How to Write a Cover Letter for Your First Job

Most first-job cover letters fail in the same way: they are long, vague, and could have been sent to any employer for any job. “I am writing to apply for the position advertised. I am a hardworking and motivated individual with excellent communication skills…” The hiring manager has read that paragraph a hundred times. It says nothing about you, nothing about the job, and nothing about why you are a good fit for this particular role.

A cover letter has one job: to make the reader want to open your CV. For a first job, that means three short paragraphs — why this role, what you bring, and a clear close — each tied to something specific about the employer.

What a cover letter is actually for

Think of it as the introduction to your CV, not a repeat of it. The CV lists what you have done; the letter explains why it matters for this job, at this company, right now. If nothing in it refers to the actual employer, the reader assumes you sent the same letter everywhere — and they are usually right.

Keep it to one page, around 250 to 300 words, four short paragraphs at most. A letter that runs long suggests you could not decide what mattered.

Before you write: ten minutes of research

Read the job advert twice and underline the three things the employer seems to care about most. Then look at the employer's website for five minutes. What do they actually do? Who are their customers? Is there anything recent — a new branch, a new service — you can mention? One specific detail proves you looked.

Write down the name of the person to address it to if the advert gives one. “Dear Ms Patel” beats “Dear Sir/Madam” every time. If no name is given, “Dear Hiring Manager” is fine. Never write “To whom it may concern” — it sounds like a letter from another century.

The structure that works

Four paragraphs, each with one job to do.

1. Paragraph 1 — the role and the hook. Name the exact job and where you saw it, then give one sentence on why you want this role at this employer. “I am applying for the Saturday Sales Assistant role at Greenfield Books, advertised on your website. I have been a regular customer for two years and I want to be part of a shop that takes reading seriously.” That is specific, honest, and takes ten seconds to read.
2. Paragraph 2 — what you bring. Pick two things from your life that match what the advert asks for, and give a small piece of evidence for each. One or two examples, not a list.
3. Paragraph 3 — why this employer. One or two sentences showing you know what they do and why you want to work there. This is the paragraph most first letters skip — and the one that makes yours stand out.
4. Paragraph 4 — the close. Say you have attached your CV, welcome an interview, and give your contact details. Two or three lines.

A worked example you can adapt

Here is a full example for a first job — a weekend retail assistant role — so you can see the structure in action. Do not copy it word for word; change the details to fit your own life. A copied letter is easy to spot.

Notice what the example does: it names the shop, the role, and where the advert was seen; it gives two real pieces of evidence; and it explains why this shop, not just any shop. About 230 words — the right length.

Mistakes that sink first cover letters

• Repeating the CV. If a sentence is already on the CV in the same words, delete it from one of them. The letter should add context, not duplicate.
• Writing about yourself only. A letter that never mentions the employer reads as if the job could be anywhere. Every letter needs at least one sentence that could only apply to this employer.
• Apologising for having no experience. Never write “although I have no experience” as your main point. Say what you do have. Employers hiring for first jobs know you are starting out — they are looking for what you bring, not an apology.
• Typos and wrong details. A letter addressed to the wrong company goes straight in the bin. Check the company name, job title, and hiring manager's name before you send it.
• Too long. If it runs past one page, cut the weakest paragraph. Short and specific beats long and general.

Sending it

If you are emailing the letter, put it in the body of the email rather than as a separate attachment, unless the advert says otherwise — and attach the CV as a PDF named Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf. Use the job title as the email subject line, exactly as advertised. If you are applying through a form, paste the letter in and read it back before submitting — line breaks sometimes vanish.

One last check before you send: read the letter aloud. If any sentence sounds like it could have been written by anyone about any job, rewrite it with a specific detail. Then send it and move on to the next application.

Questions people ask

Do I need a cover letter if the advert does not ask for one? If the application lets you add one, yes — a short, specific letter helps, especially where the CV is thin. If there is no place to put it, do not force it.

Can I use the same letter for every job? You can reuse the structure, but never the whole letter. Change the employer, the role, the evidence, and the “why this employer” paragraph every time. A hiring manager can tell when a letter was mass-produced.

How formal should it be? Polite and plain. “Yours sincerely” if you addressed a named person, “Yours faithfully” if you did not. Avoid stiff phrases like “I am writing to express my keen interest in the aforementioned position” — nobody talks like that, and it makes the letter harder to read.

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