How to Write a Cover Letter for Any Job in 8 Steps (2023)
You need to write a cover letter, but what is a cover letter, exactly? And what’s the best way to write it? Learn how to write a cover letter the best way with tips from experts.
Cover letters. The worst part of any job application.
They’re tricky and time-consuming to write—who knows if they’re even read.
But it doesn’t have to be like that.
You can be fast and effective. We’ve got a selection of short cover letter examples to show you how.
This guide will show you:
- Why short cover letters are the best cover letters.
- Five free short cover letter examples that have “You’re hired!” written all over them.
- The magic formula to write cover letters quick and woo the busiest recruiters.
Want to write your cover letter fast? Use our cover letter builder. Choose from 20+ professional cover letter templates that match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.
Sample Cover Letter for a Resume—See more cover letter examples here.
- Why Write a Short Cover Letter
- Five Simple Cover Letter Examples to Get You Inspired
- How to Write a Short Cover Letter
Why Write a Short Cover Letter
Meet Mike. He’s a recruiter for a major corporation.
For every job opening that gets posted, he has to deal with 250 applications. Mike is a busy man.
He’s got no time for long application cover letters. What Mike wants is a simple cover letter that gives him the most info in the shortest time.
Short cover letters work for Mike, and they'll work for you. Here’s why:
- 53% of employers still expect cover letters. So you keep them happy and you won’t annoy the other 47% with an unwanted overly long document.
- Long cover letters are kryptonite for time-poor hiring managers. Nearly 70% of employers are looking for a brief, half-page cover letter or less.
- A short snappy list of your most relevant achievements sells you as a candidate. It’s a concentrated burst of pure employability.
- They’re faster and more fun to write!
Short and simple cover letters are made for emails. No need for the hiring manager to click on an attachment. Just a few easy-to-read lines ready to go.
Want to learn more about sending email cover letters for a job application? Check out our guide: Email Cover Letters for Job Applications
You’ll need to email a resume, too. Learn how to do it right with our guide: How to Apply for a Job Via Email
So without further ado, meet our lean, mean short cover letter team.
Five Simple Cover Letter Examples to Get You Inspired
First, we’ll look at a carefully curated selection of short cover letter templates. Then we’ll tell you how to write one of your own.
Sample Short Cover Letter (Mid Level Office Job)
Let me introduce Tony. He’s an office manager at a small firm in Oregon. He’s got a few years experience and he’s looking to move on to work for a bigger company.
Here’s his super sharp short cover letter.
Dear June,
Attached you will find my resume with detailed work experience for the position of office manager. My most satisfying win has been cutting office supply costs by 50%. This success comes from my dedication to discovering new routes to efficiency and robust supplier contract management and negotiation.
As an Office Manager at Weyland’s Widgets Inc., I have a proven record of implementing cost-saving efficiencies and processes. My changes to office supply contractors saved $10,000 per annum and my outsourcing of payroll saved the HR team 20 man-hours per month.
Joining the team at Schickley’s Sprockets would be an incredible next step in my career. I’d relish the challenge of joining a rapidly growing team and your ethos of “progress through technology” is a perfect fit for my own professional values.
Could we please schedule a call so we can discuss how I can implement cost-saving process improvements at Schickley’s?
Sincerely,
Tony Gambino
P.S. I’d also be delighted to tell you how my implementation of a call overflow system reduced customer phone waiting time by 65%.
Office Manager
linkedin.com/in/zety_tonygambino
541-555-5555
Tony, you’re June’s savior!
Short Cover Letter Example (Creative Job)
Our next candidate is Maria. She’s a graphic designer from North Dakota. Her firm has had a round of layoffs and she is concerned for her future so she’s looking for a new challenge.
Dear Greg,
My resume is attached for the position of senior graphic designer. I’ve had a number of satisfying career highlights but my most notable to date is leading a team that was a winner in the 2018 Package Design Awards. This achievement was spearheaded by my dedication to meeting client requirements with fresh contemporary design solutions.
As a senior graphic designer at Edwards & Spinks, I designed a fresh layout for the new edition of the cookbook “Glorious Gluten” that led to the publisher signing a five-year contract worth $500,000.
Leading the graphic design team at Mountebanks & Co. is an amazing opportunity. I want to be part of your multi-award winning delivery of unique and functional web design to prestigious corporate clients.
