Write a cover letter that does not sound generic

A cover letter follows a simple order that the reader recognizes within seconds. Keeping this order avoids a disorganized letter and makes it easier to read quickly.

• Sender: name, city, contact details, placed at the top left or right depending on the layout chosen.
• Date: written out in full.
• Recipient: the hiring person's name if known, otherwise the job title within the company.
• Subject line: one clear line stating the position and, if available, the posting number.
• Salutation: a greeting suited to the recipient, without unnecessary familiarity.
• Body: two or three paragraphs that connect experience to the needs stated in the posting.
• Closing line: a short, polite sentence that ends the letter.
• Signature: the full name, handwritten for a printed version or typed for a digital one.

A letter that runs too long loses the reader before the end. Some elements add weight without adding value and are worth cutting.

• A full summary of the career path: the attached résumé already covers this.
• Polite phrases repeated several times within the same letter.
• Sentences describing the company using words copied from its website, with no link to the position.
• Personal qualities listed without an example to support them.
• Excuses or justifications about an unconventional path: the space is better used to show what was accomplished.

Some sentences appear in almost every cover letter and give the reader no real information. Replacing them with a concrete sentence changes the effect of the letter entirely.

• "I am a hard worker" becomes "I completed this project on time while meeting the deadline set by the team".
• "I am passionate about this field" becomes "I chose to train in this field and have worked in it since".
• "I believe I am the ideal candidate" becomes "My experience with this type of file matches directly what the posting describes".
• "I am organized and versatile" becomes a specific example of a situation where organization made a difference.
• "Your company is well known in the field" becomes a sentence that connects a specific detail from the posting to a real experience.

A cover letter does not repeat the résumé: it explains the link between a chosen experience and the specific needs of the posting. The résumé lists, the letter connects.

A simple method is to reread the job posting and identify two or three specific requirements. Each paragraph in the body of the letter can then answer one of these requirements with an example drawn from the career path, rather than following the résumé's chronological order.

This approach also prevents interchangeable letters from one application to the next, since each letter is built around a different posting.

First paragraph: name the position and where the posting was found, then state in one sentence why the role stands out. This paragraph stays under three lines and avoids general phrases.

Second paragraph: present a specific experience that answers one of the posting's main requirements. The paragraph describes a situation, an action and an observable result, without detours.

Third paragraph: connect a second experience or skill to another aspect of the role, avoiding a repeat of the second paragraph's structure so the letter stays easy to read.

Final paragraph: state availability, thank the reader briefly for their time and suggest a simple way to follow up.

A cover letter fits on one page. Beyond that, reading it becomes an effort rather than a chance to be convincing.

The layout stays plain: a readable font, standard margins, short paragraphs separated by space. Colours, images and decorative formatting have no place in this document.

The final review covers three points: the accuracy of the company name and the recipient's name, correct grammar and agreement, and consistency between the letter and the attached résumé.

Reading the letter out loud often reveals overly long sentences or repetitions that go unnoticed when reading silently.

Should a cover letter always be included?

When the posting asks for one, yes. When it is not mentioned, a short and well targeted letter is often still an advantage rather than a waste of the reader's time.

Can the same letter be used for several postings?

The general structure can repeat, but the content must change from one posting to the next. An identical letter sent to several companies is noticed quickly.

How should a letter open without a named recipient?

Use the title of the person responsible for hiring, such as the human resources manager, rather than a vague opening with no identified recipient.

Is a handwritten letter still useful?

For most applications today, a clear, well formatted digital version is enough. A handwritten letter remains an exception tied to specific contexts.

To organize applications and track every letter sent, the B503 Job Search tool keeps postings and follow ups in one place.

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