Cover letter examples: three short letters that work

What good cover letter examples have in common

The three letters below are written for very different jobs, but they are built the same way. The first sentence says what the person does today and why they are applying. Then come two or three concrete pieces of evidence that answer what the ad asks for. Finally there is a short closing that says when the person can start.

Notice what is missing, too. None of the letters opens with “I am writing with reference to your advertisement”, none has long lists of personal qualities, and none is longer than a page. That is no accident. A short letter with examples is easier to read and easier to remember.

The letters are in English. Many employers in Norway accept applications in English, especially international companies, but if the ad is in Norwegian and you write Norwegian well, it is usually best to apply in Norwegian.

Example 1: cover letter for a shop assistant

The ad: Tindeland Sport is looking for a part-time sales assistant for afternoons and every other weekend. They want someone who can give good advice on hiking shoes and outdoor clothing. The letter:

Application for the part-time position of sales assistant

Hi Jonas,

I have worked as a checkout assistant in a busy supermarket for a year and a half, and I would like to bring that experience to Tindeland Sport. I train for orienteering four days a week and spend much of my free time outdoors, so I know the equipment you sell well.

At the supermarket I work the busiest shifts, Friday afternoons and Saturdays. I have learnt to keep the queue moving without rushing customers, and I am responsible for cashing up the till at closing time. When it is quiet, I restock shelves and help customers find what they need.

Your ad says you are looking for someone who can give good advice on hiking shoes and clothing. I have used many of the brands you stock myself, and I like to find out what customers will actually use the gear for before I recommend anything.

I am in my final year of upper secondary school and can work afternoons from 3 pm, every other weekend and during school holidays. I would be happy to come in for a chat.

Kind regards, Amira Haddad

Why the letter works:

• The first sentence says what she has done and where she wants to work, without repeating that she is applying.
• She shows experience with examples from busy shifts and responsibility for the till, not just words like “reliable”.
• She answers exactly what the ad asks for, advice on hiking shoes and clothing, and links it to her own interests.
• She says clearly when she can work, which matters most for a part-time job.
• The letter is under 200 words. For a part-time job, that is enough.

Example 2: cover letter for an office job

The ad: Kvitberg Regnskap AS is looking for an office administrator to handle invoicing, payment reminders and reception. Experience with the accounting system Tripletex is an advantage. The letter:

Application for the position of office administrator

Hi Hanne,

For the past four years I have worked as an order coordinator at a building supplies company, where I handle orders, invoices and customer enquiries by phone and email. I am applying for the role at Kvitberg Regnskap because I want to work more closely with finance, and because a small office like yours offers broad responsibility.

Today I send around 300 invoices a month and follow up customers who have not paid. In 2023 I took over the payment reminder routine and set up a fixed weekly plan, so outstanding amounts are now chased every week instead of once a month. I have used Tripletex every day for three years.

Your ad says the role also includes reception and welcoming clients. I enjoy that. Many of our customers are tradespeople who call in the middle of a job and need a quick answer, and I have learnt to be fast and precise without sounding abrupt.

I have a notice period of three months and can start on 1 March. I would be glad to tell you more in an interview.

Kind regards, Martin Kleve

Why the letter works:

• The opening says both what he does today and why he wants to move, in two sentences.
• The numbers make his experience concrete: how many invoices, when he took over and what he changed.
• He also answers the least exciting part of the ad, reception, and turns it into a strength.
• He names the system the employer uses, with the same word as the ad. That helps both the reader and the applicant tracking system.
• His notice period and start date make it easy for the employer to plan.

Example 3: cover letter for a recent graduate

The ad: Havbris Design, which sells interior products in its shop and online, is looking for a junior marketing coordinator who can create content and keep an eye on the numbers. The letter:

Application for the position of junior marketing coordinator

Dear Hiring Manager,

I completed a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration in June, specialising in marketing. My thesis looked at why customers return to local interior shops, so I was especially curious when I saw that Havbris Design is looking for a junior marketing coordinator.

In my final year I was marketing officer for the student association. I planned content for Instagram and the newsletter, and tested different posting times to see what got the most people to sign up for events. I have also worked part-time in a cafe for three years, so I am used to meeting customers every day.

Your ad says you want to grow the online shop and need someone who can create content and follow the numbers. I have used Google Analytics in one of my courses and in the student association, and I am keen to learn the tools you use.

I can start in August and would welcome an interview.

Kind regards, Tobias Nesheim

Why the letter works:

• He starts with his degree, which is his strongest point, and links his thesis directly to the industry.
• His role in the student association is used as work experience, with concrete tasks.
• The part-time job gets one sentence. It shows work ethic and customer contact without crowding out the most relevant points.
• He is honest about what he can do and shows he wants to learn the rest. That is credible for a junior role.
• If you are in the same position, read more in our guide to the CV for recent graduates.

How to use the examples in your own letter

The examples are there to show the structure, not to be copied. Employers read a lot of applications, and sentences from well-known templates get noticed. Use the techniques instead, and fill them with your own experience. Here is how:

• Write down the three most important requirements in the ad you are applying for.
• Find an example from your own experience for each one: a job, a volunteer role, a school project or something you have done in your free time.
• Write one short paragraph per example, saying what you did and what it led to.
• Write the opening last, once you know what your strongest point is.
• Read the letter aloud and cut anything that is not about the job. For more on structure, see our guide on how to write a cover letter.

Common mistakes when a letter is based on a template

Templates and examples are useful, but they often lead to the same mistakes. Check for these before you send:

• The name of another company is left over from the last application.
• The letter uses phrases like “I am a sociable and flexible person with a strong work capacity”, with no examples to back them up.
• The letter repeats the CV point by point instead of picking out what matters most.
• The tone is stiff and old-fashioned, with phrases like “I hereby apply” or “the undersigned”.
• There is nothing about why you want to work there in particular.
• The examples fit a different job from the one you are applying for.

From example to your own cover letter

Writing a new letter for every job takes time. In Selja you can paste the job ad into Create CV and cover letter and get a professional, ATS-friendly CV and cover letter tailored to the job in under a minute. If the ad is in English, the CV and letter are in English too. The letter only uses the information you have added yourself, so the examples are your own, and you can edit the text afterwards so it sounds like you. The feature is part of Pro and Premium.

If you want to check first whether your CV gets through applicant tracking systems, you can try a free ATS score and see which keywords from the ad are missing. And if you find an employer you want to work for but no vacancy, you can send an open application.