Can we arrange a call so I can discuss how I led and developed a team of five junior designers while helping clients cut costs by an average of 15%?
Sincerely,
Maria Villanueva
P.S. I’m also keen to discuss how my design of the “Flight Comparator” app led to a 20% increase in conversions for the client compared to previous iterations.
Senior Graphic Designer
linkedin.com/in/zety_mariavillanueva
701-555-5555
A simple cover letter that's short and to the point! The hiring manager is singing her praises already!
Simple Cover Letter Sample (IT Startup Job)
Here’s Helen. She’s a California-based software engineer who’s just moved from out of state for family reasons.
Dear Fatima,
Please see attached my resume for the position of software engineer. My most recent achievement has been successfully managing code deployment to one of the largest ride-sharing platforms on the East Coast. This was driven by my expertise in transportation demand management software and my knack for reporting tool integration.
As a software engineer at Zoom! I implemented survey and data analysis functions that improved user behavior statistics and led to a 20% reduction in wait times for drivers during peak use periods with an accompanying 30% increase in client satisfaction.
Joining the team at Moov is exactly where I want to be in my career. Helping you disrupt the current West Coast platform duopoly is a challenge I am made for.
Could we meet for a coffee and a chat about how my dedication to leveraging gamification played a crucial role in increasing user data recording?
Sincerely,
Helen Topley
P.S. I’d also be happy for you to learn more about how my optimized driver tracking feature pinpointed inefficiencies that when resolved, resulted in cost savings of $750,000.
Software Engineer
linkedin.com/in/zety_helentopley
310-555-5555
Watch out Uber. With Helen on board, Moov is ready to take over the world.
Basic Cover Letter Template (Corporate Job)
Meet Cyrus, he’s a business analyst from Illinois. He is looking to move on to pastures new in search of a more senior role.
Dear Dane,
I have attached my resume for the position of business analyst. My professional achievements include saving $1M in costs by choosing a new cloud data warehouse solution. This was enabled by my superior negotiation skills, expertise in effective procurement and ability to identify cost savings.
As a business analyst at Vantech, I leveraged a new procurement business process to ensure consistency across all teams leading to a saving of 500 man-hours equivalent to $100,000. This consistent approach was the first of its kind in the company.
Getting on board with Vermillion as it rapidly scales its operations is an amazing opportunity for me to do what I do best, increasing efficiency in business processes and implementing value-rich changes to the organization.
Let’s arrange a quick chat to discuss how my ability to translate stakeholder needs into development goals can help Vermillion at this crucial time.
Sincerely,
Cyrus Johnson
P.S. It’d also be a great chance to discuss how my dedication to clear data visualization has improved communication between stakeholders and development teams.
Business Analyst
linkedin.com/in/zety_cyrusjohnson
224-555-5555
They’re already preparing Cyrus’ onboarding.
Brief Cover Letter Sample (Internship)
Last up is Monica. She’s at college in Delaware and looking for a summer internship to gain some real-world experience while she pursues her studies.
Dear Bill,
Attached you’ll find my resume for the position of summer intern. My “Drill Instructor” augmented power tool add-on has just won the Northwest Student Award for Tech Innovation. That’s because I’ve had a passion for practical design since childhood.
Fazer’s commitment to mentoring the best young talent in the industry is a direct fit with my proven electronic engineering skills and studies.
I would love to improve my skill set to deliver even more cost-effective and industry-leading power tool and machinery solutions, just as I did with my award project.
I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to put my skills to work for you. Could we arrange a phone call to discuss how I can help Fazer gain even more industry plaudits.
Sincerely,
Monica Nesbitt
P.S. I’d also love to discuss how my volunteer work with the “Upcycle!” project is helping to teach electronic engineering and repair skills to the wider community.
Business Analyst
linkedin.com/in/zety_monicanesbitt
302-555-5555
Monica’s summer is all set. A simple cover letter is all it takes.
Want to see even more cover letter examples? See: Cover Letter Templates for All Professions
How to Write a Short Cover Letter
This formula has all those bases covered:
Basic Cover Letter Structure—Checklist
- Dear (hiring manager name)
- Paragraph #1: introduction and a big job-fitting achievement
- Paragraph #2: key skills and why you fit the job
- Paragraph #3: your passion + why you want in
- Paragraph #4: your call to action
- Formal closing
- Add a P.S. to add value
Every one of our fast and furious five has followed that simple example. Next, we’ll break it down in brief.
