Where to Find Cover Letter Samples

Posted by in Career Advice


When applying for a job, many job seekers go online in search of cover letter samples that they can use to make their application stand out. However, it pays to be careful when looking for cover letter samples online, as some sources might not provide the kind of professional cover letter the job hunter needs.

Cover letter samples can provide inspiration for job seekers who do not know how to write their own cover letters. However, it is important to get these samples from a trustworthy source. Rather than simply searching for cover letter samples via Google, job seekers should use reputable sites to find samples that help them to draft a professional cover letter.

The career sections of well-known publications are often packed with useful information, including cover letter samples, which can help job seekers to impress potential employers. For example, The Guardian provides cover letter samples in three different styles and explains when to use each one. A standard cover letter is the right choice to accompany a resume when applying for most jobs, but a slightly different approach needs to be taken when sending a speculative letter or when applying for a job in a highly creative industry.

The key point about using cover letter samples is that they should only be used to provide inspiration for your own letter. Job hunters should never copy a sample word for word, as other applicants may have used the same template to craft their own letters. An employer who receives many identical cover letters is unlikely to be particularly impressed with any of them.

Cover letters must also be personalized to highlight the key points of a job hunter's application. For example, the cover letter can be the applicant's opportunity to summarize the qualities that make him a suitable candidate for the job. Sticking rigidly to a template can cause an applicant to miss out on the opportunity to make these key points. This is one of the biggest downsides of using a cover letter sample or template when crafting your own application.

However, cover letter samples do have some important benefits. They show applicants approximately how long their letters should be and how they should be structured. One of the biggest mistakes that applicants make when writing cover letters is to make the letter far too long and rambling, which could result in the recruiter not reading the letter in full.

Cover letter samples can be extremely helpful for job seekers who are applying for advertised roles or sending out speculative applications. When looking for cover letter samples online, it is important to only use reputable sites to ensure the quality of the sample cover letters that are found.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Lavarelle thanks for your comment. There are thousands of examples/samples of cover letters on the Internet. You could us any one of those as a guide. However, this is about you - showing how you can help the company. So someone elses' cover letter really would not work for you. It's not that difficult. Just check out the company and then let them know how you can affect their bottom line; what you can do to make them better. Doesn't have to be long. Intro paragraph; maybe one or two of what you have to offer that can make them better; then a close. The cover letter gives them a great insight into who you are. By plagiarizing another person's cover letter, you are not showing them the true you. Take a deep breath and then just start jotting down some ideas of how you can help the company out. From that list you will be able to create an awesome cover letter. Best of luck.

  • Lavarelle G.
    Lavarelle G.

    Just writing about it don't do much for me show me samples of one that will get the job and standout it is very hard getting a good job with degrees to that's just a lot of money spending just to say you have which don't matter like I think the cover letter do.

  • Ethan B.
    Ethan B.

    Contacts and Networking are critical unless you have a expertise in special demand. We live in a society where creativity and interdisciplinary skills are not valued.

  • Maria H.
    Maria H.

    show me some samples of a cover letter. It has been very difficult for me to find a job. THANKS

  • Elsie Esler
    Elsie Esler

    Show me some samples of a cover letter

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    It's nice to have a sample cover letter to get us started but the bottom line is that it's all about us. Just take a few minutes and think about what you would want to say if the person were across the table from you and you were having a conversation with them. Short, simple and to the point - how you are the best candidate for the position and how you can be an asset to them - helping them with the bottom line. Yes, it does take research but you should be researching the company anyhow. By the time you get to the cover letter, you should know all about the company and how you can increase their bottom line. As Jacqui said - this is the time to sell yourself.

  • Brooks S.
    Brooks S.

    The Guardian examples are horrible(old fashioned)and assume one is searching for a position in the UK, not the US.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Even though pretty much everything is electronic now, the cover letter continues to be a very important piece of your application. It can give employers a lot of insight into who you really are. That's how I try to think of it when I write one. Let them see who you really are.

  • Jacqui B
    Jacqui B

    A cover letter is a way to sell yourself. I agree that sometimes a cover letter isn't always necessary, but going that extra step might get you noticed. If you're going to look online for a sample, just use it as a reference. Don't just copy and paste it into your own resume, I've seen it done before, and it can be quite obvious.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    To me, the cover letter is an extension to my resume. It lets me paint more of a picture of who I am and how I can be an asset to the employer - one that I get to portray in sentences rather than bullets. It might be true that not all employers/HR read cover letters but why would you chance it? You could have the perfect resume and still be thrown out of the running because you didn't include a cover letter. Regardless of the position, if the posting asks for a cover letter, send one!

  • Hongbo Wang
    Hongbo Wang

    good

  • Peggy P.
    Peggy P.

    This was very helpfull.

  • Giselle Zambrano
    Giselle Zambrano

    Surprisingly I was talking to someone that told me that he ignores cover letters altogether when looking at resumes. He told me that a good resume says everything that had to be said about the person.

  • Jean Marie (John) M.
    Jean Marie (John) M.

    If a cover is not written perfectly, properly formatted, consistent, no grammar mistakes, to the point, well the hiring managers will not even consider picking up your resumé to review it??If one is applying for a teacher's job, government, or administrative secretary position etc... where proper written communication is expected, well that is understandable, but applying for positions where there is very little need to communicate in written format then I believe the companies and hiring managers blow this aspect way out of proportion. Even if one's resumé is perfect for the position and one has all of the necessary qualifications the logical next step is to see what type of candidate we are dealing with and not evaluate ones ability to do the job and not on one's written skills.I could be very good in writing but can I do the job?

  • Ed H.
    Ed H.

    this article makes sense

  • Mathew Kingsley
    Mathew Kingsley

    Thanks you for the wonderful idea god bless you

  • Wendy E.
    Wendy E.

    This might be more useful if you provided examples of the sites that you deem as reputable.

  • Evelyn M.
    Evelyn M.

    Thanks for the career advice!

  • Awah Aweh
    Awah Aweh

    Great

  • TONY G.
    TONY G.

    thanks my dear friends i guess we put our trust on them..................... so sad

    to know that someone put their trust on them to help to find a job ............. well i guess what comes around goes around
    god bless you my dear friends

  • Livan Martin
    Livan Martin

    Thanks for the post

  • Stephanie  S.
    Stephanie S.

    I need a cover letter. I do not understand how to write one.

  • sakwa m.
    sakwa m.

    yes i agree with you,it should an option

  • Alejandro G.
    Alejandro G.

    Yes I agree with Alfred cover letter should be optional

  • Alfred Lopez
    Alfred Lopez

    Nice but optional in my opinion

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article posted by Staff Editor in Career Advice

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