latest application letter 2021

In an increasingly digitized world, where customer-centric strategies are vital for business success, I am thrilled to apply for the [Job Title] position at HubSpot."

Unhelpful Cover Letter Introduction:

"To Whom it May Concern,

I am applying for the [Job Title] position at HubSpot. I have some experience in marketing and can help your clients grow their businesses."

Relevant Professional Experience

It can be tempting to use the same cover letter for every job. After all, it‘s about your experience, isn’t it? But it's not enough to rephrase the work history in your resume.

Recruiters and hiring managers are looking to fill a specific role, so you need to show how your experience translates to their unique needs.

So, the body of a great cover letter should showcase the specific professional experiences that are relevant to the job you're applying for. Emphasize your accomplishments and skills that directly relate to what the job needs.

To speed up this part of the cover letter writing process, start by creating a list of your transferable skills . Drafting this list can help you quickly focus on the skills to highlight in your cover letter.

Then, use AI tools to summarize job descriptions and narrow in on where your experience and the needs of the role you're applying for overlap. This post is full of useful AI assistant tools if you're new to AI.

Helpful Cover Letter Experience:

“At [Company Name], I had the opportunity to assist a global ecommerce retailer in enhancing their online customer experience. By conducting in-depth market research and customer journey mapping, I identified pain points and areas of improvement in their website navigation and user interface.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Experience:

“I also worked with an ecommerce retailer to improve the customer experience. We did some surveys and training, and they were happy with the results.”

Useful Examples

To make your cover letter stand out, add specific examples that show how you've solved problems or gotten results in past roles.

Quantify your accomplishments whenever possible, using data to give the reader a clear understanding of your impact.

Helpful Cover Letter Example:

“I lead a team of five content writers while increasing website traffic by 18% year-over-year.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Example:

“I have a great track record of leadership and achieving fantastic results.”

Research and Company Knowledge

Hiring teams aren‘t hiring anyone with the skills to do the job. They’re hiring a person they'll work alongside at their specific company.

So, to show that you‘re not just looking for any job anywhere, share your knowledge of the company’s industry, values, and culture in your cover letter.

Spend some time on the company website and take notes on what makes this business interesting to you and why you would want to work there.

Then, explain how your skills align with the company's mission and goals and explain how you could add to their chances of success. This will showcase your interest in the company and help them see if you are a good cultural fit.

Helpful Cover Letter Research:

“I was particularly drawn to HubSpot not only for its industry-leading solutions but also for its exceptional company culture. HubSpot's commitment to employee development and fostering a collaborative environment is evident in its recognition as a top workplace consistently. I strongly believe that my passion for continuous learning, self-motivation, and dedication to contributing to a team will make me a valuable asset to HubSpot.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Research:

“I have been inspired by HubSpot's commitment to inbound marketing and its comprehensive suite of solutions. HubSpot's dedication to providing valuable content and fostering meaningful relationships aligns with my own values and aspirations.”

Clear Writing

Your cover letter needs to pack in a lot of important information. But it's also important that your cover letter is clear and concise.

To accomplish this, use professional but easy-to-understand language. Be sure to remove any grammar or spelling errors and avoid lengthy paragraphs and avoid jargon or overly technical language.

You may also want to use bullet points to make your letter easier to skim. Then, proofread your cover letter for clarity or ask a friend to proofread it for you.

• Guide to Becoming a Better Writer
• Tips for Simplifying Your Writing

Helpful Cover Letter Writing:

"In addition to my academic accomplishments, I gained valuable practical experience through internships at respected law firms.

Working alongside experienced attorneys, I assisted in providing legal support to clients. This hands-on experience helped me develop a deep understanding of client needs and enhanced my ability to effectively communicate complex legal concepts in a straightforward manner."

Unhelpful Cover Letter Writing:

"Furthermore, as a complement to my academic accomplishments, I have garnered invaluable practical experience through internships at esteemed law firms.

Throughout these placements, I actively collaborated with seasoned attorneys to conduct due diligence and furnish clients with comprehensive legal support. Notably, these experiences fostered a profound comprehension of client necessities, whilst honing my legal acumen to articulately convey intricate legal principles within a lucid and concise framework, adhering to applicable precedents and statutes of limitations."

Genuine Interest and Enthusiasm

Find ways to convey your passion for the role and how excited you are to contribute to the company you're applying to. At the same time, make sure your interest feels authentic and outline how it aligns with your career goals.

Your ultimate goal is an enthusiastic letter that feels honest and leaves a lasting positive impression.

Showing excitement in writing doesn't come naturally for everyone. A few tips that can help you boost the genuine enthusiasm in your letter:

• Record audio of yourself speaking about the role, then use voice-to-text technology to transcribe and add these sections to your letter.
• Choose your words carefully .
• Write in active voice.

Helpful Cover Letter Tone:

“I am genuinely enthusiastic about the prospect of joining [Company/Organization Name] as an accountant. My combination of technical proficiency, eagerness to learn, and strong attention to detail make me an ideal candidate for this role. I am confident that my dedication, reliability, and passion for accounting will contribute to the continued success of your organization.”

Unhelpful Cover Letter Tone:

“Honestly, I can hardly contain my excitement when it comes to reconciliations, financial statement analysis, and tax regulations! Engaging in spirited discussions with professors and classmates has allowed me to foster an unbreakable bond with the fascinating world of accounting, and I'm positively bursting with enthusiasm at the prospect of applying my skills in a professional setting.”

Memorable Conclusion

End your cover letter on a strong note. Summarize your top qualifications, restate your interest in the position, and express your interest in future communication.

Then, thank your reader for their time and consideration and include your contact information for easy follow-up.

To make your conclusion memorable, think about what parts of your letter you‘d most like the hiring manager to keep top of mind. Then, consider your word choice and phrasing. If you’re feeling stuck, this list of ways to close an email can help.

Helpful Cover Letter Conclusion:

"Thank you for considering my application. I am excited about the opportunity to further discuss how my qualifications align with the needs of Greenpeace. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience to arrange an interview.

Together, let's make a lasting impact on our planet.

[Your Name]"

Unhelpful Cover Letter Conclusion:

"Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing my qualifications further and how I can contribute to Greenpeace's mission. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience to arrange an interview.

I’d like to add another stage to the job search: experimentation.

In today’s competitive landscape, it’s so easy to feel defeated, less-than-good-enough, or like giving up your job search.

But don’t let the process become so monotonous. Have fun discovering the qualitative data I’ve discussed here — then, have even more by getting creative with your cover letter composition.

I certainly can’t guarantee that every prospective employer will respond positively — or at all — to even the most unique, compelling cover letter. But the one that’s right for you will.

So, get inspired by these examples and templates. Write an incredible cover letter that shows the hiring team at your dream job exactly who you are.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. This article was written by a human, but our team uses AI in our editorial process. Check out our full disclosure to learn more about how we use AI.

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

How to Write an Internship Cover Letter [Expert Advice & Examples]

How to Start a Cover Letter That Gets You Your Dream Job

General Cover Letter: 15 Cover Letter Templates to Perfect Your Next Job Application

Is a Cover Letter Necessary in 2024?

Letter of Interest Tips, Templates & Examples [A 2023 Guide]

The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Cover Letter

Eight Cover Letter Greetings for Every Situation

7 Expert Cover Letter Tips to Get the Job

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

The Best Cover Letter Format [3 Sample Templates]

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

Before I give you all of my secrets for the perfect cover letter format (and trust me, you want to keep reading because this is going to really help you), I have to ask you a question.

Have you ever heard the phrase “You never get a second chance to make a first impression?”

Of course you have. So what’s the point? Bear with me for a moment.

Let’s say you’re at a party and meeting people for the very first time. You want to look your best, right?

FREE BONUS PDF CHEAT SHEET : Get our "Perfect Cover Letter" Cheat Sheet that gives you a Step-by-Step Process that will help you produce a perfect cover letter.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR "PERFECT COVER LETTER" CHEAT SHEET

You put on your favorite outfit, double and triple check your hair, brush your teeth five times, roll on your strongest deodorant and pack your pockets full of mints.

You’re doing everything you can to make sure you’re ready to go.

Okay so here’s another question: When people meet you for the first time, how long does it take for them to form an opinion about you based on their first impression.

Ready for this?

Seven seconds.

Seven seconds?! Are you serious?

That’s right, just seven fast seconds. As soon as you meet someone for the first time, their brains are processing everything about you at a rate of thousands of decisions a second:

Are you someone they want to talk to? Do you look friendly? Are you approachable? Do you look interesting? Is that spinach in your teeth?

Of course, most of these thoughts and decisions are made on the subconscious level at lightning speed and before you can fully get your name out and shake hands, that person has already decided whether or not they want to continue the conversation or move onto the next person to talk to.

Crazy, right?

Did you know the exact same thing happens in the job marketplace? It’s true.

Okay, so maybe you’re not meeting at the buffet line both contemplating the last shrimp puff, but when it comes to applying for a job and getting that interview, you need to treat it just like you treat your party, and that means getting everything exactly the way you want it to be for that first, crucial, first impression.

Hang on, how is that possible? Are you saying I have to dress up just to apply for my dream job? All I’m doing is sending in my paperwork…do I have to put on formal wear just to type it up?

In job interviews, just like our party, first impressions are everything, which is why we always encourage you to make sure you’re looking and sounding your best in every possible way, and in many cases that starts with your cover letter.

Oooh! My cover letter! But didn’t we already go over those?

Yes, we did! But this article is more than just how to write a cover letter . In this article we’re going to get down and dirty with the actual formatting of your cover letter.

Formatting? You mean there are different formats? I thought it was just a basic introduction and blah blah blah, here are my qualifications…hire me?

In a nutshell, yes, but remember, you only get one chance to make that first impression…so why run the risk of making the wrong one?

Why The Format Of Your Cover Letter Is Important

Let’s start with why cover letter formatting is so important.

As we’ve already said, first impressions are everything. You want a hiring manager to look at your cover letter and be so intrigued that they not only read it, but they call you in for an interview.

Chances are they’re going to be slogging through hundreds, if not thousands of cover letters and odds are the majority of those are going to be tossed in the trash after nothing more than a quick glance or two.

So, how do you make sure your cover letter (and attached resume) don’t get “filed under G” (for garbage… see what we did there)?

By making sure it’s not only the best first impression it can possibly be, but also the right impression.

Let’s get started.

How To Format A Cover Letter

To begin, let’s get some basics out of the way.

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a quick way for you to summarize who you are, what position you are applying for and what skills and knowledge you have.

But can’t they just get the majority of that information from my resume?

Yes, but at the same time, a cover letter is a great opportunity for you to introduce information that’s not in your resume!

Most people fail to realize this and just use the cover letter as an opportunity to regurgitate everything that’s in their resume. Not only are they just doubling up useless information, they’re missing out on a huge opportunity to engage a potential employer as well as showcase other skills or outside experiences that might not be on their resume but which are perfect for the position.

Say what?!?

You don’t need to include every skill you possess in your cover letter, rather you use your cover letter to specifically target both the job and employer .

Using the cover letter as a way to express to your potential employer what it is about the position that appeals to you and why you want to work for them is a great way to both introduce yourself and get them curious enough about who you are to keep reading.

Think of your cover letter as the “laser pointer” highlighting exactly why you’re the Perfect Candidate .

So how long should my cover letter be?

A well written cover letter should never be longer than a single page .

No hiring manager wants to read a five page letter. Remember, they’re busy! Keep it short and sweet.

That’s it?! That doesn’t seem so hard!

Slow down there, turbo. It might not seem hard, but before you go rushing off to type yours up, we’re going to break it down even further… including the three different types of cover letter formats . Once we get those explained, we’ll circle back to actual formatting including fonts, margins, paper, etc.

Different Types of Cover Letter Format

There are three basic types of cover letter format you need to be aware of, and we like to call them:

The Paragraph cover letter The Specific Needs cover letter The Grocery List cover letter

PARAGRAPH COVER LETTER

The Paragraph cover letter is the most common form of cover letters and is probably the format you’ll end up using the most often, especially if you are just starting out in the job market or don’t have a ton of experience yet.

