Free Cover Letter Templates (Plus 50+ Writing Tips)

Are cover letters a relic of the past? A tick-and-flick exercise to prove you can follow job application instructions? Some recruiters have replaced them with video introductions, and Hilton hotels recently asked candidates to record TikToks to apply for roles.

Experienced executive recruiter Nikki Byrne from Macquarie Bank said that the rise of AI had made cover letters “increasingly standardised,” making them less relevant.

But The Cover Letter Isn’t Dead.

Successful entrepreneur and host of the How to Win podcast, Peep Laja, argues that a “personalised, thoughtful cover letter” helps you stand out, and you should always send one.

However, he warned that AI use would be obvious and mean “you’re instantly out”.

Despite competing points of views — the fact is, a cover letter gives you an extra potential opportunity to sway recruiters and hiring managers.

But it can only work if your cover letter is compelling and strengthens the positive impression made by your resume.

There’s no template you can blindly apply, but you can use this guide and the examples we share below to create an impressive cover letter. Read on to learn how.

5 Free Cover Letter Templates.

I decided to give you something more useful than a generic cover letter template.

You can download plenty of those online. But predictably, most of them are rubbish. They don’t provide you with a foundation for writing your own cover letter.

Below are 5 cover letters based on my career. I’d use them if I had to look for a job tomorrow.

Cover Letter Template 1: Standard Response To A Job Ad.

Dear [Name],

I’m writing to express my interest in the Marketing Director role at [Company Name].

With a track record of transforming brands, scaling demand engines, and building profitable business units from scratch, I bring a strategic lens to marketing rooted in commercial outcomes, not just channel performance.

• Most recently, I led a top-to-bottom transformation of an established career services firm — repositioning it into a premium executive advisory brand and launching an expansion into the U.S. market.

• The result: a 300% increase in customer lifetime value, a 30% reduction in lead acquisition costs, and the successful rollout of new high-margin services that redefined the firm’s value proposition.

• In parallel, I built and scaled a standalone blog publication that reached $600K in annual profit — at times outperforming the core business — by outranking top-tier publishers like Forbes and Finder through an SEO-centric content marketing strategy.

What sets me apart isn’t functional expertise — it’s the ability to see around corners and build the commercial infrastructure for scale.

I’ve re-engineered sales pipelines, created new pricing models, and developed lead acquisition strategies that balance short-term performance with long-term brand equity.

I move quickly, challenge assumptions, and make deliberate bets that turn marketing into a core growth lever — not a cost centre.

I’m drawn to opportunities where the stakes are high, the path isn’t fully mapped, and bold thinking is rewarded.

If [Company Name] is looking for a marketing leader who can drive growth while preserving margin, thinks like a business owner, and is comfortable making decisions that reshape the P&L — I’d welcome a conversation.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to explore how I can help take [Company Name] to its next stage of growth.

Best,

[Name]

Cover Letter Template 2: Cold Outreach To A Recruiter On LinkedIn.

[Name],

I came across your profile and saw you’re a recruitment specialist in [Sector]. I’d love to connect.

I’m a commercially driven Marketing Director based in Sydney, open to new opportunities. I recently repositioned a career services brand, tripling CLTV, cutting lead gen costs by 30%, and launching a content business that hit $600K in annual profit – at times outperforming the core business.

If you’re hiring for roles where strategic thinking and commercial delivery go hand in hand, I’d be keen to have a chat.

Best,
[Your Name]

Cover Letter Template 3: Cold Outreach To A Hiring Manager.

Dear [Name],

I’m reaching out to explore potential senior marketing opportunities at [Firm Name].

As a commercially focused Marketing Director with a track record of repositioning brands, entering new markets, and building profitable business units, I believe there’s strong alignment between your business ambitions and the way I drive growth.

• In my most recent role, I led the transformation of an established executive services firm — repositioning the brand, launching an expansion into the U.S., and developing new high-margin offerings.

• That work resulted in a 300% lift in customer lifetime value, a 30% reduction in lead acquisition costs, and a new sales architecture that aligned more closely with the executive career lifecycle.

• Alongside that, I built and scaled a standalone content publication that generated $600K in annual profit, outranking Forbes and Finder on core search terms.

What sets me apart is a commercial mindset sharpened by strategic execution.

I build growth engines from scratch, rethink pricing and packaging to unlock margin, and act decisively on opportunities others hesitate to pursue. I’m most engaged in environments where there’s ambition to evolve — and where marketing is expected to be more than promotional. It should shape the business.

