Guide
Writing a cover letter from the job advert
An effective cover letter answers the advert: on one page, it shows that you understood the role and what you bring to it.
Three paragraphs
- You: why this company and this role, with a precise detail (a product, a project, a value named in the advert).
- Me: two or three requirements of the advert, each linked to an experience on your CV and a result.
- Us: what you suggest next, a call or an interview.
Fifteen to twenty lines are enough.
Start from the advert
Pick out the two or three central requirements of the advert and the words the company uses, then build the second paragraph around them. The recruiter finds their own criteria, illustrated by your career. See how to find the keywords of a job offer.
An example of the central paragraph
Your advert stresses the management of multichannel campaigns. In my current role, I coordinated the email and social media campaigns of three stores for two years, with an 18% rise in store traffic on the campaigns tracked.
One requirement, one experience, one result: every sentence of the paragraph can be checked against the CV.
Frequently asked questions
Is a cover letter still useful?
When the advert asks for one, yes. It matters most for small companies, speculative applications and career changes.
Should I write a different letter for each offer?
Yes for the first two paragraphs. The structure and the closing line can be reused.
Can I write my cover letter with AI?
Yes, as long as you reread each sentence before sending. ATSway writes a letter from your CV and the offer, which you then edit as you wish.