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What hiring managers actually look for in a cover letter

Most cover letters say nothing. What to include, what to cut, and how to write one that adds to your application instead of repeating it.

Illustration · Cadence

This piece is part of the Career section of Cadence. Our full editorial drafts run roughly 1440–1680 words and are reviewed by an editor before publishing; the complete article is laid out in production.

Most cover letters say nothing. What to include, what to cut, and how to write one that adds to your application instead of repeating it.

What this article covers

A practical walk-through with concrete steps you can apply the same week, examples drawn from real workplaces, and a short summary you can return to later. Every claim is checked against our editorial standards.

Looking for the rest of the section? Browse more in Career, or read one of our fully published features from the homepage.

DR
Daniel ReyesSenior Writer — Career · Ex-Technical Recruiter · Certified Career Coach (CPCC)

Former corporate recruiter and career coach. Ten years on both sides of the hiring table. More from Daniel →

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