How to Write a Cover Letter: Structure, Salutations and Sign-offs, and How to Connect Your Experience to the Role (with a Sample Framework)

When applying for internships or jobs, many positions require a cover letter. Many students treat it as a restatement of their resume or send the same letter to all companies. In fact, the purpose of a cover letter is clear: tell the employer why you want this job and why you are a good fit. Based on the UK government's National Careers Service guide to cover letters, this article explains the structure, writing tips, and common mistakes, and concludes with a sample template.

1. What Is a Cover Letter For?

According to the National Careers Service, a cover letter is used to introduce yourself to employers and ask them to consider your application. It serves a different purpose than a resume:

• A resume lists your experience and achievements;
• A cover letter connects this experience to the specific role, explaining why you want it and why you are suitable.

2. Length and Structure

A cover letter should be a brief letter, typically 3 to 5 paragraphs:

1. Opening: Introduce yourself, state where you saw the position, and include the job title and reference number (if applicable);
2. Body: Highlight which of your skills and experiences perfectly match the employer's requirements;
3. Closing: Thank the reader, mention your attached resume, and provide your contact information.

3. Salutations and Sign-offs

• If you know the recipient's name: Address the letter to a specific person using their preferred title, such as Dr, Mr, Mrs, or Ms;
• If you cannot find a name after checking the company website and job ad: You can start with "Dear Sir or Madam";
• Sign-off: If you know the recipient's name, end with "Yours sincerely"; if you started with "Dear Sir or Madam", end with "Yours faithfully".

These are standard British conventions. When applying for jobs in other countries, you can follow the customs of the target company and location.

4. How to Write the Body Paragraphs: Connecting Your Experience to the Role

This is the most important part of the cover letter. You can approach it in three steps:

1. Pick out the two or three most critical requirements from the job description. A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) shows that 81% of employers include required skills in the job description.
2. Match each requirement with a specific experience of yours. The NACE employer survey emphasizes that simply listing skills is not enough; employers want to see examples. Clearly state what you did and the results.
3. Explain why this company. The National Careers Service recommends showing in your letter that you have researched the company. Mentioning specific products, services, or values that appeal to you is much more convincing than vaguely stating, "Your company is an industry leader."

5. Key Recommendations

The National Careers Service advises:

• Write a new cover letter for each application, tailored to the specific company and role;
• Check that the company name and recruiter information are correct, and use keywords from the job ad;
• Show in the letter that you have researched the company;
• Keep the font and size consistent with your resume;
• Carefully check for spelling and grammar errors;
• Keep a copy so you can review it before the interview.

6. Common Mistakes

• Sending the same letter to all companies: Changing the company name but not the content, or even forgetting to change the company name;
• Repeating your resume: Listing the same experiences again without explaining their relevance to the role;
• Focusing only on "what I want": Writing entirely about how important the job is to you without mentioning what you can bring to the employer;
• Being too long: Exceeding one page, which buries the key points;
• Empty adjectives: Using words like "hardworking," "diligent," or "quick learner" without examples to back them up.

7. A Sample Template

Below is a structural example. Replace the content in the brackets with your own details; do not copy it verbatim:

Dear [Ms Smith],

I am writing to apply for the [Data Analyst Intern] position (ref. [12345]) advertised on [your company website]. I am a [second-year MSc Business Analytics student at XX University], and I am excited by [your team's work on customer insight for retail clients].

Your job description highlights [data analysis with Python] and [clear communication of findings]. In my [course project], I [cleaned and analysed 30,000 sales records in Python and identified two factors driving repeat purchases]; our recommendations were [adopted by the partner company for its next campaign]. As [the team's coordinator], I also [presented our findings to the company's managers]...

[I am particularly drawn to your company because ...]

Thank you for considering my application. My CV is attached, and I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how I could contribute to your team. I can be reached at [phone] or [email].

Yours sincerely,
[Your name]

8. Pre-Submission Checklist

1. Are the company name, job title, and recipient's name all correct?
2. Does the opening state which position you are applying for and where you saw it?
3. Is each skill in the body paragraphs supported by specific experience?
4. Have you clearly explained why you want to work for this company?
5. Are the salutation and sign-off matched correctly?
6. Do the font and size match your resume?
7. Is the length kept to one page or less?
8. Have you checked for spelling and grammar errors?

Final Thoughts

A cover letter doesn't need to be flowery; the key is relevance: explain why you want the role, why you are a good fit, and prove it with specific experiences. Taking the time to carefully tailor each letter is far more effective than sending the same letter to a hundred companies.

For how to prepare your resume and interview, see our articles on How to Write an English Resume and How to Prepare for a Job Interview. If you need one-on-one help revising your cover letter, feel free to chat with our career counseling advisors.

Verification note: This article was verified in September 2026. The advice on the purpose, length, structure, salutations, sign-offs, tailoring to the role, formatting, and keeping a copy of the cover letter comes from the UK government's National Careers Service guide; data on employers specifying skills in job descriptions and wanting to see examples comes from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), verified in articles 50 and 79 on this site. The common mistakes, sample template, and checklist are based on our experiential advice, and the content in the sample template is fictional.

References:

• National Careers Service: How to write a cover letter
• NACE: The Key Skills Employers Seek on College Students' Resumes
• NACE: Employer Use of Skills-Based Hiring Practices Grows (January 2026)