Best Cover Letter
Examples for 2023
Our cover letter examples help with your job application because they show you what to include and how to convince employers you’re the right person for the job. We have 245+ samples from over 18 industries. Plus, we give advice and tips on how to use cover letters in various hiring situations.
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Popular cover letter examples
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Universal cover letter example
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Every cover letter should include the same sections as the sample seen here, regardless of the job.
All cover letters should include these six sections:
Address/Salutation:
- This belongs at the top of the document, where you include your contact info and the address of the person to whom you are writing.
Salutation:
- You should identify the person you are writing to by name.
Introduction paragraph:
- An attention-grabbing opening paragraph where you introduce yourself, mention the role you want and briefly explain what makes you qualified.
Body paragraph(s):
- One or two paragraphs that tell a story about your relevant professional experience, career growth, achievements or skills.
Closing paragraph:
- A final paragraph that restates your interest in the role, thanks the hiring manager for their time, and expresses hope for a future chat or meeting.
Signature:
- A formal sign-off with your name.
Cover letter samples can inspire and show what’s needed to write your cover letter.
For even more help, use our Cover Letter Builder! It’s a modern tool that gives easy, step-by-step guidance, features 30+ cover letter designs and provides industry-specific phrasing written by resume experts.
Cover letter examples
by industry and job title
Looking for a sample cover letter for a resume in your industry? Check out our examples
listed by job title and organized by industry.
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CATEGORIES
Accounting & Finance Cover Letter Examples
Study our accounting and finance cover letter samples for your job application to multiply your chance for success. See how other candidates describe their math skills, tax code knowledge and education to earn these roles.
Administrative Cover Letter Examples
A cover letter demonstrates your organization and communication skills before you step into the office. These administrative letter examples will help you get ready to write. Use our cover letter examples for the job you desire.
Business Cover Letter Examples
Here are good cover letter examples for business roles. They’ll help you see the selling points your job competition uses to frame their experience.
Construction Cover Letter Examples
We’ve got example cover letters that you can use as blueprints for your own solid introduction. Get inspired and learn how other job seekers are framing their skills in the construction field.
Customer Service Cover Letter Examples
Writing a cover letter is a breeze if you’ve got the patience and communication skills required for customer service roles. Just stick to the script! Write a great letter using our cover letter examples to guide you.
Education Cover Letter Examples
A good cover letter example can show you what you should say to get hired. Study our education cover letter examples below. They’ll help you brainstorm and craft a cover letter worthy of a gold star.
Fire Fighting Cover Letter Examples
Our firefighting example cover letters provide you with good ideas for how you can tell your own career story.
Healthcare Cover Letter Examples
Give your job search the booster shot it needs, a cover letter that demands attention. Our cover letter samples will help you write your own letter that will impress hiring managers and land you an interview.
Hotel & Hospitality Cover Letter Examples
Our cover letters are at your service! Check out our collection of hospitality cover letter samples below. They’re full of great ideas for describing your passion for hospitality, guest satisfaction and great service.
Human Resources Cover Letter Examples
HR is often responsible for hiring at many companies, so your cover letter should be top-notch. Review our cover letter samples for HR positions. See how others describe their skills in hiring, managing and developing talent within a company.
- Benefits Analyst
- Compensation and Benefits
- Corporate Recruiter
- Employment Advisor
- HR Business Partner
- HR Coordinator
- HR Executive
- HR Trainee
- Human Resource Specialist
- Human Resources Generalist
- Human Resources Manager
- Organizational Development
- Recruiting and Employment
- Recruitment Coordinator
- Technical Recruiter
- Training and Development Manager
Information Technology Cover Letter Examples
Nearly every modern business needs technical support. Get insight into how others sell their tech skills. Take advantage of our great cover letter examples to help land the IT job you desire.
Janitorial Cover Letter Examples
Spruce up your cover letter to score a new job with our maintenance and janitorial example cover letters below. They’ll help you craft a letter that shows employers you’ll keep their workplaces up and running.
Marketing Cover Letter Examples
If your resume is your personal branding statement, your cover letter is the sales pitch to get hired. Hone your message for marketing and advertising positions by looking over cover letter example letters here.
Medical Cover Letter Examples
Our cover letter samples for medical professionals will show hiring managers you’ve got the necessary skills, schooling and work experience to succeed. We’ve got examples from every medical specialty.