Paragraph letters allow you to engage your reader with direct story telling style utilizing a series of three to four short paragraphs.

People who would benefit from using the Paragraph Letter are:

High school grads College grads Entry Level Workers People with Gaps in their Work History People Making Career changes Individuals with extensive experience Executives Specialists Anyone!

But what does each paragraph contain?

Well, let’s take a look.

Your first paragraph is your introductory paragraph.

You use it to quickly tell a prospective employer who you are and why you are writing to them. You can include information here about things like your areas of expertise and your career goals and how they align with the company.

This is also where you let them know what position you’re specifically applying for as well as how you heard about it.

Your second and third paragraphs are all about what skills and knowledge you have that is specific to the job you’re applying for and will be bringing with you should they offer you the position.

Make sure you highlight your qualifications and how they fit in with the open position. Use words directly from the job description .

Again, this isn’t the time to just repeat your resume…use this space as an opportunity to really show them how you’re the employee they’ve been looking for all along and how you’re perfect for the job they’re currently hiring for.

When a company posts a job opening, they’re posting what they need. What skills, abilities, knowledge and experiences are they looking for?

Use this paragraph to highlight how you fill that need. This is also where you can fill in any information that might not be on your resume but which will help show why you’d be perfect for the position.

Your final paragraph is your conclusion. Wrap up your letter by thanking them for taking the time to read your letter and considering you for the position.

Don’t forget to include how they can contact you as well as your plans to follow-up with them.

All in all, a traditional paragraph letter looks like this:

Your Name Your Address Your City, State, Zip Code Your Phone Number Your Email

Name Title Organization Address City, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

I'm writing to apply for your Corporate and Events Planning Director position at Big Top Bash, Inc. I have spent the past six years working exclusively in the event planning industry and bring with me both extensive experience as an event planner and an organized and detail-oriented work ethic to the position.

As an event planner, I have organized and executed hundreds of corporate events. Group sizes have ranged from small intimate gatherings to large-scale galas. My clients not only include corporations, but also include politicians interested in organizing fundraising and networking opportunities, weddings, retreats, anniversaries, and everything in between, including international events. I am also skilled in finding the appropriate venues, entertainment, security, transportation, vendors, and promoters.

I am also an experienced contract negotiator and am proud of my ability to secure economical solutions to fit the needs of my clients without compromising quality. I am skilled in working with budgets and guest lists of any size and am proud of my ability to deliver high quality results both on time and on budget. I am creative in my approach to problem solving and cool under pressure. I am confident in my crisis management skills and my ability to anticipate and proud of my long list of satisfied clientele.

I have enclosed my resume and will call within the week to see if we can arrange a time to speak.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely, Signature First Name Last Name

THE EMPLOYER SPECIFIC NEEDS COVER LETTER

The specific needs cover letter (also known as the “T-Format” cover letter) is a little bit different from the paragraph letter. Yes, you still start out with your introductory first paragraph, and wrap up with your final concluding paragraph…but the real difference is how you format the middle of your letter .

Rather than writing it out in paragraph form, you go straight to what the employer is looking for and addresses each one in turn with your own matching qualifications using a dual column format.

That style looks like this:

This is a great format to use when you want to instantly show an employer that you have specific skills that are a direct match for what they are looking for.

People who would benefit from the Employer Specific List of Needs letter are:

Individuals with extensive experience Executives Specialists

THE SHOPPING LIST COVER LETTER

The Shopping List cover letter is a hybrid of the two other types of cover letter formats, the paragraph letter and the specific needs letter.

Just like the previous two letters, you start out with your opening paragraph and close with the same concluding paragraph, but much like the specific needs letter, it’s the central paragraph that’s a little different.

Rather than doing a two column comparison or a story style paragraph, you list out exactly what the employer is looking for and respond with your own matching qualifications.

Pretend that the employer is going to the grocery store to find the Perfect Candidate. It’s up to you to show them that you fill their shopping list!

People who would benefit from the Shopping List Letter format are:

People with Gaps in their Work History People Making Career changes who have relevant experience that might not be on their resume Individuals with extensive experience Executives Specialists

It looks a bit like this:

I'm writing to apply for your Corporate and Events Planning Director position at Big Top Bash, Inc. I have spent the past six years working exclusively in the event planning industry. I bring with me both extensive experience as an event planner and an organized and detail-oriented work ethic which I believe apply directly to your job requirements including:

Experience – With over six years of practical hands on experience as a Senior Events Planning Director I have been responsible for successfully organizing and coordinating hundreds of events.

Attention to Detail – During my time, I’ve organized and executed events ranging in size from small intimate gatherings all the way up to political fundraising galas for over 1000 guests. No matter the size or budget, I approach each event with the same level of dedication.

Ability to Remain within Budget – I am comfortable working with both budgets and guests lists to ensure client satisfaction. I am also skilled at negotiating with vendors, venues, entertainment, security, transportation and promoters and am proud of my ability to secure economical solutions for my clients without sacrificing quality.

Ability to Work Well under Pressure – I am confident in my crisis management skills as well as my ability to anticipate potential problems before they arise. I am creative in my approach to problem solving and cool under pressure.

I have enclosed my resume and will call within the week to see if we can arrange a time to speak. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Signature First Name Last Name

Not only is a cover letter like this easy to write, but it allows you to quickly list your relevant skills and accomplishments and can instantly show a potential employer that you are a perfect match for the available position.

This is also an excellent format for someone who is in the middle of a career change or transitioning as you can showcase exactly how the skills and experience you possess relate to the position, regardless of your work history.

Okay, all this is great, and I’m really excited to start writing my cover letter, but before I do…what about cover letter formatting specifics, like paper and margins and fonts?

Best Cover Letter Fonts, Margins & Paper

When writing your cover letter, you should follow the same rules you use when formatting any professional letter.

Let’s start with fonts.

Open your word processing program and take just a second to scroll through your font choices. If you’re like me, it seems as though there are a hundred different styles to choose from…so which one is the right one?

Yes, you want to stand out in a sea of other applicants, but remember, before you go selecting that font with all the swirls and loops that rule number one when typing up your cover letter is: legibility.

Making sure your cover letter is readable is step number one.

You want to make sure that a potential employer can easily read it regardless of if it’s printed out or on a computer screen. Speaking of computer screens, not everyone is on the same operating system which means a unique or quirky font on your screen might show up as code or nonsense on someone else’s.

Your cover letter, just like all documents you send to a potential employer, is a professional representation of who you are, and as such, should look professional.

Try to avoid any font or typefaces listed as a Serif. Yes, they look nice and they’re certainly legible, but Serif fonts are fonts with added embellishments and stylizations which, when run through a scanning program or software, can result in the program rejecting it.

Remember, many companies these days use an automated applicant tracking software to first pre-qualify candidates and the last thing you want to do is you’re your application rejected because the computer program didn’t recognize your font or had difficulty reading it.

So what fonts should you use?

Sans Serifs fonts are fonts which are clean, crisp, sleek, and most importantly, scanner-friendly! They’re also “eyeball-friendly” which means a hiring manager reading it won’t have any issues trying to figure out what they’re looking at or run into eye-strain.

Stick to classic fonts like  Arial ,  Verdana ,  Trebuchet MS ,  Century Gothic ,  Gill Sans MT  (but NEVER Comic Sans),  Lucida Sans and  Tahoma as well as our personal favorite, Helvetica. It’s a flawless blend of style and clarity.

Another thing to keep in mind with fonts is the size you’re using. Shrinking everything down to the size of an ant just so you can fit it all onto a single page won’t win you any points. Again, you want to ensure that your cover letter is readable.

Try to stay between 10.5 and 12 points . Any smaller and it’s hard to read.

MARGINS AND SPACING

When you format your cover letter you want to make sure that your leave enough margin space to allow for printing .

Try to resist the temptation to adjust your margins, even if you’re trying to fit more into your page. Just because it prints out on your printer doesn’t mean it will all print out exactly the same on an employer’s printer. Adjust your margins too much and you run the risk of critical information being cut off if an employer prints it out.

Inversely, making your margins too large will leave your cover letter looking boxed in and squished.

The general rule is to set your margins at one inch on all sides.

When you turn a cover letter into a potential employer, you want to make sure you’re using paper that helps convey the message that you’re a professional.

Of course, if you’re using an online submission system, you don’t get to choose what sort of paper an employer might potentially print your cover letter out on, but in the instances when you’re physically turning something in, it’s a good idea to put some extra time, thought, and a little bit of money into the paper you’re using.

Yes, it’s a little more expensive to pick up a package of high quality paper, but think of it as an investment – in you!

Look for paper rated at around 24lb weight. Anything lighter is intended for bulk copying and will come across as cheap and flimsy. If you’re using paper with a watermark, make sure it’s facing the correct way relative to your cover letter.

When selecting the color of paper you’re using, it’s always a safe bet to stick to white or neutrals. Off-white, cream, ivory and light gray are acceptable for most professional jobs.

Finally, make sure you’re always using 8 ½ x 11 paper.

LENGTH AND SPACING

As we mentioned earlier, no matter which of the three formats you decide to go with, your cover letter should fit neatly onto one single sided page without crowding.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, and in some (rare) cases (career changes, highly advanced technical fields, or individuals at the senior/executive level), a slightly longer cover letter is acceptable.

Keep in mind this isn’t your autobiography!

In terms of the spacing, keep your cover letter to single-spaced with a blank line between each section of your content.

5 Common Cover Letter Format Mistakes to Avoid

1. spelling and grammar mistakes (and typos).

THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENT…which means, ALWAYS proofread your cover letter before you send it out! This includes double checking your contact information.

It won’t do you any good if you have the perfect cover letter and employers who want to hire you if they keep calling the wrong number or emailing the wrong email. Double check! Then…check again!

2. Not Tailoring Your Cover Letter

Stop me if you’ve heard us mention “tailoring before”. By now, you should have. After all, it’s the backbone to our whole job-getting strategy!

MIKE'S TIP:

Blanketing the job market with a one-cover letter-fits-all approach not only makes you look lazy, but it shows an employer that you’re comfortable doing the bare minimum rather than going the extra step to make sure your cover letter is tailored to the job you’re specifically seeking.

Do your research beforehand and make sure the letter you’re sending out not only highlights your skills and experiences, but shows an employer that you’re the Perfect Candidate for not only the job but the company you’re applying to!

NOTE: This includes the greeting/salutation of your letter. It should be “addressed” to the hiring manager (full name if possible). Be sure to read our “how to address a cover letter” article for step-by-step instructions.

3. Rambling

Keep in mind your first impression rule. Submitting a cover letter that’s long, rambling, confusing or poorly organized isn’t going to get you anything except dumped.

This includes padding your cover letter with unnecessary information. Keep your cover letter tailored, clear, concise, and clean. A short letter that’s straight to the point and laser focused is far more powerful than a long letter filled with big words and confusing sentences.

4. Personal Information

Religious affiliations, social security numbers, personal social media contact, birthday (or age), marital status, or anything else that’s personal has no place on your cover letter.

This also includes photos or headshots. All a potential employer needs to know is what your name is, how to contact you, and why you’re the perfect candidate based off of your skills, experience, and qualifications.

5. Salary Information

Save that for a personal discussion with the hiring manager a little further down the road. Putting your salary requirements on your cover letter is never a good idea. Check out the article we wrote on “How to Negotiate Salary During the Job Interview Process”  here.

Top 5 Cover Letter Formatting Tips

1. Keep your format simple:  Remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. Presenting a hiring manager with a cover letter that’s overly crowded, hard to read, confusing or just plain messy isn’t going to get you the job…it’s going to get you thrown out.

2.   Keep it professional:  Avoid cute fonts, gimmicks, scented paper, glitter, odd shapes, or anything that could potentially make an employer look at your cover letter and question your sanity. Don’t print on cheap paper. Show an employer you’re serious about the job. Save the stickers and smiley faces for your holiday letters you send home to family.

