How to Write a Cover Letter That Doesn't Sound Generic

Most cover letters restate the resume in paragraph form and add a line about being "passionate" about the company. Hiring managers read this exact template constantly, which is exactly why it doesn't work — it reads as generic because, structurally, it is.

The real problem: most cover letters are about the applicant, not the employer's actual problem

A job posting exists because a team has a real problem they need someone to help solve — not because they want a list of your accomplishments in prose form. A cover letter that stands out addresses their problem specifically, using details from the actual posting, not generic enthusiasm.

A structure that works

1. Open with something specific about the role or company — not "I am writing to apply for...", but a specific, real detail that shows you actually read the posting
2. State one specific thing you'd bring that maps directly onto something in the posting — with one concrete example as proof
3. Add one more specific, different example if there's room — don't just repeat the resume in different words
4. Close with a specific, low-pressure next step, not a generic "I look forward to hearing from you"

Before and after

Weak (generic template): "I am excited to apply for the Marketing Assistant position at [Company]. I am a hardworking and passionate individual with strong communication skills. I believe I would be a great fit for your team. Thank you for your consideration."

Stronger (specific): "Your posting mentions you're looking for someone to help grow the newsletter audience — I ran a similar project for my university's student paper, where I rebuilt the sign-up flow and grew the list from about 200 to over 900 subscribers over one semester by testing different sign-up placements on the site. I'd want to bring that same testing mindset to your newsletter growth, and I'd welcome the chance to talk through a couple of early ideas I already have for it."

The second version is longer, but it does something the first one can't: it proves the applicant read the specific posting, understood the specific problem, and has specific, checkable evidence they can do something about it.

Keep it short

Three to four short paragraphs is enough. A cover letter's job is to earn a closer read of the resume, not to repeat everything on it — if it's doing that, it's too long.

One thing to check before sending

Read your draft back and count how many sentences would only make sense for this specific company and role versus how many could be copy-pasted into an application for a completely different company. If most sentences could be copy-pasted anywhere, it needs another pass.