How long should a cover letter be?

Hi Sharon,

Cover letters are generally one page. Since most hiring managers or human resources are going through tons of resumes and cover letters everyday, you want the doc to be short and sweet. Since, resumes are straight forward and direct, containing most facts, you have to chance in the cover letter to let your personality shine. Hope that helps.

-Vivian

Cover letters are generally one page. I personally don't know of any exceptions for a cover letter needing to be longer than one page.

As answered above, It shouldnt be longer than 1 page. In fact, depending on your work/internship experiences it should be 3 paragraphs. First para you introduce yourself and talk about yourself. Second para, you can express your interest in the position while throwing light on your past experiences and education history. Lastly, you should emphasize on what value would you add to the organization and why you are the right candidate to be invited for an interview.
I have seen more success when i've followed that path instead of writing a generic cover letter.

Good Luck !

How long should your cover letter be?

How long should your cover letter be? A simple question, right? But if you ask different people, you might get a different answer each time.

While there are exceptions, in general, a page is fine. Of course, there is a lot to cover in a page. Alison Green of Ask A Manager has some great advice on how to ensure your cover letter stands out without being too long:

The litmus test is this: Does your letter make a compelling case for why you’d be awesome at the job, without repeating your work history?

If your letter does that but it’s longer than a page, look for ways to edit it down without losing its essence. If it’s half a page or less, you should just be damn sure that it’s truly passing that litmus test. It’s hard to meet that test if you’re writing very short. Not impossible, but a lot harder.

Read the rest of her advice here.

Determining how long your cover letter will be is just one aspect of crafting an application. You have to figure out what will be in it. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Follow any and all directions: Sometimes employers will ask you to answer questions in your cover letter. Regardless of how long your cover letter is, if you don’t follow directions, you risk not getting a chance at an interview.
Demonstrate a genuine interest in the mission: Hiring managers value commitment to the cause and experience. Showcase both in your cover letter without simply repeating your resume. This also requires that you craft a unique cover letter for each position.
Show some understanding of the role and organization: Demonstrate how and why you’re a great fit for both the job and the organization.