3.   Focus on the job description and how you satisfy what the hiring manager is looking for. Read the job description and then read it again. What does the hiring manager need? How do your skills and experiences fill that need? Make sure when you’re writing your cover letter that you’re using words specifically used in the job posting and relating your skills directly to those that the hiring manager is looking for.

4. Make sure you’re selecting the cover letter format that best reflects who you are, your work history, and the job you’re applying for. Remember a cover letter is a great way to introduce yourself to an employer and explain away any questions they might have about you based on your resume information . Make sure you’re selecting the right format cover letter (paragraph, employer needs, shopping list) and that the information you include is relevant to the position you’re applying for.

5. Be honest:  I know we’ve said this again and again in multiple articles on this site, but it’s a sentiment that bears repeating. Be honest. Don’t pad your cover letter with jobs or duties you’ve never held or exaggerate ones you have just to impress an employer. The last thing you want to do is get a job you can’t do. Not only will you look bad, but it’ll haunt you down the line with other future potential employers. Be honest!

Putting It All Together

We promised you a much deeper look into cover letter format and I think we’ve managed to deliver just that!

A cover letter is intended to introduce you to your potential future employer and show them who you are in the best possible way…and now, thanks to this article, you shouldn’t have any problems! Who needs a second chance at a first impression if you do it right the first time?

Of course, reading about it is one thing, but seeing how these cover letters look is another. If you’re interested in seeing examples of how these cover letters look in person, head on over to our 12 Great Cover Letter Examples  article.

Just make sure, no matter which format you choose, that you’re tailoring it to the job you’re applying for, making sure to include relevant information, and that you’re using specific key words from the job posting and relating your skills directly to the needs of the employer.

And as always…good luck!

FREE : "Perfect Cover Letter" PDF CHEAT SHEET

Get our handy "Perfect Cover Letter" cheat sheet.

In it you'll get a step-by-step process that will let you craft the perfect cover letter.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE CHEAT SHEET

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

Copyright © 2024 · TheInterviewguys.com · All Rights Reserved

• Our Products
• Case Studies
• Interview Questions
• Jobs Articles
• Members Login

4 Cover Letter Examples (Plus Tips on How to Write Yours)

We love having examples. It’s so much easier to decorate a cake, build a model, or yes, even write a cover letter when you know what the end product could look like. So that’s what we’re going to give you—all the cover letter examples and tips you need to make yours shine (unfortunately we’re not experts in cake decorating or model building). 

You'll see that writing a cover letter is all about highlighting your relevant skills, professional experience, and accomplishments, while emphasizing your interest for the role in an engaging manner.

Want to get right down to business? Skip ahead to:

Why bother with a cover letter at all?

We bet when you see a job listing that says “ cover letter optional ,” you breathe a sigh of relief, gleefully submit your resume, and move on. But you’re truly doing yourself a disservice by not including a cover letter (or by writing one that’s super generic or formulaic).

“When you’re writing a resume you’re oftentimes confined by space, by resume speak, by keywords—you’re up against a lot of technical requirements,” says Melody Godfred, a career coach and the founder of Write in Color who’s read thousands of cover letters over the course of her career. “In a cover letter you have an opportunity to craft a narrative that aligns you not only with the position you’re applying to but also the company you’re applying to.”

Whether you’re writing a cover letter for a data scientist or marketing manager position, an internship or a senior-level role, a startup or a Fortune 500 company, you’re going to want to tailor it to the role, company, and culture. A strong, customized cover letter will help you explain your value proposition and stand out from the stack of applicants. 

If there’s a gap in your resume , you have the opportunity to explain why it’s there. If you’re changing careers, you have the chance to describe why you’re making the switch. If your resume is pretty dull, a cover letter helps you show some personality . And yes, cover letters still get read.

Deep in the job search, or just browsing? These open jobs on The Muse could be your ideal next step »

What do I write in a cover letter? The 3 basic elements

You'll notice from our cover letter examples that the body of your text can vary a lot depending on factors like the position you're applying for, your career stage, and the type of cover letter requested by the hiring manager. For instance, a writing sample cover letter is different from a traditional professional cover letter (we'll get there soon.)

However, there is some information that you can't leave out. It's important to highlight your most relevant experience, skills, and qualifications for the role in any type of cover letter. Plus, make sure to write an engaging first paragraph to grab the reader's attention, and an effective final paragraph, ideally followed by a call to action, in order to leave a lasting positive impression.

You could say that cover letters are a little like puzzles. When you put each component in its proper place (and remove any parts that don’t fit), you create a complete picture. Even though that picture is always different, the types of pieces are basically the same. We've broken down these three key elements for you:

1. An engaging opener

How you start a cover letter is everything. Your opening lines influence whether someone keeps reading—and you want them to, right? “Starting with something that immediately connects you to the company is essential—something that tells the company that this is not a generic cover letter,” Godfred says. “You have to say something that tells the employer, ‘I wrote this just for you.’”

It can be a childhood memory tying you back to the company’s mission. It can be a story about the time you fell in love with the company’s product. It can be an anecdote from another job or experience showing how hard of a worker you are. Whatever you decide to open with, make it memorable.

2. A clear pitch

Use the next few paragraphs of your cover letter to “hit them with the strongest results you have that are aligned with the opportunity,” Godfred says. Ryan Kahn , Muse career coach and founder of The Hired Group , calls this your pitch. In other words, the part where you’re “selling yourself for the position and why you’re qualified for it.”

Additionally, Godfred says, “If you’re someone who’s transitioning careers, and you need to explain that transition, you do it there.”

This section should have a balance of soft and hard skills . Talk about your experience using Salesforce or doing SEO work, but also highlight your ability to lead teams and communicate effectively.

“Companies are embracing authenticity, they’re embracing humanity, they’re looking for people who are going to fit their culture,” says Godfred. “So what are your values? What do you stand for? These values should be as much a part of your cover letter as the super specialized hard skills.

3. A great closing line

Your closing line could include your next steps or a call to action, Kahn says, such as “ I welcome the opportunity to speak with you more about how I can contribute to the team ,” or, “ I would love to schedule a time for us to discuss this role and my experience. ” But more importantly, “You want to make sure that you’re gracious and thanking them,” he says. While seemingly cliché , it never hurts to end on a simple, “ Thank you for your consideration. ”

Does that sound a bit overwhelming? Don’t panic! We’ve got examples of four types of cover letters below: a traditional cover letter , an impact cover letter , a writing sample cover letter , and a career change cover letter . So let’s take a look at these examples, why they work, and how you can use them to craft your own.

1. The traditional cover letter example

A traditional cover letter is similar to what you’d come up with using position-based cover letter templates . It moves in reverse chronological order through your career history, highlighting parts of your past jobs that make you well suited for this position.

You might want to use this type of cover letter if:

• You’re applying to a more formal company (like a law firm or major healthcare company ) or a more conventional role (like a lawyer or accountant).
• You want to play it safe and conservative with your application materials.

What does the job description say?

Imagine you’re applying to a paralegal job opening at a law firm. The job description might include:

Responsibilities

• Draft routine legal documents for review and use by attorneys
• Coordinate and organize materials and presentations for legal proceedings
• Research legal and related issues and report findings and conclusions to team
• Provide overall legal administrative support to the legal team
• Maintain calendars and ensure timely filings

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent of relevant education and work experience
• Strong communication skills (oral and written)
• Strong organizational , multitasking, and prioritization skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and LexisNexis
• Trustworthy, positive, energetic, and optimistic attitude with a willingness to roll up your sleeves

The cover letter example

Here’s an example of a traditional cover letter you could write for this role—keeping things strictly professional but without sounding too boring or jargon-y:

Dear Ms. Jessica Sanchez,

In my five-year career as a paralegal, I have honed my legal research and writing skills, and the attorneys I’ve worked with have complimented me on my command of case law and litigation support. Spiegel Law Firm’s 20 years in practice proves that the firm has strong values and excellent attorneys, and I’d be eager to join such a talented team.

I currently serve as a paralegal for Chandler, Chandler, and Greene, where I work closely with the partners on a number of high-priority cases. During my time here, I implemented a new calendar system that ensures timely filing of court papers. This system has prevented missed deadlines and allowed for better organization of internal and client meetings.

Previously, as a paralegal for the Neuerburg Law Firm, I received praise for my overall support of the legal team and my positive attitude. While working there, I came up with and implemented a plan for digitizing their old files while still ensuring security and privacy. This led to more efficiency when preparing for client meetings and legal proceedings.

My further qualifications include a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University, a paralegal certificate, and training in LexisNexis, Westlaw, and Microsoft Office Suite.

I would love the opportunity to discuss how I can contribute to your legal team. Thank you in advance for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Chase Broadstein [email protected] (222) 222-2222

Download this example

Why this works

This cover letter example is short, sweet, and to the point. It shows the candidate has a knack for getting things done in a thorough and timely manner and a track record for helping out wherever needed. The opening lines also express a genuine interest in this specific firm. Plus, there are some important keywords in there like “calendar system,” “bachelor’s degree,” “paralegal certificate,” and “LexisNexis.”

2. The impact cover letter example

The impact cover letter puts your accomplishments front and center rather than organizing your paragraphs by past roles. You might use a cover letter like this if:

• You’re applying for roles where you’re expected to deliver on certain goals or results (for example, if the jobs involve sales quotas or marketing metrics).
• You haven’t followed a straightforward career path and your past job titles don’t show the extent of your qualifications.
• You want your personality to stand out a bit more than it might in a traditional cover letter.

What does the job description say

Imagine you’ve come across an opening for an email marketing manager . Part of the job description states:

• Manage email marketing strategy and calendar, including copywriting, optimization, monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on campaigns
• Improve campaign success through conversion optimization, A/B testing, and other experiments
• Collaborate with the design team to ensure brand guidelines are followed in emails
• Partner and collaborate cross-functionally with sales, product, product marketing, and data teams
• 3+ years in email marketing
• Experience with Constant Contact, Google Analytics, HTML, CSS, Photoshop, and Microsoft Excel, a plus
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) and an eye for copyediting
• Strong interpersonal , relationship-building, and stakeholder management skills
• Excellent project management, problem-solving , and time management skills, with the ability to multitask effectively

Here’s an example of an impact cover letter where the writer’s hard skills and successes stand out:

Dear Russ Roman,

I have a problem. See, my inbox currently (and embarrassingly) hosts 1,500 unread emails—including newsletters from at least 50 different brands.

But this problem only fuels my passion for creating emails that are worth opening. Because from my perspective, as someone who can barely get through their own stack of mail, that’s a true win.

I’ve been following Vitabe for years, and can proudly say that I open every single email you send to me. I’m a sucker for a good subject line—“Take a Vitamin-ute—We’ll A-B-C You Soon” being my favorite—and the way your email content feels both fun and expert-backed really speaks to me. This is why I’m thrilled to submit my application for a role as email marketing manager at your company.

I have over four years of experience working in the email marketing space. In my current role at Westside Bank, I was able to implement new email campaigns centered around reengaging churned clients. By analyzing data around the types of clients who churn and the engagement of our current email subscribers, as well as A/B testing headlines and newsletter layouts, we were able to increase email subscribers by 15% and convert 30% of those subscribers to purchase our product, a significant increase from the previous year. 

I also launched a “Your Credit Matters” newsletter focused on educating our clients on how they spend and manage their credit—which became our highest performing campaign in terms of open-rates and click-through to date.

Previously, as a member of the marketing team at Dream Diary Mattresses, I collaborated with the sales and product team to understand how I could best support them in hitting their quarterly goals. One specific project involving creating personalized emails for customers drew more people to come back to our site after 30 days than direct paid ad campaigns, leading to a 112% increase in revenue from the last quarter.

I take the content I write and the calendars I manage seriously, editing and refining beyond detail-oriented and into meticulous territory, and I feel my experience and drive would greatly help Vitabe further develop their email program for success.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Lad Miller [email protected] (987) 654-3210

This sample cover letter concisely highlights the applicant’s most significant, relevant achievements. By adding context to how their projects were created, monitored, and completed, they’re able to show just how results-driven they are and how they’ve successfully leveraged some of the skills the company is looking for.