1. Start Your Short Cover Letter Right
We’ve mentioned the power of personalizing your short cover letter by using the hiring manager’s name. That puts you in the elite. Only 16% of jobseekers bother to do this.
We want to be in the short, sharp, snappy 16%. We’re going straight in for the kill, so start with a powerful introduction that’s tailored to the job:
Short Cover Letter Example—Introduction
| RIGHT |
|---|
Dear June,
Attached is my resume with detailed work experience for the office manager position. My most satisfying win has been cutting office supply costs by 50%. This success comes from my dedication to discovering new routes to efficiency and robust supplier contract management and negotiation. |
That’s Officer Manager Tony’s intro. He’s only 49 words in, but he’s ready to win. It’s personalized, starts off by indicating the position he’s applying for, then cuts to the chase with a solid achievement, eagerness, and key skills.
Find out more about winning short cover letter introductions in our guide: How to Begin a Cover Letter, so the Hiring Manager Wants More
Don’t know how to find the hiring manager’s name? It’s easy. See our guide: How to Address a Cover Letter
2. Make a Brief Cover Letter Middle
We’re off and racing in our cover letter sprint. This is where we build momentum. For a magnificent middle, you need to show two things:
- Your experience and achievements.
- Your motivation and desire for this particular position.
Like here:
Short Cover Letter Example—Middle
| RIGHT |
|---|
As a senior graphic designer at Edwards & Spinks, I designed a fresh layout for the new cookbook “Glorious Gluten” edition that led to the publisher signing a five-year contract worth $500,000.
Leading the graphic design team at Mountebanks & Co. is an amazing opportunity. I want to be part of your multi-award-winning delivery of unique and functional web design to prestigious corporate clients. |
That’s Maria, our graphic designer. She’s clearly got the skills to deliver to clients and bring in new business. Plus, she’s highly motivated and has done her research on the company and the role. All that in just 66 words.
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
3. Seal the Deal With a CTA
A CTA is a call to action. It’s the finish line of our short cover letter race. Do this right, and an interview is in the bag. Why?
Because you asked for it, and you did it in the right way:
Short Cover Letter Example—Closing
| RIGHT |
|---|
Could we meet for a coffee and a chat about how my dedication to leveraging gamification played a crucial role in increasing user data recording?
Sincerely,
Helen Topley
P.S. I’d also be happy for you to learn more about how my optimized driver tracking feature pinpointed inefficiencies that, when resolved, resulted in cost savings of $750,000. |
Helen is our software engineer. She’s asked for the interview and given the hiring manager a reason to find out more about the value she’ll add. Then she did one more thing that guaranteed it. Two letters. P.S.
That draws the eye like a magnet. Then it lands a killer blow with an impressive achievement backed by numbers. The hiring manager will be on the phone faster than Superman racing The Flash.
Lastly, remember about a formal close. There’s nothing like a simple “Sincerely,” but there are others too. Stick to this list, and you’ll be set:
Cover Letter Closing Salutations
- Thank you,
- Best regards,
- Kind regards,
- Sincerely,
- With best regards,
Still not sure how to finish with an offer they can’t refuse? Read our guide: How to End a Cover Letter
And if you need more detailed pointers on cover letter formatting, check: How to Format a Cover Letter [10+ Examples]
Key Takeaways
You’re all set to write the best short application cover letter. Now let’s refresh your memory with a super short summary.
How to write a simple cover letter:
- Format it for sending as an email.
- Start off strong with a personalized intro that shows relevant skills and achievements.
- Make a middle that consolidates with experience, achievements, and motivation that’s targeted to the job you’re applying for.
- Finish with a CTA that incorporates an irresistible offer to get you the interview.
- Throw in a powerful P.S. to guarantee success.
Struggling to slim down your cover letter? Need more advice? Ask away in the comments section. Thanks for reading.
![Cover Letter Outline as Suggested by Career Experts [+Tips]](https://cdn-images.zety.com/pages/cover_letter_outline_1.jpg?fit=crop&h=250&dpr=2)