Write a cover letter: 6-step plan that works (2026)
A good cover letter doubles your interviews. Follow this 6-step plan and write a letter that stands out in 20 minutes.
Most cover letters get rejected because they're exactly the same as 100 others. They start with 'Dear sir/madam', summarize the CV, and end with 'awaiting your response'. Recruiters scan letters in 30-60 seconds - if you don't have their attention by then, you're out. The 6 steps below help you write a letter that DOES stand out, in 20-30 minutes each.
1. Research the company (5 min)
Before you type a word: open the company website, scroll to 'About us', read the latest blog/news item. LinkedIn the recruiter (name often in vacancy, otherwise on team page). Note 2 things that caught your eye - you'll use these in step 3 to prove this isn't a mass mailing.
2. Salutation and first sentence (2 min)
Salutation: always with a name if you can find one. 'Dear Ms. Jansen' opens 3× better than 'Dear sir/madam'. First sentence gives context: which role, which source, why you're applying. Example: 'I came across your Senior Product Manager vacancy on Indeed - and immediately recognized myself in the profile.'
3. Why this company (5 min)
Here come the 2 things from step 1. Concrete mention proves you're not blasting 200 letters. Example: 'Your Q1 self-service portal launch caught my eye - I built similar functionality in my previous role from 0 to 12,000 users.' Maximum 3 sentences.
4. Why you (5 min)
2-3 concrete achievements with numbers directly relevant to the vacancy. Not everything from your CV - only the strongest 2-3 that fit THIS company and THIS role. Example: 'At TechFlow I led the marketing team (6 people) and we hit 112% of a €2.1M ARR target.'
5. Closing with concrete next step (3 min)
No 'awaiting your response' - empty. Propose something: conversation, call slot, brief case. Example: 'I'd love to discuss how I can drive similar growth for you. Next Tuesday or Thursday works - call me at +31 6 12 34 56 78.' Then formal closing + name.
6. Final check (5 min)
Read the letter aloud twice. Reading aloud catches 80% of errors. Send to at least 1 other person to check. Verify: max 350 words, no 'I' at the start of >50% of sentences, no repetitions, no typos. Then: send.
Want it faster? Use our AI generator
20-30 minutes per letter × 10 applications = 5 hours of work. Our AI cover letter generator does the 6 steps in 30 seconds, based on your CV and the job description, in one of 5 writing styles. Included with every €2 CV download, unlimited letters for 1 hour.
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