How Long Should a Cover Letter Be and What Should Be Included?

A short, concise cover letter serves as a written introduction to a prospective employer and outlines why you’re the best fit for the job. You submit it alongside your CV, highlighting your experience and explaining how your skills and personality will complement the company.

A cover letter can be anywhere between half a page and a full page. Generally, you should aim for a length of approximately three to five paragraphs. 

In addition to asking how long a cover letter should be, you might also wonder what to write. To impress hiring managers to the point of being offered an interview, consider following these tips on length, structure, and impactful writing.

Cover letter length and outline 

A cover letter should be around three to five paragraphs long. Conciseness is key, so always stay within a page. Brevity is always better. 

The length is also dependent on how you plan to send the cover letter, either in the body of an email or as a separate attachment. If you send your letter in an email, it should be about half a page. If it’s an attachment, you can go a bit longer, but again, no longer than a page. 

Although an array of options is acceptable, crafting your cover letter in an email gets instant visibility as opposed to an attachment that the recipient must open (after already reading your email). Check for delivery directions in the job description. If you don’t find any directions, an email will be the best option for you.  

As for what you should include in your cover letter? Below is an outline of the cover letter sections and the information each paragraph should include: 

Contact information and greeting

At the top of your cover letter, include your contact information, which should state your:

• Date

• Full name

• City and postcode 

• Phone number 

• Email address

After providing these details, add the date of writing and the recipient's contact information. However, you do not need this information if you are writing your cover letter in the body of an email. 

Next, write a greeting to the hiring manager. Ideally, you’ll know the name of the hiring manager and will address the letter to that person. However, if you don’t know their name, you can simply address it to the “Hiring Manager”, or “To whom it may concern.”

Paragraph 1: Introduction

As expected, the first paragraph serves as an introduction. Start by introducing yourself and stating the position you’re interested in within the company. Add a fact or two about the company as you explain how you’ll fit within and complement the business.

When you research the company, examine its mission statement, values, and products. Review its social media profiles, research recent news coverage, and identify the leadership team, including owners and executives. Use these key findings to write your introduction. 

Paragraph 2: Relevant experience

The next paragraph should offer your specific qualifications that align with the job description. Mention your most recent job, its daily responsibilities, and how it helps the current job opening if it applies. 

Briefly highlight your skills. If you can, offer statistics that support your achievements by including a statement like: “The content marketing strategies I implemented led to a 300 per cent increase in visitors, a 15 per cent increase in inbound leads, and a two per cent increase in conversions." 

If your previous job was in a different field, or if you’re new to the job market, use this cover letter section to explain your workplace skills and why you’re a good fit for the position. 

Paragraph 3: Company details or more qualifications

The third paragraph can take two different forms. You can talk about the company and why you want to join such a business, or you can point out additional credentials that make you a standout candidate. 

Ensure you speak about the company. Why? To show you’re serious about the position and have done your homework. By researching the company’s website, social presence, news, and employee LinkedIn profiles, you can synthesise a few details about the company that you appreciate. With this data, determine why it’s the role and work environment for you and include your explanation in the letter itself.

If you’re light on company-specific details, mention more of your alluring qualifications, skills, or personality traits. However, be sure it’s fresh information and not details you are repeating from a previous paragraph. 

Paragraph 4: Closing

In the last paragraph, express your appreciation to the reader and offer to discuss the position more in-depth during an interview. 

Every cover letter, no matter what position you apply for, includes a call to action at the end, such as requesting a meeting or an interview. 

The way you sign off your cover letter should match your initial greeting. If you addressed it to a specific individual, close with "Yours sincerely". If you used a generic greeting, finish with "Yours faithfully".

Ensure your contact details are accurate and consistent on both your cover letter and CV. Provide clear instructions on how a recruiter can reach you. 

What if a job description states that you don’t need to include a cover letter? Experts say you should always send a cover letter as it gives you a chance to introduce yourself, showcase your skills, and stand out. You might find a job description that indicates you don’t need to include a cover letter and feel tempted to skip it. Send one anyway. A cover letter will allow you to highlight your relevant skills, experience, and interest in the company, presenting yourself as the ideal match for the job.  

Tips for writing an effective cover letter

You want your cover letter to stand out from the other candidates who are also applying for the job. Your words should express your qualifications and show your potential for growth at the company. Follow these tips to elevate your cover letter: 

Check the job description for requirements.

Before writing your cover letter, double-check the requirements in the job description. 

In some cases, the job description may include instructions for your cover letter. It might have requirements such as maintaining a specific length, naming the recipient, and providing the information the recruiter wants to know about you. Meeting the recruiter's specific requirements helps make for a great first impression.

Know the name of the recipient.

Include the name of the hiring manager rather than a more general greeting like "Dear Sir or Madam". Check the job description or company website for this information, or call the company to get the name of the hiring manager assigned to you. If you exhaust these options and can’t find the answer, use the general "Dear Hiring Manager" greeting.

Tailor the letter.

As the outline indicates, your cover letter should include company-specific and job posting-specific details. As a result, you should write each cover letter uniquely for each of the jobs you're applying for and not repurpose it.  

Formatting is important too.

Whilst it’s easy to focus on word selection or questions like, “How long should a cover letter be?” formatting is a key priority. Keep the margins standard, pick a legible and common font—like Arial or Times New Roman—and a font size of 11 or 12. 

Use bullet points for organisation. In your second or third paragraph, when you mention your qualifications, list each of your qualities as a bullet point. 

Bullet points make your copy “skimmable,” so if a hiring manager is short on time, they might skip the paragraphs and simply read the bullets. 

Complement your CV, don’t repeat it.

Your CV offers a snapshot of your job experience, education, and skill set. Again, avoid repeating information from your CV in your cover letter. It should complement your CV instead of being a copy of it. For instance, rather than duplicating the bullet points listed on your CV under your most recent job, for example, craft sentences that build on those bullets for your cover letter. 

Be concise.

A cover letter is a short document, so every word must count. Make your sentences concise and clear. When you’re finished writing, thoroughly review your cover letter and remove any “filler” or phrases that don’t add value to your letter. 

Have a clear call to action.

Include a call to action at the end of your cover letter, such as a suggestion to schedule an interview or a call to further discuss your qualifications. It’s one of the last things mentioned in your letter to encourage the hiring manager to take quick action. 

Get more help for your job search

Knowing the correct formatting, a compelling opening, and a motivating closing to your cover letter is the key first step toward getting that coveted job. 

To help bolster your chances of getting an interview, consider crafting your next cover letter by taking Writing Winning Resumes and Cover Letters from the University of Maryland, which is available globally. To further enhance your job hunt, consider courses like Successful Interviewing or Career Planning: A Path to Employment.