One thing worth noting: This person didn’t include keywords such as Constant Contact, Google Analytics, HTML, CSS, Photoshop, or Microsoft Excel—all of which are listed in the job description. But those skills are most likely in their resume already, and leaving them out gives them the space to discuss specific projects and tell a story not visible on other parts of their job application.

3. The writing sample cover letter example

For roles where written communication is key, such as PR, copywriting , or journalism jobs, your cover letter will likely be the first writing sample your future employer sees. So it’s just as important to show your skill set in action through eloquent writing.

• Writing or editing is a key component of the role you’re applying to.
• You want to show off your creativity.

Here’s part of a job description for a staff writer position:

• Pitch and write articles, reporting on timely issues and trends
• Collaborate with editorial and other teams to launch each digital issue and other special projects on schedule
• Evaluate content performance and digital trends on a daily basis to constantly adjust pitches and packaging
• Utilize CMS tools, strategically select photos and videos, and request original graphics to optimize all written content for maximum engagement
• At least 2-3 years of experience creating content at a digital-first outlet
• Strong writing and reporting skills, and the ability to write clearly and quickly
• Familiarity working in a CMS and with analytics tools such as Google Analytics
• Deadline-driven, strategic thinker with a knack for crafting click-y headlines
• Strong collaborator who thrives in fast-paced environments

Have fun with this one, but triple-check for spelling and grammar mistakes, and make sure you’re showing off your best writing. Here's the cover letter sample:

Dear Tai Chen,

Since I could walk, I’ve been dancing. And since I could read, I’ve been glued to Arabesque Weekly. At one point, you featured one of my local heroes—a ballerina who struggled with an injury early in her career and went on to become a principal dancer at Pacific Northwest Ballet—and I plastered the article above my childhood bed. It’s still there today.

That article—and so many others you’ve published—taught me that dancing was about more than just pirouettes and arabesques and that the right kind of writer can shed light on aspects of the art that make it surprising, impactful, and universal. I can be that writer.

As an editorial assistant at TheImprovGroup.com for the past two and a half years, my main responsibility was to get all of our content ready to go live on the site. This included fact-checking, proofreading, adding in HTML where necessary, and finding photos, videos, and GIFs that would complement the content and optimize audience engagement. 

As I tinkered with each post, I became intimately familiar with our internal CMS. Reviewing every single article we published and following reactions and engagement helped me gain a deep understanding of what makes a piece really land with our audience.

But by far my favorite aspect of this role has been writing. Each week, I pitch and write at least one article, from 250-word news items to 900-word advice pieces to even longer profiles, features, and personal essays. I love the challenge of developing pitches that align with the trends we see in the data, reflect with the company’s brand and mission, and allow me to flex my creative muscles.

Collaborating with my team to form the best content library we can has been a dream come true. I would be so excited to use my experience to help Arabesque Weekly achieve its goals. And I hope to one day write a story that another little dance lover tapes to their wall forever.

It would be an honor to be a part of your editorial team, and I look forward to the possibility of discussing the opportunity with you.

Hoping to be your next staff writer,

Marlee Wood [email protected] (555) 666-4433

This candidate is clearly passionate about this specific publication and leads with a unique personal anecdote tied to the company’s mission that demonstrates their ability to tell stories in a compelling way. There are relevant keywords and phrases, sure, but they’re not just thrown in there. Their voice comes through in every sentence, proving this person knows how to communicate effectively and creatively.

4. The career change cover letter example

Cover letters can play a big part in helping career changers prove their qualifications—especially when it’s unclear how their skills transfer over to this new field.

You might write a career change cover letter if:

• You want to highlight the transferable skills you have that relate to the job description.
• You want to explain why you’re making the switch and what’s driving you toward this specific industry, company, or position.

Imagine you’re someone who has experience supporting a sales team as an administrative assistant , and you’re now looking to become a sales representative. You come across a job posting that includes:

• Develop new sales techniques and strategies to build pipeline and hit team goals
• Coordinate with other teams to increase lead-generation efforts
• Assist in the processing of new business, including contacting customers to finalize sales and service transactions
• 1-3 years of successful sales experience
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment
• Ability to work independently to plan, set priorities, and effectively organize work
• Proven ability to be persuasive, persistent, and confident in closing a sale

Typically, this type of cover letter should include a compelling narrative about your career change and how you can transfer your past experiences to this new role. Here’s how you might translate your past experience over to this new (and exciting) prospect:

Dear Maria Russo,

The head of sales at Sunshine Inc. was in a bind. She needed six client meetings scheduled, 18 service transactions processed, and a summary of the team’s new lead generation campaign drafted before getting on a flight to Austin—in three hours. So she turned to her cool-headed, sales-savvy administrative assistant for help. That assistant was me. Not only did I execute everything on her to-do list, I did it all before her plane left the ground.

For three years, I worked in lockstep with a busy, growth-oriented sales leader to support the business development team. As the sole administrative assistant in the department, I balanced a swath of competing priorities, ranging from coordinating meetings and inputting data to contacting customers, finalizing transactions, and creating promotional materials. This role helped me develop a comprehensive understanding of the sales cycle, sales strategy, and pipeline growth.

Like many others, my career path hasn’t been entirely straightforward. After leaving Crabapple Media, I enrolled in a local coding bootcamp. Six months later, I emerged with a certificate in computer programming and a certainty that I did not want to be a coder. But education is never wasted. I’m now an aspiring sales representative with experience supporting a thriving sales team and extensive knowledge of the tech space.

Here’s a little bit more about how my experience would translate into this role:

• At Crabapple Media, I assisted in coordinating three annual sales strategy rollouts, yielding an average increase in pipeline of 26% YoY.
• At Sunshine Inc., I supported 12 independent team members in their lead-generation efforts. I also assisted in processing an average of 300 sales transactions every quarter.
• I thrive in busy, ever-changing environments that require me to communicate clearly and concisely. Supporting a high-volume team and a busy executive helped me to hone these skills—I typically sent more than 200 emails a day!

I would, of course, love to schedule a time for us to discuss this role and my experience, and I truly want to thank you for considering me.

All the best,

Olu Abiola [email protected] (123) 456-789

The opener draws you in and makes you want to learn more. It toots the person’s horn, but in a way that’s substantiated. Then, the next couple sections explain their experience in the sales space and other relevant qualifications, before eventually tying that back to why they’re applying to this specific job. 

Similar to the impact cover letter, the author lists some of the more important qualities they bring to the table, doing a bit of keyword inclusion and resume gap explaining along the way.

Bonus cover letter examples

To further guide you, check out some more cover letter examples:

• Pain point cover letter example
• Internship cover letter example
• Recent graduate cover letter example
• (Another) career changer cover letter example
• Stay-at-home parent returning to work cover letter example
• Sales cover letter example
• Email marketing manager cover letter example
• No job description or position cover letter example (a.k.a., a letter of intent or interest)
• Example cover letter with no experience

Let’s break down one of our example cover letters real quick

All three professional cover letter examples have some key elements that make them great and able to grab the hiring manager's attention. Check out this handy infographic that breaks down our impact cover letter:

A few more cover letter tips

Here are a few more tips to help the cover letter process:

Start with a “brain dump” 

If you’re staring at a blank page, Godfred always recommends that her clients start by getting all their ideas on the page without paying attention to length. Then “ask yourself how you can cut half of it,” she says. You’ll likely find that repeated information and very generic phrases are the first to go. (If it’s still too long, here are some tips for getting your cover letter down to one page .)

Don’t just repeat your resume

You only have so much space to get your point across, so focus on the information that isn’t stated elsewhere rather than simply regurgitating your resume. A good cover letter should complement your resume, so use the opportunity to elaborate your skills and qualifications further, as well as your accomplishments and why you're a good fit for that position.

Focus on quality over quantity 

Target the jobs you’re most closely drawn to and qualified for and give them all your energy, rather than trying to churn out hundreds of cover letters, Kahn says. You may not be able to apply to as many jobs, but you’ll have a better response rate.

Remember the ATS 

Much like your resume, an applicant tracking systems, or ATS , will be sifting through your cover letter. So you’ll want to scatter relevant keywords from the job description throughout your pitch where it makes sense.

Don’t stress over formatting 

You may see flashy cover letter examples across the internet, but for the most part, it just isn’t necessary. An ATS can’t read text that has been formatted beyond using bold, italics, underline, and color, so keep your font and layout simple—especially if you’re submitting your cover letter through an online portal.

Don't forget your contact information

Include your contact information on every page, including your name, phone number, and email. “Imagine you come across a cover letter and you print it out with a bunch of applications to review and it doesn’t have the person’s contact information on it,” Godfred says. “You never want to put yourself in a situation where you’re the right person and they can’t find you.”

Edit your cover letter before submitting

Never submit a cover letter right after you finish writing it—there could be critical errors that you didn't notice while typing. Take some time away from your text, then revisit it like you're reading someone else's letter. Be sure to double-check all the information you've included, paying special attention to:

• The company's name
• The hiring manager's name
• The job title
• Your contact information
• Basic grammar and spelling

You're ready to go

If you've come this far, you're equipped with all the information you need to craft a great cover letter. Hopefully these cover letter examples help as you go to tackle your own. Remember: This is just one small step in the process! Take your time, but learn to move on when you’ve given it your all.

Amanda Cardoso contributed to the latest version of this article.

More From Forbes

Cover letters are now essential to standout to employers. here's an example.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Man is typing a cover letter to apply for a new job.

Today's job market is very competitive, so you need a way to stand out. “The biggest mistake many job hunters are currently making is that they skip writing a cover letter when sending off a resume,” says Jim, a 61-year-old AT&T Human Resource Manager. Cover letters are very influential, and a well-written letter can grab an interview just on its own merit. It is too bad most job hunters are so lazy they don't write one anymore, notes this HR manager in charge of employee recruiting.

What doesn't work is sending a generic letter. Put the effort in to tailor your letter specifically to the needs of the job. Another mistake to avoid is losing them in your opening sentence. Never begin your letter with the overused standard – I'm applying for the ad I saw online. This fails to address the employer's needs and the skills you bring to the job. Another overused starting line is telling the company you think they are great and how much you want to work for them. However, this fact can be stated in the letter later – it is too weak to open it. This overused approach does not sell this employer on how you will keep them great and how you have the skills they seek.

Most Effective Opening

Power Impact Technique™ is the best way to start your letter. I created this technique years ago, and it has had a very high success rate of getting employers to call the applicant, which is the goal.

The Power Impact Technique is a two-step process. First, analyze the job — both the noted and assumed needs — and determine the essential skills the employer is looking for. Next, immediately address how you will meet the employer's needs. You begin your letter with a strong opening sentence emphasizing the major selling points and skills you would bring to the job. Compare the difference between the typical opening, I'm applying to the job opening I found on Indeed and these two openings using The Power Impact Technique:

· Ten years in senior management with proven expertise in international finance for a Fortune 100 company...

· Strong leadership in operations having reduced costs by 12% while improving productivity....

Best Travel Insurance Companies

Best covid-19 travel insurance plans.

· Five years in B2B tech sales growing territory sales by 18% in a highly competitive marketplace…

These openers are eye-catching, designed to get the employer to see what you can do. The secret lies merely in addressing their needs right up front. After all, these are the necessary skills and experience they are seeking. This first paragraph is what they will read, so it needs to have your top selling points in it. You must demonstrate "proof" that you can perform the duties desired. To develop this proof, outline the critical things that the employer wants. Just underline the significant items from the job opening. Whenever possible, use your network to gather any inside information. The next step is to ask yourself: What were the RESULTS of my efforts on previous jobs, projects, or tasks that I've undertaken? That is the key to compose your letter. Just highlight the duties and skills needed by referencing your abilities to perform them plus offer any known results from your past efforts as proof that you CAN do the job.

