An entry level cover letter can feel stressful when you have little or no formal experience. The good news is that hiring managers still want to know who you are, why you care about the role, and how you will contribute on day one. This guide shows you how to write an entry level cover letter that highlights transferable skills, projects, and potential in a clear, confident way.
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💡 Pro tip: Use this template as a starting point. Customize it with your own experience, skills, and achievements.
Key Elements of a Strong Cover Letter
State the exact job title and why you are applying in the first few lines. Show that you understand what the team needs by naming 1 to 2 priorities from the posting, then connect them to your strengths.
Even without full-time experience, you can show skills from classwork, internships, volunteering, part-time work, or projects. Pick 2 to 3 skills the job asks for and back each one with a quick example and a result, even if the result is small.
Employers hire entry-level candidates partly based on attitude and learning speed. Explain why this company and role make sense for you, and tie it to something real like their product, mission, customers, or team focus.
Close by restating interest and asking for an interview. Keep it polite and direct, and make it easy for them to take action by referencing your resume and availability.
Cover Letter Structure
1. Header
Include your name, phone, email, city and state, and a link to LinkedIn or a portfolio if you have one. Add the date and the company details so it looks complete and professional.
2. Greeting
Address a real person if you can, like "Dear Ms. Rivera" or "Dear Hiring Manager" if you cannot find a name. Double-check spelling, and keep it formal even if the company seems casual.
3. Opening Paragraph
Start with the role you are applying for and a short reason you are excited about it. Then add one sentence that previews your strongest relevant skills or projects so the reader knows what to look for.
4. Body Paragraph(s)
Use one short paragraph to match your skills to the job, then another short paragraph to prove them with examples from school, projects, volunteering, or part-time work. Focus on outcomes you can describe clearly, like finishing a project, improving a process, helping customers, or hitting a deadline.
5. Closing Paragraph
Reaffirm that you want the role and that you are ready to learn and contribute. Ask for an interview, thank them for their time, and mention you would welcome the chance to discuss how your skills match their needs.
6. Signature
End with "Sincerely" or "Best regards" and your full name. If you are submitting a typed letter, you can add a phone number under your name for convenience.
Dos and Don'ts
Mirror the job description by using the same skill words, but only when they truly apply to you.
Use 1 to 2 short examples that show what you did, how you did it, and what happened as a result.
Keep it to one page and aim for three to four short paragraphs so it is easy to scan.
Show genuine interest by naming something specific about the company, such as a product, value, or recent project.
Proofread carefully and read it out loud once so you catch awkward phrasing and missing details.
Do not apologize for having no experience, because it makes your value sound smaller than it is.
Do not repeat your resume line by line, instead add context and a few details that make your story clearer.
Do not use generic claims like "hardworking" without a quick example that proves it.
Do not send the same letter everywhere, because vague letters are easy to spot and easy to skip.
Do not include personal details that can create bias, like age, photos, or unrelated family information.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Writing a long paragraph that covers everything, which makes it hard for the reader to find your main point.
Focusing only on what you want from the job instead of how you can help the team succeed.
Using a weak opening like "I am writing to apply" without a clear hook or relevant highlight.
Forgetting to tailor the letter to the role, so your skills and examples feel random.
Practical Writing Tips & Customization Guide
Use a small "skills to proof" checklist before you write, then include proof for each skill you mention.
If you lack results with numbers, describe outcomes with clear details like time saved, steps completed, or feedback received.
Add a link to a project, portfolio, GitHub, writing sample, or class capstone if it matches the job.
Ask a friend to review it with one question in mind, which sentence proves you can do the job.
Cover Letter Examples
Example 1 — Recent Graduate (Software QA Engineer)
Dear Ms.
I recently graduated from State University with a B. S.
in Computer Science and completed a 3-month QA internship at Nimbus Apps where I reduced test-cycle time by 22% by building automated smoke tests in Python. I’m excited by ApexSoft’s focus on user reliability and would bring hands-on test automation, a habit of writing clear bug reports, and a track record of working with cross-functional teams.
During my internship I wrote 120+ automated checks, reported 45 confirmed defects, and helped cut release rollback rate from 6% to 2%. I also maintain a public GitHub repo with test scripts and a short README that demonstrates my debugging approach: github.
com/myname/qa-scripts. I’m available to start June 1 and would welcome the chance to discuss how I can support your QA roadmap.
Thank you for considering my application.
Sincerely, Alex Rivera
Why this works: Concrete numbers (22%, 120+), a link to work, and a clear start date show readiness and measurable impact.
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Example 2 — Career Changer (Marketing Coordinator from Nonprofit Fundraising)
Dear Mr.
After five years managing donor communications at HopeHouse, I’m shifting into marketing because I enjoy building campaigns that move people to action. At HopeHouse I led an email program that increased donor retention by 14% and grew average gift size by 18% year-over-year by testing subject lines and segmenting audiences.
