How to Write a Cover Letter in the UK in 2024 + Examples

A well-written cover letter can be the difference between getting your foot in the door and having your application overlooked. Even those applications that don’t specify they want a cover letter expect you to have one.

So, how do you ensure your application gets considered? By learning how to write a cover letter that perfectly compliments your CV.

Read on, and you’ll find:

• An expert step-by-step guide on how to write a cover letter with simple techniques to make your cover letter the best one in a pile.
• A perfect cover letter sample you can copy, adjust, and use (for experienced and inexperienced job seekers).
• How to use your cover letter to show employers exactly what they want while highlighting your best qualities and skill set.

Save hours of work and get a cover letter like this. Pick a template, fill it in. Quick and easy. Choose from 21 cover letter templates and download your cover letter now.

Create your cover letter now

What users say about ResumeLab:

I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your cover letter.”
Patrick

I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan 

My previous cover letter was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George

Create your cover letter now

First, let’s clarify the basics:

What is a Cover Letter

A cover letter is a document that accompanies your CV when you apply for a job. It shows your qualifications and explains your motivation to join the company (hence it’s sometimes called a motivation letter). It also gives the hiring manager an idea of your writing skills and communication style.

Now, see what a finished cover letter looks like:

Cover Letter Example

That’s a killer cover letter example, right?

Think writing an equally good one is gruelling? Nope. It’s super easy. It all boils down to using a good cover letter template that allows you to showcase your strengths, personality, and enthusiasm for the role and demonstrate how you fit the position.

Without further ado, let’s discuss how to write a cover letter:

How to Write a Cover Letter

“Are cover letters necessary?” you ask. Cover letters are important to hiring managers, 83% of whom will consider cover letters when hiring. Whether you get the job depends on their decision. 

If that sounds scary, don’t worry. You need only 10 minutes to learn how to write a good cover letter for a job that lands you any gig you set your sights on. Let’s have a look at a cover letter example that makes the recruiter say: “Forget all the others. Let's hire this one!”

1. Start With Creating a Professional Cover Letter Heading

Here’s how to start writing a cover letter properly. Make a cover letter heading that makes it easy for recruiters to contact you. Remember that a cover letter is still a letter and needs to be adequately addressed. 

Before you start writing, create a cover letter heading with:

• Your full name and professional title
• Your contact info, including your email address, phone number, and, optionally, your full address and LinkedIn profile.
• City and date in a separate line are no longer necessary, but it will add a professional touch. Will definitely score you bonus points if your cover letter is addressed to a more conservative company
• The addressee's details, including full name, professional title, and company name and address

Here’s the template:

Cover Letter Header Template

Expert Hint: Your CV and cover letter create a cohesive pair. Double or triple-check if you put the same contact details in both of them.

2. Use a Proper Salutation in Your Cover Letter

The question a lot of candidates ask is: “How to address a cover letter?”

The most important thing is to address your cover letter directly to the hiring manager, who will read it. Use “Dear” followed by:

• Mr/Ms and their last name if eyeing a corporate job or one where you don’t know the culture
• Their first name, but only if you’re applying to a company with a relaxed culture

The first option is universal. If you’re unsure how to write a cover letter greeting, choose option 1.

How to Write a Cover Letter—Salutations Examples

Dear Mr Smith,

Dear Ms Brown,

Dear James,

Hi James!

Dear Recruiter,

Mr Franco,

Sometimes, it may not be clearly apparent who you’ll be writing to. If that’s the case, don’t fret. There are several simple ways you can try and discover your hiring manager’s identity:

• Check if their name is included in the job listing.
• Try to find the head of your future department on LinkedIn and other networking sites.
• Research the company website.
• Try googling “[Company Name] [Department Name] + manager/team leader/lead”
• Call the company and ask the receptionist who the decision maker is.

But is that hustle beneficial? Even though some of these steps require doing a fair bit of research and they take precious time, it’s a big Yes! Look at this study, for example. It shows that personalised cover letters had an 11.94% higher response rate. That’s a huge percentage increase from just including someone’s name.

In some cases, you may not have your answer. What to do about your cover letter greeting, then? You’ll have to write a more generic salutation akin to “To Whom It May Concern.” However, there are better greetings than that. So, if you don’t have your hiring manager’s name, use:

It’s so much better than using a “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”

Expert Hint: If your hiring manager is a woman, and you’re not 100% sure about her marital status, don’t risk being inappropriate by guessing whether it’s “Miss” or “Mrs.” Go with the universal “Ms.”

3. Introduce Yourself and Grab Attention in the First Paragraph

Heading and salutation. Check!. Time for the dreaded part—selling yourself without coming off as preachy or awkward.

Before you get to writing, it’s important to establish a tone of voice to use throughout your cover letter. Fortunately, a study has shown that ingratiation and lower-intensity self-promotion were found to increase perceptions of job and organisation fit.

