What is a cover letter? Meaning, purpose and an example

The purpose of a cover letter

• To connect your CV to the job. Your CV is about your career in general; the letter shows how it fits this role.
• To show motivation. Employers want people who chose them on purpose, not people who apply everywhere.
• To show communication skills. A clear, well-written letter is proof you can write professionally.
• To explain anything unusual, such as a career change, relocation or a gap in employment.
• To make a personal connection that a CV alone cannot.

Cover letter vs CV

A CV is a structured summary of your education, experience and skills. It is mostly the same for every application, apart from tailoring. A cover letter is written in full sentences, addressed to a specific employer and job, and changes every time. The CV answers “what have you done?”; the cover letter answers “why should we interview you for this job?”

Cover letter vs application letter

In many African countries the terms are used interchangeably. Where there is a difference, an application letter tends to be more formal and can stand alone (common for government and teaching posts), while a cover letter accompanies a CV and is common in private companies and international organisations. The structure is almost the same.

What goes in a cover letter?

1. 1

   Header

   Your contacts, the date and the employer's details.

2. 2

   Greeting

   A named person if possible, or “Dear Hiring Manager”.

3. 3

   Opening

   The job you are applying for and your strongest selling point.

4. 4

   Body

   Two or three examples that prove you meet the main requirements.

5. 5

   Why this employer

   What attracts you to the company and what you will bring.

6. 6

   Closing

   Reference your attached CV, request an interview and thank them.

When do you need a cover letter?

• When the advert asks for one: always include it.
• When applying for competitive or senior roles.
• When changing careers or explaining a gap.
• When emailing a CV directly to a hiring manager (a short cover note in the email works).
• Graduate programmes, internships and NGO roles almost always expect one.

What makes a good cover letter?

• It is written for one job and one employer.
• It is one page or less.
• It gives evidence, such as numbers and examples, rather than adjectives.
• It sounds confident and professional, not desperate.
• It has no spelling or name mistakes.

A quick example: CV line vs cover letter sentence

Your CV might say: “Rebuilt the customer dashboard in Next.js, cutting load time by 45%.” Your cover letter turns that fact into a reason to hire you for this specific role: “Your advert stresses performance for customers on slow mobile connections. When I rebuilt our dashboard in Next.js, load times fell by 45% and support tickets dropped by 20%, and I would bring the same focus to your product.” The CV states the fact; the cover letter connects it to the employer's needs. That connection is the whole purpose of a cover letter.

Cover letter checklist

• Addressed to the right person and company.
• Names the exact job title.
• Opens with your strongest relevant point.
• Gives two or three specific, true examples.
• Explains why you want this employer.
• Under one page, no spelling errors.
• Matches your CV's header and style.

Cover letter at a glance

• Length: one page, 250–400 words.
• Sent: with your CV, by email, portal or post.
• Written for: one employer and one job.
• Main aim: to show why you are a strong fit and get an interview.

How to create a cover letter quickly

Start with our cover letter template, or let AI write a first draft from your CV and the job advert, then personalise it. Your letter is saved with your CV, so you can update it for the next application in a minute.

Cover letter example

Grace Wanjiru Kamau
Nakuru, Kenya · +254 712 345 678 · grace.kamau@email.com

3 November 2026

The Hiring Manager
Lakeside Dairies Ltd
Nakuru

Dear Hiring Manager,

RE: SENIOR ACCOUNTANT

I am excited to apply for the Senior Accountant role advertised on BrighterMonday. As a CPA(K) with five years in agribusiness and audit, I bring exactly the reporting, tax and team skills your advert describes.

At Rift Valley Fresh Produce, I cut our month-end close from 12 to 5 working days and have filed every VAT and PAYE return on time through iTax since joining. I prepare IFRS financial statements for a business with KES 400 million turnover and supervise two accounts assistants.

My three years at Mwangi & Partners gave me a strong audit background across more than 20 clients, so I know what auditors expect and how to prepare for them, something that will help Lakeside Dairies as you expand processing.

I would welcome the chance to discuss how I can strengthen your finance team. Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,

Grace Wanjiru Kamau

Frequently asked questions