Job applications & cover letters · 4 min read
How to write a cover letter for UK jobs
A good cover letter tells the employer why you want this role and why you'd be good at it, in a way your CV can't. It should be short, specific and written for the job in front of you.
Keep it to one page
Aim for three or four short paragraphs. Recruiters skim, so every sentence should earn its place.
A simple structure
This order works for most roles:
- Opening: the role you're applying for and why it interests you
- Evidence: one or two examples from your experience that match the advert's key requirements
- Fit: why this organisation, using something specific from the advert or its website
- Close: your availability and a polite line about discussing the role further
Greetings and sign-offs
If you know the hiring manager's name, open with 'Dear Ms Patel' and close with 'Yours sincerely'. If you don't, use 'Dear Hiring Manager' and 'Yours faithfully'. Avoid 'To whom it may concern' where you can.
Avoid the common traps
Don't repeat your CV line by line, don't send the same letter to every employer, and never claim experience you don't have.
Write yours in one click
After a job check on hire me., you can generate a British English cover letter built from your real CV and the advert, then edit it to sound like you.