The cover letter most candidates send, and the one that works
If your cover letter could be sent to any employer with two edits, it isn't doing its job. Here's the structure that gets read.
If your cover letter could be sent to any employer with two edits, it isn't doing its job. Here's the structure that gets read.
Three paragraphs, max
First paragraph: why this company, specifically. Second: the most relevant thing you have done, with a number. Third: one question or observation that shows you read the spec.
Skip the formal opener
'I am writing to apply for the role of...' is wasted real estate. Lead with the substance.
Match the tone of the brand
A startup spec written in plain English deserves a reply in plain English. A formal financial services spec deserves a formal reply. Mismatched tone is its own signal.
More from the Spinwell blog
The CV signals that move us to a first call
Recruiters skim. Here's what catches our eye in the first ten seconds — and what gets a CV closed before page two.
Counter-offers: why accepting one is usually the wrong call
Your current employer wakes up the moment you resign. The data on what happens next is not kind.
How to read a startup before you accept the offer
The questions to ask, the people to talk to, and the public signals that tell you what the deck won't.
