how to write a cover letter bcg

BCG Cover Letter: Our Step-by-Step Guide + Examples

• Last Updated March, 2024

Former McKinsey and Bain recruiter

The most common question I was asked as a recruiter, and now as a recruiting coach, is “Do I need to write cover letters for my consulting applications?” This is usually followed up with “And do I need to tailor my cover letter for every firm?”

I think most people hope I’ll say no to both questions, as writing a cover letter can be pretty daunting, and tailoring it for every firm seems way too time-consuming to be worth the effort.

At My Consulting Offer, we’ve helped over 600 clients land offers with consulting firms. Our approach to how to write a great consulting cover letter has, for many, been a deciding factor in them landing interviews.

In this article, we’ll discuss:

• What makes a great consulting cover letter.
• How to tailor your consulting cover letter to what BCG is looking for – a step-by-step guide.
• How BCG and other consulting firms review your cover letter.
• A sample BCG cover letter that successfully landed an interview.
• 5 tips for writing a BCG cover letter.

Let’s get started!

What Makes a Great Consulting Cover Letter

The consulting cover letter works alongside your resume to show the firms you’re applying to that you have the potential to be a great consultant.

Think of it as a flashy introductory accessory to your resume that highlights your most impressive and unique qualities, and grabs the reader’s attention so they’ll be excited to read your resume.

However, it’s important to get it right. 

A Strong Consulting Cover Letter: The Basics

As a recruiter, I saw way too many examples of applicants who had clearly not put any effort into their cover letter. Getting the basics right, such as ensuring the company name is correct, is essential (but not everyone gets that right). 

On the flip side, I received cover letters from applicants who were perhaps a little too eager to stand out. Poetry and “love letters” were not uncommon but a little ill-judged. The urge to be distinctive should not outweigh your consideration of the audience. Professionalism and appropriateness are key.

The consulting cover letter not only needs to have the impact required to engage the reader, it also needs to show them that you’ve done your research and thought about how you’re a great fit for consulting, and for their particular firm. It must also show how you’ll bring value to the role through your experiences and appetite to learn relevant skills.

You definitely can’t send the same cover letter to every consulting firm you’re applying to and assume that you’ll be successful. You’ve got to show each and every firm that you’re worth an interview.

That’s a lot to think about, right? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Nail the case & fit interview with strategies from former MBB Interviewers that have helped 89.6% of our clients pass the case interview.

A Strong Consulting Cover Letter: Stand Out from the Crowd

After you’ve got the basics right, you need to identify what the consulting firm you’re applying to is looking for. Consulting firms typically seek candidates with great problem-solving, analytical, creative thinking, communication, team working, and leadership skills. 

So how can you include these in your cover letter while also tailoring it to an individual firm?

We recommend you focus on the firms’ values. These are how consulting firms distinguish themselves from other consulting firms.

You can easily find out what a firm’s values are by either typing “[firm name] values” into your search engine or by visiting the firm’s career page where they typically list these and provide detail on what they mean.

Now think about your own professional and personal experiences. Focus on experiences that you are proud of, received great feedback on, or demonstrate how you overcame a particularly tough challenge. Give some context of the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome that was reached, quantifying the results where possible. Try to ensure they include at least one of the consulting skills mentioned above.

Once you’ve outlined a few stories, you can then see how they might fit with the values of the firms you’re applying to. You may need to tweak some slightly, but you’ll probably find it pretty easy to link your stories to each firm’s values. 

And you don’t necessarily need to address all of the values, particularly if a firm has more than four, as you don’t want your cover letter to be more than a page.

The additional benefit of approaching your cover letter in the way we recommend is that you don’t need to explain your “why” for each firm. It will be clear by how your experiences resonate with their specific values. This shows how you’re a great fit. 

You can find out more about writing consulting cover letters by reading A Consulting Cover Letter that Lands Interviews: Our Complete Guide . For this article, we’re going to break it down by focusing on just one firm – BCG.

Tailor Your BCG Cover Letter to What BCG is Looking for

Step 1: Find out who to address your cover letter to at BCG.

It may differ between offices, depending on size, but you can usually find the key recruiting contact on the career page or by searching on LinkedIn. It may be a recruiter who handles recruiting for your university across regional offices for instance, or perhaps a recruiter who manages experienced professional recruiting for the office you’re applying to. 

