How to write a cover letter that gets read

A four-paragraph cover letter structure for any job, with an example, opening lines that work, what to cut, and a final checklist before you send. 6 min readUpdated 11 November 2026By the Prepper team

A cover letter has one job: give the reader a reason to look at your CV with interest. It does that by connecting two or three things you have done to what this employer needs. Everything else is padding.

The four-paragraph structure

Opening. The role, and one specific reason you want it at this company.
Evidence. Your most relevant experience, with a result.
Fit. A second example or skill that maps to another requirement in the advert.
Close. One sentence on availability and a polite sign-off.

Keep it to 200 to 300 words. Half a page is enough.

An example

Dear Ms Jansen,

I am applying for the Marketing Manager role in Amsterdam. Your recent move into subscription products is the kind of launch I have spent the last three years working on.

At my current company I led the launch of a subscription tier that reached 40,000 paying members in its first year. I planned the campaign, ran the pricing tests and managed a budget of €600,000.

The advert asks for experience with marketing analytics. I built the dashboard our team uses to track acquisition cost by channel, which helped us cut that cost by 18%.

I can start in January and would welcome the chance to talk.

Kind regards,
Sam Vermeer

Opening lines that work

A recent company event you can connect to your own experience.
A result that matches the role's main requirement.
A person at the company you have spoken to, with their permission.

Avoid "I am writing to apply for", "I have always been passionate about" and anything that could be sent to another employer unchanged.

What to cut

A summary of your whole CV.
Adjectives without evidence: motivated, hard-working, team player.
Apologies for experience you lack.
Anything about what the job would do for you.

Checklist before sending

The company and role names are right, and the recipient's name is spelled correctly.
Every claim has a number or a concrete detail.
It mentions at least two requirements from the advert.
It fits on half a page and has no spelling errors.
The file name is professional: Firstname_Lastname_Cover_Letter.pdf.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a cover letter be?
About 200 to 300 words, or half a page. Recruiters skim, so a short letter with two strong examples works better than a long one.
Do I need a cover letter if it is optional?
A tailored letter helps when you are changing field, explaining a gap, or applying to a smaller employer. A generic one adds nothing, so either tailor it or skip it.
Who do I address the cover letter to?
The hiring manager or recruiter by name if the advert gives one. Otherwise 'Dear Hiring Team' is fine.

How long should a cover letter be?

About 200 to 300 words, or half a page. Recruiters skim, so a short letter with two strong examples works better than a long one.

Do I need a cover letter if it is optional?

A tailored letter helps when you are changing field, explaining a gap, or applying to a smaller employer. A generic one adds nothing, so either tailor it or skip it.

Who do I address the cover letter to?

The hiring manager or recruiter by name if the advert gives one. Otherwise 'Dear Hiring Team' is fine.