Our candidate from the cover letter example above, Jennifer, is applying for a Senior Customer Service Specialist position with ABC Bank. Her prospective employer has specific plans to launch a new AI-based, customised platform for personal internet banking. This means they need:

• A person with provable customer service skills and achievements
• Someone experienced in developing customer surveys to analyse insights
• An employee good at collaborating with members from other teams
• A Customer Service Specialist passionate about creating tailor-made customer solutions

In the first paragraph, Jennifer will tackle point number 1. 

How to Write a Cover Letter—First Paragraph Examples

When I found the opening for the Senior Customer Service Specialist with ABC Bank, I felt as if it was addressed personally. As a CSR at Acme Corp, I have boosted customer retention by 37% in 9 months and raised the mean NPS from 7.9 to 8.8. I am confident my expertise can translate into similar results for ABC.

In response to your Senior Customer Service Specialist opening, I’d like to submit my application. With 7+ years of experience in customer service, I know I would be a perfect fit for the position.

You can probably tell that the first paragraph is somewhat similar to a CV Profile. The most prominent difference is that you don’t need to show years of experience. The recruiter will count them on your CV anyway. But the most important part of the CV profile also applies here: “Don’t say who you are. Prove how good your work has been.”

You can also use some tricks to make your first paragraph much more enticing. Demonstrate that you've done your research on the company. Mention something specific about the company that appeals to you or aligns with your values. This shows that you are genuinely interested in the organization.

Or, the best way is to Lead with a strong and relevant qualification or achievement. Mention a specific accomplishment that demonstrates your suitability for the role. This immediately captures the reader's interest.

Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

Want to try a different look? There’s 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

4. Show the Company That Hiring You is Beneficial

The second paragraph is the longest section of your cover letter. (While we’re at it, the length of a cover letter should never exceed one page.) But why will the middle section of your cover letter be the longest? That’s because you’ll demonstrate why you’re the best possible candidate for the position, which means the company can see value in measurable achievements.

Using our example, Jennifer will need to prove she’s experienced in developing customer surveys and that she’s a team worker. Here’s how she did that:

How to Write a Cover Letter—Second Paragraph Examples

I realise that the major upcoming challenge for your Customer Service Team will be to assist other teams in launching the new AI-based platform for Personal Internet Banking. While working at Acme, I planned and supervised online and phone surveys prior to the redesign of our home page. Collaborating with colleagues in a cross-departmental project team of customer service reps, data analysts, and software developers, we designed a consumer-insight-driven product that finally met the varying needs of Acme’s customers.

In my career, I’ve performed a wide array of customer service duties. I was responsible for providing excellent quality of assistance to customers via phone, email, and fax, performing general clerical duties, filing, data entry, and billing, as well as recognising and resolving documentation errors.

And Jennifer shows those two points perfectly. 

The second example lacks the vibrancy needed to captivate a hiring manager's attention. Simply stating, "I'm a service representative. I was responsible for this and that," falls flat because it emphasizes duties rather than accomplishments. To stand out, focus on showcasing achievements. 

For entry-level workers, highlight provable skills, certifications, software projects, internships, or voluntary work to demonstrate your value. Review the job description for key skills and phrases to tailor your cover letter to align with the employer's expectations. You’ll notice many things the employer “expects” and “wants” from a candidate. These are your clues. We also have a specialised guide that talks about creating a cover letter with no experience.

Expert Hint: If you want to save or take up space in this paragraph, you can use bullet points to outline how your expertise matches the job offer. The result depends on the number of achievements you have to show.

5. Present Your Motivation and Passion for the Position

A good third paragraph in a cover letter should include a closing that expresses your enthusiasm for the position and your desire for an interview. This is important because it allows you to leave a positive impression on the hiring manager and make it clear that you’re interested in the job and motivated to move forward in the hiring process.

Jennifer presents exactly how to show that enthusiasm in this example:

How to Write a Cover Letter—Third Paragraph Example

I love that your Customer Service Team operates with one goal in mind only: to maximise business opportunities by finding and implementing tailor-made solutions for all customers. It perfectly reflects my core professional value: the drive to connect every customer with personalised support at every step of their consumer life journey.

Please, find attached my CV with detailed work experience. I’ve always been a fan of your enterprise. It would be a dream come true if I were your employee.

And Jennifer nails it. 

She finishes her cover letter with a great tone of voice while showing her drive. Meanwhile, the second example shows you how not to write a cover letter. It's needy, not flattering, and screams of copy-paste.

As you can see, Jennifer managed to show how exceptionally qualified she is for the position in just three short paragraphs. All it took was to identify what was expected of her and give tangible proof she’s got it all. And this is the answer to the question of how to write a cover letter.

And remember—always seal your cover letter with a KISS: Keep It Short & Simple.

6. Add an Engaging Call to Action to Your Cover Letter

Restaurants will only serve you if you request it. And the same could happen to your job interview. You won’t get it unless you ask for it. It may sound silly, but it works.

