How to Write a Cover Letter: Structure, Wording and Using AI the Right Way
The cover letter is your chance to show why you of all people fit the role. Here you'll learn the proven structure, wording that doesn't sound like a stock phrase — and how to use AI help without becoming interchangeable.
By Redaktion ·
Key takeaways
- A cover letter answers exactly three questions: Why this role? Why this company? Why you? Everything else is filler.
- The opening decides: the first sentence should never be “I hereby apply” — start with your strongest argument instead.
- One page is always enough — three to five paragraphs, concrete examples instead of self-descriptions like “team player” and “motivated”.
- You may use AI: as a drafting and structuring aid. But recruiters spot impersonal mass-produced text immediately — the facts, examples and tone have to come from you.
- Always tailor it to the role: referencing the job ad, the company and one specific requirement beats any standard template.
Hardly any application document is as contested as the cover letter: some companies have dropped it entirely, others sort out applications without one unread. What's certain: where a cover letter is expected, its quality matters — and writing a good one is easier than many think, once you've understood the principle.
What a cover letter has to do
A cover letter is not a retelling of your CV. It answers three questions every recruiter asks:
- Why this role? — What attracts you to this particular job?
- Why this company? — What connects you to the firm, the product, the industry?
- Why you? — Which experience or skill makes you a particularly good fit for this role?
If your cover letter answers these three questions concretely, you're already ahead of most applications.
The proven structure in 4 parts
1. The opening (2–3 sentences)
The first sentence decides whether anyone reads on. So: never start with “I hereby apply…” — that's already in the subject line. Open with your strongest argument instead:
As a freight forwarding specialist, I have managed dispatch for a fleet of 30 vehicles over the past four years — most recently with 98% on-time delivery. That is exactly the reliability I want to bring to your team as a dispatcher.
2. The main part: why you? (1–2 paragraphs)
Here you prove with one or two concrete examples that you meet the core requirements of the role. Pick the two most important requirements from the job ad and show through real situations that you bring them. Concrete examples beat any list of adjectives:
- ❌ “I am a resilient team player with strong communication skills.”
- ✅ “In my last project I took over coordination between development and customer service — the complaint rate dropped by a third as a result.”
3. The company reference (1 paragraph)
Show that you've engaged with the company — without flattery. One sentence about the product, the industry or a current project is enough, if it's genuine. Stock phrases like “your innovative company” without any substance are recognised by every recruiter as a form letter.
4. The closing (2–3 sentences)
Confident, without cascades of subjunctives: “I look forward to a personal conversation.” beats “I would be delighted if you could perhaps give me the opportunity…”. If requested, salary expectations and earliest start date belong in this paragraph.
Wording: cut the clichés, add substance
| Stock phrase | Better alternative |
|---|---|
| “I hereby apply…” | Open directly with your strongest argument |
| “I am motivated and flexible” | An example that shows motivation or flexibility |
| “Your renowned company” | A specific reference: product, project, industry |
| “I think I would be a good fit” | “My experience in X matches your requirement Y” |
| “I would be delighted if…” | “I look forward to a personal conversation.” |
Using AI — but properly
AI tools can now draft a passable cover letter in seconds. That's exactly the problem: recruiters read AI-generated text every day and spot interchangeable mass-produced copy immediately. The typical tells: overly polished language, generic enthusiasm, no concrete numbers or examples.
How to use AI sensibly:
- Feed the AI real facts: your positions, achievements, numbers — and the specific job ad
- Have it produce a draft and treat it as raw material, not the final product
- Replace generalities with your examples — wherever any other applicant could have written the same sentence
- Read the text aloud: Does it sound like you? Would you talk like that in a conversation?
In short: AI is an excellent co-author and a bad ghostwriter.
Common mistakes at a glance
- Wrong company name or contact person — the classic in mass applications, an instant rejection
- CV retold instead of answering the three core questions
- Longer than one page — nobody reads cover-letter novels
- Only adjectives, no evidence — anyone can claim to be a “team player”
- Submissive language — subjunctives and apologies make you smaller than you are
A good cover letter takes time — but far less when the structure and raw text are already in place. That's exactly what our AI cover letter generator is for: it creates an individual draft from your profile and the job ad, which you then refine with your own examples.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a cover letter still necessary?
- More and more companies skip it, but many still require one — especially in the public sector and traditional industries. Where a cover letter is optional, a good one can make the difference; a carelessly dashed-off one tends to do harm.
- How long should a cover letter be?
- At most one A4 page, typically 250 to 400 words in three to five paragraphs. Recruiters skim cover letters — conciseness convinces more than length.
- May I write my cover letter with AI?
- Yes, AI as a writing aid is now widespread and legitimate. What matters is that the facts are correct and the text sounds like you: personal examples, a specific reference to the company and your own tone turn an AI draft into a genuine cover letter.
- Who do I address the letter to if no contact person is named?
- A quick search (website, LinkedIn, a short phone call) is almost always worth it. If you can't find anyone, “Dear [company name] team” is a better choice than the impersonal “Dear Sir or Madam”.
- Does the salary expectation belong in the cover letter?
- Only if it is explicitly requested. In that case, state a concrete annual gross range in the final paragraph, e.g. “My salary expectation is €48,000 to €52,000 gross per year.”