Cover letters are the first thing an employer sees in your job application. They may be the deciding factor on whether or not they read your resume. So how long should a cover letter be? The answer is: as long as it needs to be, no more and no less.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to write an effective cover letter that gets you noticed by employers without being too wordy or too short. We’ll also give examples of good vs bad cover letters so that you can see what makes them stand out from the crowd
| Takeaways |
|---|
| The ideal length for a cover letter is generally between 250 and 400 words or about half a page to a full page in length. |
| While it’s important to be concise, a longer cover letter may be acceptable if you have extensive experience or if the job posting specifically requests a more detailed cover letter. |
| Your cover letter should highlight the most relevant and impressive experiences that demonstrate your qualifications for the job you’re applying for. |
| A one-page cover letter is ideal, but it’s also acceptable to have a shorter cover letter if you are able to convey your qualifications and interest in the job effectively. |
| You may need to adjust the length of your cover letter based on the requirements and preferences of the job posting or the company. Make sure to read the job posting carefully and tailor your cover letter accordingly. |
How Long Does A Cover Letter Have To Be?
These are some of the common mistakes you don’t want to make:
Cover letters that are too long. A cover letter should be short and to the point, it’s not a memoir (yet). If your cover letter is longer than one page, it’s too long.
Cover letters that include a resume or references. Don’t attach your resume or list references at the end of your cover letter; instead, leave these details off until you’ve been offered an interview.
This will prevent over-sharing and help keep the focus on why you’re right for this job in particular. It also gives them something more concrete to read if they have questions about your experience after reading through everything else in person!
The time it takes to craft a compelling cover letter can vary depending on the individual’s writing speed and the complexity of the job application. Our guide on how long it takes to do a cover letter provides useful tips on how to streamline the process and write a cover letter efficiently.
Should A Cover Letter Have Paragraphs?
Writing a letter is essentially like writing an essay. You have to have a main point and support that with evidence.
When you’re writing a cover letter, it’s best to keep your paragraphs short and sweet just like the resume! This ensures that your reader doesn’t get distracted by too much information at once and also makes sure they don’t lose interest in what you’re saying.
A lot of people think it’s better not to use paragraphs at all because they think it will make their writing look more professional or formal, but this isn’t true: short paragraphs are easier on the eyes! Plus, if you break up information into smaller chunks for easy reading, then there won’t be any awkward jumps between ideas (and no one likes those).
How Many Pages Should A Cover Letter Be?
The length of your cover letter is a matter of personal preference. If you have a lot to say, two pages are fine; if you don’t, it’s perfectly acceptable to go beyond that.
When in doubt about how long your cover letter should be, think about what information the employer needs from you for them to determine whether or not they want to hire you.
You should also keep in mind that shorter is better when writing a cover letter because an overlong one will make the hiring manager lose interest and stop reading altogether.
How Long Should A Resume And Cover Letter Be Together?
A good rule of thumb is that the cover letter should be exactly one page. If you’re writing a long, detailed cover letter perhaps one that explains your career history in detail you might want to split it into two pages with the first page being all about you and the second page being an overview of your skills and accomplishments.
But if your cover letter is short, definitely don’t go over one page. If you do, hiring managers will likely assume that you’re not interested in their company or opportunity enough to edit down what they think are excessive details about yourself.
How long should a resume be? That depends on who’s reading it! If it’s going out as part of a job application process (like through an online form), then keep it at two pages total one for education/experience and another for professional references.
But if someone wants more detail about your background than just what’s on these things then just send them more information!
It can take up to six months after applying before companies decide whether or not they want to hire new people so make sure there are ways people can reach out with questions later on down the line too so they don’t have any issues finding ways to contact them during those times too!
When applying for a job, both the resume and cover letter work hand in hand to showcase an individual’s skills and experiences. Learn more about how to make the most out of these two documents by checking out our guide on how a resume and cover letter help you to get the job.
How Do I Start A Cover Letter For A Job Application?
Start with a greeting. The opening line of your cover letter should be formal and address the reader by name.
Explain why you are interested in the job. Tell them what led you to apply for this position and what makes it appealing to you.
Explain why you are qualified for the job. Do this by highlighting relevant skills that make you good at what they do (and can do), as well as specific experiences related to the work itself, such as internships or volunteer work that demonstrate these abilities.
Explain how you can help them achieve their goals, which may include any prior experience working with similar companies or projects that would benefit their company specifically if hired on a full-time basis now.
Include any information about yourself that might give insight into why this position would be beneficial towards improving your career path; if possible try pointing out ways in which working together could mutually benefit both parties involved.”
What Does An Employer Look For In A Cover Letter?
The ideal cover letter is tailored to the job, employer, and person reading it.
Personalize your cover letter by adding something about the company you’re applying for or how you learned about the position. This extra step can help you stand out from other applicants.
