How Long Should a Cover Letter Be? Ideal Length in 2024

If your cover letter is too short, you’ve undersold yourself. If it’s too long, time-poor recruiters won’t even read it. All that hard work will end up in the bin next to the remains of the chicken and avocado wrap they just had for lunch. Having the perfect length of a cover letter is tricky. 

Or is it?

Read on and find out how long should a cover letter be!

This guide will show you:

• How long should a cover letter be in the UK.
• How many words should a cover letter be to get read by the recruiter.
• How to achieve that perfect cover letter length.

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Want a good cover letter example? Check our most popular ones:

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How many words should a cover letter be?

A cover letter should be between half a page and one page long. Divide the page into 3–4 short paragraphs. So the cover letter word count is 250–400 words, depending on your experience.

Consider that recruiters get 75 applications for every vacancy. They just don’t have the time to read more. So you need to balance the cover letter length and ensure you’ve included enough information to ensure their interest is piqued. A survey carried out by Saddleback College revealed that 70% of employers preferred a half-page cover letter or took “the shorter, the better” approach.

Here are those numbers again for reference.

Best cover letter length

This length allows you to fit in everything you need to include in a cover letter:

• Contact section
• Professional salutationIntroduction
• Middle
• End
• Sign off

Now let’s see an example showing exactly how long a cover letter should be.

Pro tip: You can also format your cover letter for sending as an email. That short cover letter doesn't have to be as long as a standard cover letter described in this article.

Example of a cover letter with the perfect length

Now let’s see some tips on how to achieve that.

Your CV needs to be the right length, too. Read more: How Long Should a CV Be? Best Page Length

When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional CV template here for free.

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When you’re done, Zety’s CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.

How to achieve the perfect cover letter length

Think of your knowledge and experience as a big pot of tasty chicken soup. A good cover letter boils that down to a super-concentrated stock cube. Here’s how to do it.

1. Don’t stress about word count

How many words should a cover letter be? Typically, the cover letter word count is 250–400. Do yourself a favor and don’t count every word. Let your cover letter formatting do that for you. 

Follow these cover letter layout rules:

• Choose a clear CV font in 11–12 point size.
• Set one-inch margins.
• Set spacing to 1 or 1.15.

With those settings, 250 words will fill roughly half a page. No need to count each one.

One exception to this rule. If the job advert clearly states a word limit, double-check that you’ve met it. Failing to follow instructions in a job application is a one-way road to rejection.

2. Be PAR for the course

When writing about your achievements, stick to the PAR formula. Problem, Action, Result. Here’s an example:

Overhauled an underperforming sales team (Problem) by introducing new employee incentives and improving motivation (Action), resulting in a 30 percent increase in sales within one quarter. (Result)

With the right structure, you can pack everything into as small a space as possible.

3. Stay on target

Keep your cover letter length down by choosing your content carefully and target it to the job you’re applying for. 

Before you start writing that cover letter, read the job advert mindfully and note the most important skills and duties for the role. Then cherry-pick the achievements in your CV that’ll be most applicable and expand on those. With a little preparation, you’ll ensure you keep your cover letter relevant and concise

4. Ask for help

You might not spot every mistake you’ve made when preparing your perfect cover letter. However, a family member or a friend will give it a fresh look. Moreover, you can ask them if your cover letter reads well. It can be difficult to see inconsistencies and redundancies in your own writing. 

5. Keep your secrets

Don’t reveal everything at once. Make them curious by hinting at some things, like your ideas for the role you’re applying for. That will make them curious, and perhaps curious enough to invite you for a job interview and listen to your view on certain things.

Now you know how to write a cover letter with a perfect length. Good luck!

 Plus, a great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key takeaway

Here’s how long a cover letter should be:

• Page count: 0.5–1
• Paragraph count: 3–4
• Word count: 250–400

Remember to use that space wisely. Show why you’re the best candidate for this company and this job.

Still struggling to slim down your cover letter? Got any tips to share? Any questions at all, give us a shout in the comments section. We’re happy to help.

Article summary

The article "How Long Should a Cover Letter Be?" provides guidance on the ideal length of a cover letter when applying for a job. The author explains that a cover letter should be concise, typically one page or less, and should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction should state the purpose of the letter and grab the employer's attention, while the body paragraphs should highlight the applicant's relevant skills and experiences. The author advises against repeating information from the resume and recommends customizing the cover letter for each job application. Finally, the conclusion should express gratitude and encourage the employer to consider the applicant for the position.

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Sources

• https://careersblog.warwick.ac.uk/2018/01/30/uk-graduate-recruitment-trends-2017-18/
• https://www.slideshare.net/EricHildenMPA/your-resume-is-your-1st-interview
• https://www.pcc.edu/staff/tmaldona/wp-content/uploads/sites/114/2018/08/Samples-of-a-PAR-formula-statements.pdf