Sample Letter

William Morris Motley

Newark, DE 19713

123.555.2565 [email protected]

Dear Hiring Manager

With a demonstrated record of leadership in medical diagnostic equipment manufacturing and operations, I would bring excellent experience in increasing profit, enhancing productivity, and reducing costs to your organization.

Highlights of my background include:

• Establishment of a new manufacturing culture based on self-directed teams and continuous improvement leading to high quality levels. Results: achieved 20% productivity increase plus $3.5 million increase in profits .
• Headed production turn-around. Results: achieved 26% productivity increase with $2 million in annual cost reductions.
• Designed and set up new part repair center: Results: saved $13 million over previous repair process costs.
• Directed reduction effort on six-month product backlog of large, complex medical diagnostic device. Results: increased production from 19 units per month to 30 units per month while maintaining quality level and same per unit manufacturing cost.

As you can see, I pride myself on being an excellent team developer who can exceed goals and build highly productive employees to contribute to a company’s bottomline.

I am interested in discussing with you some of the valuable contributions I could make to COMPANY NAME’s manufacturing operations. You can contact me: 123.555.2565

Your time and consideration are most appreciated.

Bill Motley

This formula has opened many doors for my career counseling clients and will do so for you too.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Apply With a Cover Letter People Remember

Cover letter templates you can edit and download as pdf.

Get started easily with your cover letter writing by choosing a cover letter template. Simply pick a template and start filling in your information.

All our cover letter templates are ATS-friendly and expertly designed to match our resume and CV templates. This ensures that you stand a better chance of getting an interview, and most importantly, your dream job.

Professional

This professional cover letter template will surely make you stand out. The template has an easy to read layout and crisp details.

If you're applying for a creative role, this designer's template surely gives you an edge when matched with our designer's resume template.

The classic cover letter template has the most reader friendly layout as per many recruiters. Choose this template if you're sure to apply through many applicant tracking systems.

The minimalist cover letter template is ideal for a more conservative role. Use this template to show structure, and your organisational talent.

The basic cover letter template gives a clear and recognizable layout. It's easy for the recruiter to read the content with a classic look.

A creative cover letter template for those who work within the fields of marketing, graphic design or similar. Impress the employer by oozing personality and creativity.

A functional cover letter template made to match the functional resume and CV template. Combine both templates to increase the chance for a job interview.

A cover letter template for students who are searching for an internship or their first full time employment. The candidate's chances greatly increase with a cool design.

Simple cover letter template designed with two columns. The template will reflect your professional personality no matter which industry you work in.

Traditional

The traditional cover letter template, which still is a go to favourite by many.

Good looking two column modern cover letter template, where you effortlessly stand out with an eye-catching yet simple design.

A minimalistic two column elegant cover letter template designed for better readability, which helps the recruiter.

See what others say about Jofibo

I am very pleased to have found Jofibo when I needed to update my resume. A lot had happened since the last time I had been looking for a job and I also wanted a nicer layout. Everything was simple and straightforward and there were some great templates to choose from. The final result with my resume turned out well.

Before I was always really good at postponing writing my resume and apply for the job. With Jofibo I only need to look in one place because I have all that I need. It has made the job search more manageable and less demanding.

I rarely got called into job interviews before I started to use the platform but since I started using Jofibo I noticed an increase in the number of job interviews. Besides this I have only received positive feedback on my material and been told it looks professional and stylish.

YESSS - New job for me - THANKS Jofibo! Used a template from Jofibo for my job application. Very easy to use. Gorgeous designs to choose from. Lots of positive feedback and not least A NEW JOB! So cool to stand out from the crowd - Thank you for your help Jofibo!

Do I like your resume tool? No I don’t, I love it. It will really help me a lot in creating a good Linkedin profile and with my job search. I also saw that you have a career blog. The stuff there is tremendous.

I hadn't written an application in quite some years and hadn't needed to use my resume either. However, it hit the mark perfectly, as it was the first and only application I sent after deciding to seek new challenges instead of my current position.

Cover Letters That Help You Land a Job

Cover letter templates designed to match.

All cover letter templates are designed to match our resume and CV templates. By combining the looks and feel you will impress recruiters and stand out among many other applicants.

Cover letter templates for every career

It doesn't matter if you are seeking an internship, an entry-level job or even a managerial position. Our cover letter templates are built to be used in every industry, just remember it should always reflect your professional personality while meeting your industry's standards.

Our cover letter templates are ATS-friendly

Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter out unqualified cover letters or resumes before they land at the recruiter’s desk. These systems use software trained to scan your cover letter and resume for keywords listed in the job description. All of our templates can only be formatted with ATS-friendly fonts, line height and so on.

Why use a cover letter template?

By using a cover letter template you make sure that you don't miss any necessary information, and the formatting is on point at all times. You only get one chance to impress the recruiter, and you don't want to do any sloppy mistakes. Stick to a professional template.

Download cover letters in PDF format

As you fill out and write your cover letter, your data is saved, and with a single click within the cover letter builder you can download as a 100% ATS-compliant PDF file. No flicking around a lot of open windows, making it hard to keep track of your progress.

Frequently asked questions

• 1. What is a cover letter?
• 2. What do I include in a cover letter?
• 3. What do I write in a cover letter?
• 4. How long should a cover letter be?

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a one page document, that contains additional information about you. It should be tailored to a specific job listing that you are applying for. The letter is directly addressed to the recruiter or hiring manager of that job listing.

When applying for a job, it is usually required to apply with both a resume and a cover letter. Thus, the cover letter cannot stand alone.

The cover letter itself and its content has to contain details about your overall professional qualifications and experiences that best fit the job listing.

What do I include in a cover letter?

You can divide a cover letter into a few sections. The purpose of this is to make it comfortable and easily understable for the reader. The goal is to make them remember what you’re actually trying to tell them and how the company you are applying to can benefit from hiring you.

Here's a quick go-to build:

Cover letter header

Name, phone, address, date

The hiring manager’s name and the company you are applying to

Proper greeting

Ie. Dear Melanie

First paragraph

Opening lines where you intend to hook the reader

Second paragraph

Why you are a great fit for the company

Third paragraph

Why the company is a great fit for you

Short closing with a formal thank you

Make yourself available to any further discussions and say thank you for their time

What do I write in a cover letter?

The content of the cover letter depends on the job listing. A good strategy is to pick out the relevant skills and requirements that the company is looking for through the job listing, and ultimately build your case around it and show with action verbs how you fit into them.

Be sure to check out our Career Blog for inspiration on how to tackle cover letter writing or anything related. There's so much incredible free advice.

How long should a cover letter be?

A cover letter should be short, but explanatory and concise. To be more specific, keep it around 300 words at maximum, and always just at one page. Truth is that most recruiters or hiring managers don't read further than the first few lines.

Therefore be critical, and ask yourself:

• Is this really a good idea to include, or is it just a filler?
• Does it help me, or does it confuse the reader?

You have to promise yourself that you keep very professional about it.

This feature is not available yet,

Download Your Eye-Catching Resume Now!

To download your resume simply upgrade to Premium Membership. You’ll gain instant full access to all our features.

• Unlimited PDF Downloads
• Unlimited Resumes
• Unlimited Cover Letters
• Access to all templates
• Cancel any time

Please wait

while the document is being prepared for download.

Follow us on LinkedIn to get valuable job search tips

Press Releases

ANCHOR Season Begins: A Record 1.5 Million New Jerseyans to Receive Automatic ANCHOR Payments

Division of Taxation Implements Innovative Changes to Simplify the Popular Property Tax Relief Program

(TRENTON) – Treasury’s Division of Taxation will officially kick off the upcoming season of the popular ANCHOR property tax relief program next week, when it will begin mailing letters to about 1.5 million New Jerseyans to confirm their automatic eligibility for this season’s benefit. The Division has also implemented a number of changes this season designed to further simplify the application process for new applicants and improve taxpayer experience.

“From day one, our Administration has strived to make New Jersey more affordable for residents across our state,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “The ANCHOR program continues to deliver on our promise of increasing affordability for millions of New Jerseyans. I’d like to thank the hardworking staff at the Department of the Treasury, particularly the Division of Taxation, for their efforts to make this crucial program convenient and accessible.”

“Since the launch of the program in 2022, ANCHOR has grown to be one of the most impactful property tax relief initiatives in New Jersey’s history,” said State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio . “ANCHOR is inclusive of New Jerseyans at all stages of life, from young people renting their first apartment, to retirees living in the place they’ve called home for decades. Nearly two million people in the Garden State have benefited from ANCHOR, and we hope to see all eligible residents apply for this significant property tax relief.”

“We are maintaining our commitment to affordability by providing an historic level of property tax relief to approximately 1.8 million households in New Jersey,” said Senate President Nick Scutari. “ANCHOR will deliver much needed relief to help ease the burden of property taxes for middle class families, senior citizens and working people throughout the state. This program provides direct financial assistance for homeowners and renters who need it most.”

“We listened to our constituents and set our priorities accordingly when we passed the largest property tax relief program in state history,” said Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin. “ANCHOR has delivered billions to New Jersey families, to make our state more affordable. It has eased the burdens of homeowners and renters and, now in its third year, has become a reliable resource. My thanks to Governor Murphy and my colleagues in the legislature for delivering on this agenda, including further property tax relief for seniors on the way with StayNJ.”

“By working directly with dozens of taxpayers to better understand their experience, we’ve been able to identify ways to improve the ANCHOR application process and make significant changes so residents can smoothly and easily get property tax relief,” said New Jersey Chief Innovation Officer Dave Cole. “The Office of Innovation has been proud to partner with the Treasurer and her team to help ensure New Jersey remains affordable for homeowners and renters, while also making State operations more efficient.”

Continuing the streamlined application system implemented last season, the Division of Taxation will file applications automatically on behalf of most homeowners and renters who previously received an ANCHOR benefit. Beginning August 19, the Division will mail ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letters to approximately 1.5 million taxpayers to notify them that their application will be filed automatically. If the personal information listed in the letter (name, mailing address, and banking information if their benefit was distributed via direct deposit) has changed since their last ANCHOR payment, taxpayers will need to file a new application by September 15, 2024 by visiting anchor.nj.gov.

All payments will be issued on a rolling basis beginning in November. The deadline to file an application is November 30, 2024.

With the goal to reach eligible homeowners and renters who have not previously applied, the Division will send ANCHOR Application Mailers with information on how to apply for the program to over two million residences beginning August 26.

This season marks the third year the State will distribute ANCHOR benefits. Last season’s program covering the 2020 tax year made history as the State’s single largest property tax relief initiative, with over $2.1 billion in benefits distributed to more than 1.8 million homeowners and renters. Payments ranged from $450 to $1,500, with applicants over age 65 receiving an additional $250.

As part of ongoing efforts to prevent fraud and safeguard taxpayer dollars, many applicants will need to go through an extra level of identity verification when applying for the ANCHOR benefit this season. Those taxpayers include:

• New applicants;
• Anyone searching for their ANCHOR ID/PIN at anchor.nj.gov;
• Anyone who did not receive an ANCHOR Benefit Confirmation Letter or Application Mailer;
• Anyone who no longer has their ANCHOR letter/mailer or the information provided on it.

In these cases, taxpayers will be prompted to create or use an existing ID.me account to verify their identity. Applicants also have the option of visiting one of the Division of Taxation’s Regional Information Centers to verify their identity by showing a driver’s license, passport, or other qualifying material. Additional information will be provided at anchor.nj.gov.

Additionally, the Division of Taxation continues to improve the process to make applying for the ANCHOR program more convenient and accessible. New this season, the Division has effectively eliminated the necessity for paper applications, working closely with Treasury’s Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services and the State’s Office of Innovation to launch a new online application for residents required to provide supporting documentation, who would have otherwise needed to file by paper in past ANCHOR seasons. These applicants will now be able to securely upload their documents online. Paper applications remain available for those who prefer, or have special circumstances.

Also in partnership with the Office of Innovation, the Division of Taxation worked diligently to make improvements to its call center operations to more effectively serve residents with questions about their ANCHOR application. The Division has doubled the number of agents available to assist callers to the ANCHOR hotline, as well as implemented an automatic callback feature which allows residents to be placed in a queue rather than waiting on hold.

