How long should a cover letter be?

The short answer: 250 to 400 words

If you want one number, aim for about 300 words. That fits on a single page in a normal 11 or 12 point font with comfortable margins, leaves room for a greeting and sign-off, and is long enough to say something specific about the role and about you.

These are common conventions, not rules. If the job advert gives a length or a page limit, that instruction beats any general advice, including this page. Employers sometimes use a stated limit to see whether you can follow instructions.

A structure that fits in three or four paragraphs

A tight letter is easier to write when you give each paragraph one job. Here is a layout that usually lands near 300 words.

1. Opening (40 to 60 words). Name the role, say where you found it, and give one sentence on why you are a fit. Skip “I am writing to apply for” and start with the substance.
2. Evidence paragraph (90 to 120 words). Pick two or three things from your background that match what the advert asks for most. Use a number where you honestly have one: “handled about 40 customer enquiries a day” says more than “excellent customer service skills”.
3. Why this employer (60 to 90 words). One specific reason you want this organisation, such as a product, a project or a stated value. Generic praise reads as copy and paste.
4. Close (30 to 50 words). Say you would welcome a conversation, mention availability if it matters, and thank the reader. Do not repeat your whole letter.

Add a greeting (“Dear Ms Rao,” if you can find a name) and a sign-off. Those extra lines are not counted in the ranges above, but they do use up space on the page.

What it looks like at about 300 words

Here is the shape of a short evidence paragraph, written for an imaginary customer support role. The numbers are illustrative.

In my current role I answer about 40 tickets a day and keep first-reply time under two hours. When our returns process confused customers, I rewrote the help-centre article and the volume of related questions dropped over the next month. I would bring the same habit of fixing the cause, not just the ticket, to your team.

That is about 60 words, and it contains a task, a result and a link to the new job. Two or three paragraphs like that, plus an opening and a close, make a full letter. If you find yourself writing a sixth or seventh paragraph, you are probably retelling your resume.

What to cut when the letter runs long

Most over-long letters are padded in the same few ways. Cut these first, in roughly this order:

• Line-by-line resume repeats. The reader has your resume. The letter should explain why your experience matters for this job, not list it again.
• Throat-clearing openers such as “I am excited to submit my application for” and “Please find attached”.
• Adjective stacks. “Hard-working, motivated, passionate team player” claims something without showing it. Replace with one fact.
• Your career history from the beginning. Start with the most recent and relevant work, not school.
• Apologies and hedging like “although I may not have all the experience you are looking for”. Do not point out a gap the reader has not noticed.
• Anything the job advert does not ask about. If a point does not help you get this job, it can go.

For sentence-level trimming techniques, see how to cut words from an essay; the same moves work on a letter.

Email body versus uploaded letter

How you send the letter changes how long it can be. When you attach a formal letter as a PDF, the email itself should be only two or three lines: who you are, the role, and a note that your resume and letter are attached. When there is no attachment and the email is the cover letter, 120 to 250 words is a sensible range, because people read emails quickly and often on a phone.

If the portal gives you a text box, check whether the limit is in words or characters. A 2,000-character box holds roughly 300 to 350 words of ordinary prose, since the average English word plus a space is about six characters. Always paste your text into the form and confirm that nothing is cut off. For attachment naming and what to put in the email, see job application email attachments, and for the file format choice see JPG or PDF for documents.

Different countries and industries

One page is the default in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and much of Europe. A few differences are worth knowing:

• Germany and some other European countries: letters can be formal and a little more structured, but one page is still the norm.
• Academic jobs: a cover letter for a lecturer or research post may run to two pages because it covers research and teaching. Follow the department’s guidance.
• Creative fields: shorter and more personal often works; a portfolio link matters more than length.
• Finance, law and consulting: expect a conventional, formal one-page letter. Keep the tone professional and the formatting plain.
• Startups and tech: a short, direct note of 150 to 250 words is often enough, especially if the application is by email.

When unsure, look at how the employer writes. A company that publishes short, plain job adverts probably prefers a short, plain letter.

Check the length before you send

Paste the letter into the Word counter to see words, characters (including spaces), paragraphs and an estimated reading time at 200 words per minute. A 300-word letter shows about 1.5 minutes. The text is processed in your browser, so a private draft is not uploaded. If you need to match a job advert’s wording, run both through the Resume keyword check and use only terms that truly describe your experience.

Two last things. First, print preview or export to PDF and make sure the letter really fits on one page, since a different font or margin can push the sign-off onto a second page. Second, read it aloud once; sentences that run out of breath are usually too long.

Final checklist

• Between 250 and 400 words unless the employer says otherwise.
• Addressed to a named person if you could find one.
• Role title and company name spelled correctly, and the right company in the letter (a leftover name from a previous application is a common slip).
• Two or three specific, relevant achievements, not a list of duties.
• One concrete reason for choosing this employer.
• No claims you could not back up in an interview.
• Fits on one page after export.

Counting words is the easy part; the Word counter does it in a second. Pair it with the job application checklist so the rest of your documents are ready too.

Frequently asked questions

How many words should a cover letter be?

About 250 to 400 words is typical, which fills half a page to one page. If the employer sets a limit, follow it exactly.

Is a half-page cover letter too short?

No. A half page of specific, relevant content is better than a full page of filler. Around 200 to 250 words is fine for entry-level roles and email applications.

How long should a cover letter be when sent by email?

If the email body is the cover letter, 120 to 250 words works well. If you attach a letter, keep the email itself to two or three lines.

Can a cover letter be two pages?

Rarely. Some academic and research posts expect more detail, but for most jobs one page is the limit and anything longer risks not being read.

Does font size affect cover letter length?

Yes. Use 10.5 to 12 point in a standard font with sensible margins. Shrinking the text to fit more words makes the letter harder to read.