Loading…
Practical guide
A cover letter gets read in under a minute: it has to say why them, why you and what you will do together. The structure, sample sentences and the mistakes that get it binned.
A recruiter opens your letter, often after your CV, to answer a single question: have you understood this role, and why you rather than someone else? It is neither a summary of the CV nor a declaration of enthusiasm. It is a bridge between what the company is looking for and what you have already done. Here is a structure that works, sentences to adapt, and the mistakes that get a letter set aside.
Three short paragraphs, then a conclusion. The “you, me, us” order forces you to talk about the company before talking about yourself, which on its own sets you apart from most letters.
The subject line says in one line what this is about, in the words of the ad. It works for the letter and the email alike:
A good letter can be reused by changing three things for each application: the “you” paragraph (the precise fact about the company), the evidence in the “me” paragraph (the pieces that answer this particular ad), and the names. Reuse the ad's exact words, as on your CV: the guide to CV keywords explains how to spot them. And keep the same story as your CV headline and personal statement (see the personal statement guide): the recruiter reads both.
When you send your application by email, the letter goes as an attachment and the email stays short: it says what you are sending and makes the reader want to open it. When no letter is asked for, the email takes its place, in a shorter version.
“Dear Ms [surname], please find my application for the recruitment officer role posted on your website. After several years recruiting logistics staff at a temping agency, I would like to join a growing in-house team like yours. My CV and cover letter are attached; I am available to talk whenever suits you. Kind regards, [First name Surname], [phone]”
| Avoid | Instead |
|---|---|
| “Currently looking for a job, I am taking the liberty of sending you my application.” | Start with the company and its need: “Your customer service team now handles requests in English…” |
| “Dynamic, rigorous and motivated, I will know how to adapt.” | A fact that proves the quality: “I took over order tracking on my own while my manager was on leave.” |
| “As the undisputed leader in your sector, your company is my dream.” | A reason that can be checked: a product, a project, a stated value you have seen in practice. |
On Nego: your cover letter, you attach your CV and paste the job ad: Nego writes a short letter that links what the role asks for to your experience, in your words and with your facts, and replaces with “[X]” any figure missing from what you gave it. You then rework it together (shorter, more direct, a different tone, in English), it proofreads it and also writes the covering email. Always reread the final version: it is your voice. To make your CV tell the same story, the CV analysis checks the headline, keywords and achievements. And prepare what comes next: the interview will often pick up on what your letter says, as the guide to preparing an interview explains.
When the job ad or the form asks for one, yes, no question. It is also very useful for a speculative application, a work-study contract or an internship, and for a background that needs explaining (a career change, a return after time out of work, a move). Otherwise, a covering email of a few lines is enough.
Only if the job ad expressly asks for one, which has become rare. Otherwise, type it, save it as a PDF in the same font as your CV, and give the file a clear name (first name, surname, role).
Yes, as a first draft, as long as you reread it and put your own facts in: a letter generated without your CV or the job ad is recognisable straight away. Nego starts from both, builds on the experience in your CV, and replaces with “[X]” any figure you haven't given it. Still check every sentence: you are the one signing it.
In a letter, a short classic formula: “Je vous prie d'agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées” (the standard French equivalent of “Yours faithfully”). In an email, “Bien cordialement” (kind regards) is enough. Originality belongs in the content, not the sign-off.
Only if the job ad asks for your salary expectations. In that case, one sentence at the end of the letter, with a gross annual range grounded in the market. Otherwise, keep the subject for the interview.
The site's tools and features that go with this guide: the figures there are calculated by the code, never by the AI.