How to Write a Cover Letter Step by Step

In brief: To write a cover letter step by step, identify the employer's priorities, choose relevant experience, and explain the connection in a short letter tailored to the role. Name the job near the start, give a specific example, and end with thanks and interest in a conversation.

Three things to remember

1. Write for the particular job.
2. Add context to your resume instead of repeating it.
3. Follow the employer's submission instructions.

Keep the job posting and your resume open while you write. You'll need both.

A cover letter gives you room to explain why a few parts of your background matter to this employer. You don't have to account for every requirement. Pick the experience that helps a reader understand your fit, then give it enough space to make sense.

1. Identify the employer's priorities

Read the posting once for the overall role, then go back and mark two or three skills or responsibilities that seem central to it. Look for submission instructions while you're there. They may affect what you send.

Now find a reason the role or organization interests you. The posting or employer's website might describe a project, audience, or goal that connects with your experience. Use that connection if it's genuine and you can explain it.

Don't confuse relevance with size. A customer issue you helped resolve may be a useful example for a job focused on client communication, even if an unrelated accomplishment takes up more space on your resume. The reader needs to see why the experience belongs in this particular letter.

2. Choose evidence that matches the role

Choose one or two examples that relate to the priorities you marked. They don't have to come from a formal job. Coursework, internships, volunteering, and other activities can show what you've done, too.

Before drafting, make notes on each example:

• The task or challenge.
• What you personally did.
• The result or purpose.
• The connection to the role.

Those notes give you material for the body of the letter. They also help you distinguish your own contribution from the work of a larger team.

A result doesn't have to be a number. Helping a team track open tasks or resolve questions can give the reader a clear picture. Use a figure if it's useful and you can support it.

The UBC Career Centre recommends matching examples to skills in the posting. Thing is, an example you can explain accurately is more useful than a bigger-sounding claim you can't back up. Pick the one that makes the connection clear.

3. Set up the letter and write the opening

Start with your name, contact details, and the date. Add the employer's details if you have them. If you can verify the hiring manager's name, use it in the greeting. Otherwise, "Dear Hiring Manager" works.

Name the position in the opening paragraph. Then give a reason you're interested and a hint of the experience you'll discuss. An opening might look like this:

I'm applying for the project coordinator role because your team's work on accessible public services connects with my experience supporting community projects. In my current role, I coordinate schedules and updates across departments.

The example is only an illustration. Replace its details with your own.

Notice how the opening connects the team's work with the applicant's experience before moving into a specific responsibility. You can use the same approach without using the same wording. If a mutual contact referred you, you can mention them briefly when appropriate.

4. Build the body around your examples

The middle of the letter is where your notes become a short account of your work. Give the reader enough context to understand what you did, then connect it to something the employer needs.

A concrete action usually tells the reader more than an adjective:

Instead of	Try an approach like
"I have strong communication skills."	"I prepared weekly status updates for colleagues in three departments, helping everyone track open tasks."
"I am an exceptional communicator."	"I summarized customer feedback for the product team and helped clarify which issues needed attention first."

Don't copy these examples as claims about yourself. Describe work you actually did.

Turns out, you don't need an entirely different example from the one on your resume. You do need to give the reader something more than the same bullet: perhaps how you approached the work, what you personally handled, or why that experience matters for this position. Western Michigan University's career center recommends using the letter to expand on your resume and connect your qualifications to the job.

Read the paragraph with the posting beside it. If the connection is hard to spot, say it plainly. The reader shouldn't have to work it out from a list of duties.

5. Close, sign off, and keep it concise

A closing doesn't need a flourish. Restate your interest, thank the reader, and invite a conversation. For example:

I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss how my coordination experience could support your team. Thank you for your consideration.

Follow it with a professional sign-off, such as "Sincerely," and your name.

One page or less is a useful editing target. It isn't a space you have to fill. The University of Florida's cover letter guide suggests three to four paragraphs, leaving room for an opening, your evidence, and a closing. If your letter makes the case in fewer words, a shorter version is fine.

6. Adapt the letter to your situation

Your strongest evidence may not come from the most obvious place. Start with what the employer needs, then decide what context a reader needs in order to understand your experience.

If you are facing this situation	Try this
The posting lists many requirements	Choose one or two priorities that match your experience. You don't have to answer every point.
You are changing fields	Explain how a task or skill carries over to the new role. Don't assume the connection is obvious.
You have little formal work experience	Use coursework, volunteering, internships, or projects, and make your own contribution clear.
Your experience comes from another country	Briefly explain your work using terms the employer will recognize. The reader may not know the organizations or credentials you mention.
The letter is optional	Check the instructions and consider whether a tailored letter would add useful context. Skip a generic letter written only to fill the field.

For an international application, mention relocation plans only if they're relevant and accurate. Give unfamiliar experience enough context to be understood, but keep the description truthful.

Don't guess about your eligibility to work or imply that you hold a credential you don't have. If you're unsure about work authorization, consult official guidance from the destination country. For U.S. roles, start with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

7. Review and submit

Put the draft beside the posting for a final read. Your strongest example should connect clearly to the role. Add or revise a sentence if that connection is missing.

Before sending, check the following:

• The employer's name, contact name, and job title are correct.
• You can explain and support each claim.
• The example adds context instead of copying a resume bullet.
• Your contact details and spelling are correct.
• The file format and submission method follow the instructions.

Read the letter aloud, too. Awkward sentences can be easier to spot when you hear them, especially after you've spent time adjusting the same paragraph and know what you meant it to say.

A PDF can be a practical choice if the employer hasn't specified a format. The instructions take priority, though. If the application says not to submit a letter, follow that instruction.

Cover letter FAQs

How long should a cover letter be?

Aim for no more than one page. A shorter letter is enough if it makes your case clearly. You don't need to add material simply to fill the page.

Should I repeat my resume in my cover letter?

You can use an example that's already on your resume. Give it more context, though. Explain how you approached the work or why the experience matters to this employer, rather than repeating the same wording.

The DossierPro career journal also covers related job-search topics, including resumes and interviews.

Who should I address if I do not know the hiring manager's name?

Use "Dear Hiring Manager" when you can't verify a name. Don't guess at a name or title.

The bottom line

Open the posting beside your draft and highlight one or two priorities. Before you submit, check that the letter gives a concrete, accurate reason to connect your experience with each one.