How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job Application (US vs UK, When to Skip, ATS Tips)
How to write a cover letter for a job application: one-page structure, US vs UK covering letter differences, when to skip and ATS paste vs PDF tips.
Learning how to write a cover letter for a job application means keeping it to one page, mapping two or three wins to the job description and matching the tone your market expects. Upload a PDF when asked, or paste clean text when the portal has a box. Skip the letter when the posting clearly doesn't want one.
Why does how to write a cover letter for a job application still matter?
Plenty of portals make the letter optional. Recruiters still open the ones that add proof the resume can't show in three bullets: why this company, why this role, and one story that matches a must-have skill.
CareerOneStop, the U.S. Department of Labor career site, says a good cover letter can be about 200 to 400 words with three to four short paragraphs, tailored to each job. The UK's National Careers Service describes a covering letter as a short letter, usually three to five paragraphs, that introduces you and shows why you're right for the job. Same job, slightly different house style.
This guide stays on private-sector applications. It does not cover NHS Band 5 supporting statements, civil service suitability statements or long personal statements.
When should you include a cover letter, and when should you skip it?
CareerOneStop's rule of thumb is clear: write one when the posting asks for it; include one when it's optional if you need to explain a gap, a referral or a sharp match; use the email body as the letter when you email a resume directly.
| Situation | Include a letter? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Posting requires a cover letter | Yes | Skipping is an easy reject |
| Marked optional | Usually yes | Chance to show fit or explain context |
| Emailing a resume | Yes, in the email body | The body is the letter |
| High-volume portal, no upload field | Skip | Don't force a file they can't store |
| Posting says no cover letter | Skip | Follow instructions |
| You only have a generic template | Skip or rewrite | A vague letter can hurt more than silence |
If the letter would only repeat your resume in paragraph form, skip it or cut it to three sharp sentences.
What structure works for a short cover letter template?
Use this skeleton and swap in your facts. Examples below are labeled examples, not real people.
- Header and greeting. Your name, phone, email. Address a person when you can. CareerOneStop advises against "To Whom It May Concern."
- Opening. Role title, where you found it, one line on why this employer.
- Proof paragraphs. Two or three wins mapped to the posting. Different wording from the resume.
- Close. Thanks, availability and a simple sign-off.
Example short cover letter for a job application (US tone)
Example covering letter snippet (UK tone)
National Careers Service notes: if you know the name, end with Yours sincerely; if you used "Dear Sir or Madam," end with Yours faithfully.
How to write a cover letter for an internship?
What is a cover letter for an internship? Same job as a full-time letter: one page that proves fit. The difference is your proof bank. Internships often hire on projects, coursework, clubs, volunteering or part-time work rather than years in a title.
If you searched how to write a cover letter for an internship (or how to write cover letter for internship), use this short shape:
- Name the internship title and team.
- One line on why that employer (a product, mission or recent initiative you actually checked).
- Two proofs mapped to the posting: a class project, lab, campus role, volunteer shift or retail/hospitality job with a result.
- Close with availability dates (term or summer) and a clean sign-off.
Does my cover letter have to be customised for internship applications? Yes, if you send one. Swap the employer name, the two proofs and the availability line each time. A recycled "dear sir" letter is worse than skipping an optional upload.
How is a US cover letter different from a UK covering letter?
If you searched how to write a covering letter for a UK employer, this table is for you.
| Element | US cover letter | UK covering letter |
|---|---|---|
| Common name | Cover letter | Covering letter |
| Length | Often 200–400 words, one page | Often 3–5 short paragraphs, one page |
| Greeting | Dear [Name]; avoid "To Whom It May Concern" | Dear [Name]; or Dear Sir or Madam if unknown |
| Sign-off | Sincerely / Best regards | Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully |
| Spelling | favor, organize, program | favour, organise, programme (match local spelling) |
| Tone | Direct, achievement-led | Direct too, slightly more formal in many sectors |
Canada sits between the two. Match the employer's spelling and the posting's tone. Keep achievements concrete either way.
How do you map achievements to the job description?
Pull five keywords or requirements from the posting. For each, ask whether you have a proof line. Pick the best two or three.
- Prefer results over duties: "cut onboarding time" beats "responsible for onboarding."
- Mirror the employer's terms once or twice so humans and ATS keyword scans see the match.
- Don't paste your whole resume. Expand one story the resume only lists.
National Careers Service also suggests using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) in short form inside letters and application answers. Keep each STAR example to a few sentences.
Should you upload a PDF or paste into the ATS box?
Follow the posting.
- PDF upload: Best when they ask for an attachment. One page, standard fonts, your contact info in real text, not buried inside an image header.
- DOCX: Use when the portal rejects PDFs or asks for Word.
- Paste box: Paste from a plain-text version. Fix line breaks in the preview. Avoid tables and text boxes.
- Email body: Write the letter in the email; attach the resume as requested.
CareerOneStop's ATS guidance still applies to anything you upload with the form: simple formatting, standard dates and keywords from the posting. Make sure the letter's job titles and dates match the resume and the online form. Our guide on how to fill out an online job application covers those form fields in more detail. If you are also checking whether the resume will parse, see what a good ATS score actually means.
What does a cover letter for job application example need to prove?
Every strong cover letter for a job application example does three jobs in under a page:
- Names the exact role and how you found it.
- Shows two or three proofs that match the posting, with results.
- Makes it easy to reply: thanks, contact path and a clean sign-off.
If a sentence doesn't serve one of those jobs, cut it. Recruiters skim. Your letter should skim cleanly too. Keep UK and US spelling consistent with the employer, and keep dates and titles aligned with the resume you attach.
What mistakes make cover letters easy to reject?
- Wrong company name left from the last paste.
- Repeating the resume word for word.
- Claiming passion with no proof.
- Three pages of autobiography.
- Arguing salary or visa details the posting didn't ask for in the letter.
- Skipping a required letter entirely.
Proof the name, the role title and the job ID. Then send.
How do you keep letters fast when you apply at volume?
Build a master paragraph bank of five to seven wins. For each job, rewrite the opening and swap the two proof paragraphs that match that posting. Log which version you sent.
Jobzhub can draft a tailored AI cover letter per job on RANGER ($19.99/month) and GOD MODE ($49.99 for 3 months), alongside tailored resumes, an application tracker and auto-apply with optional review before each send. SCOUT (free forever) still gives you the free Resume Roast and a general AI resume so the letter and resume tell the same story. Always edit the draft so it sounds like you.
Before you attach anything, run the resume through the free Resume Roast for a score and top fixes. A sharp letter pointing at a weak resume wastes the open. When you're ready to generate tailored letters and track submits, get started with Jobzhub. After you apply, use sensible timing from our follow up after applying guide rather than sending a second letter into the void.