Cover letter template

What a cover letter is for

Your resume lists what you have done. Your cover letter explains why it matters for this specific job. A strong letter connects your experience to what the employer is asking for, shows genuine interest in the company, and gives the hiring manager a reason to open your resume with attention rather than skim it. It should be short, usually three or four short paragraphs on one page, and every line should earn its place.

• Your header and the date, with your name and contact details.
• The hiring manager's details, addressed to a real person where possible.
• An opening that names the role and states your strongest selling point.
• A middle that proves your fit with one or two specific achievements.
• A reason you want this company, not just any job.
• A close that thanks the reader and invites a conversation.
• Your signature and printed name.

The structure that works

Think of a cover letter in three moves. The opening hooks the reader by naming the job and leading with your single best qualification, so they keep reading. The middle backs that up with evidence, ideally an achievement with a number, matched to something the job posting actually asks for. The close shows you want this particular company and makes it easy to reach you. Skip the tired opener "I am writing to apply for." Lead with something the reader will remember.

Free cover letter template

Copy the template below or open it in the fill tool and type onto the page. Replace every bracketed prompt with your own words, and cut anything that does not fit the job you are applying for.

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Email]  [Phone]
[Date]

[Hiring manager's name]
[Company name]
[Company address]

Dear [Hiring manager's name],

I am applying for the [job title] position at [company name], which I saw
on [where you found it]. With [number] years of experience in [your field],
I am confident I can [one clear result you would bring to this role].

In my current role as [your title] at [current or recent company], I
[a specific achievement with a number, such as grew, cut, or built something].
I also [second achievement or strength that matches the job posting]. These
are the same skills your posting calls for in [name a requirement from the ad].

What draws me to [company name] is [one genuine, specific reason, such as the
product, the mission, or the team]. I would welcome the chance to bring my
experience in [your key skill] to your team.

Thank you for considering my application. I have attached my resume, and I
would be glad to discuss how I can help [company name] reach [a goal or need].
You can reach me at [email or phone].

Sincerely,
[Your signature]
[Your printed name]

How to fill out the cover letter template

1. Open the template in the fill tool. Copy the text above, or load it into the fill a PDF tool to type your details directly onto the page.
2. Complete the headers. Add your contact details, the date, and the hiring manager's name and company. Address a real person if the posting names one.
3. Write the opening. Name the role, say where you saw it, and lead with your strongest qualification for this job.
4. Prove your fit. Replace the bracketed prompts with one or two achievements that match the posting. Numbers make them land.
5. Say why this company. Give one genuine, specific reason you want to work there, not a line that could apply anywhere.
6. Close and invite a reply. Thank the reader, mention your attached resume, and give a way to reach you.
7. Sign and download. Add your signature with the sign a PDF tool, then download a clean PDF with no watermark.

How to customize it for each job

Never send the exact same letter twice. Hiring managers can tell, and a generic letter signals generic interest. You do not need to rewrite the whole thing, but three parts should change for every application. First, the opening line should reflect this specific role. Second, the achievement you highlight should match a requirement from this posting, so pull one or two keywords from the ad and answer them directly. Third, the reason you want the company should be true of this company alone, whether it is a product you use, a mission you share, or work you admire.

Read the job posting and mirror its language where it fits honestly. If the ad asks for someone who can "manage competing priorities," and you have done exactly that, use a close version of that phrase and back it with an example. That match is often what moves a letter from the maybe pile to the interview pile.

How to open with something the reader remembers

The first sentence decides whether the rest gets read with attention. Skip the flat opener and lead with a result or a genuine hook. If you increased sales, reduced churn, or shipped something the company would care about, put a version of that in the first two lines. If you are early in your career and light on numbers, lead with real enthusiasm tied to something specific about the role, such as the product you would work on or a problem the team is solving. The goal is to sound like a person who understands the job, not a template that could be sent anywhere. A specific, confident opening buys you the reader's attention for the paragraphs that prove your case.

Matching the letter to the job posting

Treat the job posting as a checklist. Read it closely, note the two or three requirements that matter most, and make sure your middle paragraph answers them directly with evidence. Many companies also scan applications for keywords, so using the same words the posting uses, where they honestly apply to you, helps your letter get through and shows the reader you paid attention. Do not stuff in terms you cannot back up. The point is to line up what you have actually done with what they are actually asking for, so the match is obvious at a glance rather than something the reader has to hunt for.

Formatting your cover letter

Keep the look clean and easy to scan. Use a standard, readable font, normal margins, and short paragraphs with space between them, so a busy reader can take in the shape of the letter in seconds. Put your contact details and the date at the top, address a named person where you can, and keep the whole thing on one page. Save and send it as a PDF rather than an editable document, so the layout stays exactly as you set it no matter what device the reader opens it on. If you also need a resume or reference page, browse the other document templates to keep your application consistent. A tidy, one-page PDF signals care before a single word is read.

Cover letter mistakes to avoid

• Repeating your resume. The letter should explain and connect, not list the same bullet points again.
• Generic openings. "To Whom It May Concern" and "I am writing to apply" waste your strongest line. Name a person and lead with value.
• No specifics. Claims without numbers or examples read as filler. Prove each point.
• Too long. Keep it to one page and three or four tight paragraphs.
• Wrong company name. Reusing a letter and forgetting to swap the company name is a fast way to get rejected. Check every field.

A quick checklist before you send

Give the letter one last pass before it goes out. Confirm the company name and the role are correct everywhere they appear, since those are the fields most often left over from an earlier draft. Read it out loud to catch any line that sounds stiff or generic. Check that every claim has an example or a number behind it, and cut anything that only repeats your resume. Make sure your contact details are right, then save the final version as a PDF so the layout holds. A two-minute check is often what separates a letter that gets a reply from one that is set aside.

When your letter is ready, open the fill tool, type in your details, and download a clean, one-page PDF you can attach to your application today. Because everything runs in your browser, your letter stays private on your own device.