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Cover letter checklist
From the research you do before writing to the checks you run before attaching it.
In short
A good cover letter is addressed to a named person where possible, opens with the specific role and why you fit it, gives two or three pieces of evidence that match the employer's main needs, shows why you chose this organisation, and closes with a clear next step. It should fit on one page and never repeat the CV line by line.
By Chanuka Jeewantha · Updated
A cover letter is read by someone deciding whether you understand the role and can make a clear case in writing. Its job is narrow: connect your strongest evidence to this employer's most pressing needs, in under a page. Most weak letters fail before the writing starts, because the research was skipped, so this checklist begins there.
Before you write
- You have read the full advert and marked the three needs it stresses most
- You know what the organisation does, who it serves, and something current about it
- You have looked for the hiring manager's name, or settled on a specific neutral greeting
- You have chosen two or three achievements that answer the marked needs
- You have checked whether the posting asks for anything specific, such as availability or salary expectations
Opening
- The first sentence names the role and gives a reason you fit it
- It does not open with ‘I am writing to apply for…’ followed by nothing specific
- The greeting uses the person's name correctly where you know it
- The opening would not work if you sent it to a different employer
- If someone referred you, their name appears in the first paragraph
The middle
- Each paragraph links one of their needs to one piece of your evidence
- Evidence uses numbers, scale or outcomes rather than adjectives
- At least one line shows why this organisation, not just any employer in the sector
- A career change, gap or relocation is addressed briefly and plainly if it is relevant
- Nothing repeats a CV bullet word for word; the letter explains, the CV lists
- The letter is more about what you offer them than what you want from them
Close
- The final paragraph restates your fit in one sentence
- It says what you would like to happen next, such as a conversation
- In British English, ‘Yours sincerely’ follows a named greeting and ‘Yours faithfully’ follows ‘Dear Sir or Madam’
- Your name, phone number and email appear below the sign-off
- No apologising, pleading or overselling in the last lines
Format and final check
- Fits on one page, typically three to five short paragraphs
- Uses the same font and header as your CV so the two read as a set
- Saved as PDF with a clear file name, unless it is pasted into a form
- If pasted into a text box, the formatting has been checked after pasting
- The company name, role title and person's name are correct everywhere, including the file name
- Spelling matches the market you are applying into
Tips
- Write the middle first. The opening is easier once you know which piece of evidence you are leading with.
- If you reuse a letter, rewrite the opening and the ‘why this organisation’ line every time. Those are the lines a reader checks for effort.
- A focused letter of around 250 words usually says more than a general one twice that length.
- When an application form has a ‘why do you want this role’ box instead of a letter upload, treat the box as your cover letter and apply the same checks.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long should a cover letter be?
A cover letter should normally fit on one page, usually three to five short paragraphs and roughly 250 to 400 words. The reader wants to see whether you understand the role and can make a clear case, and a longer letter rarely adds more evidence. Where an employer asks for detailed selection criteria responses, treat those as a separate document.
Who do I address a cover letter to if there is no name?
Try to find a name first: the advert, the organisation's website and LinkedIn often show the hiring manager or team lead. If you cannot find one, use a specific greeting such as ‘Dear Hiring Manager’ or ‘Dear Finance Recruitment Team’. Avoid ‘To whom it may concern’, which reads as dated and suggests you did not look.
Should a cover letter repeat my CV?
No. A cover letter should select and explain, not repeat. Pick the two or three achievements from your CV that best match the employer's needs and say why they matter for this role, adding context the CV has no room for. If a reader could skip the letter and lose nothing, it is repeating the CV.
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