Tailored Cover Letter: Write One in 20 Minutes (Template)

A tailored cover letter picks two or three things the job clearly needs and shows, with specific examples, that you've already done them, in three or four short paragraphs. You can write one in about 20 minutes: five minutes choosing what to say, ten minutes drafting from a template, and five minutes cutting and checking. The goal isn't eloquence. It's making the match between you and the role obvious.

Below is a timed process, a fill-in template, and a complete example you can adapt.

#What makes a cover letter "tailored"

A tailored letter could only have been sent to this company for this role. That usually means it does three things a generic letter doesn't:

• Names the role and something specific about the team, product, or mission that you can point to in the posting or the company's own materials.
• Matches proof to requirements. Each body paragraph answers one requirement from the posting with one real example.
• Explains fit the resume can't. Why you're interested, why now, or how a career change makes sense.

If you could swap in another company's name without changing anything else, it isn't tailored yet.

#The 20-minute process

#Minutes 0–5: Decide what to say

Don't start writing yet. Instead:

1. Reread the posting and underline the two or three requirements that appear most prominently or more than once.
2. Pick one example from your work for each. Choose results, not duties. If you have a master resume, search it for matching bullets.
3. Find one concrete reason you want this role. Look at the posting, the company's about page, or recent announcements on its own site. A reason tied to the work itself is stronger than general praise.

Jot these down as fragments. That's your outline.

#Minutes 5–15: Draft from the template

Fill in the template below. Write fast and keep sentences short. Each body paragraph should follow a simple pattern: requirement, example, result, relevance.

#Minutes 15–20: Cut and check

1. Cut the first sentence if it only says you're applying. The second sentence is usually a better opener.
2. Delete filler such as "I believe," "I feel that," and "I am confident that."
3. Check length. Aim for roughly 250 to 350 words.
4. Verify names and details: company name, role title, hiring manager's name if used.
5. Read it once out loud. Fix anything that sounds stiff.

#Tailored cover letter template

Dear [Name or "Hiring Manager"],

I'm applying for the [Role] position on your [Team] team. [One sentence on what draws you to this specific role or company, tied to something real in the posting or their work.] With [X years / background] in [relevant area], I've spent most of my time [the core thing this job does].

[Requirement 1 from the posting] stood out to me. At [Company], I [specific action], which [result]. [One sentence on why that matters for this role.]

You also mentioned [Requirement 2]. [Specific example with action and result.] [Optional: one line connecting it to a challenge the team likely faces.]

I'd welcome the chance to talk about how I could help [team or goal]. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely, [Your Name] [Phone] | [Email] | [Portfolio or LinkedIn URL]

#A complete example

Here is the template filled in for a supply chain analyst applying to a regional grocery distributor.

Dear Ms. Alvarez,

I'm applying for the Supply Chain Analyst position on your Inventory Planning team. Your posting's focus on reducing spoilage across perishable categories is the problem I've spent the last three years working on. As an analyst at a mid-sized food wholesaler, I've built forecasting and replenishment reports for produce and dairy buyers.

Your posting emphasizes demand forecasting with seasonal data. In my current role, I rebuilt our weekly produce forecast in Excel and Power BI to account for holiday and weather-driven swings, which helped buyers cut overstock on short-shelf-life items during peak weeks. I'd bring that same approach to your perishable categories.

You also mentioned working closely with warehouse and procurement teams. I run a weekly review with our buyers and warehouse leads where we compare forecast to actuals and agree on order adjustments. It's made planning changes faster to act on because everyone sees the same numbers.

I'd welcome the chance to talk about how I could support your inventory planning goals. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely, Jordan Lee

Notice what it doesn't do: it doesn't summarize the whole resume, list adjectives about the writer, or praise the company in general terms. Every paragraph points at something in the posting.

#Adapting the template to your situation

Career changers: Use the first paragraph to name the switch directly and the strongest bridge between fields. For example, a teacher moving into corporate training might open with years of designing curriculum for mixed-ability groups. Our guide to a career change resume covers how to translate your experience, and the same translations work in your letter.

Entry-level candidates: Swap work examples for internships, class projects with real deliverables, part-time jobs, or volunteer roles. A specific project beats a general statement about being a fast learner.

Referrals: If someone referred you, name them in the first sentence: "Priya Nair on your analytics team suggested I apply." See our guide to getting a job referral for how to ask.

Relocation or remote: Address location in one sentence so it isn't a question mark: "I'm relocating to Denver in March and available to start on-site from April."

#Keep the letter and resume consistent

Your cover letter and resume should tell the same story with different depth. The requirements you highlight in the letter should be the same ones your tailored resume summary and top bullets emphasize. If the letter says you led a forecasting rebuild, a resume bullet should show it too. For the resume side, follow our guide on how to tailor your resume to a job description.

#Cover letter mistakes that waste the reader's time

• Opening with "My name is…" Your name is already at the bottom and in the application.
• Retelling your resume in order. Pick two examples and go deeper instead.
• Generic praise like "your company is an industry leader." Point to something specific or skip it.
• Making it about what you want ("this role would help me grow") without saying what you offer.
• Running past one page. A letter that fits comfortably on one page is easier to read in full.
• Claiming skills you can't back up. Everything in the letter is fair game in an interview.

#After you send it

Save each letter with the company name and date, and note in your tracker which requirements you emphasized so you can prepare for interviews around them. If you don't hear back in a week or two, a short note can help; our guide on how to follow up after a job application includes templates.

A tailored cover letter is a short argument: here's what you need, here's proof I've done it. For more help aligning every part of your application, see our resume tailoring guides.