Cover letter templates and examples that get read

6 free cover letter templates, each written for a different situation: an experienced hire, a first job, a career change, an internship, a tech role and a speculative letter to a company that is not hiring yet. Copy one with a click or download it as a Word (DOCX) or PDF file, with no sign-up. Replace the [brackets] with your details and the sample results with your own.

Cover letter template for experienced professionals

For a candidate with a few years in the field, applying to an advertised role in any industry.

  • Put one result with a number in the second paragraph. It is the sentence the reader remembers.
  • Make the third paragraph about the company, not about you: name the product, project or value that drew you in.
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[Full Name][City, Country][Phone] | [Email]

[Date, e.g. 20 October 2026]

[Hiring Manager's Name][Job Title of the Reader][Company Name]

Re: [Job Title], reference [Job ID]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I am applying for the [Job Title] role at [Company Name] advertised on [where you saw it]. For the past [number] years I have worked as [your current role] at [current company], and the responsibilities in your posting describe much of what I do every day.

At [current company] I am responsible for [main responsibility]. Last year I [specific achievement with a number, e.g. reduced customer churn from 9% to 6% by rebuilding the onboarding emails]. I work daily with [tools or methods from the posting], and I have [requirement from the posting] experience from [where and how long].

What draws me to [Company Name] is [specific reason: a product, a recent launch, the way the team works]. I would like to bring [skill the posting asks for] to your team and grow in [area].

I can start [availability, e.g. after a one-month notice period]. I would welcome the chance to discuss how I could contribute, and I am reachable at [phone] or [email].

Kind regards,[Full Name]

Entry-level cover letter template (no experience)

For a first job after school or university, or a return to work after a long break.

  • Instead of years of experience, show one task you saw through: a project, a part-time job, a volunteer role.
  • Match two skills from the posting and prove each with a single concrete example.
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[Full Name][City, Country][Phone] | [Email]

[Date, e.g. 20 October 2026]

[Hiring Manager's Name][Job Title of the Reader][Company Name]

Re: [Job Title]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I am writing to apply for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. I graduated in [subject] from [school or university] in [year], and I am looking for a first role where I can put [skill] to work and learn from an experienced team.

During my studies I [project or task with a result, e.g. led a four-person team that built a booking app used by 200 students]. Working part-time at [employer] taught me [skill the posting asks for, e.g. staying calm with customers at busy times]. I am comfortable with [tools or software from the posting].

I am interested in [Company Name] because [specific reason]. Your posting mentions [requirement], which is exactly the kind of work I want to build a career in.

I am available to start [date] and happy to come in for an interview at your convenience. Thank you for considering my application.

Kind regards,[Full Name]

Career change cover letter template

For moving into a new field, when the resume alone does not explain why you fit.

  • Say early and plainly that you are changing careers. Then spend the letter on what transfers.
  • Name the step you have already taken (course, certificate, side project) so the move reads as a plan.
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[Full Name][City, Country][Phone] | [Email]

[Date, e.g. 20 October 2026]

[Hiring Manager's Name][Job Title of the Reader][Company Name]

Re: [Job Title]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

After [number] years as [current profession], I am moving into [new field], and the [Job Title] role at [Company Name] is the kind of position I have been preparing for.

Much of my current work already overlaps with this role. At [current company] I [transferable achievement, e.g. analysed weekly sales data to plan staffing for three stores, cutting overtime by 15%]. That taught me [skill the new role needs], which your posting lists as a key requirement.

To build the remaining skills, I completed [course or certificate] in [year], including [project and its result]. I have since [practical step, e.g. taken on two freelance projects for local businesses].

I would bring [Company Name] a combination of fresh training and [number] years of [strength from the old career]. I would be glad to explain more in an interview.

Kind regards,[Full Name]

Internship cover letter template

For students applying to an internship, placement or summer programme.

  • Name the dates you are available and your expected graduation date. Recruiters plan intakes around both.
  • Link one module or project from your course to a task the intern will actually do.
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[Full Name][City, Country][Phone] | [Email]

[Date, e.g. 20 October 2026]

[Hiring Manager's Name][Job Title of the Reader][Company Name]

Re: [Internship Title], [Season and Year]

Dear [Name] or Dear Recruitment Team,

I am a [year of study] [subject] student at [university] and would like to apply for the [Internship Title] at [Company Name]. I am available from [start date] to [end date].

In my [module or project] I [what you did, e.g. built a pricing model for a local business in Excel and presented it to the owner]. As [society role or part-time job], I [responsibility with a result]. I would like to develop these skills further in [area of the internship].

[Company Name] appeals to me because [specific reason, e.g. a talk by one of your engineers at our university, or a product you use].

