Top 2021 Cover Letter Templates to
Get You Hired
When it comes to making a great first impression, the way a cover letter looks matters just as much as the words on the page. Our library of professionally designed cover letter templates includes options for applicants looking for work across industries. Whether you want a whimsical look or a traditional design, we have a cover letter template that will make your application stand out.
- Contemporary 1
- Contemporary 4
- Emphasis 1
- Emphasis 2
- Professional 1
- Professional 2
- Classic 1
- Classic 2
- Executive 1
- Executive 2
4 Reasons To Use a Cover Letter Template
When creating a cover letter, the goal should be to create a document that will help you stand out to recruiters. Choosing the right cover letter template is a critical part of the process. Here’s how LiveCareer cover letter templates can help your application stand out:
Saves you time
Formatting a cover letter is a major headache for many job seekers. Our cover letter templates take the guesswork out of the process. Just write your cover letter using one of our templates and we do the work for you. You can send off your application in a matter of minutes with confidence that your font, spacing and margins are perfect every time.
Job-appropriate designs
Hiring managers who are reviewing applications for a role at a law firm will have different expectations than those hiring for roles at beauty salons, tech companies, or restaurants. Choosing a resume template that is reflective of the culture or industry in which you’re applying is important to convincing recruiters that you understand the role at hand. And, choosing the wrong cover letter template — such as a very colorful design for a role at a conservative financial firm — can be a critical mistake since it shows that you haven’t done your research.
Easily change design
If you are applying for the same role across multiple industries — say, an executive assistant role at an ad agency and a real estate office — you’d likely want to change the design of your cover letter for each role to reflect the different cultures of the companies. Our cover letter templates make it simple to switch designs and edit your text to personalize each letter to each role at no additional cost.
Optimized for ATS software
Our cover letter templates boast attractive, professional designs free of any clutter or unusual images that could trip up applicant tracking systems. Not every ATS scans cover letters the same way they do resumes, but if they do, each of our templates will pass through without issue.
Cover Letter Success Stories
Choose a Resume Template To Complement Your Cover Letter
A successful job search comes down to far more than just an attractive cover letter. To get noticed, you’ll also need an impressive resume. LiveCareer can help you design a resume that will set you apart from the competition.
With the ability to modify colors and fonts, it’s easy to create a resume that will complement your new cover letter. Here are some design pairings to consider:
Cover Letter Template FAQ
Do I need a different cover letter for every job?
Yes! For the best odds of getting hired, you do need to write a different cover letter for every job to which you apply. There will be similarities between each letter but the way you frame and describe your qualifications should be tailored precisely to the role you’re hoping to fill to highlight the qualifications that are most relevant. This rule also applies to the design of your cover letter, so the template you pick should visually reflect the culture of each company.
How do I write a cover letter for an online application?
There are many different ways hiring managers request cover letters for online applications. Some will request you send it as an attachment, along with your resume. Others may ask you to write a cover letter in a text box within an online application form. Occasionally, hiring managers will ask you to send your resume via email, then have the body text of the email serve as your cover letter. No matter which situation you encounter, remember that the fundamentals of how to write a cover letter will remain the same.
What file format should I use for my cover letter?
Cover letters are most commonly submitted as PDFs, but hiring managers may request Word documents, plain text or whichever is most convenient for them. This is why LiveCareer’s Cover Letter Builder lets you choose to download your document as any of these three file types.