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How to write a cover letter that doesn't sound like everyone else's

7 min read

How to Write a Cover Letter That Doesn't Sound Like Everyone Else's

Here's a truth most people learn the hard way: hiring managers can spot a generic cover letter within about four seconds. Not because they're cynical (well, not only because of that), but because they've read the same letter so many times it's practically muscle memory.

"I am writing to apply for the position of..." Yes. We know. That's why you sent the letter.

The good news is that the bar is genuinely low. Most cover letters are forgettable. Which means if yours isn't, you're already ahead of the majority of applicants — before your experience even enters the picture.

Here's how to write one that actually gets read.

Why Most Cover Letters Fail

The problem isn't effort. Most people try hard. The problem is that they try hard at the wrong things — they restate their CV, use phrases like "I am a highly motivated team player with excellent communication skills", and close with "I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience."

None of that tells an employer anything about you. It tells them you own a thesaurus and can copy a template.

Cover letters fail when they're written at a company rather than for one. When they're about the applicant proving they deserve a chance, rather than demonstrating they actually understand what the role needs.

The fix isn't complicated. It just requires a bit more thought — and a willingness to sound like a human being.

Start With Something That Earns the Next Line

Your opening is everything. If it doesn't make the reader want to continue, the rest is irrelevant.

Weak opening:

"I am writing to apply for the Marketing Executive role advertised on Indeed. I have three years of experience in marketing and believe I would be a great fit for your team."

Strong opening:

"The campaign your team ran for the Autumn product launch — the one that leaned into customer stories rather than product specs — is exactly the kind of brief I'd love to be working on. Here's why I think I could contribute to more of them."

See the difference? The second one shows the applicant has actually looked at the company's work. It's specific, it's engaged, and it opens a door the employer wants to walk through.

You don't need to be dramatic or quirky. You just need to be specific. Reference something real — a campaign, a project, a product, a value they've actually written about. Employers can tell the difference between "I love your brand" and "I noticed you shifted your tone on social in early 2023 and it clearly worked."

The Middle Bit: Don't Just List. Connect.

Once you've got them reading, your job in the body of the letter is to connect your experience to their actual problem.

Most applicants write about what they've done. The stronger move is to write about what they've done in relation to what this company needs right now.

That means doing a bit of homework. Read the job description properly — not just to tick off requirements, but to understand what they're actually struggling with or building towards. Then reflect that back.

"You're scaling the customer success team quickly" is a signal you've read between the lines. "I've helped onboard and train new teams during periods of rapid growth" is the answer to the question they haven't quite asked yet.

Keep paragraphs short. Two to four sentences each. You're not writing an essay — you're writing something a busy person will actually read.

And resist the urge to mention every job you've ever had. Pick two or three experiences that are genuinely relevant and go into them with some depth and specificity. A single concrete example beats five vague claims every time.

If you're not sure how your experience should map to a role, it helps to think about your CV and cover letter as a package — the two documents should reinforce each other, not just repeat the same information in different formats.

Sound Like Yourself (Within Reason)

One of the strangest things about cover letter advice is how often it produces letters that sound like they were written by no one in particular.

You're allowed to have a voice. If you're naturally direct, be direct. If you're enthusiastic, let that come through. If you have a dry sense of humour and the company culture seems to match, a well-placed light touch won't hurt you.

What you want to avoid is forced personality — the "I'm a passionate, results-driven individual" kind of language that means everything and nothing simultaneously.

Read your letter back and ask: does this sound like something I'd actually say? If the answer is no, rewrite those bits in simpler, more natural language. Clarity and confidence are more impressive than vocabulary.

Close Like You Mean It

The closing paragraph is where most cover letters go quietly to die.

Weak closing:

"I believe my skills and experience make me a strong candidate for this role. I look forward to discussing my application further. Thank you for your time and consideration."

Strong closing:

"I'd genuinely enjoy talking through how my experience with retention-focused content could fit into what you're building. Happy to come in, jump on a call, or answer any questions in writing — whatever works best for you."

The difference is specificity and energy. The first sounds like the applicant is filling in a form. The second sounds like someone who actually wants the job and has a rough idea of what they'd bring to it.

You don't need to oversell yourself. Just close with warmth, confidence, and a clear signal that you're ready to take the next step.

A Few Things to Drop Immediately

Whilst we're here, a quick list of phrases to remove from your cover letter before sending:

  • "I am a highly motivated individual" — everyone says this; no one believes it
  • "I would be an asset to your team" — show them, don't tell them
  • "Please find attached my CV" — yes, they know; it's attached
  • "To whom it may concern" — find out their name, or use a specific job title
  • "I feel I am the perfect candidate" — confident is good; perfect is a red flag

None of these are catastrophic on their own. But each one is a small signal that you're going through the motions rather than actually engaging with the application.

Length, Format, and the Practical Stuff

Keep it to one page. Roughly three to four paragraphs. In the UK, a cover letter sent by email can sometimes be briefer than a formal attached letter — but either way, concise beats comprehensive.

Use a proper salutation where you can. A quick search on LinkedIn often turns up a hiring manager's name. "Dear Sarah" lands differently than "Dear Hiring Manager."

Proofread it. Then proofread it again. A typo in a cover letter is a different kind of careless than a typo in a text message — it signals you didn't care quite enough about this particular opportunity.

And if you're applying to multiple similar roles, don't just swap out the company name. The rest of the letter needs to shift too. Employers have seen the copy-paste version. It's not subtle.

If you're reworking your whole application from scratch, it's worth revisiting the fundamentals — a strong cover letter built on a weak CV isn't going to get you far, so make sure the two are working together.

The Short Version

Stand out by being specific. Open with something real. Connect your experience to their actual needs. Sound like yourself. Close with genuine intent.

Nobody's asking you to be brilliant or bold or memorable in some grand way. They're just asking — quietly, while sifting through a pile of applications — for someone who actually bothered to engage.

Be that person. It's rarer than it should be.

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