Cover Letter Templates
Start your career on the right track with a professional cover letter template. Our templates are formatted to follow industry standards, are ATS-friendly and easy to customize. Choose an expertly designed free cover letter template or use our Cover Letter Builder to write a cover letter for your resume.
Last Updated: March 20, 2023Our customers have been hired at:*Foot Note
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How to use a cover letter template
Choose a cover letter template that highlights your unique qualities.
A cover letter is an extension of your resume. It’s your chance to present yourself to the employer properly and explain why your skills and experience suit the job. Your cover letter design template should answer four significant points:
- Why you want the job
- How you’re prepared to handle the daily requirements of the job
- How you can fit in and adapt to the company’s culture
- How you can help the company move forward
Show your passion and interest in the company.
Use our professional cover letter templates to explain what inspires you about your potential employer. It could be the company’s mission, a new initiative it’s undertaking, or how you can contribute to company goals over the long term. Show the hiring manager you’ve already invested time researching your potential employer, and they’ll be more likely to invest in you.
Match your skills and experiences to the job’s requirements with a suitable cover letter template.
Respond directly to duties and skills listed in the job description, and show your capabilities in those areas through concrete examples from your own experience and training. You can also point out a challenge the company is currently facing and how you can help solve it, similar to what our cover letter templates showcase.
Encourage the hiring manager to learn more about you.
Your cover letter should give hiring managers an incentive to read your resume and follow up for an interview. Be forthright. Recommend that the reader examine your resume for more details on your relevant skills and accomplishments. Conclude by expressing your readiness to meet and discuss how you can contribute. If you’re unsure how to do this, you can review our expertly written application letter templates and examples.
Avoid repeating information from your resume.
While your resume and cover letter template must be similar, they shouldn’t reiterate the same information. Review your resume and note what you want to explain further in your cover letter; it could be a set of skills, a work achievement relevant to the job you’re applying for, or a project that you know will help you stand out. A free downloadable cover letter template from this page will help you tell your story so that you get noticed.
Tailor your cover letter template to the job.
Whether a resume or cover letter, tailoring your document to the job is critical. This includes using keywords from the job description in your writing, using a tone of voice that reflects the company culture and addressing the letter to the hiring manager and not “To whom it may concern.” A cover letter Word template or Apple Pages cover letter template is easy to customize.
Cover letter template FAQ
What is a cover letter?
A cover letter is a one-page document you submit alongside your resume or CV. Its purpose is to support the content of your resume by expanding on those achievements, showing your personality and explaining why you’d be a great asset to the company. Even though a cover letter has a supporting role in the application process, it’s no less critical and could potentially decide whether you get hired.
Are cover letters necessary?
Yes. A recent survey found that 83% of hiring managers, recruiters and HR staff consider cover letters essential to the decision-making process. We always recommend writing a cover letter because:
- It allows you to provide information that isn’t in your resume.
- It gives hiring managers and recruiters a glimpse into your personality.
- It has the space you need to market yourself as the best candidate.
Choose a cover letter layout template from this page to increase your chances of getting the job!
How do you write a strong cover letter?
With some dedication, you can write a cover letter for your resume in just 15 minutes — and we’re here to help you.
A successful cover letter should fulfill two aims: It should be formatted neatly for easy reading, and the content should catch hiring managers’ attention. To achieve the first goal, use a cover letter sample template as a model, and keep your letter to the point and one-page long.
To ensure your content fits the bill, consult the job description and pinpoint essential keywords that you should mention in your letter. For example, if you’re applying to a customer service position that stresses knowledge of customer relations management (CRM) systems, mention your experience with CRM in your cover letter. Doing so will also help your letter pass automated applicant tracking systems (ATS), which many employers use to scan cover letters for the right keywords.
Finally, your cover letter should answer the most critical question: Why are you interested in the job and the company? Explain why you think you can succeed in the position and believe you’re a good fit. Employers will be impressed by a cover letter that shows you’ve done your homework and thought about how you can contribute. Download a free professional cover letter template and get started today!
What do employers look for in a cover letter?
A cover letter is a blank canvas where you can formally introduce yourself to the hiring manager — think of it as your sales pitch. Generally speaking, the hiring manager wants to know more about your skills and background, why you want to work for them and how you will help them. Still, this approach may differ depending on your professional experience.
For example, hiring managers will want to know why you have a career gap in your resume if you have one. If you ventured into running a small business or were affected by COVID-19, you’d want to explain what happened and show how your past experiences will help you fill this new role, as our cover letter templates and examples show.
Is it OK to use a cover letter builder?
It’s not just OK to use a cover letter builder but encouraged! Our Cover Letter Builder makes the writing process a breeze by providing over 15 cover letter templates, expert suggestions, step-by-step guidance and customization tools to create and save as many versions of your cover letter as you want. It’s the easiest way to put together a professional cover letter for your resume, and all you have to do to get started is choose the downloadable cover letter template that best works for you.
How long should a cover letter be?
A cover letter should be one page long. The recruiter or hiring manager won’t spend that much time reviewing your application, so your writing must be concise and straightforward. A work cover letter template from this page can help you keep your cover letter organized on one page.
How do you start a cover letter if you don’t know the name?
If you don’t know who to address your cover letter to, here are some options to try:
- Address the cover letter to the department you’re interested in joining. For example, “Dear Creative Department,” “Dear Accounting Department,” or “Dear [Company] Team.”
- If you have the hiring manager’s name but are unsure whether to use titles like Mr., Mrs., or Ms., you can leave it out and use their full name. For example, “Dear John Smith” or “Dear Helena Law.”
Avoid starting your cover letter with greetings such as “To whom it may concern” or “Dear sir or madam” — it’s old-fashioned. A cover letter template sample from this page can point you in the right direction.
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Cover Letter Templates
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Just three easy steps
- Select a template from our library of professional designs
- Build your cover letter with our industry-specific bullet points
- Download your cover letter and send!
Congratulations!
You've taken a big leap forward in your job search by choosing a cover letter template from MyPerfectResume.