Cover letter builder
Four paragraphs, each with one job. This is the structure that works, what goes in each part, and how to have the first draft written for you from the job link.
The four-paragraph structure
Every good cover letter is the same shape. Each paragraph has exactly one job, and if a paragraph is not doing its job it should be deleted rather than improved.
| Paragraph | Its one job | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Name the role and give the single strongest reason you fit | 2 to 3 sentences |
| Evidence | Answer the posting's top requirement with a specific result | 3 to 4 sentences |
| Angle or objection | A second requirement, or honest handling of the obvious doubt | 2 to 4 sentences |
| Close | A plain next step | 1 to 2 sentences |
Paragraph one: the opening
Lead with the reason, not the ritual. The reader already knows you are applying; the envelope said so.
I am writing to apply for the Marketing Manager position advertised on your website. I believe my skills and experience make me an excellent candidate for this role.
I took a B2B content programme from 4k to 61k monthly organic sessions in eighteen months, and sourced 22% of pipeline from it. Your Marketing Manager posting leads with organic acquisition, which is the part of the job I have spent three years on.
Paragraph two: the evidence
Take the requirement the posting weights most heavily and answer it directly. One example, told properly, beats three mentioned in passing. Name the situation, what you did, and the number.
Paragraph three: the angle, or the objection
If your fit is obvious, use this paragraph for a second requirement. If it is not obvious, use it to say the thing the reader is already thinking:
- Career change: name the transferable mechanism, not the enthusiasm. *"Forecasting demand for physical stock and forecasting server capacity are the same problem with different units."*
- Employment gap: one clean sentence, no apology, then move on.
- Under the stated years of experience: cite scope instead. Team size, budget, user count, or complexity beats a year count.
- Sector switch: name the part of the domain you already understand and the part you would be learning.
Paragraph four: the close
One or two sentences. Say you would welcome a conversation and stop. Do not restate the CV, do not thank them twice, do not promise to follow up on Tuesday.
Building it from the posting instead of a blank page
The hard part of this structure is not the writing. It is deciding which requirement to lead with and which of your achievements answers it. That is a mapping problem, and it is the part that takes twenty minutes per application.
FitMyCV does that mapping from the job link: it ranks the posting's requirements, finds the evidence in your CV that answers each one, and drafts the four paragraphs against them. You then add the thing only you know. The AI cover letter generator page covers exactly what it uses as input and what it refuses to invent.
Start from the posting, not a blank page
Paste the job link and get the four paragraphs drafted against your real experience.
Frequently asked questions
What should a cover letter include?
The role and employer named explicitly, one clear reason you fit, one or two pieces of specific evidence with numbers, honest handling of any obvious objection, and a short close. Everything else is padding.
How do I start a cover letter without saying 'I am writing to apply for'?
Open with the reason you fit, then name the role. For example: "I moved a 40-person support org onto a self-serve model that cut ticket volume by a third, which is the problem your Support Operations Lead posting describes." It says the same thing and earns the second sentence.
Should I use the same cover letter for multiple jobs?
You can reuse the structure and your evidence library, but the specifics have to change. A letter that could be sent to any employer in your field reads exactly like one, and that is worse than sending no letter where none is required.
Do I need a cover letter if the application says it is optional?
Include one when you have something the CV cannot say: a career change, a gap, a non-obvious fit, or genuine specific knowledge of the company. If you have none of those and your CV is well tailored, an optional letter adds little.
How do I address a cover letter when I do not know the hiring manager?
"Dear Hiring Team" or "Dear [Team name] Team" is fine and reads better than "To Whom It May Concern". Do not spend twenty minutes hunting for a name. Spend it on the evidence paragraphs instead.
Can I build a cover letter without writing anything myself?
You can have the first draft built from the job link and your CV, which handles the structure and the requirement mapping. You still need to add the one or two things only you know about why this employer. That is the part that makes it yours.
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