A good cover letter has four short paragraphs:
- Opener — who you are, what you're applying to, one specific reason you care about this role.
- Why you — one or two specific reasons you're a fit.
- Why them — one specific thing about the company you want to contribute to.
- Close — reaffirm interest, ask for next step.
Total length: 200-300 words. One page max.
Template
Dear [Hiring Manager / Hiring Team],
I'm applying for the [Role] position at [Company]. [One sentence on why this specific role caught your eye — a recent product, a specific team, a problem they're solving.]
A bit on why I think I'm a fit: [one specific achievement with a number]. [One additional specific reason — a tool you use, a relevant project, a domain skill.]
What I'd want to bring to [Company] specifically: [one specific area you'd contribute to — a project on their roadmap, a problem you'd help solve]. [Why your experience is the right shape for that.]
I'd welcome a call to talk through how I'd approach the role. Thanks for considering.
Best regards, [Your Name] [Phone] | [Email] | [LinkedIn URL]
Example (filled in)
Dear Hiring Team,
I'm applying for the Senior Backend Engineer role at Acme Corp. I've watched your team's work on the real-time pricing engine and want to be part of it.
At BetaCo, I led a team of 6 engineers rebuilding our pricing system from scratch — processing 12K events/sec at 99.99% uptime. We reduced p95 latency 40% and shipped on schedule. Before that, I spent 3 years at GammaTech on systems serving 5M+ daily users.
What I'd want to bring to Acme specifically is the experience scaling distributed systems under real-time SLAs. The pricing engine you've described in your engineering blog reads like the same problem space I've worked in for the last five years.
Open to a call when you have time. Resume attached.
Best regards, Maya Chen (555) 123-4567 | maya@example.com | linkedin.com/in/maya-chen
That's roughly 220 words. Tight, specific, no fluff.
What to skip
- Generic flattery. "Your innovative culture" — meaningless.
- Restating the resume. They have it; don't repeat it.
- Begging language. "I would be so honored" — confidence over deference.
- Generic openers. "I am writing to apply for..." — yes, of course you are.
What to include if relevant
- A connection. "I worked with [Person] at [Previous Company]; they recommended I apply."
- A specific project of theirs you've followed. Shows you've done homework.
- A relevant link. Portfolio, writing sample, GitHub.
Should you write a cover letter?
If the application requires one: yes, do it well.
If optional: depends on:
- High-stakes role. Yes — it can tip a close decision.
- Volume application. Skip — your time is better spent applying to more roles.
- Direct connection. Yes — leverage the connection.
The bigger pattern
The marginal value of one perfect cover letter is small. The marginal value of one applied role is real. Volume + decent quality beats one polished application most of the time.
Sorce auto-generates a tailored cover letter for every application — using your resume and the JD. 40 free swipes a day. Polished enough to pass, tailored to each role, no copy-pasting.
For more: how to end a cover letter, how to close a cover letter, is a cover letter necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long should a cover letter be?
- 200-300 words. One page maximum. Recruiters skim — anything longer gets cut.
- Do I need a cover letter for every application?
- Many roles don't require one. When asked, do it well. When not asked, skip — recruiters don't expect them by default in 2026.
- Should I personalize the cover letter per application?
- Yes. Even one specific reference to the company shifts you out of the boilerplate pile.
- What's the biggest cover letter mistake?
- Generic flattery. 'I'm passionate about your innovative culture' tells the recruiter nothing. Replace with one specific reason you want this specific role.