Do you actually need one?
Always write one when a posting explicitly requests it - skipping a requested cover letter reads as not having followed the instructions, before the content is even judged on its merits.
When it is optional, write one when there is something worth saying that the resume's bullet-point format cannot carry: the reason behind a career change, a specific connection to the company or the team's work, or context around a gap the resume alone leaves unexplained. Skip it when there is genuinely nothing to add - a letter that only restates the resume in paragraph form is not worth the reader's time or yours.
A structure that holds up
Three or four short paragraphs. Opening: the role and why this company specifically - not "I am writing to apply for." Middle: one or two concrete pieces of evidence tying past work to what the role needs, not a summary of the whole resume - just the strongest, most relevant point, made in a sentence or two. Close: a direct line about next steps, not an apology for the reader's time.
Address a name when one is findable in the posting or on the company site; "Dear Hiring Team" is a fine, honest fallback when it is not. Keep the whole letter well under a page - it is read in less time than the resume, not more.
Cover letter structure, paragraph by paragraph
A greeting line, addressed to a name when one is findable. Paragraph one, two or three lines: the role, where you saw it, and one sentence on why this company. Paragraph two, three or four lines: your one or two proof points, each tied to a requirement named in the posting. Paragraph three, two or three lines: a direct close naming a next step, then a sign-off. The whole letter reads well under a page.
Opening with your life story delays the one thing the reader needs first - which role, and why this company - so lead with that instead. Repeating the resume in chronological order wastes the letter's real advantage, which is picking the one or two points that matter most. Asking for the job before showing evidence asks the reader to take the case on faith; put the proof point in paragraph two and let the ask land in paragraph three, once it has been earned.
The opening line that actually works
Skip
âI am writing to apply for the [role] positionâ
- the reader already knows that from the application itself. Open instead with the specific reason this role or company caught your attention, stated in a single sentence.
For example, contrast
âI am writing to express interest in the Marketing Coordinator role at your companyâ
with "Your team's recent shift to in-house video production is exactly the kind of work I want to be doing next." The second line names something true and specific, doing the same job - declaring interest - while also proving the interest is genuine.
Match it to your resume
Use the same name, contact details, and general tone as the resume it accompanies. A cover letter that reads as far more casual, or far more formal, than the resume beside it feels like two different people wrote them.
Pick evidence the letter can say that the resume's bullet-point format cannot - the "why," not the "what," since the resume already covers the what. This app generates a matching cover letter for the Orbit template directly from the same CV content, so the two stay visually and factually consistent by construction rather than by manual upkeep.
Frequently asked questions
- How long should a cover letter be?
- Three or four short paragraphs, well under one page - long enough to make one real case, short enough to actually get read.
- What if I don't know the hiring manager's name?
- "Dear Hiring Team" or the relevant department name is a fine, honest fallback. Do not guess at a name you are not sure of.
- Should the cover letter repeat the resume?
- No - pick the one or two points that most directly answer "why you, why this role" and expand on those. Everything else is already on the resume.
- What is the structure of a cover letter?
- A cover letter has three short paragraphs: an opening naming the role and why this company, a middle paragraph with one or two proof points tied to the posting's requirements, and a closing paragraph with a direct next step, framed by a greeting and sign-off.