured, achievement-focused - **Non-profit:** Values-first, mission-driven language - **Tech company:** Clear, efficient, skills and impact forward - **Executive roles:** Strategic language, leadership framing ## Length and Format - Maximum one page - 3-4 paragraphs - Match the formatting to your resume - No silly fonts or colors (unless you're in a creative field) - Always save and send as PDF ## Free Cover Letter Generator Not sure where to start? Use our [Cover Letter Generator](/tools/cover-letter-generator) to build a professional, personalized cover letter in minutes. Choose from 5 tones: Professional, Confident, Creative, Entry-Level, and Executive — with PDF download included. [Generate your cover letter free →](/tools/cover-letter-generator)