- Acupuncturist
- Anesthesiologist
- Audiologist
- Cardiologist
- Clinical Research Assistant
- Clinician
- Dialysis Patient Care Technician
- Doctor
- General Practitioner
- Health And Safety Officer
- Hospital Clerk
- Medical Records Clerk
- Nursing Home Administrator
- Optical Assistant
- Pediatrician
- Phlebotomist
- Respiratory Therapist
- Surgeon
- Ultrasound Technician
Retail Cover Letter Examples
Earn a new job in retail with a stellar cover letter. See how our cover example letters for retail jobs demonstrate the full range of skills needed in the industry.
Sales Cover Letter Examples
Sell your future employer on hiring you with an excellent cover letter. Browse through our sales cover letter samples for one matching the role you want.
- Automotive Salesperson
- Client Relationship Manager
- Franchise Owner
- Inside Sales Representative
- Medical Sales Representative
- Outside Sales Representative
- Regional Manager
- Sales Account Executive
- Sales and Marketing Coordinator
- Sales Coordinator
- Sales Director
- Sales Operations Manager
- Sales Representative
- Sales Supervisor
- Salesperson
- Technical Sales Representative
- Telemarketer
- Territory Sales Manager
Safety & Security Cover Letter Examples
Secure a job by submitting a great cover letter. Check out some top-notch security cover letter samples to see how you can best sell your own experience to employers.
Transportation Cover Letter Examples
A cover letter is a vehicle to accelerate your job hunt. Take a look at our transportation application letter examples for ideas on how to impress hiring managers. They’ll help you arrive at your next job.
Cover letter examples for every scenario
Use the example letters below to find the right words or phrases to explain yourself in different professional scenarios.
If you lack work experience, a cover letter can help you fill in the gaps by pointing out the skills, education and training you possess that make you an excellent fit for the role. It’s also the best place to share your enthusiasm and eagerness to learn.
Why this cover letter works:
- Establishes a personal connection to the business.
- Uses volunteer experience to support skills.
- Focuses on how the job seeker meets the needs of the shop.
some work experience
A cover letter is valuable if you have limited work or internship experience. It helps you draw a direct connection between the experience and education milestones to the employer’s needs.
Why this cover letter works:
- Does a good job tying education to the demands of the job.
- Grabs attention by including numbers in the body paragraph.
- Expresses enthusiasm for the role.
If you have an employment gap on your resume, a hiring manager may wonder why. In this case, a cover letter is the perfect opportunity to explain. In the body of your letter, briefly mention why you stepped away from the workforce, such as a layoff, family emergency or to raise children.
Why this cover letter works:
- Tells a story about the candidate’s career development.
- Uses body paragraph to explain reasons for the job gap.
- Sells the gap as helping the candidate renew and improve.
When you want to make a career change, your cover letter is the space to explain your reason(s) for doing so. Keep your explanation for the change brief and highlight your passion. The bulk of your cover letter should highlight your relevant work experience and transferable skills.
Why this cover letter works:
- Connects skills developed in previous roles to the new one.
- Explains the job seeker’s motivation for the career change.
- Shows candidate’s personality and commitment to learning.
within the same company
A cover letter is critical when seeking a promotion or transfer with your current employer. Use it to explain your motivation and why you believe you would excel in the new role.
Why this cover letter works:
- Mentions notable contributions, e.g., 15% revenue increase.
- Establishes a sense of devotion and passion for the company.
- Identifies top skills that make the job seeker qualified.
If you have a connection who works at the company you’re applying to or is a colleague of the hiring manager, mention it in your cover letter’s first paragraph. Your chances of getting the job will increase if someone inside the company recommends you.
Why this cover letter works:
- Builds trust with the hiring manager by citing reference.
- Establishes that the candidate is involved in the industry.
- Reinforces qualifications by telling a story.
If you have your eye on a company you want to work for but haven’t seen any job openings, you can use a cover letter to show your interest. Your introduction should explain why you want to work for this company in addition to selling your skills.
Why this cover letter works:
- Shows the candidate’s passion for inquiring about a role.
- Mentions a former colleague to create an internal reference.
- Cites top skills that the job seeker brings to the table.
Have a lead on a great role that will open in the future? There’s no need to wait for it to post on a job board. Get ahead of your job competition by reaching out with a cover letter that explains how you heard about this opportunity ahead of time.
Why this cover letter works:
- Establishes trust with connection to a current employee.
- Shows motivation by being ahead of the application process.
- Angles for a meeting before the interview process begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cover letter?
A cover letter is a document that accompanies your resume when applying for a job. Its aim is to introduce yourself, outline your skills and experience, and explain why you would be the best fit for the role.
Cover letters shouldn’t be long, just a few paragraphs –– about 250 words or one double-spaced page.