Information about the program is available at anchor.nj.gov. Applicants may also call the ANCHOR hotline (609) 826-4282 or 1-888-238-1233 , or get in-person assistance at a Regional Information Center .

Comments are closed.

News From Around the Web

CNN Trump’s continued attacks on Harris’ rise stir fears he could question election outcome if he loses in November

NorthJersey.com Michael Aron, veteran New Jersey Network News politics correspondent, dies at 78

NJ Spotlight News Michael Aron, acclaimed NJ Spotlight News political journalist, dies at 78

CNN Jesse Ventura calls JD Vance’s criticism of Walz’s military record ‘despicable’

The Guardian In choosing Tim Walz, Kamala Harris went for policies not electoral votes

The New York Times Why Tim Walz?

The New York Times Trump Campaign’s Attacks on Walz Over Felony Voting Rights Raise Eyebrows

MSNBC Trump’s initial response to Harris picking Walz is quite telling

The Political Landscape

Sign up for Insider NJ's Morning Intelligence Briefing

All fields are required

First Name *

Last Name *

Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from Insider NJ. (You can unsubscribe anytime)

• link here....

• News 12 New York
• Download News 12 App
• Where to Watch
• News 12 Book Club
• Power & Politics
• The East End
• Environment
• New Jersey Events
• Food & Fun
• Numbers & Links
• Transportation
• Noticias Univision 41
• Pocono Mountains
• Ask Governor Murphy
• Best Beaches
• Best Of New Jersey
• Garden Guide
• Hometown Heroes in New Jersey
• Immunization Awareness Month
• Jersey Buzz
• Jersey Proud
• LIVE BLOG: News 12 weather updates
• Made in New Jersey
• Main Street New Jersey
• New Jersey Birthday Smiles
• New Jersey Honor Roll
• New Jersey Weather Photos
• Paws & Pals
• Photo Galleries
• Scholar Athlete
• Spotlight New Jersey
• What's Cooking

Choose Your Region

• Connecticut
• Hudson Valley
• Long Island
• Westchester

Be the first to know

Topics you care about, straight to your inbox

State: 1.5 million New Jersey residents to receive automatic ANCHOR payments

If you're a homeowner or renter, you could be eligible for hundreds of dollars in this year's anchor season. last year payments ranged from $450 to $1,500 with some applicants over 65 receiving $250..

Aug 13, 2024, 4:44 PM

Updated 18 hr ago

More Stories

Bound Brook looks to celebrate National Night Out

Cement mixer truck crashes into guard rail on I-287 in Morris Township

Hoboken officials looking to fix paved over drainage pipes

Big Lots closing 300 stores, including 1 New Jersey location

Sunny, warm today with low humidity in New Jersey; rain returns this weekend

What's Cooking: Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace's Blueberry Crisp

More from news 12.

Crews working to repair 30 inch water main break in Edison that displaced families

Police: Man dies during home demolition accident in Scotch Plains

Manchester police search for missing woman last seen in Trenton

Police: 5 injured at Wildwood's National Night Out when DWI golf cart simulator goes off course

Bodies of two missing swimmers found in Camden County

Perth Amboy detective shot 3 times released from the hospital

Where is my ANCHOR payment? Everything you need to know about this property tax relief.

• Updated: Aug. 07, 2024, 11:59 p.m.
• | Published: Aug. 06, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
• Karin Price Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Homeowners and renters in New Jersaey are eagerly awaiting news on when the next ANCHOR property tax benefit is coming.

While there’s no official word yet, based on past payments, it should be very soon.

The ANCHOR benefit , which will cover the 2021 tax year, was funded in the record $56.6 billion state budget that was signed earlier this summer by Gov. Phil Murphy .

Eligible homeowners will receive up to $1,500 and qualifying renters will get $450, and senior homeowners and renters will be paid an extra $250.

Last year, on Aug. 15, the state Treasury Department sent notification letters telling some 1.3 million residents that their applications for ANCHOR would be filed automatically. That was the kick-off for that year’s ANCHOR season.

If you don’t receive the letter, you may instead receive an application packet in the mail — green for homeowners and purple for renters — which last year were sent out at the end of August.

Those who don’t receive a packet will be able to download the paper application from the state website once the ANCHOR website is updated for the 2021 benefit year. Residents can then also check the website to see whether their application has been filed and if the benefit was paid or is still pending.

• ALSO: Check your mailbox! The first round of Senior Freeze checks are on the way, state says.

If your situation has changed, such as if you had a name change, a change in marital status or a change in living situations, you probably need to file a paper application.

Then it will be time to look out for your payment. Last year, the state said most people would get their payments by Nov. 1, which was notable because it was just six days before an election in which all 120 seats in the state Legislature, controlled by Democrats, were up for grabs.

The first ANCHOR payments were made by direct deposit on Oct. 12 . Then the Treasury Department continued sending out new rounds of payments, both by check and by direct deposit.

For the 2020 benefit year, the state paid out nearly $2.2 billion to more than 1.85 million residents.

There could be big changes for the ANCHOR benefit next year as it is coordinated with the state’s other property tax breaks — the Senior Freeze and the new Stay NJ benefit for seniors . That benefit isn’t scheduled to make its first payouts until 2026, but before that can happen, it will need to be funded next summer in the next state budget.

Stories by Karin Price Mueller

• Big changes for ANCHOR property tax relief, and new deadlines. What you need to know.
• Car rental company threatens driver with arrest and prison after police took vehicle
• StubHub failed to deliver Taylor Swift tickets for concert in Germany. Buyer wants his money back.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Karin Price Mueller may be reached at [email protected] . Follow her on X at @KPMueller .

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Create Account

H-1B Electronic Registration Process

ALERT:  As of April 1, 2024, USCIS service centers are no longer accepting Form I-129 petitions requesting H-1B or H-1B1 (HSC) classification.

We will reject H-1B or H-1B1 (HSC) petitions received at a USCIS service center on or after April 1, 2024. There will be  no grace period  provided.

As of April 1, 2024, all paper-filed Form I-129 petitions requesting H-1 or H-1B1 (HSC) classification, including those with a concurrent Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, and those with concurrently filed Form I-539 and/or Form I-765, must be filed at a USCIS lockbox facility. You can find the lockbox filing addresses for paper-filed forms on our  Form I-129 Direct Filing Addresses  page.

If you are filing Form I-129 alone or with Form I-907, you may also file online. On March 25, USCIS launched online filing of Form I-129 and associated Form I-907 for non-cap H-1B petitions. On April 1, USCIS began accepting online filing for H-1B cap petitions and associated Forms I-907 for petitioners whose registrations have been selected.  To file online, visit myaccount.uscis.gov .

In addition, on Feb. 28, 2024, USCIS launched new  USCIS organizational accounts  that allow multiple people within a company and their legal representatives to collaborate and prepare H-1B registrations, online H-1B petitions, and associated online requests for premium processing.

Prospective petitioners seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions, including for beneficiaries eligible for the advanced degree exemption, must first electronically register and pay the associated H-1B registration fee for each prospective beneficiary. See Fee Schedule, Form G-1055 .

The electronic registration process streamlines processing by reducing paperwork and data exchange and provides overall cost savings to employers seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions.

Under this process, prospective petitioners (also known as registrants), and their authorized representatives, who are seeking to employ H-1B workers subject to the cap, complete a registration process that requires basic information about the prospective petitioner and each requested worker. The initial registration period is for a minimum of 14 calendar days each fiscal year. The H-1B selection process is then run on properly submitted electronic registrations. Only those with selected registrations are eligible to file H-1B cap-subject petitions.

On Jan. 30, 2024, USCIS  announced  a final rule to strengthen integrity and reduce the potential for fraud in the H-1B registration process, including by ensuring each beneficiary would have the same chance of being selected, regardless of the number of registrations submitted on their behalf. The final rule created a beneficiary-centric selection process for registrations by employers, codified start date flexibility for certain petitions subject to the congressionally mandated H-1B cap, and added more integrity measures related to the registration process.

Under the beneficiary-centric process, registrations are selected by unique beneficiary rather than by registration. The final rule went into effect on March 4, 2024, and applied to the fiscal year (FY) 2025 registration process. Starting with the FY 2025 initial registration period, USCIS is requiring registrants to provide valid passport information or valid travel document information for each beneficiary. The passport or travel document provided must be the one the beneficiary, if or when abroad, intends to use to enter the United States if issued an H-1B visa. Each beneficiary must only be registered under one passport or travel document. Only those with selected registrations are eligible to file H-1B cap-subject petitions. For additional information on the passport or valid travel document requirement, please see the Frequently Asked Questions section below.

Selections take place after the initial registration period closes, so there is no requirement to register on the day the initial registration period opens.

FY 2025 H-1B Cap Registration Process Update

As we  announced  on April 1, 2024, we received enough electronic registrations during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year 2025 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption, also known as the master’s cap.

We selected 114,017 beneficiaries, resulting in 120,603 selected registrations in the initial selection for the FY 2025 H-1B cap.

We subsequently  announced that we would need to select additional registrations for unique beneficiaries to reach the FY 2025 regular cap numerical allocations. As  announced on August 5, 2024, our projections indicate we have now randomly selected a sufficient number of registrations for unique beneficiaries as needed to reach the regular cap from the remaining properly submitted FY 2025 registrations. Additionally, we have notified all prospective petitioners with selected registrations from this round of selection that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for the beneficiary named in the applicable selected registration. We selected 13,607 beneficiaries in the second selection for the FY 2025 H-1B regular cap, resulting in 14,534 selected registrations.

During the registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap, we saw a significant decrease in the total number of registrations submitted compared to FY 2024, including a decrease in the number of registrations submitted on behalf of beneficiaries with multiple registrations.

• The number of unique beneficiaries this year for FY 2025 (approximately 442,000) was comparable to the number last year for FY 2024 (approximately 446,000).
• The number of unique employers this year for FY 2025 (approximately 52,700) was also comparable to the number last year for FY 2024 (approximately 52,000).
• The number of eligible registrations, however, was down dramatically for FY 2025 (470,342) compared with FY 2024 (758,994) — a 38.6% reduction.
• Overall, we saw an average of 1.06 registrations per beneficiary this year in FY 2025, compared to 1.70 for FY 2024.   

This chart shows registration and selection numbers for fiscal years 2021-2025 (as of April 12, 2024):

*The count of eligible registrations excludes duplicate registrations, those deleted by the prospective employer prior to the close of the registration period, and those with failed payments.

**The number of initial selections for FY 2024 – 110, 791 – was smaller than in prior years primarily due to (a) establishing a higher anticipated petition filing rate by selected registrants based on prior years; and (b) higher projected Department of State approvals of H-1B1 visas, which count against the H-1B cap.

***The number of initial selections for FY 2025 – 120,603 – was smaller than in prior years primarily due to establishing a higher anticipated petition filing rate based on the beneficiary-centric selection process (i.e. selection by unique beneficiary). USCIS selected the number of unique beneficiaries projected as needed to reach the congressionally mandated caps and exemptions. All properly submitted registrations for those beneficiaries that were selected were set to a selected status. Accordingly, the number of selected registrations was higher than the number of selected beneficiaries and this number is not completely comparable to prior years that used a direct registration selection method.

Measures to Combat Fraud in the Registration Process

The initial data for the registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap indicates that there were far fewer attempts to gain an unfair advantage than in prior years, owing in large measure to our implementation of the beneficiary-centric selection process under the final rule on Improving the H-1B Registration Selection Process and Program Integrity .

We remain committed to deterring and preventing abuse of the H-1B registration process, and to ensuring that only those who follow the law are eligible to file an H-1B cap petition.

We remind the public that at the time each registration is submitted, each prospective petitioner is required to sign an attestation, under penalty of perjury, that:

• All the information contained in the registration submission is complete, true, and correct;
• The registrations reflect a legitimate job offer; and
• The registrant, or the organization for whom the registration is submitted, has not worked with, or agreed to work with, another registrant, petitioner, agent, or other individual or entity to submit a registration to unfairly increase chances of selection for the beneficiary or beneficiaries in this submission.

