Cover Letter
Templates

Pick any of our customizable cover letter templates and create a job application letter that lands you the job. Need help with writing? Type your career details into our Cover Letter Builder and get an expertly written cover letter in minutes!

Create my cover letter

Some of our customers have been hired by:

1/16

Deluxe (Decimal)

A robust template ensures recruiters see what matters most.

Pacific (Criterion)

A classic template ready to impress any hiring manager.

Bold (Element)

A crisp template focused on subtle design elements.

Managerial (Cornerstone)

A beautiful template featuring a monogrammed header.

Professional (Fundamental)

A confident template highlighting why you’re the best candidate.

Blueprint (Focus)

An efficient template with a clean header and clear layout.

Charismatic (Academic)

A charismatic template featuring small elements of color.

Whitespace (Precision)

A cohesive template pinpointing your skills at first glance.

Centered (Bold)

A stylish template that pays attention to the fine details.

Modern (Spartan)

A valiant template puts the focus on your experience.

Pinstripe (Refined)

A composed template ready to highlight the best of your talents.

Artistic

A bold and graphic option that grabs recruiters’ attention.

Executive

A simple and traditional template apt for any executive role.

Contempo

A black & white template that features your name in bold.

Refined

A sleek template with minimal horizontal lines.

Upload resume

Use your existing resume to generate a cover letter.

Can’t decide which template to use?

Don’t worry! You can start with our Cover Letter Builder and choose your template later.

Benefits of creating a cover letter with LiveCareer’s Builder

Unique designs

Choose any of our 15 professionally designed cover letter templates made to show off your personality while being job-appropriate.

Unique designs

Packed with the latest features

Get access to our Builder’s integrated spell-checker and easy-to-use formatting tools that make editing fonts, margins and line spacing easy.

Packed with the latest features

Unlimited cover letters

You can create as many cover letters as you want with our templates and save all of them in your private cloud storage.

Unlimited cover letters

Pre-written content

You can use our cover letter templates with the Cover Letter Builder to get personalized content suggestions for all your paragraphs, or start with our ready-made cover letter examples.

Pre-written content

Quick and automated

Skip ahead by uploading your resume to the Cover Letter Builder and automatically generate a personalized cover letter with any of our templates.

Quick and automated

Downloadable in multiple formats

Don’t limit yourself! You can download our cover letter templates in various formats, including whichever format the recruiter requests. Download your cover letter in PDF, DOCX, TXT, SVG or JPG.

Downloadable in multiple formats

Create my cover letter

Free downloadable
cover letter template

Open this downloadable template on your preferred word processor and fill in the blanks to create a personalized cover letter for free!

First Name Last Name

  • City, State 12345 | (555) 555-5555 | email.address@email.com
  • Month, Day, Year
  • Mr./Ms. HiringManager or Recruiter full name and titles
  • Company Name
  • Street address, Suite number
  • City, State ZIP CODE

Dear Mr./Ms. HiringManager or Recruiter last name,

This section is your opener and should contain your ‘purpose’ or interest statement that explains either why you would be interested in the job posting or the company. Make sure to reference keywords and statements from the job description.

The body paragraph (s): should contain skills and qualifications related to the job, i.e., provide a narrative example of how your job-related skills were obtained/honed. Your goal here is to match the skills to the employer’s needs. Justify how your career experiences could fit into the position and the organization.

* Optional section* This is where you would craft an explainer, like if there is a gap in your employment history or have a specialized circumstance, you can’t fully explain in your resume.

The end paragraph: is the closer that would signify a ‘call to action’ by reiterating a key qualification for the position you possess and an appreciation for the employer’s consideration.

Closing statement: Thank the employer/recruiter for their time.

Sincerely,

— Your Full Name

Download Template

Build my cover letter

Cover letter samples for
in-demand jobs

A successful cover letter takes more than just efficient design. Impress employers with your letter’s content by drawing inspiration from our best cover letter examples for popular jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a business letter you use to apply for a job. The cover letter doesn’t replace the resume but complements it by sharing additional information. A cover letter lets you speak directly to a potential employer and seal the deal as to why you consider yourself the best candidate for the job.

Do I need a different cover letter for every job?

Yes. Writing a separate cover letter for every application is ideal for the best odds of landing an interview (and getting hired). While there will be similarities between your letters, how you describe your qualifications should be tailored precisely to the role you’re applying for.

What to include in my cover letter?

Your cover letter should contain five key sections: the header, greeting, introduction paragraph, body paragraph and closing statement. You should include the following sections in your cover letter:

The header goes at the top of your cover letter and must include your full name, phone number, email and the city and state where you’re located.

The greeting is where you address the letter’s recipient. Ideally, you should greet them by name, but if you can’t find it, simply write: “Dear Hiring Manager.”

The introduction paragraph establishes who you are and why you’re interested in that particular job opening. Mention any critical skills or relevant experience that help you stand out.

The body paragraph should include the achievements and skills demonstrating your suitability for the job. You can provide more context to accomplishments from your resume and include additional ones to boost your application.

The closing paragraph summarizes your letter’s contents and pinpoints why you’re the best candidate. Remember to implore the employer to follow up with an interview and sign off with your name.

How long should a cover letter be?

Your cover letter for a job application should be just one-page long. This page length ensures you focus on the job requirements and avoid “fluff” or irrelevant information that can bore and put off recruiters with a heavy load of applications to assess.

How should I choose a template design?

You should select a cover letter template design that balances out the aesthetics and practicality of the template. It’s great to have a cover letter template design that shows off your personality, but never if it overpowers or distracts from the contents of your letter. If you want to wow employers, you can match your cover letter template with your resume by using our matching template bundles on our Cover Letter Builder and Resume Builder.

How do I write a cover letter for an online application?

There are different ways hiring managers request cover letters for online applications. Some request you upload it as an attachment, along with your resume. Others may ask you to write your cover letter in a text box within an online application form. Occasionally, hiring managers will ask you to send your resume via email, with the cover letter as the body of the email. No matter its delivery method, the fundamentals of how to write a cover letter remain the same.

Do cover letters go through ATS?

They can. Employers can use applicant tracking systems to scan both resumes and cover letters for the right keywords and skills. While it is important to include correct industry terms, these should be used sparingly. Recruiters notice formulaic language and if popular terms are thrown in without consideration for the context of your letter.

How should I format the layout of my cover letter?

When formatting a cover letter, you should first make sure your letter has the five basic sections: your contact information, company contact information, an opener, a body paragraph (or two), and a closer that solidifies your interest in the position.

The standard is to format it as a business-style letter — double-spaced, with a clean, readable font in 10 to 12 points, and a one-inch margin all the way around.

What format should I download my cover letter in?

Cover letters are most commonly submitted as PDFs, but hiring managers may request them in a Word document, plain text or other format in whatever format is most convenient. Our cover letters can be downloaded as any file type mentioned here.

About the Author

Gabriela Hernandez

Gabriela Hernandez Career Advice Contributor

Gabriela Hernandez is one of LiveCareer's resident writers. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a degree in Journalism. Throughout her career, she has tackled copywriting, blog articles, journalistic writing, academic writing, resume writing, and even prose and verse.

Rating

Please rate this article

Average Ratings
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

As seen in*

brands image

*The names and logos of the companies referred to in this page are all trademarks of their respective holders. Unless specifically stated otherwise, such references are not intended to imply any affiliation or association with LiveCareer.

x