Addressing your cover letter to someone specific and relevant helps to show that you’ve done your research and that you care about the impression you’re making. Firms often display their key recruiting contacts on the careers pages of their websites. Alternatively, you could search LinkedIn for roles such as Talent Acquisition Manager, Recruiting Manager, or Senior Recruiter and then locate the relevant person who looks after either the stream you’re applying through (for instance, experienced professional, undergraduate) or the office they recruit for, which is usually detailed in their profile.

Step 2: Create your opening paragraph.

Keep it concise, ideally no more than four or five lines. Introduce yourself and express your interest in applying to BCG and the specific role you’re applying for, which will typically be Associate or Consultant but may be a more specialist role, for instance, within BCG Gamma. You may also want to write a short sentence on “ why consulting ” here. Talk about how your experiences resonate with their values and state specifically which ones.

You can find BCG’s values by Googling “BCG values” or by visiting their “ our people and culture ” page directly. This content gives you a really good feel for how having the right people and developing a unique culture is so important to BCG. 

Scroll down to where they talk about the values driving their culture. There’s a great mini slideshow of their values and what they mean. Here’s a snapshot:

• Integrity – as an expression of courage and accountability
• Diversity – of thought, expertise, experience, and background
• Respect for the individual – as their capacity for desire and personal growth
• Clients come first – we measure our success by our clients’ success
• The strategic perspective – enabling clients to deliver superior results in a sustainable manner
• Value delivered – in the form of tangible, positive, and lasting change
• Partnerships – a long-term view guides BCG’s relationships both internally and with clients
• Expanding the art of the possible – because the goal is not simply to apply best practice but to invent it
• Social impact – make the world a better place

These values are created to be meaningful and inspiring, representing what BCG stands for, and making you want to be a part of BCG’s unique culture.

BCG has more stated values than most other firms, but this can actually make it easier as you can select the ones that resonate most with your own values and the stories you’ve written. I’d recommend choosing three or four, depending on the length of your stories.

Step 3: Organize your stories for the greatest impact.

Once you’ve chosen your stories to meet the values you’ve selected, list your strongest first and the weakest in the middle (although it should still be strong). List your stories in bullet point format and use the value as a heading.

Step 4: End your cover letter by reiterating your interest in BCG and how you appreciate their consideration. And don’t forget to sign off. Electronic signatures are the norm these days, just don’t use a script font here as this can look too artificial.

In addition to this publicly available information about what BCG looks for in its candidates, my colleague Valentin has written an article with the insider perspective on what’s important to BCG . This includes drive, a tailored approach, and the BCG attitude. Check it out to make your BCG cover letter to be extra special.

How BCG & Other Consulting Firms Review Your Cover Letter

As a recruiter for seven years with McKinsey and then a recruiting manager for nearly five years with Bain, both in London, I’ve read tens of thousands of resumes and accompanying cover letters. London is one of the most coveted offices, so applications came in thick and fast during recruiting season and continued throughout the whole year. 

I received cover letters from undergraduate students, postgraduate students, MBA students, and experienced professionals throughout my recruiting career, all eager to impress, but not always getting it right. 

I had letters consisting of just a few lines that didn’t tell me anything about the person, and others that provided their life story across multiple pages. Some were addressed to another company, others had lots of spelling mistakes or poor grammar. I’ve read very entertaining letters (although perhaps not always appropriate) as well as letters that were lacking in any engaging content at all.

The ones that grabbed my attention in a good way, were those that were concise, clearly laid out, showed me that the applicant had done their research on the company I worked for, demonstrated their unique qualities, and told me how they would be a great fit for us.

To make it easier for recruiters who read hundreds of cover letters every year, follow these basic principles. 

And to ensure your cover letter then stands out from the competition, I recommend you use My Consulting Offer’s approach. The more experienced a recruiter is, the easier it is for them to skim through cover letters, so you need to be able to impress them really quickly.

Successful BCG Cover Letter Samples

5 tips for writing a bcg cover letter that stands out.

• Find out who at BCG will be reviewing your application and address your letter to them (and their team).
• Research BCG’s values and select the 3 or 4 that resonate with you and your experiences.
• Create or adapt your stories to fit the values you’ve chosen, focusing on specifics and structuring them so that they include the context, challenge, actions you took, and the results you reached.
• Ensure you’re also demonstrating relevant skills in your stories such as problem-solving, leadership, and communication.
• Get the basics right. Ensure you’re referring to BCG in your letter throughout, keep it to one page, use bullet points for ease of reading, and check for spelling and grammar errors.

