Cover Letter Guide: Write the One-Page Argument for Your Resume

A cover letter is a one-page argument: here's why my resume deserves your attention. Done well it earns a second look; done poorly it's noise. The structure below keeps it pointed.

When a Cover Letter Matters

Application forms and ATS made the cover letter optional in many workplaces, yet it still matters where personal judgment rules: smaller firms, referrals, and roles where communication quality is the job. Write one when it adds a specific case. When the posting asks for one, never skip it — the application process guide covers the checklist.

The 4-Part Structure

1. Opening — the role you're applying for and one line on why you.
2. Relevance — 2–3 bullets or sentences matching your experience to their needs.
3. Proof — one concrete example or number that backs the claim.
4. Close — a call to action ("I'd welcome the chance to discuss the role") and availability.

This shape is the resume summary guide applied to prose.

What to Include

• The exact role title and reference if any.
• Two or three of your strongest, most relevant achievements.
• A specific connection to the company or role — a project, a person, a product.
• Your availability and preferred contact method.

What to Cut

• A recap of your resume — the reader already has it.
• Generic flattery about the company.
• Phrases like "I am a hardworking individual" that anyone could send.
• Anything you can't defend in an interview.

The same discipline as the detail balance guide applies: cut anything that doesn't argue.

Length and Format

Under one page, one paragraph per section, standard business letter formatting, and the same fonts as your resume. Save as PDF when the application allows. File quality rules from the PDF guide apply to letters too.

Example Opening Moves

"I'm applying for the Product Analyst role at your Dhaka office. Your recent launch of the mobile data dashboard is exactly the kind of product I've spent four years helping teams ship."

"I was referred to this role by Nadia Rahman, who suggested my forecasting work at NBO would map to your planning team."

Specific, concrete, and defensible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a cover letter required?

Only when the posting asks for one. When it's optional and adds nothing, skip it. When you include one, it must argue specifically for you — not summarize your resume.

How long should a cover letter be?

Under one A4 page — around 300–400 words. A longer letter signals you can't self-edit; a shorter one risks being generic.

Should every paragraph mention the company?

The opening and closing should reference the role and employer specifically. Generic letters that could apply to any company read as lazy.

Compose your letter alongside your resume in the editor, keep the PDF clean, and send it with confidence.