10 Proven and Simple Cover Letter Tips That Can Win More Interviews

Want to boost your chances of landing your dream role? Follow the ten proven and simple cover letter tips and make a compelling case for why you're the perfect fit. Writing a great cover letter can be challenging and time-consuming, so it is tempting to skip this process when advertisers didn't specifically request it. Please, resist that temptation.

The best cover letter tips will answer that question and more.

Imagine someone asking you to write an email explaining why you'd be a great employee. Would you start by reciting a list of previous employment and qualifications? Probably not.

Instead, you'd explain what you're good at and how your skills fit the job description, including specific examples. That's what you should write in a cover letter. Start it with our cover letter builder and the online resume builder. Achieve your career goals quicker.

If you're interested in learning more tips for cover letter writing, keep reading! Learn how to write a resume like a pro.

Hiring managers, primarily recruiting candidates for the IT industry, have seen excellent and nasty cover letters. The CVJury team knows a good cover letter can distinguish between getting an interview and rejection.

Trust us, 80% of professionals write poor cover letters. Learning what it takes to create a good one is necessary to succeed.

A good cover letter allows you to show a prospective employer how your experience and skills align with the job requirements. With our top 10 cover letter tips, you'll win interviews regularly.

And don't forget to add a great CV to your cover letter; write yours on our online CV builder.

If you don't know the purpose of a cover letter, you probably don't know how to write a good cover letter.

Although a CV provides an overview of a candidate's qualifications, skills, and experience, it's rarely enough to determine your suitability for a given role. That's why hiring managers request a cover letter, an interview, and a CV.

You don't need a grand opening; a direct but straightforward opening sentence will get the reader's attention. See examples below:

Regurgitating the contents of a CV in a slightly different order is a common mistake. Avoiding this is one of the best tips for cover letter writing we can give you.

Instead, use your cover letter to state why you're the best fit for the role rather than repeating your essential work experience.

For example, if the job requires a disciplined and hardworking individual, you can demonstrate your skills using personal examples. Perhaps you faced challenges in a high-pressure workplace but completed your tasks. Perhaps you grew up in an underprivileged area but still finished school with high grades. Whatever your situation, you can use your background to your advantage in a cover letter.

Let's look at some other examples. Assume you were the best data analyst for your former supervisor, or she depended on you whenever she needed help. Perhaps you have excellent social skills and excelled in handling aggressive customers. Maybe a senior staff member in your workplace sees you as a problem-solver because you're great at resolving complex issues.

Another of our tips for cover letter writing is to address your cover letter to a specific person (e.g., Dear Bella Whitefield). As trivial as it seems, it could make you stand out from the crowd, and it's preferable to use an impersonal introduction like "Dear Sir/Madam."

However, you can address your cover letter to the position if you cannot find the name. For example, 'Dear Recruitment Team' or 'Dear Hiring Manager.' Don't worry about finding the exact name if it's not accessible via the company website. Plus, addressing your cover letter to the department team is preferable to addressing the wrong person.

Ever heard of the saying, "Action speaks louder than words." It's easy to state that you're hardworking, a great communicator, and committed. Most people will include one of the above descriptors in their cover letter or CV. Those statements hardly hold water because they are not measurable.

Instead, demonstrate your hard work, great communication skills, and commitment by providing examples of achievements and experiences that demonstrate those traits. Let's compare these two statements.

The first sentence is generic and unconvincing. Meanwhile, the second is engaging, well-explained, and believable.

Most job applicants write cover letter lines like the first example. If you use our cover letter tips, you're guaranteed to be a step ahead of other applicants.

Our next cover letter tip involves addressing any grey areas, but what do we mean by that?

For specific jobs, you may find that you're over-qualified or under-qualified. You may be significantly older or younger than the average candidate. You may be a career changer with extensive work experience, but not in the field you're applying for.

In these situations, a cover letter is your golden ticket. It offers you a chance to say, "Wait a minute — here's why I could be the perfect match for the position, and therefore, you should take a chance on me."

For instance, suppose you're overqualified. Acknowledge that you know the situation and explain why you're interested in the job. Conversely, if you're underqualified, explain why the hiring manager should consider training you.

Furthermore, if your work experience is in another field and you've been retraining for the role you're currently applying for, highlight that and explain your reasons for changing career paths.

Sending a generic, one-size-fits-all cover letter is almost certainly going to fail. If it's vague and you think another candidate could write something almost identical, it's not good enough.

Instead, tailor your cover letter to the specific organization and job position.

Unless application guidelines specify, your cover letter shouldn't be longer than one page. Remember that hiring managers will have a lot of applications to read through.

Additionally, the ability to craft a concise cover letter is a literary skill, and many employers look for literary skills. Avoid fluffy filler sentences and focus on direct examples demonstrating your suitability for the position.

On the other hand, if you've only written two or three short paragraphs, you might be underselling yourself. Alternatively, you might give the impression that you can't be bothered, don't understand the job description, or don't have enough experience or skills.

If you want to show some personality and humor, go ahead. Yet, it is safer to maintain a formal tone in some fields, such as the legal profession.

The best cover letters must be warm and demonstrate your communication skills. No one wants to hire a robot (yet!), so there's no need to write like one. Making your letter conversational gives it a human touch and allows the hiring person an insight into your personality.

Here's an example of a winning cover letter from Austin Belcak of Cultivated Culture. CVJury has demonstrated three best examples as well for you to emulate.

Instead, focus on the content.

Start using these top 10 cover letter tips; you'll win interviews before you know it.

For more inspiration, check out and download 25 free cover letter examples.

Tailor it to your role. Our free resume scanner is always handy, so you get a well-optimized document.

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