Here’s exactly how to nail it:

• Reiterate your offer and directly ask your hiring manager to reach out.
• Imply the importance of scheduling a meeting.

How to Write a Cover Letter—Call to Action Examples

When can we schedule a call to discuss solutions for boosting ABC’s Customer Satisfaction Scores by 20% in the next fiscal year?

Thank you for your time and consideration, and I’m looking forward to hearing back from you.

And the recruiter put Jennifer on their calendar. 

But the second example is a big no-no. That one’s more like a call to fall asleep over yet another identically phrased cover letter.

And now you’re in the home stretch! One more step remains.

7. End Your Cover Letter With a Professional Formal Closing

Put a formal closing below the contents of your cover letter. Basically, copy and paste your info from the header, and you’re golden. But you can also include a P.S. for some extra oomph. Here’s how:

• A “Sincerely” or “Thank you” synonym
• Your full name
• Basic contact details: phone number, email, LinkedIn profile
• “PS” where you showcase your most impressive achievement (Optional)

How to Write a Cover Letter—Sign-Off Example

Sincerely,

Jennifer Amato

552-993-0888

jennifer.j.amato@gmail.com

linkedin.com/in/jenny-amato

P.S.—I would also value the opportunity to tell you how I raised my team’s customer experience phone survey ratings by 48% above the company average.

And there you have it—a perfect way to end a cover letter for a CV. Just in case you want to work on your cover letter a bit more, here are some additional cover letter tips you can use.

Expert Hint: You can also personally sign your cover letter. Some studies suggest it helps, and those that show no effects. But it definitely adds bonus points to the “cover letter personalisation” category.

And now that you know how to write a cover letter, try any of these guides below:

• Cover Letter for a Recent Graduate
• Cover Letter for Internal Position
• Cover Letter for Relocation
• How to Choose a Career
• How to Explain Employment Gaps
• How to Write an Email Cover Letter
• Remote Work Statistics
• UK CV Layouts
• Updating Your Career Resources
• What is a CV

Or see our list of cover letters for specific positions.

With ResumeLab’s CV builder you’ll write your CV in a flash. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Improve your CV in our CV builder now.

 

CREATE YOUR CV NOW

Nail it all with a splash of colour, choose a clean font, highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You’re the perfect candidate and we’ll prove it. Just pick one of 18 CV templates and get started now.

Key Points

That was a lot of information to digest, wasn’t it? Time for a recap. Here’s how to write a good cover letter:

• Create a proper heading with your and the addressee's contact details.
• Greet the hiring manager directly.
• Write a three-paragraph main body. Grab attention, make an offer, and explain why you want in.
• Add a clear call to action requesting to schedule an interview.
• End with a professional closing with your sign-off and contact details, optionally followed by a P.S.

Did you learn a lot from our article? Do you need help making your cover letter look better and more professional? Or perhaps you have other questions about writing a cover letter? That’s what the comments section is for. Write them down below, and I’ll respond right away.

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Write a Cover Letter

How to write a cover letter for a job application?

1. Create a professional heading.
2. Begin with a proper salutation, addressing the hiring manager by name
3. State the position you are applying for and express your enthusiasm for the opportunity.
4. Outline your key qualifications and skills.
5. Explain why you are interested in the company.
6. Express your eagerness to discuss how your skills can contribute to the company.
7. Sign off.

What makes a good cover letter?

A good cover letter is short and straight to the point. It uses an active voice and has a professional tone of voice with low-intensity self-promotion. It also contains zero typos and grammatical errors. Good cover letters are also personalised to every job offer instead of being generic.

How long should a cover letter be?

A cover letter should be concise, ranging from 250 to 400 words, and never exceed one page. An entry-level cover letter can stay within 200 words. Aim to address key points, such as why you are interested in the role and how your skills align with the job requirements.

What are the four parts of a cover letter?

1. A cover letter header that includes your contact information.
2. An introduction, where you greet your hiring manager and hook them with an impressive accomplishment.
3. A cover letter body showing your strengths and motivations, accomplishments, and applicable skills to the position you’re applying for. 
4. A cover letter closing with a clear call to action and potentially a Post Scriptum.

What should you not say in a cover letter?

While writing a cover letter, it's important to avoid certain pitfalls that could negatively impact your application. Here are things you should not say in a cover letter:

• Overused phrases
• Business jargon
• Repeats from your resume
• Negative statements about past and current employers
• Salary discussions
• Generic statements
• Excuses and weaknesses
• Over-detailing
• Unprofessional language
• Lack of enthusiasm

And if you want to learn more, here’s an article with great tips on what to include in a cover letter.

How to write a cover letter for an internship?

To write a great cover letter for an internship, follow these rules:

1. Show any relevant work achievements you have.
2. Present your job skills and completed coursework.
3. Show your motivation and how you’ve grown through your abilities and certifications.
4. Describe how you can help the company when they choose you for an internship.
5. Ensure your cover letter is error-free.