Many portals make cover letters optional. That does not mean a good letter is useless. When hiring managers are undecided between similar resumes, a letter that shows role-specific thinking can tip the balance. The letter fails when it restates the resume in paragraph form.

Keep it to half a page

Aim for 250–350 words. Recruiters skim. Four short paragraphs are enough: hook, proof, fit, close. If you need two pages, you are writing an essay, not a cover letter.

Paragraph 1: the hook

State the role, where you found it, and one sentence on why you are a credible match. Mention a mutual connection or a concrete product detail when you have one. Generic openers like “I am writing to express my interest” waste the only guaranteed attention you get.

Paragraph 2: proof, not personality slogans

Pick one or two achievements that map to the posting’s top needs. Quantify when possible. Explain the situation briefly, your action, and the outcome. This is the heart of the letter. Everything else supports it.

Paragraph 3: why this company

Show you read something real: a product launch, a market they serve, a technical challenge described in the job post. Connect that observation to a skill you bring. Avoid flattery about “world-class culture” with no evidence you looked.

Paragraph 4: clear close

Reaffirm interest, mention availability for a conversation, and thank them. No demands, no salary negotiation in the letter, no threats about other offers.

What to cut immediately

  • Full career chronology that duplicates your resume
  • Soft-skill adjectives with no examples
  • Apologies for missing a requirement you cannot meet
  • Long stories that belong in interviews

When you should skip a letter

If the form says “do not attach a cover letter,” follow instructions. If the portal gives a tiny text box, write a tight three-sentence pitch instead of pasting a long letter. Compliance with application instructions is part of the evaluation.

When you do write one, draft quickly, then edit for specificity. AI drafting in ApplySmart can help you produce a first pass from the job description and your background—then rewrite until every sentence earns its place and sounds like your voice.

The test is simple: if you replace the company name with a competitor and the letter still works, it is too generic. Fix that before you send.