For example, if there’s a connection between you and the company you went to school there or live in its service area mention this at the beginning of your cover letter as a way of showing how interested and enthusiastic you are about applying for this particular position.
How Do You Write An Amazing Cover Letter?
Address the letter to a specific person. A cover letter should be addressed “To Whom It May Concern,” but don’t do that! Instead, use a contact person’s name if you have it or an actual hiring manager if you can find one (you might have to call or email the company).
Start with an attention-grabbing sentence. A strong opening line is key in any piece of writing, and your cover letter is no different.
You want to make sure that someone wants to keep reading this document just because they’re intrigued by what you said in the first few lines I mean, imagine if they didn’t read on! That would be tragic or maybe not. I don’t know. Use good grammar here though; no run-ons, please.
Finish strong with some sort of punch line (or something similar). Just like how every joke needs a punchline for it to be funny, every good story does too! The same goes for closing paragraphs: They should conclude with something more than “Thank you.” If possible end on a question related to your interests – this shows them how much interest you have in working there!
Knowing the ideal word count for a cover letter can be a challenge, especially for those who are new to the job market. Our guide on how many words a cover letter should be offers valuable insights on how to strike the perfect balance between being concise and providing enough information to impress potential employers.
Is It Unprofessional To Send The Same Cover Letter?
In an ideal world, you would tailor your cover letter for every job you applied for. If the roles were similar, then you’d use some of the same information and just tweak it slightly. But if the jobs are different enough that your experience doesn’t apply, then it’s best to start from scratch.
When applying for several jobs at once (for example if a company had multiple openings in different departments), it’s okay to send out one generic application with all of your details so long as they’re all relevant.
For example: “I’m interested in all of them” or “my skillset is suited to a wide range of roles.” It’s important not to send too many applications at once though – this could be seen as spamming and will likely have a detrimental effect on your chances of getting an interview!
Should I Include My Address On My Cover Letter?
No, you don’t need to include your address on your cover letter. It’s not a requirement, and it’s not something that the hiring manager cares about.
If you’re applying for a local job and want to let them know where you live, feel free to include it but if you’re mailing out several applications or just sending one off into the world with no idea of where it will end up, there is no reason why they would expect or even want to see your home address.
The right paragraph structure can make or break a cover letter’s effectiveness. In our guide on how many paragraphs a cover letter should have, we discuss the optimal number of paragraphs and provide tips on how to structure each paragraph to create a compelling narrative.
The Length Of Your Cover Letter Should Be As Long As It Needs To Be, No More And No Less
The length of your cover letter should be as long as it needs to be, no more and no less.
This is not a matter of opinion. It’s not like you can ask the business owner if they’d prefer that you apply with a short cover letter or a long one. A cover letter should be between 1 and 3 pages; anything beyond that is overkill and will show unprofessionalism on your part the very thing that employers are looking for in an applicant!
Starting a cover letter can be daunting, especially when you don’t know where to begin. Fortunately, our guide on how to start writing a cover letter offers practical tips and examples on how to craft a captivating introduction that will grab the attention of potential employers.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped you to decide how long your cover letter should be. The best thing to do is just write as much as feels right and then go back over it later with a critical eye to make sure there are no typos or grammatical errors.
If you’re writing a cover letter for an academic position, then chances are it will be short (1-2 pages), but if you’re applying for something more corporate, then you can go longer.
Further Reading
How Long Should a Cover Letter Be? – This article provides a detailed overview of the ideal cover letter length, along with tips on how to write a compelling cover letter.
What’s the Ideal Cover Letter Length? – Indeed’s guide on cover letter length offers insights into what employers are looking for in a cover letter and how to strike the right balance between being concise and providing enough information.
How Long Should a Cover Letter Be? – This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about cover letter length, including common mistakes to avoid and tips for optimizing your cover letter’s length.
FAQs
Q: What is the ideal length for a cover letter?
A: The ideal length for a cover letter is generally between 250 and 400 words or about half a page to a full page in length.
Q: Is it okay to have a longer cover letter?
A: While it’s important to be concise, a longer cover letter may be acceptable if you have extensive experience or if the job posting specifically requests a more detailed cover letter.
Q: Should I include all my experience in my cover letter?
A: No, your cover letter should highlight the most relevant and impressive experiences that demonstrate your qualifications for the job you’re applying for.
Q: Can I make my cover letter shorter than one page?
A: Yes, a one-page cover letter is ideal, but it’s also acceptable to have a shorter cover letter if you are able to convey your qualifications and interest in the job effectively.
Q: Should I adjust the length of my cover letter based on the job I’m applying for?
A: Yes, you may need to adjust the length of your cover letter based on the requirements and preferences of the job posting or the company. Make sure to read the job posting carefully and tailor your cover letter accordingly.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.