I’ve completed a 12-week digital marketing certificate, launched two paid search pilots with a combined 3:1 ROI, and redesigned our monthly newsletter, increasing open rates from 22% to 36%. At BrightFrame I’d apply this mix of data-driven testing and storytelling to improve conversion rates for product launches and onboarding funnels.
I’d love to share a short plan on how I’d approach your welcome series in 30 days.
Best, Maya Lopez
Why this works: Shows transferable metrics, recent upskilling, and a defined near-term contribution.
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Example 3 — Experienced Professional (Entry-Level Role After Career Pause)
Dear Hiring Team,
I bring eight years in hospitality operations and a recent certificate in UX research, and I’m applying for the junior UX researcher role because I combine customer insight with process discipline. In prior roles I led service changes that cut average check-in time by 40% and ran guest interviews that informed layout changes generating a 12% increase in positive feedback scores.
Over the past year I completed 40+ hours of user research projects, built a research repository with 60 tagged interview notes, and ran two remote usability tests that identified three critical navigation problems. I’m comfortable drafting research plans, recruiting participants, and turning findings into prioritized recommendations.
I can provide sample research plans and the repository link in an interview.
Regards, Jordan Kim
Why this works: A clear bridge from past measurable results to new skills, plus concrete artifacts to review.
Practical Writing Tips
1. Start with the hiring manager’s name.
Using a real name increases attention; search LinkedIn or call reception to confirm. If you can’t find a name, use the team title (e.
g. , “Hiring Manager, Product Team”).
2. Open with a specific hook in the first sentence.
Mention a recent company win, product, or role detail to show you researched them and to pull the reader in.
3. Keep length to 200–300 words across 3 short paragraphs.
That forces you to prioritize the strongest achievements and makes hiring managers more likely to read all the way through.
4. Quantify outcomes with numbers.
Replace vague claims like “improved engagement” with “increased engagement 25% in six months” to show real impact.
5. Mirror language from the job posting.
Use 2–3 keywords (tools, skills, and responsibilities) from the ad so your letter matches what ATS and humans expect.
6. Showcase one relevant story, not a resume summary.
Briefly describe the problem, your action, and the measurable result so readers see how you work.
7. Use active verbs and short sentences.
Swap passive phrasing for direct verbs (e. g.
, “I led,” “I tested”) to sound confident and clear.
8. Match tone to the company.
Use a friendly, direct tone for startups and a slightly more formal tone for established firms; always stay professional.
9. End with a concise call to action.
Ask for a short meeting or offer to send work samples; suggest two possible times to speed scheduling.
10. Proofread aloud and check one final time for names, titles, and numbers.
Reading aloud catches awkward phrasing and factual errors before you send.
How to Customize for Industry, Company Size, and Job Level
Customize by focusing on the most relevant skills, metrics, and tone for each context. Below are specific directions and examples you can copy into your own draft.
Industry differences
- •Tech: Emphasize projects, tools, and delivery speed. Cite repositories, CI/CD pipelines, or metrics like “reduced error rate by 30%” or “deployed two A/B tests that increased sign-ups 8%.” Mention languages, frameworks, or platforms.
- •Finance: Highlight accuracy, models, and outcomes. Note dollar impacts (e.g., "built a model that identified $120K in annual savings") and regulatory awareness. Use terms like forecasting, variance analysis, and reconciliation.
- •Healthcare: Stress compliance, patient outcomes, and process improvements. Reference certifications (BLS, HIPAA training), and results such as “cut patient wait times by 15 minutes, improving satisfaction scores 10%."
Company size and stage
- •Startups: Show breadth and agility. Describe wearing multiple hats, shipping features in 2–4 week cycles, or driving user growth from 1,000 to 10,000 users. Use energetic, collaborative language.
- •Large corporations: Emphasize cross-team processes, documentation, and measurable ROI. Mention working in matrix teams, following SOPs, or scaling initiatives across 3+ teams.
Job level
- •Entry-level: Lead with internships, class projects, volunteer work, and quick wins. Include GPA only if 3.5+ and less than two years’ experience; otherwise focus on tangible outcomes and relevant coursework.
- •Senior: Focus on leadership, scope, and dollars or headcount managed (e.g., led a team of 12, owned a $2M budget, improved NPS 7 points).
Customization strategies (use these every time)
1. Keyword match: Copy 5–7 precise skills or tools from the job ad into your letter in natural sentences.
2. Pick one proof point: Choose a single metric-driven story that best aligns with the role’s top responsibility.
3. Adjust tone: Read the company’s About page and three blog posts; mimic their formality level and vocabulary.
4. Offer a specific 30-day plan: End with a one-sentence plan (“In my first 30 days I’d audit onboarding emails and propose three A/B tests”) to show immediate value.
Actionable takeaway: For each application, change three things—one metric-driven example, two job-specific keywords, and the closing sentence that offers a next step.