Structure: four short parts
- Opening (2–3 sentences): the role you're applying for and the one-line reason you fit.
- Evidence (1–2 paragraphs): two or three examples that match the employer's top priorities, with results.
- Why them (2–3 sentences): something specific about the company, team or product that connects to your experience.
- Close (1–2 sentences): interest in a conversation and a thank-you.
Write an opening that isn't generic
I am writing to express my interest in the position advertised on your website.
I'm applying for the Administrative Assistant role at Harbourline. For the past five years I've kept operations teams of 15+ organized, and your posting's focus on records and client follow-up is exactly the work I do best.
I believe I would be a great fit for your company.
I've spent four years building the kind of billing and account flows your team is rebuilding, most recently an invoicing module used by 1,200 business customers.
Full example
Dear Ms. Chen,
I'm applying for the Customer Support Representative role on Coastline Telecom's bilingual team. I've spent four years in retail and contact-centre support, most recently handling 45–60 billing and service inquiries per shift in English and Spanish.
Your posting emphasizes first-contact resolution and clear documentation. In my current role I keep a 94% satisfaction score, and I document every escalated call so the next agent doesn't need to ask the customer to repeat anything. I also suggested a clearer script for plan-change calls, which my team lead now uses to train new hires.
I'm especially interested in Coastline because of your expansion of Spanish-language support in the Lower Mainland. Many of the customers I help today have told me how much it matters to be served in their own language.
I'd welcome the chance to talk about how I can support your team. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Maria Santos
Use the letter to explain what the resume can't
- Career change: one or two sentences on why you're moving and which skills transfer directly.
- Relocation: "I'm relocating to Calgary in January and available to start from the 15th."
- Employment gap: a brief, factual line; you don't need to justify it in detail.
- International experience: context on the size or type of employer, if it's not obvious.
Format and details
- Address a person by name when you can find it; otherwise "Dear Hiring Manager" is fine.
- Same header, font and contact details as your resume.
- 250–400 words, one page, PDF unless asked otherwise.
- Company name and role title correct (the most common and most damaging mistake).
- No salary history, no personal details (age, marital status, photo).
When can you skip it?
If the application form has no place for a cover letter, don't force one in. If it's optional, write one for roles you care about; a specific letter can help, while a generic template adds nothing and can hurt. For roles that ask for one explicitly, always include it.
Draft cover letters from your real profile
- Keep your profile and master resume in your Tunquest account.
- For each saved job, generate a cover letter draft that connects your real experience to that posting's priorities.
- Edit it in your own voice, check names and facts, and download the PDF alongside the tailored resume.
With a free account, Tunquest finds up to 3 matching jobs a day in Canada and tailors your resume to each one. You review everything before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a Canadian cover letter be?
One page, typically 250 to 400 words in four short paragraphs.
Do Canadian employers read cover letters?
Many do, especially small and mid-sized employers and for roles with many similar applicants. Some large employers rely mostly on the resume.
Can I reuse the same cover letter?
You can reuse the structure and some sentences, but the opening, the evidence you choose, and the "why them" paragraph should change for each employer.