What's the best way to start a cover letter?

Skip "I am writing to apply for..." — the hiring manager already knows. Open by referencing something specific from the job description and showing one piece of relevant evidence in the same sentence. The first line is the only one a recruiter is guaranteed to read; spend it on something concrete, not a formality.

How do I write a cover letter without sounding like AI?

Avoid the giveaway phrases: "I'm excited", "passionate about", "in today's competitive market", "demonstrates my ability to", "leverage", "synergy". Replace them with concrete details — names, numbers, project specifics. Generic claims sound like AI; specifics sound like a human.

Should I mention my salary expectations in the cover letter?

Only if the job posting explicitly asks for them. Otherwise leave it for a follow-up conversation. Including a number unprompted boxes you in too early.

How many cover letters should I write a week?

Quality over quantity. Three tailored cover letters that actually address the role beat fifteen generic ones. If you're applying to a lot of similar roles, write one strong base structure and tailor the opening paragraph and one middle example to each — that's faster than starting from scratch each time.

Do hiring managers actually read cover letters?

Senior hiring managers usually do; recruiters often skim. Either way, a good cover letter does two jobs even when skimmed: it shows you read the JD, and it points at one or two specific things in your CV that matter for this role. That alone moves you up the shortlist.

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job Application

A good cover letter does three things: it shows you've read the job description, it points at the parts of your CV that match it, and it sounds like a person wrote it. Most cover letters fail at one of those. Here's how to write one that doesn't.

The 5 steps to writing a cover letter

Read the job description carefully and pull out the two or three things it really wants.
Open with a specific hook — not "I'm writing to apply for".
Show fit with two or three concrete examples from your CV.
Close with a call to action — propose a next step.
Edit ruthlessly — cut anything generic.

Step 1: Read the job description carefully

Before you write a word, read the JD twice. The second time, highlight every requirement, tool, and value. Group them: must-haves, nice-to-haves, and culture cues. The first paragraph of your letter has to address something from the must-haves bucket — that's how you signal the letter wasn't a copy-paste.

If the JD lists "ownership", "shipping fast", and "communication with non-technical stakeholders", those three phrases (or close synonyms) should appear somewhere in your letter — naturally, not as a checklist.

Step 2: Open with a specific hook (with examples)

The first sentence is the only one a hiring manager is guaranteed to read. Don't waste it on "I am writing to apply for the role of...". They know which role. They opened the email.

Bad opening:

I am writing to apply for the Senior Product Designer role advertised on your website. With over 10 years of experience in design, I believe I would be a great fit.

Better opening:

The job description mentions you're rebuilding the onboarding flow before Q3 — I led a similar onboarding rebuild at Linnet last year, and the activation rate moved from 38% to 51%. That's the kind of work I'd love to bring to your team.

The better version does three things in two sentences: shows you read the JD, points at a specific result, and asks for the job without saying "I'm a great fit" (which means nothing).

Step 3: Show fit with two or three concrete examples

The middle of the letter is one paragraph per major requirement. Each paragraph follows the same shape: name the requirement from the JD, show a moment where you delivered it, give a number if you can.

Numbers are doing a lot of work here. "Improved engagement" is meaningless. "Improved engagement by 23% over a quarter" is a fact. If you can't quantify, give a comparison ("the project shipped two weeks ahead of plan") or a scope ("led a team of seven through a six-month migration").

Don't try to cover everything in your CV. Pick the two or three things that matter for this role. The CV does the rest.

Step 4: Close with a call to action

The closing paragraph has one job: propose a next step. Don't sign off with "I look forward to hearing from you" — say what you'd like to happen.

I'd love to walk you through the Linnet onboarding rebuild in more detail — I'm available for a call any time next week. Thank you for considering my application.

That gives the hiring manager a concrete thing to reply to.

Step 5: Edit ruthlessly

Read the letter twice and cut everything that:

Could be in any other letter (delete it)
Is a generic claim with no evidence (delete or back it up)
Repeats your CV (delete it)
Sounds like AI hedging — "I'm excited to", "I'm passionate about", "demonstrate my ability to" (rewrite as something concrete)

A 280-word letter that says three sharp things beats a 450-word letter that says nothing.

How long should a cover letter be?

250–400 words. One page. The middle of that range is the sweet spot for most applications. Senior roles can lean toward 400; entry-level 250.

What if you don't know the hiring manager's name?

Try the company website's About / Team page, the job posting itself, and LinkedIn (search "[Company name] head of [department]"). If you can't find a name in three minutes, "Dear Hiring Manager" is fine. "To Whom It May Concern" is dated.

What if you have no relevant experience?

Lead with your transferable skills, not an apology. If you're moving into UX from teaching, the first paragraph names what teaching gave you that the new role needs (asking questions, reading a room, structuring information) — not "even though I haven't worked in tech before".

The hiring manager already knows you don't have direct experience. The job of the letter is to argue why that doesn't matter.

Generate yours in seconds

Once you know the structure, the slow part is doing this every time for every role. AI Job Answers handles that loop: paste the JD, hit Generate, get a draft that uses your CV's actual language and matches that specific posting. It's free.