Cover Letter Word Counter — Aim for 250 to 400 Words

Paste a cover letter to check its length. The target is shorter than most people write: a cover letter that runs past a single page is usually read diagonally, if at all.

The right length is shorter than you think

Between 250 and 400 words — three or four short paragraphs on half a page to three-quarters of a page. A hiring manager working through a stack of applications gives each one well under a minute on the first pass, and a dense full page invites skimming rather than reading.

The temptation to go longer comes from wanting to cover everything on the job description. That is what the resume does. The cover letter's job is to explain the one thing the resume cannot: why this role, at this organisation, and why you.

What belongs in each paragraph

The opening should name the role and give a concrete reason you are writing — something specific about the organisation, not that you were excited to see the posting. Generic openings are the most common reason a letter is skimmed.

The middle one or two paragraphs take the single most relevant thing you have done and connect it to what the role needs. One example described properly beats four listed. Anything with a number in it survives; anything that could be said by any applicant should go.

The close asks for the interview and stops. "I look forward to hearing from you" is fine and needs no elaboration.

  • Opening — the role, and a specific reason for writing
  • Middle — one relevant example, connected to the job
  • Close — ask for the interview, then stop
  • Total — 250 to 400 words, three or four paragraphs

Common ways letters get long

Restating the resume in prose is the largest single cause, and it is the least useful content in the letter because the reader has the resume in front of them. Explaining why you left previous jobs is second — nobody asked, and it invites a question you did not need to raise.

The third is the paragraph about how much you admire the company, written from its About page. Everyone writes it and it reads the same every time. If you genuinely have a reason, one specific sentence does more than a paragraph of admiration.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many words should a cover letter be?

250 to 400 words across three or four paragraphs — half to three-quarters of a page. Past a full page it tends to be skimmed rather than read.

Should a cover letter fill the page?

No. Length is not the signal of effort people assume it is. A tight 300-word letter that says something specific outperforms a full page that restates the resume.

Should I repeat what is on my resume?

Avoid it — the reader already has the resume. Take one relevant thing from it and explain the context and the outcome, which is what the resume itself has no room for.

Do I need a cover letter if the application does not ask for one?

If there is a field for it, use it. If there is genuinely no way to attach one, that is the employer's answer. Where it is optional, a short specific letter is a low-cost advantage over applicants who skipped it.

Is my letter stored anywhere?

No. It is counted in this browser tab and nothing is transmitted or saved.

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