Cover Letter FAQ: 12 Common Questions Answered

Yes, when it's requested or when you have relevant things to say that don't fit your resume (career change, relocation, passion for the company). If the posting says 'optional', include one — it's a low-effort way to stand out when others skip it.

3–4 short paragraphs, under 400 words, fitting one page. Recruiters are busy — a long cover letter signals poor communication skills.

With a strong opening line that references the specific role and company, and immediately states why you are a strong fit. Avoid: 'I am writing to express my interest in the [role] position at [company].' Everyone writes that.

Yes. Research the hiring manager's name on LinkedIn or the company website. 'Dear [Name]' is more professional than 'Dear Hiring Manager'. If you genuinely cannot find a name, 'Dear Hiring Team' is acceptable.

Opening: your name, role you're applying for, 1–2 sentence hook. Body paragraph 1: your most relevant experience and what you bring. Body paragraph 2: why this company specifically. Closing: call to action — request an interview, thank them.

No. Your cover letter should complement your resume, not copy it. Use it to give context, tell a short story about a key achievement, or explain something that your resume can't (a gap, a career change, a passion for the company).

Yes, as a first draft. Then customize it to sound like you, add specific details about the company, and remove any generic phrases. Recruiters can recognize purely AI-generated letters — your voice and specifics are what make it work.

Include one anyway if you have something genuinely useful to add. Submit it as a combined document with your resume, or paste it into the application form's text field if provided.

Only if the gap is recent and longer than 6 months. Be brief and positive: 'I took a planned career break in 2024 to [reason] and am now ready to bring fresh perspective to a new role.' Never apologize.

1) Spelling the company name wrong. 2) Not customizing (obvious generic template). 3) Repeating your resume word for word. 4) Starting every sentence with 'I'. 5) Writing more than one page. 6) Forgetting to attach your resume.

Only if the job posting specifically requests it. If you must include it, give a range based on market research and note it's negotiable.

Templix AI has free, ATS-friendly cover letter templates you can customize and download as PDF or Word — no account needed.