If we find that this attestation was not true and correct, we will find the registration to not be properly submitted and the prospective petitioner would not be eligible to file a petition based on that registration. We may deny a petition, or revoke a petition approval, based on a registration that contained a false attestation and was therefore not properly submitted.

Furthermore, we may also refer the individual or entity who submitted a false attestation to appropriate federal law enforcement agencies for investigation and further action, as appropriate.

Based on evidence from the FY 2023 and FY 2024 H-1B cap seasons, we have undertaken extensive fraud investigations, denied and revoked petitions accordingly, and continue to make law enforcement referrals for criminal prosecution.  We are also reviewing the FY 2025 data for any attempts to gain an unfair advantage through the beneficiary-centric selection process. If applicable, we will deny or revoke any petitions and make law enforcement referrals for criminal prosecution accordingly.

We believe that the decreased filing rate for FY 2024 H-1B cap petitions and the decreased registration numbers for FY 2025 are indicative that these investigations and the beneficiary-centric selection process have been effective integrity measures.

The H-1B program is an essential part of our nation’s immigration system and our economy, and we are committed to implementing the law and helping meet the ever-changing needs of the U.S. labor market.

You can report suspected immigration benefit fraud and abuse to USCIS through our  online tip form .

For more information about the H-1B program, visit our  H-1B Specialty Occupations webpage.

To submit an H-1B registration, you must first create a USCIS online account .

The initial registration period for FY 2025 will open at noon Eastern on March 6 and run through noon Eastern on March 25. Both representatives and registrants must wait until March 1 to create and submit H-1B registrations.

On Feb. 28, 2024, USCIS will launch new myUSCIS organizational accounts that will allow multiple people within an organization and their legal representatives to collaborate on and prepare H-1B registrations, H-1B petitions, and any associated Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service.   

Prospective petitioners submitting their own registrations (U.S. employers and U.S. agents, collectively known as “registrants”) will use an “organizational” account (formerly known as a “registrant” account). Registrants will be able to create new organizational accounts beginning at noon Eastern on Feb. 28, 2024. Those who have an existing registrant account can easily upgrade to an organizational account instead of creating a new account.   

Representatives can create an account at any time by using the same kind of account already available to representatives. Representatives who already have a representative account may use that account; they do not need to create a new account. They will also have the ability to upgrade to an organizational account beginning at noon Eastern on Feb. 28, 2024.

We launched our Tech Talks sessions in February to help guide organizations and legal representatives through the new process. We will also be hosting two national engagements on the registration process and online filing of Form I-129 for H-1B petitions leading up to the cap season. During the Tech Talk sessions, individuals will have the opportunity to ask questions about the organizational accounts and online filing. USCIS encourages all individuals involved in the H-1B registration and petition filing process to attend these sessions. Additional information and dates are available on the Upcoming National Engagements page.

All presentations on organizational accounts will be posted to our  Electronic Reading Room and   we have also posted helpful videos on our  USCIS YouTube channel . 

Visit our  Contact Public Engagement  page to subscribe to notifications about upcoming engagements. 

Registering online is quick and easy!

Organizational Accounts for Legal Representatives - Demonstration In this video, we present some of the new features in organizational accounts for legal representatives and show you how to use the accounts.   Link: https://youtu.be/_jcj4ak_xAk

Organizational Accounts for Companies - Demonstration In this video, we present some of the new features in organizational accounts for companies and show you how to use the accounts. Link: https://youtu.be/lkRs9-YmdD0

Tips to Avoid Common Mistakes with H-1B Electronic Registration

Based on our experience with the H-1B electronic registration period, the top two user errors are:

• Creating the wrong type of account; and
• Entering the same beneficiary more than once.

Make Sure You Create the Right Type of Account

There are three types of USCIS online accounts:

• Applicant/petitioner/requestor account – Individuals use this type of account to prepare and file applications, petitions, or other benefit requests. You cannot use this account type to prepare or submit H-1B registrations.
• Attorney/representative account – If you are an attorney or accredited representative (legal representative) submitting H-1B registrations on behalf of a prospective petitioner, select this option. You will also be able to submit Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative.
• Organizational account (formerly registrant account) – This is the account that a prospective petitioner must create in order participate in the H-1B registration process, regardless of whether the prospective petitioner will be using an attorney or accredited representative to submit the registration.

Avoid Duplicate Entries

A prospective petitioner may only have one registration submitted per beneficiary per fiscal year. Once the initial registration period has closed, if the prospective petitioner has more than one registration submitted for the same beneficiary, we may invalidate all registrations submitted for that beneficiary by that prospective petitioner, or their authorized attorney or representative, from the selection process. This does not prevent other prospective petitioners or their representatives from submitting registrations for that same beneficiary, but they too need to ensure that each of them, as a prospective petitioner, only has one registration submitted for the beneficiary.

We have added duplicate checker functionality to the electronic registration process.  Before you submit your registration(s), you can check if the registrant/prospective petitioner named in the draft submission previously submitted a registration for any of the beneficiaries included in that draft submission for the same fiscal year. Using this check does not guarantee that you will not submit a duplicate. This check will compare the beneficiaries listed in the draft with any registrations previously submitted during this registration period. It will not check for duplicates within that draft or between drafts. Even if using this check function, the burden is still on the registrant and their authorized attorney or representative, if applicable, to ensure that no duplicate registrations are submitted. To that end, we also provide a tool to download a .csv file and search for duplicate entries. Also, we recommend that attorneys and authorized individuals who work for the same company coordinate to eliminate duplicates before submitting their registrations.

If you discover you or your representative submitted more than one registration for the same person and the initial registration period is still open (before noon Eastern on March 25, 2024), you can go into your account and delete the extra submission(s) until there is only one registration for the beneficiary. We do not refund the fee if you delete a duplicate registration.

If you discover that you or your representative submitted more than one registration for the same person and the initial registration period has closed (after noon Eastern on March 25, 2024), there is no way to correct this error. We will remove all registrations submitted for the beneficiary by, or on behalf of, that prospective petitioner from the selection process. We do not refund the fee for a removed registration.

When you submit your registration(s), you must attest, under penalty of perjury, that all of the information contained in the submission is complete, true, and correct.  The attestation that is required before submission indicates, “I further certify that this registration (or these registrations) reflects a legitimate job offer and that I, or the organization on whose behalf this registration (or these registrations) is being submitted, have not worked with, or agreed to work with, another registrant, petitioner, agent, or other individual or entity to submit a registration to unfairly increase chances of selection for the beneficiary or beneficiaries in this submission.”

If we find that this attestation was not true and correct (for example, that a company worked with another entity to submit multiple registrations for the same beneficiary to unfairly increase chances of selection for that beneficiary), we will deny or revoke the petition based on a registration with a false attestation in accordance with the regulatory language at 8 CFR 214.2(h)(10)(ii) and 8 CFR 214.2(h)(11)(iii)(A)(2). Furthermore, we may also refer the individual or entity who submitted a false attestation to appropriate federal law enforcement agencies for investigation and further action as appropriate.

For information on fees, see Fee Schedule, Form G-1055 .

Each registration is for a single beneficiary.

Registrants or their representative are required to pay the non-refundable H-1B registration fee for each beneficiary before being eligible to submit a registration for that beneficiary for the H-1B cap.

On Jan. 31, 2024, DHS published  the  Fee Schedule final rule . That rule will go into effect after the initial registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap. Therefore, the registration fee during the registration period starting in March 2024 will remain $10.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has approved a temporary increase in the daily credit card transaction limit from $24,999.99 to $99,999.99 per day for H-1B registrations and petitions submitted online using one credit card for the FY 2025 H-1B cap season. This temporary increase is in response to stakeholder feedback and the volume of previous H-1B registrations that exceeded the daily credit card limit.

There is a daily transaction limit for credit cards of $24,999.99 per credit card per day for petitions that are sent by mail. Alternatively, you can:

• Process transactions using a checking account. The checking account information (routing and account number) must be from a financial institution located in the United States; or
• Process transactions using a debit card from a financial institution located in the United States.

H-1B Registration Process Timeline

Feb. 28: Petitioners and registrants can begin creating H-1B registrant accounts at noon Eastern.

March 6: H-1B registration period opens at noon Eastern.

March 25: H-1B registration period closes at noon Eastern.

March 31: Date by which USCIS intends to notify selected registrants.

April 1: The earliest date that FY 2025 H-1B cap-subject petitions based on the registrations selected during the initial FY 2025 selection period may be filed.

We intend to notify registrants and their representatives with selected registrations via their USCIS online accounts.

A registrant’s USCIS online account will show one of the following statuses for each registration:

• Submitted:  The registration has been submitted and is eligible for selection. If the initial selection process has been completed, this registration remains eligible, unless subsequently invalidated, for selection in any subsequent selections for the fiscal year for which it was submitted.
• Selected:  Selected to file an H-1B cap petition.
• Not Selected:  Not selected – not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration.
• Denied:  Multiple registrations were submitted by or on behalf of the same registrant for the same beneficiary. If denied as a duplicate registration, all registrations submitted by or on behalf of the same registrant for this beneficiary for the fiscal year are invalid.
• Invalidated-Failed Payment:  A registration was submitted but the payment method was declined, not reconciled, disputed, or otherwise invalid.

H-1B cap-subject beneficiaries, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption, must have a valid “Selected” registration notification for that specific fiscal year in order for a registrant or representative to properly file an H-1B cap-subject petition. The status of registrations that are not selected as part of any initial random selection process, and not denied or invalidated, will remain as “Submitted.” Registrants and representatives that are not selected will not be notified until after USCIS has determined that they have reached the H-1B cap for that fiscal year.

Q. Are there any changes to the H-1B electronic registration form for FY 2025?

A. The FY 2025 H-1B electronic registration form is very similar to past years. You still only need to provide basic information about the prospective petitioner and beneficiary. 

One change this year is that we will require H-1B registrants to provide valid passport information or valid travel document information for each beneficiary. The passport or travel document provided must be the same as the beneficiary used to enter the United States; if or when they are outside the United States, it must be the document they intend to use to enter the United States if they receive an H-1B visa. Also, the passport or travel document’s validity period must be current and unexpired. Each beneficiary must be registered under only 1 passport or travel document. 

The passport or travel document must be valid at the time of registration. If the passport or travel document expires between when a registration is submitted and when the H-1B petition is filed, the petitioner should enter data from the new, currently valid passport or travel document on Page 3, Part 3 of Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker . In support of the H-1B petition, the petitioner should provide documentation for both passports or travel documents to establish that the passport or travel document was valid at the time of registration and an explanation as to why there was a change in identifying information.

In rare instances, such as for nationals of Venezuela, the passport or travel document may be past the expiration date listed on the document (i.e., facially expired) but may have had its validity extended by decree or automatically by the national government or issuing authority that issued the passport or travel document. In these unusual circumstances, we would consider those documents to be valid since they were extended by decree or automatically.​ Registrants should enter the expiration date of the passport or travel document based on the extension, rather than the date which appears in the passport itself. If an H-1B petition is filed based on such registration, USCIS will review the copy of the facially expired document along with any relevant information about the extension to ensure the information entered at registration was accurate.

Q. Is there an appeal process for registrations that USCIS finds are invalid duplicates?

A. Registrations that we find are duplicates will be invalid. A registrant will not be able to appeal our finding that the registrations are duplicates.

Q. If registering for the master’s cap based on the expectation that the beneficiary will earn a qualifying advanced degree and the registration is selected under the master’s cap, but the beneficiary does not obtain their qualifying advanced degree by the time of filing the cap-subject H-1B petition, is there a risk that USCIS will deny the cap-subject H-1B petition for that beneficiary?

