Tips for Writing Email Cover Letters

Writing email cover letters is subtly different from writing a standard letter. The basic principles are fairly similar, but you’ll need to modify and add to an email letter in certain respects.

Write a Punchy Subject Line

Your email cover letter should sell yourself right from the start—and that includes the subject line. Don’t waste your first opportunity to make an impression by leaving it blank or using non-descript language. However, make sure the subject line is short enough that the recipient will be able to read the entire line—it should be no more than 50 characters, including spaces.

Hook the Reader from the First Paragraph

More than any other type of communication, email is disposable. That means you have to write an opening paragraph that hooks the reader and keeps them interested.

Be Brief

The ideal email cover letter should take up no more than one screen, so the reader does not have to scroll down to read more. Keep the letter under 200 words, with three or four paragraphs.

Use Key Words

Some companies file cover letters in databases and retrieve them based on certain key words. Make sure your letter doesn’t go unnoticed in the future by making use of key words that describe your skills and the job you’re applying for.

Use Plain Text

Avoid using email formatting tools. Instead, write your cover letter using a word processing program, and then save it as a plain text file. Paste the contents of that file into your email. This will ensure that your letter does not contain any formatting that might not be viewable by the recipient.

Follow Cover Letter Guidelines

Write the letter as you would a normal cover letter—include standard salutations and closings, use correct paragraph formats, and never use email shorthand or abbreviations.

Check Company Protocol

Find out if the company you’re applying to has any email submission guidelines, and follow them to the letter. For example, some companies block emails that contain attachments. In these cases, you may be asked to add your resume within the body of the email.

Don’t hit Send till you’re Sure

As with any cover letter, proof-reading is crucial for weeding out mistakes. In addition, you’ll need to make sure it will be received in a readable format. Check this by sending the email to friends or family who use different email clients.

Still Stuck? Try our Cover Letter Creator. 

Also, please review our Cover Letter section for free examples and tips.