How Long Should a Cover Letter Be Ideal Cover Letter Length

How Long Should a Cover Letter Be Ideal Cover Letter Length How Long Should a Cover Letter Be? Your cover letter length matters to hiring managers. If it’s too long, you risk coming off as unfocused or self-important. If it’s too short, it may seem like you didn’t put effort into the job application. Build My Cover Letter Now How long should cover letters be in general? It’s a common question brought up by job seekers of all sorts: how long should a cover letter be, really? Thankfully, hitting the proper length on your cover letter isn’t complicated. How many words should a cover letter be? 250-400 words. What’s the ideal cover letter length? Between ½ and one page. How many paragraphs are in a cover letter? 3 to 4 paragraphs long. Yet your cover letter’s length isn’t as important as its content. 250-400 words of fluff isn’t going to impress anyone. Tip You can write a short cover letter and still communicate your qualifications effectively. How to achieve the ideal cover letter length Follow these five tips on how to achieve the right cover letter length, so employers can spend time evaluating your application for its content rather than its size. 1. Dont exceed 400 words The average reading speed of an adult in the US is roughly 300 words per minute. Since hiring managers typically spend less than a minute reviewing a resume, we can assume that a brief cover letter of around 250-300 words is ideal. However, if you have additional experience that’s relevant to the position, it’s worth extending your cover letter to 400 words to give yourself space to elaborate on it. 2. Keep your cover letter to 4 paragraphs or fewer Keeping your cover letter concise should be your number one priority. At most, everything you need to mention should be contained within three to four paragraphs. While it depends on the nature of whats being written, a single paragraph typically contains around 100-200 words. Therefore, a three to four paragraph cover letter should fit within the recommended cover letter word limit of 400 words. Tip While you may have to talk about a wider variety of your experience (including your education) to write a convincing entry-level cover letter, you should always keep your cover letter to one page. 3. Focus on your most relevant achievements If you have a diverse work history, it can be tempting to reference your many resume accomplishments. However, to keep your cover letter focused and concise, only write about one or two of your greatest professional achievements. Imagine you’re applying for a position as a Sales Associate. It’s much better to describe one or two anecdotes about how you increased sales revenue at your previous company than to include four or five examples that are irrelevant to the job. Tip Applying to multiple companies? Learn how to write a general cover letter that not only saves you time, but impresses recruiters as well. 4. Write concisely and directly Many job seekers think that giving employers a thorough introduction of their personal history will help them land a job. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Hiring managers have limited time to scan your cover letter for information. To help them easily determine your qualifications, avoid mentioning your personal life unless its related to the position. To help [hiring managers] easily determine your qualifications, avoid mentioning your personal life To make your cover letter more straightforward, ensure each body paragraph focuses on a specific position or accomplishment. Start each paragraph with a sentence introducing your previous experience. In the next two sentences, mention something notable you achieved, or skills you honed while in that position. Finally, wrap up the paragraph by connecting how that experience will help you excel at the position. Additionally, keep each of these sentences short and direct. Here’s an example that demonstrates how not to write about your experience: Wordy The hectic situation at my previous job was a crucial factor in the formation of my current skill set regarding my ability to handle high-stress environments. While this sentence sounds professional, it takes 27 words to communicate an uncomplicated idea. By simplifying the language, you can communicate the same idea much more directly: Concise My previous job taught me how to perform well under pressure. By removing unnecessary words, this sentence becomes shorter and easier to read â€" giving you more space to demonstrate your qualifications elsewhere. 5. Use a professional cover letter format To keep your cover letter neatly organized and succinct, stick to a standard cover letter format. For reference, a normal cover letter outline includes the following sections: An introduction paragraph One or two body paragraphs that highlight your experience or accomplishments A cover letter closing paragraph with your contact information Additionally, try using one of the many custom cover letter templates available online to help structure your cover letter and give it a unique appearance. How long should an email cover letter be? If you’re applying for jobs online, you may need to send the hiring manager an email cover letter along with your other application materials. To hold the hiring manager’s attention, keep your email cover letter short and direct â€" specifically, under 150 words long. To make sure your email hits all the right points without getting too lengthy, follow these rules: Dont include the employers contact information. Create a simple subject line that includes the job position and your name. Include only your most relevant information. Highlight just one of your professional achievements. Close with your contact information and availability. Need more help writing your cover letter? Try our free cover letter builder to ensure you achieve the perfect cover letter length with minimal effort. Or learn how to write a great cover letter yourself and make yours from scratch.