A cover letter is your chance to explain what a resume can't: why this role, why this organisation and why now. Done well, it turns a list of experience into a reason to meet you.
Skip 'I am writing to apply'. Start with what draws you to the role or a specific point of connection with the organisation's work.
Find a genuine connection between the vacancy and your experience. It may be a responsibility you know well or a problem you have helped solve. You do not need a dramatic personal story. Avoid praise that could be pasted into any employer's letter; a specific, truthful reason is more useful.
Choose the achievements most relevant to the role and explain them briefly. Depth on a few examples is more memorable than a summary of everything.
Select evidence rather than repeating your full resume. For each example, explain the relevant challenge and your contribution in a few sentences. If an outcome cannot be quantified, a clear description is enough. The aim is to connect your experience with the role, not invent a perfect match.
A cover letter connects motivation, relevant proof, and a clear closing.
Name an honest point of connection.
Explain a few suitable examples.
Close briefly and check every detail.
Reference challenges or priorities mentioned in the job description and show how your experience helps address them.
Use the advertisement and credible public information to understand stated priorities. Make a careful link to your own background, but do not pretend to know internal problems the employer has not disclosed. A thoughtful connection shows preparation; unsupported claims about their business can undermine it.
End with a short, confident sentence about your interest in discussing the role further. Keep the whole letter to one page.
Thank the reader, express interest in a conversation, and check the employer's instructions before submission. Review names, role title, spelling, and any formatting changes in the exported file. If a cover letter is not requested, decide whether it adds useful information instead of assuming more material is always better.
I am applying because your organisation is prestigious and I am a hard worker.
Your vacancy's focus on coordinating client handovers connects with my experience organising service updates and keeping teams informed through delivery changes.
This fictional example connects a stated role priority with relevant work. Replace both sides with facts from the real vacancy and your actual experience.
Explore Career Application DocumentsA good cover letter sounds like a thoughtful person, not a template. Let yours do that.