If your team is ever looking for a strategic operator who understands how to grow brand equity and bottom-line value — I’d love to explore whether I could contribute to your next chapter.

Warm regards,
[Your Name]

Biggest Cover Letter Misconceptions To Avoid.

The first no-no when it comes to cover letters is thinking that you just need to regurgitate details a recruiter can already find in your resume.

The cover letter’s purpose is to complement your resume, demonstrate your genuine interest, and give the employer a glimpse of your personality.

(Related: How To Write A Strong ‘About Me’ Resume Section).

But the biggest misconception around cover letters is that you don’t need one, because recruiters don’t read them anyway.

To be clear, there’s no argument that your resume is the more important document.

But surveys of people in charge of hiring show cover letters do help determine who they’ll interview or hire, to a non-negligible degree.

You can’t know for sure if the recruiter or hiring manager will barely skim your cover letter or read it line-for-line (the recruitment process is mysterious and important).

The only reason for no cover letter, or a generic cover letter, is that you don’t believe the job is worth the effort.

But your lack of effort could be the reason you don’t make the cut — it’s a chicken and egg situation.

In 2025, there are two key reasons cover letters may be even more important:

If you know it’s a highly competitive role or that your experience doesn’t align as closely with the job requirements, a great cover letter is a must.

Should AI Write It? Think Twice.

Unfortunately, artificial intelligence (AI) tools have become a new way to write a bad cover letter. When I say bad, I mean boring and pointless.

ChatGPT and other AI-powered writing tools work by feeding the underlying model large amounts of data so it can learn to recognise patterns and reliably ‘predict’ the next word in a sentence needed for it to make sense.

And if multiple candidates use the same AI tool and input the same job ad specs, the chances of your cover letter standing out are zero to none.

HR expert and workplace thought leader Liz Ryan said the strongest job applications come from deep insights into what you want from a job and why — as you are the expert on you.

Numerous hiring managers have taken to LinkedIn recently to vent their frustration about AI-generated drivel that they find an immediate turn-off.

What’s worse? A number of candidates have forgotten to remove their AI prompt text, making it even more obvious they’re just dialling it in.

Of course, your skill in wrangling AI tools makes a difference here.

Taking the AI’s output and using it verbatim is lazy and defeats the purpose of a cover letter.

However, you can save time by creating a rough draft with AI and then making it more targeted and personalised from there. You might also use AI to:

(Related: 10 Perfect Australian Resume Examples).

How To Kick Off Your Cover Letter.

The top thing hiring managers are looking for when conducting interviews is a candidate’s “enthusiasm for the opportunity”, according to a recent LinkedIn survey.

Your cover letter is where you can begin to convey your eagerness.

You can use words like ‘excited’, ‘eager’, ‘love’, ‘happy’ — but it’s critical to naturally weave them into your sentences, and be as authentic as possible.

For example:

As you describe your motivations for joining a team, make it more impactful by providing evidence that your interests are aligned with their interests.

That requires some research into the employer, and being able to tie it back to your credentials and experiences.

For example, you might include a paragraph like this:

What Is Your Value Proposition?

How will you differentiate yourself from the pack? If everyone has similar qualifications and years of experience, you need to go deeper.

Reflect on how your education, experience and achievements from previous roles intersect with your:

For example:

You can see with the example above that while the 40% achievement might be listed on your resume, space would prevent you from providing this kind of context and insight into your individual ethos.

(Related: Should You Remove Referees From Your Resume)?

Cover Letter Writing Cheat Sheet.

Your cover letter will position you as a winning candidate if you stick to these rules:

Important details to include and double-check before you hit send:

You should keep this stuff out of your cover letter:

How To Tailor Your Cover Letter.

I know tailoring your cover letter can be time-consuming. But failing to do so disrespects recruiters and gives them little reason to take an interest in you — they can spot a ‘spray and pray’ approach.

Just as it’s important to explain what makes you special, you need to clarify why you want the specific role at the specific company you’re applying to.

How To Wrap Up Your Cover Letter.

Along with the usual niceties, like thanking the recipient for their consideration, there should be a brief ‘call to action’ towards the end of your letter. 

For example:

Choose any professional-sounding sign-off that matches the formality you’ve used in your letter: ‘Sincerely’ or ‘Warm regards’ both work.

Jody