What the letter is actually for

Your CV proves you can do the job. The letter answers the two questions the CV can’t: why this job and why you, specifically, for it. If a line in your letter could be sent to any company, delete it — that’s CV material or filler.

The four-paragraph structure

  1. Opening — one sentence. The exact role and where you saw it: “I’m writing to apply for the Sales Assistant position at Brown Thomas, advertised on IrishJobs.ie.” No throat-clearing.
  2. Proof — the paragraph that gets the interview. Pick the one or two requirements from the ad you meet best and prove them with numbers: “At Arnotts I was top of my department for add-on sales six months running and trained four new starters.”
  3. Why them — one honest sentence. A real reason, not flattery: a product you use, a reputation you know first-hand, a direction they’re growing in.
  4. Close — make contact easy. CV attached, when you’re available, phone number, thank you.

Lines to steal (and their weak originals)

  • Weak: “I am a hardworking individual.” Strong: “In two years at SuperValu I missed one shift — and swapped it in advance.”
  • Weak: “I have excellent customer service skills.” Strong: “I handled 60+ customers a shift at peak and still got named on Google reviews twice.”
  • Weak: “Your company is a market leader.” Strong: “I’ve shopped in your Galway store for years — the floor team there is the standard I’d want to work to.”

Formalities that still matter in Ireland

  • Sincerely vs faithfully: named person → sincerely; “Dear Hiring Manager” → faithfully.
  • Find a name if you can. Thirty seconds on LinkedIn often turns up the store or hiring manager — a named letter reads as effort.
  • Match the register. A law firm letter and a café letter shouldn’t sound the same. Mirror the tone of the job ad.
  • One page. Always.

Ready-made starting points

We keep three full Irish letters — retail, office and graduate — with copy buttons on the cover letter samples page. Adapt one, then pair it with a CV from the free builder so the two documents match.

Frequently asked questions

Is a cover letter the same as a CV letter?

Yes — "CV letter", "covering letter" and "cover letter" all mean the same one-page letter that travels with your CV and explains why you fit this specific job.

How long should a cover letter be?

One page, 3–4 short paragraphs, around 250–350 words. Recruiters read it after the CV interests them — it should add a reason to call you, not repeat the CV.

Yours sincerely or yours faithfully?

Named the person ("Dear Ms Walsh") — end with "Yours sincerely". Didn’t name them ("Dear Hiring Manager") — "Yours faithfully". Getting this backwards is noticed more often than you’d think.

Do I always need a cover letter?

When the ad asks for one, always. When an application form has a "why do you want this role" box, that box is your cover letter. For speculative applications, the letter is the most important part — it explains why you’re writing at all.