A good cover letter example is useful for one reason: it shows you the decisions behind the words. Copying one wholesale does not work, because the point of a cover letter is to connect your evidence to this job. So each example below is followed by notes on what it is doing and what to change when you adapt it.
All five letters are illustrative. The names, employers and figures are invented; replace them with your own real details.
What every example has in common
The UK National Careers Service describes a cover letter as “a short letter, usually 3 to 5 paragraphs long” and advises writing a new one for every job. MIT’s career office recommends keeping it to one page and warns against simply repeating your resume in paragraph form. The examples follow both rules and share four moves:
- Purpose first: the role, and where you saw it, in the opening lines.
- Evidence: one or two specific examples matched to the advert’s main requirements.
- Fit: a short, specific reason for wanting this employer.
- Close: thanks, a pointer to the resume and a contact method that matches it.
For the full step-by-step method, the site’s cover letter guide covers structure and layout. This page is about seeing those rules applied.
Example 1: Fresh graduate, no full-time experience
Dear Ms Rahman,
I am applying for the Graduate Finance Analyst role (ref. GF-24) advertised on your careers page. I graduated in June with a BSc in Accounting and Finance, and I would like to start my career in a finance team that supports operational decisions, which is how your advert describes the role.
Your advert asks for strong Excel skills and accuracy with figures. During a ten-week internship at a logistics company, I reconciled supplier statements for 40 accounts each month and built a PivotTable summary that the team lead used in the monthly cost review. For my final-year project I analysed five years of published accounts for three listed retailers and presented the comparison to a panel of lecturers.
I am also completing the first level of a professional accounting qualification and expect to sit the next exam in March.
Thank you for considering my application. My resume gives further details, and I would welcome the chance to discuss the role. I can be reached on +971 50 000 0000 or at the email address above.
Yours sincerely,
Omar Haddad
Why it works
- The reference number is included. Both the National Careers Service and MIT advise adding it so the letter is matched to the right vacancy.
- Internship evidence is treated as real experience, with a volume (40 accounts) and an outcome (used in a monthly review).
- It quotes the employer’s own description of the role, which shows the advert was read.
- “Yours sincerely” follows a named greeting, as the National Careers Service advises.
Adapt it: if you have no internship, use a project, part-time job or society role, but keep the same shape: what you did, how much, and what happened as a result.
Example 2: Career change
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to apply for the Customer Success Associate position. For six years I have worked in hotel front-office roles, most recently as front desk supervisor, and I am moving into customer success because the part of my job I do best is keeping customers satisfied after something has gone wrong.
Your advert lists three priorities: onboarding new clients, resolving escalations and spotting accounts at risk. In my current role I train each new receptionist on our property management system, which has given me a tested way of teaching software to people who are not technical. I also handle the escalated complaints on my shift and follow up with each guest by email the next day. Last year I introduced a short daily report of open complaints so the morning team could see which guests needed attention before they checked out.
I have completed an introductory course in customer success management and use spreadsheets daily for occupancy and complaint tracking.
I would welcome the chance to explain how this experience transfers to your clients. Thank you for your time.
Yours faithfully,
Leila Mansour
Why it works
- It names the change in the first paragraph and gives a reason that points towards the new role rather than away from the old one.
- It mirrors the advert’s three priorities and answers each with evidence from a different industry. MIT advises explaining your interest and the value you would bring when your background does not obviously connect.
- “Dear Hiring Manager” is MIT’s suggested greeting when you cannot find a name. The National Careers Service pairs “Yours faithfully” with an unnamed greeting such as “Dear Sir or Madam”, so the same sign-off is used here; “Kind regards” is a common neutral alternative.
Adapt it: list the three things the advert stresses most, then find one honest example for each from your current field. If you cannot find one, mention training or a project instead.
Example 3: Short email cover letter
When you apply by email or through a form with a small message box, a full letter can be too long. Keep the same structure in fewer words.
Subject: Application – Warehouse Team Leader (ref. WTL-07) – Ravi Kumar
Dear Mr Thomas,
Please find attached my resume for the Warehouse Team Leader role advertised on your website.
I have four years’ experience in a distribution centre, the last two as shift lead for a team of twelve. I run the daily pick-rate briefing, train new starters on the handheld scanners and hold a valid forklift certificate, which your advert lists as essential.
