Cover letter basics: explain your fit without repeating your CV

A cover letter helps explain why your experience makes sense for a particular role. The CV supplies a structured record; the letter connects selected evidence to the employer's needs. It should not repeat your entire employment history or make claims that your CV cannot support. The National Careers Service describes a cover letter as a short introduction, usually three to five paragraphs, while Harvard recommends a concise, factual letter no longer than a page. Treat those as useful starting points. The vacancy's instructions decide what you actually need to submit and how.

Check whether and how a letter is requested

An employer may ask for a separate document, an email, a text-box response or no cover letter. Follow that process. Do not attach extra documents when the instructions explicitly exclude them. If a letter is optional, decide whether it adds a useful explanation, such as a clear connection in a career change. A required supporting statement may have its own questions and word limit, so do not assume a standard letter answers it. Read the application guidance before drafting. This small check prevents good writing from being delivered in the wrong form.

Research something relevant about the employer

Look at the organisation's website, the role description and current information that genuinely relates to the work. You are looking for a reason this opportunity interests you, not a collection of flattering adjectives. A fictional applicant to a community learning organisation could mention an interest in accessible course administration if the organisation actually describes that work. Do not claim that it is the country's leading provider without evidence. Avoid personal familiarity you do not have. The National Careers Service and Harvard both recommend research, but the research should support a specific explanation of interest.

Open with a clear purpose

Name the role and reference number if one is given, then briefly explain your fit. For example: "I am applying for the Programme Assistant role. My experience maintaining booking records and supporting student events has prepared me for the scheduling and participant communication described in the vacancy." This is a fictional example, not a line to reuse unless it matches your background. The opening does not need a life story. It should make it obvious which job you mean and give the reader a reason to continue to the evidence.

Select one or two useful examples

Choose examples that answer important requirements. A fictional applicant for a coordination role might describe preparing a workshop timetable, checking room availability and updating participants when plans changed. Explain your action and the result where you can verify it. If several people contributed, identify your part. A letter has room for a little context that would be too detailed in a CV bullet, but it still needs selection. Do not spend a paragraph on an impressive achievement that has little connection to the advertised work while leaving the essential requirements unanswered.

Connect the example to the new role

After describing your work, explain why it matters here. For example: "That experience taught me to keep booking changes visible to everyone involved, which relates directly to your requirement for accurate programme records." This creates a link rather than expecting the employer to infer one. Keep the connection proportionate. Organising a student event can support a coordination claim, but it does not establish experience running a large commercial programme. Transferable evidence is useful when you are clear about the original setting, the work you performed and the limits of the comparison.

Explain a transition only where it helps

A career change or return to work may benefit from a brief explanation. A former retail supervisor moving into office support could discuss record keeping, rota planning and customer follow-up rather than apologising for an unrelated job title. A career break does not require an intimate account of personal circumstances. The National Careers Service says people do not need to share everything about health-related gaps. Keep any explanation relevant and within your comfort level. If a question involves legal disclosure requirements, seek local specialist advice rather than relying on a general cover-letter template.

Use a verified greeting and a simple ending

Address a named contact when you can verify the correct person. Do not guess a recruiter's name, title or gender from a vague clue. If no reliable name is available, a neutral greeting such as "Dear Hiring Team" avoids an invented recipient. Close by thanking the reader and stating that you would welcome a discussion of the role. Local letter conventions differ, so follow the application's context. Do not promise availability you cannot provide or imply that an interview is already arranged. Keep your contact information consistent with the CV.

Edit out repetition and inflated claims

Compare the letter with the CV. The letter should add explanation, not reproduce each bullet in paragraph form. Remove phrases such as "the perfect candidate" if the evidence would be clearer on its own. Read each sentence and ask what it contributes: purpose, proof, connection or closing. If it contributes only praise, consider cutting it. Match the level of formality to a professional application without making the prose stiff. A straightforward description of real work is usually easier to assess than a paragraph of enthusiasm with no concrete basis.

Check the final package

Verify the employer name, role title, reference number and any named recipient. Check dates, qualifications and achievements against the CV. If using a document, inspect the exported version for readable spacing, correct page breaks and working links. If pasting into a form, review the pasted text and word limit before submitting. Keep the submitted version with the vacancy. At interview, you may be asked about an example from the letter, so be ready to explain it. A useful cover letter is a short, honest argument for your fit, built from evidence rather than a promise of success.