Overview

A cover letter is an opportunity to showcase your motivation and fit for a position. Claude can help you quickly generate cover letters tailored to specific positions, highlighting your strengths and enthusiasm.

Use Cases

Formal job applications
Internal transfer applications
Internship applications
Campus recruitment applications

Steps

Step 1: Gather Information

Prepare materials needed for the cover letter.

Please help me prepare cover letter materials:

**Job Information**:
- Company: TechCorp
- Position: Senior Frontend Engineer
- JD highlights: React, team collaboration, performance optimization

**Personal Information**:
- Current position: Mid-level Frontend Engineer
- Core strengths: 3 years React experience, performance optimization expertise
- Relevant project: Led company website refactoring, improved performance by 50%
- Motivation: Seeking more challenging projects

**Company Research**:
- Company product: E-commerce platform
- Company culture: Innovation, user-first
- Recent news: Completed Series B funding

Extract the core message the cover letter should convey

Step 2: Generate Cover Letter Structure

Design the cover letter framework.

Please generate cover letter outline:

## Opening (1 paragraph)
- State the position you're applying for
- Mention how you learned about it (job board/referral)
- One sentence summarizing your fit

## Body (2-3 paragraphs)
**Paragraph 1: Why I'm a good fit**
- Relevant experience and skills
- Specific project achievements
- Alignment with JD requirements

**Paragraph 2: Why I want to join**
- Understanding and appreciation of company/product
- Career goal alignment with company
- Value I can bring

**Paragraph 3 (optional): Additional highlights**
- Unique strengths or experiences
- Soft skills demonstration
- Personal qualities

## Closing (1 paragraph)
- Express anticipation
- Call to action (looking forward to interview)
- Thank them for reading
- Contact information

Total length: 300-400 words

Step 3: Write Complete Cover Letter

Generate the formal cover letter.

Please generate complete cover letter: ~/job/cover_letter_techcorp.md

---
Dear Hiring Manager,

I learned about the Senior Frontend Engineer position through your company website, and my technical background and project experience are highly aligned with the job requirements. I am writing to apply for this position.

I currently work as a Frontend Engineer at ABC Tech, with 3 years of React development experience. In my most recent project, I led the performance optimization refactoring of our company's main website. Through code splitting, lazy loading, and caching strategies, I reduced the initial page load time from 3.2 seconds to 1.5 seconds, improving the page performance score from 65 to 92, which directly contributed to a 15% increase in user retention. This experience gave me deep insights into all aspects of frontend performance optimization, which aligns perfectly with your company's high performance standards.

Your company's e-commerce platform has an excellent reputation in the industry, and I truly resonate with the "user-first" philosophy. I've been following your product iterations and particularly admire the recently launched AI recommendation feature. I look forward to joining such a team that pursues excellence and values innovation, applying my experience in large-scale application performance optimization to your products and delivering a smoother shopping experience to millions of users.

Beyond solid technical abilities, I have extensive experience in cross-functional team collaboration, having led a team of 5 to complete multiple high-quality deliveries. I believe my technical depth and teamwork skills can create value for your company.

Thank you for reading my application. I look forward to the opportunity to further discuss how I can contribute to your team and products. Looking forward to your reply!

Best regards,

Zhang San
Phone: 138-xxxx-xxxx
Email: zhangsan@email.com
January 15, 2025
---

Tone requirements:
- Professional but not stiff
- Confident but not arrogant
- Enthusiastic but not flattering
- Sincere but not emotional

Save as ~/job/cover_letter.md

Step 4: Create Different Versions

Adjust content for different positions.

Based on the template, generate 3 variants:

**Version A - Emphasize Technical Depth**
(For technology-driven companies)
- More technical achievements and solutions
- Less soft skills and teamwork

**Version B - Emphasize Business Understanding**
(For product-oriented companies)
- Highlight user and business understanding
- Show how technology solves business problems

**Version C - Emphasize Leadership**
(For Team Lead positions)
- Emphasize team management experience
- Show mentoring ability and developing new talent

Adjust core paragraphs for each version while maintaining overall structure

Step 5: Final Review

Ensure cover letter quality.

Please perform review:

**Content Check**:
- [ ] No typos or grammar errors
- [ ] Company name spelled correctly
- [ ] Position title accurate
- [ ] Numbers and facts verified
- [ ] Contact information correct

**Structure Check**:
- [ ] Clear paragraphs, one theme per paragraph
- [ ] Appropriate length (not exceeding 1 page)
- [ ] Key information in first half
- [ ] Clear call to action

**Tone Check**:
- [ ] Avoid cliches ("I am a... person")
- [ ] Avoid empty adjectives ("excellent" "outstanding")
- [ ] Use specific examples instead of abstract descriptions
- [ ] Avoid excessive humility or arrogance

**Customization Check**:
- [ ] Mention specific company information (product/news)
- [ ] Match JD keywords
- [ ] Show understanding of the position
- [ ] Demonstrate personal uniqueness

Generate checklist

Warning: Don't use generic templates. HR can tell when you're mass sending. Every cover letter should be customized, mentioning specific company and position information. Avoid exaggeration and false statements.

Tip: Make the opening grab attention. Don't start with "My name is XXX, I want to apply for YYY" - that's wasted space. Jump right into your biggest highlight: "I've tripled team efficiency in 3 years, and now I want to bring that experience to your company..."

Common Questions

Q: Is a cover letter required? A: Check the job requirements. If explicitly required, you must write one. If optional, strongly recommended—it helps you stand out. For competitive positions, a cover letter is your chance to show motivation.

Q: Should I mention salary expectations in the cover letter? A: Unless specifically requested, don't volunteer this. Save salary discussions for the interview. If required, state a reasonable range with justification.

Q: Who should the cover letter be addressed to? A: If you know the hiring manager's name, address them directly ("Dear Ms. Zhang"). If not, use "Dear Hiring Manager." Avoid overly formal phrases like "To whom it may concern."