Cover letter examples and a practical writing structure
CVLaunchpad editorial team · Updated 31 October 2026
A cover letter explains why you are applying and how your experience connects with the work. Use it to develop a small number of examples from your resume. Follow the employer's instructions about whether a letter is needed and how to submit it.
Choose two points you want the reader to remember
Identify two important needs in the job description. For each, choose a situation in which you did something relevant. Work experience, coursework and volunteering can all provide useful examples when you explain the context and your contribution.
Research enough about the employer to explain your interest in the actual role. A genuine connection to its responsibilities or purpose is more useful than a sentence that could be sent unchanged to any organisation.
Use four short parts
Open with the role and your motivation, develop one or two relevant examples, then finish with a clear and courteous closing. You do not need to retell your entire background.
- Opening: the role you want and what interests you about it.
- First example: evidence connected with an important responsibility.
- Second example: a complementary experience or skill.
- Closing: a brief expression of interest and how you can be contacted.
A fictional example for an administrative role
This sample describes an imaginary applicant. Replace the details with experience you genuinely have and adapt the motivation to the employer. Treat it as an illustration of structure rather than a statement about your own background.
Example
Dear Hiring Team, I am applying for the administrative assistant position because I enjoy creating order and making information easy to use. The combination of practical coordination and contact with colleagues particularly interests me. During a course project I collected our group's research, maintained a shared timetable and prepared the final presentation. When information was missing, I followed it up with the team so we could submit a complete assignment on time. As a volunteer at a community event, I also welcomed participants and handled changes with the organiser. This taught me to ask clear questions and check the details before giving someone an answer. I would welcome the opportunity to explain how I work and learn more about your administrative processes. My contact details are included in my application. Kind regards, Alex Morgan
Make the evidence your own
Check every claim. Have you done what the sentence describes, and could you discuss it in more detail during an interview? Distinguish your contribution from a group's shared work. If a sample does not match your experience, choose a different example.
Changing only the organisation's name does little to tailor a letter. The important work is choosing evidence and explaining why it matters for this role. Clear connections and specific actions can make the letter more persuasive without relying on a string of positive adjectives.
Check language, layout and instructions
Read the letter aloud and remove repeated points. Check the spelling of the employer's name, the job title and your contact details. Choose a readable layout that works alongside your resume.
Open the final PDF and check the page breaks, greeting and closing. If the employer asks you to enter your answer in an application form instead of attaching a letter, follow that process.