They are a great way to convey your enthusiasm for the position or company and discuss what interests you about the role. Personalize your letter by directly addressing the hiring manager or recruiter.
What does a cover letter look like?
A cover letter looks like any other standard business letter: It consists of a recipient address, a greeting, two to three body paragraphs (the main text) and a signature. It’s three to four paragraphs long and should all fit on a single page.
While a cover letter will always consist of the same parts, you can change the appearance by changing details such as the font or adding a touch of color.
If you’re uncertain about what a cover letter looks like, it’s a good idea to use a cover letter template.
A template is just a preformatted document that takes care of the visual elements of your cover letter. That way, you can focus on the message of your cover letter instead of the design.
How important are cover letters when applying for jobs?
Cover letters are very important to apply for jobs. The only time that you shouldn’t include one is if the job post requests that you don’t or if the website you’re using to apply for a job does not allow you to attach one.
Even if it’s not requested, submitting a cover letter will help attract the attention of hiring managers. It’s a way to show that you have solid communication skills and expand on your resume’s key skills.
Since it’s more space to advertise yourself than a resume alone, it helps you better sell yourself. Cover letters are critical because you may be at a disadvantage for the job if you don’t take the time to include one, and other candidates do.
What are three good cover letter tips to remember?
Here are three helpful cover letter tips:
- Customize your cover letter for every role. Make sure you tailor your letter to the employer’s needs based on what it says in the job post. That way, it speaks to an employer’s needs and better appeals to them. Furthermore, many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS). ATS is software that scans your resume and cover letter for specific phrases. Targeting your cover letter to the job post helps ensure that you pass an ATS.
- Go deeper than what’s on the resume. Cover letters should elaborate on key details in your resume, not repeat them. For example, instead of just restating that you are organized, you could expand on this by including a line about how you used that skill to revamp the company filing system, which increased efficiency. Turn the lifeless details of your resume into an engaging story!
- Use numbers and metrics. Including numerical metrics helps quantify your skills to a potential employer. Saying something like, “Analyzed ways to reduce costs, enhance revenues and improve profits 33%,” will help you. That’s because numbers pop out and grab the attention of the person reading your cover letter. Furthermore, they add more detail to your abilities and performance level.
What should be in a well-written cover letter?
Our sample cover letters show you all the elements of a strong cover letter. At its most basic, a well-written cover letter is composed of five key sections:
- Header: The header of your cover letter contains your contact information. Include your telephone number, professional email address and links to your LinkedIn profile, personal website or online portfolio, if applicable.
- Greeting: Do your research to find the hiring manager’s name and address your cover letter to that person. If it’s not listed in the job ad, research LinkedIn or the company website to identify the right person.
In a pinch, find the name of someone in the recruiting department and address your letter to that person. Avoid generic greetings, such as “To whom it may concern,” if possible. - Opening paragraph: The opening paragraph of your letter should mention the name of the company and the job title to which you are applying. It should also briefly say why you are applying for the job. Then, you should cite the top skills that make you qualified for the role.
- Body paragraph(s): The body of your cover letter is its longest, most important section. It’s one or two paragraphs where you expand on the most relevant parts of your experience or education. Whereas in the opening paragraph, you tell the employer you’re right for the job, in these paragraphs, you should show them by using numbers or telling a story that illustrates your abilities. This is the section where you should use data and metrics in this section to detail to recruiters the impact your work has had and what you will bring to the table if hired.
- Closing paragraph: Your closing paragraph should briefly summarize your enthusiasm for the role and express hope for a future discussion. Then, thank the reader for their time. Sign off with a formal closing statement like “Regards” or “Sincerely” and your name.
Is it OK to have a two-page cover letter?
Cover letters should be focused and concise, so it’s not advised to go past one page. That’s the accepted standard practice for cover letters.
That’s because recruiters often get hundreds of applications for a single job opening and don’t have time to read long letters. That’s not to mention including a cover letter that is longer than other candidates’ may look sloppy and unprofessional.
How should I prepare my cover letter?
There are two ways to write a cover letter:
- You can do it the old-fashioned way, from scratch. That means formatting your page, brainstorming what to say, writing and then editing your document.
- Use a modern tool: Our Cover Letter Builder. It uses computer automation to make creating a resume much easier than doing it from scratch!That’s because it’s like having an expert guide you through the process. All you have to do is answer a series of easy-to-follow prompts.Best of all, our builder offers suggested prewritten text suggestions crafted by our team of career experts. They’re all targeted to the job title for which you’re applying.This extra help saves time compared to doing it the old-fashioned way. You can complete a cover letter in under 15 minutes!
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