I am available for interview at short notice and can be contacted on +971 55 000 0000.
Kind regards,
Ravi Kumar
Why it works
- The subject line carries the role, reference and name, so it can be filed without opening.
- It answers the one essential requirement (the forklift certificate) directly.
- Every sentence has a job; there is no general opening about being “a hard-working professional”.
Adapt it: name your attachment clearly (for example, Ravi-Kumar-Resume.pdf), and check that the contact details in the message match those on your resume.
Example 4: Speculative letter (no advertised vacancy)
Dear Dr Nair,
I am a registered dental assistant looking for a full-time role in a family dental practice, and I am writing to ask whether you expect any vacancies in the coming months.
I have three years’ chairside experience in a busy general practice, where I prepare treatment rooms, sterilise instruments in line with the clinic’s infection-control procedures and take radiographs under the dentist’s supervision. Patients often comment that I help nervous children settle before treatment, which is why your clinic’s focus on family and children’s dentistry stood out to me.
I have attached my resume. I would be grateful for a short conversation, even if there is no current opening, and I am happy to be contacted by email or on +971 52 000 0000.
Thank you for your time.
Yours sincerely,
Anita D’Souza
Why it works
- It says what kind of job is wanted, which the National Careers Service advises for speculative applications.
- The reason for choosing this clinic is specific and connected to a real strength.
- The ask is small and easy to agree to: a conversation, not a job.
Adapt it: address a named person (the practice manager or clinic lead). The National Careers Service suggests checking the company website for the head of department or recruitment manager if no one is named.
Example 5: Returning after a career break
Dear Ms Al Suwaidi,
I am applying for the HR Coordinator position advertised on your careers site. I worked in HR administration for five years before taking a two-year break to care for a family member, and I am now ready to return to full-time work.
In my previous role I coordinated onboarding for around 15 new starters a month, kept employee records up to date in the HR system and prepared payroll inputs for the finance team. During my break I completed an online course in employment law basics and helped a local community group set up a simple volunteer rota and records spreadsheet.
Your advert mentions a growing team and a new HR system. Having onboarded staff at a similar pace before, I would be ready to contribute quickly.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Fatima Siddiqui
Why it works
- The gap is explained in one sentence and then left behind. The National Careers Service notes that a cover letter can be used to explain gaps by describing skills gained while out of work.
- Skills kept up during the break are shown, without overstating them.
- It links past experience to a current need stated in the advert.
Adapt it: you do not have to give the reason for a break. “A planned career break” is enough if you prefer privacy.
Common edits that improve almost any draft
| Draft sentence | Problem | Better (illustrative) |
|---|---|---|
| “I am the perfect candidate for this role.” | Claim without evidence | “Your advert asks for X; in my current role I do X for Y.” |
| “I have excellent communication skills.” | Generic | “I write the weekly client update for 30 accounts.” |
| “As you can see from my resume…” | Repeats the resume | Add a detail the resume does not have room for |
| “To whom it may concern” | Impersonal | A named person, or “Dear Hiring Manager” |
Before you send
- Use the same font and size as your resume, as the National Careers Service suggests, and keep it to one page.
- Check that names, job titles and the company name are correct; a wrong company name is one of the most damaging errors a reused letter can carry.
- Keep a copy. You may be asked about it at interview.
- Save it as a PDF unless the employer asks for another format. The site’s PDF tools can merge the letter and resume into one file if an application allows only one upload.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a cover letter example as a template?
Use the structure, not the wording. Replace every detail with your own evidence and the employer’s actual requirements, and write a new version for each job.
What should a fresher write in a cover letter?
The role, your qualification, and one or two specific examples from internships, projects or part-time work that match the advert. Example 1 above shows the shape.
Should I write “Yours sincerely” or “Yours faithfully”?
In British usage, “Yours sincerely” after a named greeting and “Yours faithfully” after “Dear Sir or Madam”. “Kind regards” is a common neutral alternative, especially in emails.
Is a cover letter still needed?
If the application asks for one, yes. If it is optional, a short tailored letter is a chance to explain fit, a career change or a gap that the resume cannot.
Sources
- Covering letter, National Careers Service (UK)
- How to write an effective cover letter (with samples), MIT Career Advising & Professional Development