How Long Should a Cover Letter Be? Word Count

Recruiters spend an average of 7 seconds scanning a cover letter before deciding whether to keep reading. Length is your first impression — too long signals poor judgment, too short signals lack of effort.

The Exact Answer: How Long Should a Cover Letter Be?

A cover letter should be:

Word count: 250–400 words
Page length: One page maximum — never more
Paragraphs: 3–4 paragraphs
Reading time: Under 2 minutes

The ideal cover letter is one that a recruiter can read completely in the 30–60 seconds they have allocated for it — and still want to know more about you.

💡 The Goldilocks Rule: 250 words is the absolute minimum — anything less looks like you put in minimal effort. 400 words is the maximum before you risk losing the reader. 300–350 words is the sweet spot for most roles.

Cover Letter Length by Job Type

Job Type	Recommended Length	Tone
Corporate / corporate finance	300–400 words	Formal, precise
Tech / startup	200–300 words	Direct, personality-forward
Creative roles (design, marketing)	250–350 words	Voice-forward, show personality
Academic / research positions	400–600 words	Formal, detailed credentials
Executive / C-suite	350–450 words	Strategic, results-focused
Entry-level / internships	200–300 words	Enthusiastic, potential-focused

Why Most Cover Letters Are Too Long

The most common cover letter mistake is retelling your entire resume in paragraph form. Your resume already lists your experience — the cover letter should explain why that experience makes you the right person for this specific role.

Signs your cover letter is too long:

It runs onto a second page
You are summarising every job in your work history
You have an extended personal backstory before getting to the role
You are using more than 4 paragraphs
You have a sentence that starts "Throughout my career..."

The Perfect Cover Letter Structure (With Word Counts)

Opening paragraph (50–75 words)

State the role you are applying for and why you want it. Be specific — mention something concrete about the company. Avoid: "I am writing to apply for..." Prefer: "When I saw [Company]'s opening for [Role], I was immediately drawn to [specific reason]."

Main body paragraph 1 (75–100 words)

Your single strongest achievement or qualification that directly maps to the job requirements. Use numbers where possible: "increased monthly active users by 34%" beats "helped grow the product significantly."

Main body paragraph 2 (75–100 words)

A second relevant skill or experience, ideally showing a different dimension from the first paragraph. If paragraph 1 was technical, paragraph 2 might be leadership, communication, or adaptability.

Closing paragraph (50–75 words)

Reiterate your interest, thank them for their time, and include a clear call to action ("I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further"). Do not beg. Do not be passive: "I look forward to hearing from you" is fine; "I hope I might potentially be considered" is not.

⚠️ The Two-Page Cover Letter Trap: A two-page cover letter almost always signals poor communication skills — the very skill a cover letter is meant to demonstrate. If your letter is over one page, cut it in half. Every sentence that could be removed without losing key information should be removed.

Checking Your Cover Letter Word Count

Use our word counter to check your cover letter. Paste it in and you will instantly see word count, reading time, and sentence count. Aim for:

Word count: 250–400
Sentence count: 15–25 sentences
Reading time: 1:00–1:45 minutes
Average sentence length: 12–18 words (shorter = more readable)

Is a 500-word cover letter too long? ▾

For most roles, yes — 500 words is too long. It suggests you have not edited carefully and cannot communicate concisely, which is exactly the opposite of what a cover letter should demonstrate. The only exceptions are academic positions, executive roles, or situations where the application specifically asks for a detailed letter. Cut to 350–400 words.

Can a cover letter be 200 words? ▾

200 words is on the short side but acceptable for startup and tech roles where brevity is valued. Below 200 words, you risk looking like you put in minimal effort. If you genuinely have only 200 strong words to say, that is better than padding to 350 — but review carefully to ensure you have not left out anything important.

How Long Should a Cover Letter Be? Word Count, Pages & Tips 2026