Cover letters

A cover letter is the introduction to your job application. It focuses on why you are applying and how you fit both the job and the organisation. You usually use a cover letter to respond to a job advertisement or to make a speculative application.

The purpose of a cover letter is to impress an employer, encourage them to read your CV and leave them wanting to find out more about you. It’s also usually the first thing an employer reads, so it needs to convincingly explain how you are a match for the job you are applying for. You should write a new cover letter for every job you apply to.

To get immediate, AI-generated feedback on your cover letter, you can submit your cover letter to CareerSet. Students can access CareerSet using their university email address. Graduates can access CareerSet by emailing careers@st-andrews.ac.uk for an access code.

Content and structure

In general, your cover letter should include five paragraphs:

  1. Introduction – Explain why you are writing. Say where you saw the job advert and introduce yourself.

  2. Why this type of work – Describe why you are interested and motivated by the type of work you are applying for.

  3. Why this employer – Explain why you are interested in this particular organisation, showing evidence of researching the employer. Mention if you have met anyone from the organisation at a careers event or through LinkedIn.  Avoid repeating text from the organisation’s publicity information.

  4. Why you – Explain briefly why you are suited to the job. Mention your relevant skills, experience and knowledge. Look at key words that occur often in the job description and structure what you say around them. For example, if the job description repeatedly refers to the need to have ‘sales skills’, include your skills and experience in sales wherever you can.

    Ensure that you also note the specific outcome of what you have done, and quantify when possible. For example, if you saved a previous organisation a certain amount of money, say what amount it was; if you led a team that delivered a presentation, say how many were in the team and the audience you presented to.

  5. Conclusion – End politely, saying you believe you've shown that you've met the requirements of the job and you look forward to hearing from them.

Formatting and length

Your cover letter should be consistently and professionally presented. Employers will reject applications with poor spelling or grammar, so write in good English and revise English grammar rules. If applying for jobs in the UK, ensure you use British spelling throughout.

If you use English as a second language, the University's Academic English Service offers one-to-one tutorials to help you improve the accuracy of your language in job and internship applications.

Your cover letter should also follow the layout of a professional letter. This means including your own address details, as well as the employer’s.

You should also take note of the following points:

  • Aim for one A4 page in length. Avoid using too much text – be concise.
  • The font should be no smaller than size 10 and no larger than size 12. You should choose a modern and professional font style, such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman.
  • If possible, always write to a named individual. Ensure your tone is formal and professional: you should say ‘Dear Ms/Dr/Mr Smith’ and end with ‘Yours sincerely’. If you can’t find a named individual, write ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ and end with ‘Yours faithfully’.
  • Give your cover letter a title to reflect what it is about, including the job title or job reference code. These are important as the organisation may be recruiting for several posts at the same time, and it may not be obvious which one you are applying for.
  • As your cover letter and CV are a package, present them similarly, including using the same font.

Emails and cover letters

When applying for a position by email, you can use the email itself as a cover letter and attach your CV, or write a brief email message and attach a separate cover letter and your CV.

If you choose to use the email as your cover letter, structure and format your email as described above. Use the email subject line to explain the purpose of the email.

If you choose to attach your cover letter to your email, avoid repeating information in the email which is in your cover letter. The email should be brief and professional, referring to your CV and cover letter attached.

Cover letter example

As a guideline, here is an example cover letter to give you an idea of how to put the above advice into practice:

Additional resources