Thank you for your time. I would be happy to share more about my studies and projects in an interview.

Kind regards,[Full Name]

Tech cover letter template (software and data roles)

For software, data and IT roles, where a short letter with one solid technical example works best.

  • Pick one project and give the problem, your approach and a measurable result. Skip the full stack list.
  • Link your GitHub, portfolio or a write-up so the reader can check the work.
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[Full Name][City, Country][Phone] | [Email]

[Date, e.g. 20 October 2026]

[Hiring Manager's Name][Job Title of the Reader][Company Name]

Re: [Job Title, e.g. Backend Engineer]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I am applying for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. I have spent [number] years building [type of systems] with [main stack], and your team's work on [product or technical challenge] is the kind of problem I enjoy most.

At [current company], [problem, e.g. our order service timed out under peak load]. I [your approach, e.g. moved payment retries to a queue with idempotency keys], which [result, e.g. cut failed checkouts from 2% to 0.3%]. The code and a short write-up are at [link].

Your posting asks for [requirement]. I use it daily for [how you use it], and I am now learning [technology from the posting] through [project or course].

I would welcome a technical conversation or a take-home task. I can start [availability].

Kind regards,[Full Name]

Speculative cover letter template (no advertised job)

For writing to a company that has not advertised a role, to ask about current or future openings.

  • Find a named person in the team you want to join. A speculative letter to a generic inbox is rarely read.
  • Ask for something small and specific: a 15-minute call, or to be kept in mind for the next opening.
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[Full Name][City, Country][Phone] | [Email]

[Date, e.g. 20 October 2026]

[Hiring Manager's Name][Job Title of the Reader][Company Name]

Re: Opportunities in [Team or Department]

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

I am writing to ask whether [Company Name] has any current or upcoming openings in [team or department]. I am a [your profession] with [number] years of experience in [area], and I have followed [Company Name] since [what caught your attention].

In my current role at [company] I [achievement with a number]. I believe the same experience could help your team with [challenge you can see from outside, e.g. your expansion into the German market].

I have attached my resume. If there is no suitable role right now, I would be grateful for a short call to learn how your team hires, or to be considered when a position opens.

Kind regards,[Full Name]

How to structure a cover letter

  1. Header. Your name and contact details, the date, then the reader's name, title and company. Add a subject line with the job title and reference number.
  2. Greeting. “Dear [Name],” with the hiring manager's name whenever you can find it.
  3. Opening. One or two sentences: the role you are applying for and the strongest reason you fit.
  4. Evidence. One or two paragraphs that match the posting's main requirements, each proven with a result: how many customers, how much faster, what changed.
  5. Why this company. A specific reason that shows you know the employer: a product, a project, how the team works.
  6. Close. When you can start, an invitation to talk, “Kind regards” and your full name.

Common mistakes

  • Retelling your resume. The letter explains why you fit; the resume lists what you did.
  • Empty claims such as “I am a hard-working team player”. Replace each one with a single example.
  • Opening with “To whom it may concern” when a name was a two-minute search away.
  • The wrong company or job title. It is the fastest way to the rejection pile, so check both before sending.

Cover letter FAQ

Do I still need a cover letter?

Not every application asks for one, but when there is a field for it, a short letter written for that job sets you apart from the candidates who skip it. It helps most when your resume does not explain itself: a career change, a first job or a gap in employment.

How long should a cover letter be?

No more than one page: three or four short paragraphs, usually 250 to 400 words. Hiring managers read it in under a minute, so every sentence should add something your resume does not already say.

Who do I address a cover letter to?

To a named person whenever you can find one: the hiring manager in the posting, or the team lead on LinkedIn. "Dear Ms Patel" reads far better than "To whom it may concern". If no name is available, "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear [Team] Team" is fine.

How do I start a cover letter?

With the role and one reason you fit, not with "My name is". For example: "I am applying for the Data Analyst role at Acme. In my current job I built the reporting that cut our stock write-offs by 12%."

How do I end a cover letter?

Say when you can start, invite them to get in touch, and sign off with "Kind regards" or "Sincerely" followed by your full name. A handwritten signature is not needed for a letter sent by email or through an online form.

Should I send my cover letter as a PDF or Word file?

Send a PDF unless the posting asks for Word: it looks the same on every device. Applicant tracking systems read both, as long as the PDF contains real text rather than a scanned image. Every template on this page downloads in both formats.

Can I send the same cover letter to several companies?

Keep the same structure, but rewrite the paragraph about the company and choose examples that match each posting. Recruiters spot a letter where only the company name was changed straight away.

Want a letter written for a specific job?Paste the job posting and Appli drafts a cover letter from your resume, in your voice and without template phrases.