A. If we select a registration under the advanced degree exemption (under INA 214(g)(5)(C)) because the beneficiary has earned, or will earn prior to the filing of the petition, a master’s or higher degree from a U.S. institution of higher education, the beneficiary must be eligible for the advanced degree exemption at the time of filing Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker . If we select the beneficiary under the advance degree exemption and the beneficiary has not earned a qualifying master’s or higher degree from a U.S. institution of higher education at the time of filing the petition, we will deny or reject the petition.

Q. What happens if the prospective employer with a selected registration puts an address on their registration but moves before they file their I-129 petition, such that the addresses on their registration and Form I-129 don’t match?

A. In such a situation, the petitioner should include a statement with their petition, with supporting documentation, explaining why the address on the registration differs from the address on the petition. If we cannot determine that the petitioning entity is the same as the prospective petitioner identified on the selected registration, we may reject or deny the petition.

Q. What start date should petitioners with a selected registration indicate on their Form I-129?

A.  If we selected your registration, you must indicate a start date of Oct. 1 or later of the appropriate fiscal year (and 6 months or less from the receipt date of the petition) on your petition. If you do not, we will reject or deny your petition.

Q. If there is a typo on the registration in comparison to the Form I-129, will USCIS reject the Form I-129 petition?

A. Although we will not automatically reject the Form I-129 petition for typos on the selected registration in comparison with the Form I-129, the burden is on the registrant/petitioner to confirm that all registration and petition information is correct and to establish that the H-1B cap petition is based on a valid registration submitted for the beneficiary named in the petition and selected by USCIS.

Q. Will the H-1B registration system or the beneficiary-centric selection process affect how USCIS handles the prohibited filing of multiple H-1B petitions for the same beneficiary by related entities?

A. The prohibition on an employer or related entities filing multiple H-1B cap petitions for the same beneficiary has not changed. Our handling of multiple H-1B cap petitions is consistent with 8 CFR 214.2(h)(2)(i)(G) and Matter of S- Inc., Adopted Decision 2018-02 (AAO Mar. 23, 2018).

Q. Where should a petitioner with a selected registration file their Form I-129 and supporting documentation?

A. USCIS recently announced that, on April 1, 2024, USCIS will begin accepting online filing for H-1B cap petitions and associated Forms I-907 for petitioners whose registrations have been selected. Petitioners will continue to have the option of filing a paper Form I-129 H-1B petition and any associated Form I-907 if they prefer. However, during the initial launch of organizational accounts, users will not be able to link paper-filed Forms I-129 and I-907 to their online accounts.

For paper-filed forms, petitioners must file per the instructions on the H-1B registration selection notice, which may be different from the historical Form I-129 filing jurisdictions for cap cases. Please see our  Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker webpage for information on the correct location at which to file your cap petition.

Q. What happens if a legal representative submits a registration but then stops representing the registrant?

A. It is up to the representative and registrant to ensure that the registrant maintains access to submissions made for them and any updates related to those submissions. If a registrant no longer wants their attorney involved, they can end the relationship with the representative, and the registrant will still be able to see all registration information in their own organizational account(s). However, the registrant will not be able to add a new attorney or representative to H-1B registrations prepared or submitted by the previous attorney.

Q. Will the system prevent the representative and the registrant from both entering the same beneficiary?

A. The system will not prevent a representative and a registrant from both registering the same beneficiary. However, we added duplicate checker functionality to the electronic registration process. Before you submit your registration(s), you can check whether the registrant named in the draft submission previously submitted a registration for any of the beneficiaries included in that draft submission for the same fiscal year. Using this check does not guarantee that you will not submit a duplicate. This check will compare the beneficiaries listed in the draft with any registrations previously submitted during this registration period. It will not check for duplicates within that draft or between drafts. Even when using this check function, the representative and the registrant still are responsible for ensuring that they do not submit duplicate registrations. To help with that, we also offer a tool to download a .csv file and search for duplicate entries. In addition, we recommend that attorneys and authorized individuals who work for the same company communicate among themselves to eliminate duplicates before submitting their registrations.

Q. I am a legal representative submitting the H-1B registration online, and the Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative , asks if I have an online account and what my account number is. How do I find it?

A. If you have paper-filed cases that are eligible to be added to your online account, your USCIS notices for those cases should include your online account number. If you do not know your account number, this will not affect your H-1B registration. You can click “No” to this question and move on to the next question.

Q. Will both the attorney and the client (prospective registrant) need to create a USCIS online account for the H-1B electronic registration process?

A. Yes. Both the client (prospective registrant) and attorney will need a USCIS online account for the H-1B electronic registration process. If you are an attorney and already have an existing legal representative account, your account will work with the H-1B electronic registration process. You do not need to create a new legal representative account unless you do not have one.

All clients (prospective registrants) will need to create an H-1B organizational account to review and approve the Form G-28 and H-1B registrations as part of the electronic registration process.

Q. As a registrant, can I delete my account?

A. See the Tips for Filing Forms Online webpage for information on how to delete your account.

Q. Does a duplicate registration in a submission batch affect all registrations in the batch or only the duplicate registration?

A. We would invalidate only the duplicate registrations. If you properly submitted other registrations for different beneficiaries, these valid registrations would remain in the system for the selection process. You have until  the initial registration period closes, to log into your account, review all of your H-1B registrations, and delete any duplicate registrations. This is also true if one of the registrations submitted in a batch contains an error. You would be able to delete the registration for the beneficiary that contained the error without affecting the rest of the batch submission.

Q. As a legal representative, how will I know that the registrant has gone into the system and approved my Form G-28 and the H-1B registrations?

A. You can log into your account to check if the registrant has approved the Form G-28 and the H-1B registrations. Our system will not separately notify you that the registrant has approved the Form G-28 and H-1B registrations.

Q. After the legal representative submits a registration, will the registrant be notified via email or by logging into their account?

A. The legal representative will need to notify the registrant that the registration and Form G-28 were entered for the registrant’s review; or the registrant can see the registrations and Form G-28 by logging into their account. Our system will not separately notify the registrant.

Q. Can an attorney represent a petitioner for an I-129 petition if the petitioner completed the H-1B electronic registration process without the help of the attorney?

A. Yes. However, to authorize their representation, the attorney would need to file a Form G-28 with the Form I-129 H-1B petition. Even if the attorney submitted a Form G-28 to represent a registrant for the registration process, they would still need to submit a new Form G-28 with the Form I-129 petition.

Q. How do I reset the password for my USCIS account or get technical support?

A. To reset your password, please visit the  Forgot Your Password  page on our website. To review the steps on how to create an online account, sign into your account, or complete an H-1B registration with USCIS, please see the “How to Register” tab above. If you need other technical support, please call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. You may also use our  online form , but you will get faster service by calling.

Q. What is the earliest date I can start drafting registrations?

A. March 6, 2024, at noon Eastern.

Q. Will the system allow for multiple staff members to log into my account at the same time?

A. No. You must agree to the Terms of Use, which include an attestation that you are the person that holds the account and that you will not share your account with others or allow others to use your account.

However, on Feb. 28, 2024, USCIS will launch new myUSCIS organizational accounts that will allow multiple people within an organization and their legal representatives to collaborate on and prepare H-1B registrations, H-1B petitions, and any associated Form I-907. 

Q. How should a registrant with a selected registration notify USCIS if they do not intend to file a petition?

A. Since no H-1B petition will be filed, we will have no paper file that we can use to match the notification with the registration. We suggest that the employer keep documentation of the reason for not filing, so that the employer would be able to show us the documentation if we have questions.

Q. If a registration is selected and the petition is filed during the 90-day period, but it is rejected, will a petitioner be eligible to refile if they are still within the 90-day window?

A. A petitioner is eligible to refile their rejected petition as long as it is refiled within the designated 90-day filing window. The petitioner must file their petition at the correct location and must include all required fees and supporting evidence with the filing.

Q. Will USCIS invalidate registrations as duplicates if the same representative submits two registrations for the same beneficiary, but for two unrelated companies?

A. No. We would not consider such registrations duplicates. However, we will consider registrations as duplicates if the registrations are for the same prospective petitioners and the same prospective beneficiaries.

Furthermore, we would consider a registration to not be properly submitted if it contained an attestation that was not true and correct (for example, that a company worked with another entity to submit multiple registrations for the same beneficiary to unfairly increase chances of selection for that beneficiary). For more information, please see the “Unfairly Increasing Chances of Selection” tab above.

Q. If one person is the authorized signatory for two separate companies, could this person use their email with different domain names to set up a registrant account and submit registrations for the two companies?

A. Yes, they may. They will need two separate accounts, one for each company. They will also need a separate email address for each account.

Q. What happens to my registration submission if the payment fails to initially go through?

A. If your payment initially fails or is canceled before it can be processed on Pay.gov, you will see a payment failure notification on the screen and your registration will not be submitted. Your registration data will be available in your account for 30 days from the date you last worked on your registrations. You can sign-in to your account at any time before the initial registration period closes to try the payment and registration submission again. You must submit all registrations and payments successfully before the initial registration period closes for consideration in the initial registration period selection process

Q. What happens if my payment initially clears, but then fails (for example, payment is made using an electronic check that my bank then returns)?

A. It is your responsibility to submit valid payment.

When paying by check, please be sure to enter the bank routing number and bank account number accurately. While the status of the registration in the system will indicate “submitted” following completion of the Pay.gov payment process, the submission will only be valid once your payment clears. If your checking information is not accurate, your payment will be declined when presented to your financial institution. If your payment is declined, your H-1B registration will be invalidated.

If payment is completed with a credit card or debit card, the status of the registration in the system will indicate “submitted” following completion of the Pay.gov payment process. The submission, however, will only be valid once processing of the payment is completed. If the payment is later declined, not reconciled, disputed, or otherwise invalidated after submission, the registration will be invalidated.

If your payment fails, we will attempt to notify you, but the burden will be on you to determine the status of your required payment. If your registration is invalidated while the registration period is still open, you will be able to submit a new registration with a valid payment. If your registration is invalidated due to a failed payment after the registration period closes, you will not be able to submit a new registration.

Q. May an authorized signatory within the company, who is different from the authorized signatory who signed the H-1B electronic registration, sign the paper Form I-129?

A. Yes. The authorized signatory who signed the registration does not need to be the same authorized signatory who signs the Form I-129. However, the prospective petitioner (registrant) at the registration stage must match the petitioner at the Form I-129 stage.

Q. What time zone does the H-1B registration system and Form I-129 petitions submitted online use?

A. H-1B registrations and Forms I-129 that are submitted online via myUSCIS will reflect a filing time based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

For Form I-129 petitions submitted online, the receipt date will be based on UTC, not the local time of the submitter or the service center that will ultimately work the petition. This may result in a later receipt date than anticipated if filing late in the day. Please verify that any filings are submitted on time to ensure that there are no adverse impacts to eligibility.

Q. I indicated on a registration that a beneficiary was not eligible for the master’s cap, but their selection notice indicates they were selected in the master’s cap. Is this an error on the selection notice?

A. First, you should verify your indication on the registration regarding the beneficiary ‘s eligibility for consideration in the master’s cap.

However, even if you did not indicate the beneficiary was eligible for consideration in the master’s cap, they may still have been properly considered in the master’s cap. The beneficiary would have been entered into the master’s cap selection process if they had another registration submitted on their behalf that indicated they were eligible for consideration in the master’s cap. Because of the beneficiary-centric selection process, all registrations submitted for that beneficiary are selected if the beneficiary is selected. Accordingly, if the beneficiary was selected in the master’s cap, all registrations would indicate that selection, even if a particular registration did not indicate eligibility for the master’s cap.

Based on DHS regulations, the general cap selection is conducted first by selecting beneficiaries from among all properly submitted registrations, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption. Then the master’s cap selection is conducted. Accordingly, any beneficiary selected in the initial master’s cap selection was not selected in the initial general cap selection.

You are still eligible to file a petition based on this selected registration during the applicable filing period. However, you would need to establish the beneficiary’s eligibility for the master’s cap as of the time of filing the Form I-129 petition.

Organizational Accounts Frequently Asked Questions

• H-1B Registration Federal Register Notice
• H-1B Registration Final Rule (2019)
• H-1B Registration Final Rule (2024)