A cover letter has one job: to make the person reading your CV or résumé want to talk to you. The best ones are short, specific and written for one job. Here's how to structure one, how US and UK letters differ, and a full example.
To draft one from your own experience, use the AI cover letter generator: it can import your CV from the CV builder and matches its design.
The structure that works
- Opening: the job you're applying for and, in one sentence, why you're a strong fit. Skip "I am writing to express my interest"; they know.
- Evidence: two or three examples from your experience that match what the advert asks for. Be specific: what you did and what changed because of it.
- Why them: what draws you to this organisation or role, in a sentence or two. Something real from the advert or their work, not flattery.
- Close: say you'd welcome an interview, and thank them.
Aim for 250 to 400 words, under a page. Mirror the advert's wording where it truthfully describes what you've done, which also helps applicant tracking systems match you.
US vs UK cover letters
| United States | United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Dear Ms. Rivera: / Dear Hiring Manager: | Dear Ms Khan, / Dear Hiring Manager, |
| Sign-off | Sincerely, | Yours sincerely, (named) / Yours faithfully, (not named) |
| Spelling | organize, color, program | organise, colour, programme |
| Date | October 11, 2026 | 11 October 2026 |
| Paper | US Letter | A4 |
| It goes with | A résumé | A CV |
The content is the same: specific evidence, matched to the job. Either way, never include a photo, your date of birth or other personal details the employer doesn't need.
An example cover letter
This example is for a made-up applicant, to show the structure.
Dear Ms Khan,
I'm applying for the Finance Manager role at Northern Bakery Co. I've spent four years running month-end reporting for a manufacturing group with three entities, and I'd like to bring that experience to a growing food business.
At ABC Textiles I led the month-end close for all three entities and cut it from ten working days to six by standardising reconciliations and moving reporting into SAP. I also prepared the group's IFRS accounts for audit, with no material adjustments in either of the last two years, and trained two junior accountants who now run the payables process.
Your advert mentions preparing the business for its first external audit and improving cash forecasting. Those are exactly the projects I've enjoyed most, and I'd welcome the chance to do them for a company whose products I already buy.
Thank you for considering my application. I'd be glad to discuss how I could help the finance team.
Yours sincerely,
Jane Doe
Notice what it doesn't say: no "hard-working team player", no list of every job, no repeating the CV line by line. Each paragraph answers a question the reader has.
Mistakes to avoid
- Claiming what the advert asks for rather than what you've done. Interviewers ask about every claim.
- Clichés such as "passionate", "results-driven" or "think outside the box". Show it with an example instead.
- The wrong name or company left over from another letter. Read it once more before sending.
- Too long. If it runs onto a second page, cut the weakest example.
The cover letter generator writes from the experience you give it, marks gaps like [project name] for you to fill, flags any figures you didn't provide, and sets the greeting, sign-off and spelling for the US or UK. Your name and contact details are added in your browser and never sent to the AI.
General guidance; employers' preferences vary. Last reviewed October 2026.