Your details

• Your detailsMissing

  Add your name, phone and email — the letter is often read separately from the CV.

• Employer and roleMissing

  Name the company and the role exactly as the advert words it — a generic letter reads like one sent to everyone.

• Named recipientMissing

  Look for the hiring manager's name in the advert or on LinkedIn. If you can't find it, leave it blank — the letter falls back to 'Dear Hiring Manager'.

• OpeningMissing

  Write an opening of at least 20 words naming the role and one specific reason you're applying to it.

• Main paragraphMissing

  Write at least 60 words on one achievement relevant to this role — don't restate your CV.

• A number to back it upMissing

  Include at least one number — a percentage, an amount, a duration. A number turns a claim into evidence.

• ClosingMissing

  End by clearly asking for the interview, in at least 15 words. A closing that asks for nothing gets nothing.

Letter length: 0 words — A good letter runs 150–400 words — a single page.