What goes in a strong cover letter
- A specific opening. Name the role, the company, and where you saw it. "I'm writing to apply for the Junior Software Engineer position at Acme listed on your careers page." Vague openings ("Please consider me for any role…") read like form letters.
- A reason. One paragraph on why you match this role — the most relevant skill, project, or result. Quantify if you can.
- A reason for them. One short paragraph on why this team / mission / product. This is the easiest paragraph to skip and the one that separates you from the templated pile.
- A clear close. Thank them for their time and propose a next step ("I'd welcome the chance to discuss in more detail.").
Cover letter length
One page. 3–4 short paragraphs. Hiring managers spend roughly 30 seconds on each — front-load the most important sentence.
Common mistakes
- Restating the resume. The resume already lists your jobs. The cover letter explains why you're the right fit for this one.
- "To whom it may concern". Try harder — LinkedIn or the careers page usually shows the hiring manager. If genuinely unknown, "Dear Hiring Manager" beats "To whom".
- Wrong company name. The single fastest way to be rejected. Always re-read.
- Too long. If your letter scrolls more than one screen, cut.
FAQ
PDF or Word — which should I send?
PDF is the safer default — it preserves layout and prevents accidental edits. Use Word only if the job posting explicitly requests it (some ATS upload flows convert Word better than image-only PDFs).
Why does my Word file say .doc not .docx?
The export is a Word-compatible HTML file. Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, Google Docs and Apple Pages all open it cleanly. If the recruiter wants a true .docx, open the file in Word and click "Save as → Word Document".
Where is my data stored?
In your browser's localStorage. Clear browser data or click "Clear all" to remove it.
Can I use this for an internal promotion or career change?
Yes — pick "Career change" or "Cold outreach" as the letter type and the suggested openings shift accordingly.