In this article, we’ve covered:

• What a consulting cover letter looks like
• A step-by-step guide to how to tailor your cover letter to BCG
• How recruiters at consulting firms review cover letters
• A sample cover letters that landed our client an interview with BCG
• Our top 5 tips for writing a successful BCG cover letter

Still have questions?

If you have more questions about the Boston Consulting Group cover letter, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s recruiters will answer them.

Other people looking for advice on BCG cover letters found the following pages helpful:

• Consulting Cover Letters
• Consulting Resumes
• Consulting Networking
• BCG Recruiting
• BCG Case Interview

Help With Your Consulting Application

Thanks for turning to My Consulting Offer for advice on case study interview prep. My Consulting Offer has helped 89.6% of the people we’ve worked with get a job in management consulting. We want you to be successful in your consulting interviews too. For example, here is how Afrah Arif was able to get her offer at Deloitte .

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3 Things Consulting Firms Actually Look for in Your Application

We are sharing our powerful strategies to get your foot in the door, even if you have a low GPA, have little to no business experience, or study a non-business-related major.

No thanks, I don't want free strategies to get into consulting.

We are excited to invite you to the online event., where should we send you the calendar invite and login information.

Consulting cover letter guide (for McKinsey, BCG, Bain, etc.)

Today we’re going to explain everything you need to know about writing consulting cover letters.

We’ll start by reviewing an example cover letter that got interview invitations from ALL the MBB firms (McKinsey, BCG, and Bain). 

And then we’ll explain exactly how you should write your own cover letter to land consulting interviews. Here’s a full list of the topics in this guide:

• Example cover letter

How to write your consulting cover letter

Consulting cover letter tips.

• The skills consulting firms look for

Consulting cover letter screening process

• Get help with your cover letter

Let’s get to it! 

Click here for a consulting letter/resume review with an ex-MBB consultant

Example cover letter (which got interviews at mckinsey, bcg, and bain).

Below is an anonymised cover letter from a candidate who got interviews at McKinsey, BCG and Bain. So you can trust that this template works.

The image here highlights the different sections of the cover letter, but we’ll dive deeper into the text later, and you can also get a downloadable copy below.

Free download of the consulting cover letter example, here. 

In the next section, we’ll go step-by-step through each part of the cover letter and explain how to go about writing it. But before we dive in, please note the following points about the above template:

• A lot of people use this template. Get inspiration from it, but every sentence in your letter should be written from scratch.
• This cover letter might sound impressive. It's one of the best ones we’ve seen. But even if you have not achieved as much as this person, you can still get an interview.

With that said, let’s dig into the cover letter writing process!

As a starting point, this video provides a nice overview of the full writing process for a consulting cover letter. 

Now let’s break things down further.

1. Introduction

Example - Introduction

Mary Taylor - [email protected]

DD / MM / YYYY

Dear Sir / Madam,

I would like to apply for an Associate position at McKinsey in London.

This section is a formality. It should simply state the following information:

• Your name and email address. You can replace your email address with a postal address although those are not commonly used anymore.
• The date on which you are sending your letter
• The position, company, and office to which you are applying

Keep it short and sweet.

2. Why you? 

Example - Why you?

I started working as an Analyst at Big Finance in New York in September 2020 and was quickly promoted to Associate in a year and a half instead of the average four years. While at Big Finance, I advised a broad range of clients who constantly gave me positive feedback and regularly asked to work with me again. Before joining Big Finance, I graduated as the top student of my MEng in Chemical Engineering at Prestigious University in the UK. While studying, I received two competitive scholarships and awards. In addition, I developed my leadership skills as the President of the Prestigious University Consulting Club. High energy was essential to lead a team of 5 managing the club and growing the number of members by 20%.

This is your "GOLD MEDALS" section. It is the first section of your cover letter and therefore the most important one.

It should state the TOP 3 achievements of your life to date that are relevant to consulting. These achievements should be as unique and as memorable as possible. When your reviewer reads them they should think "Wow, that's impressive. I want to know more about this person."

To write this section you need to step back and ask yourself "What are the most impressive things I've done with my life so far?" This is not an easy question to answer. 

In our experience discussing this with a close friend can help. It's sometimes easier for them to quickly point out the impressive things you have done as they are an external observer.

In addition, notice how achievements are QUANTIFIED in the example above. Saying you have been promoted "in a year and a half instead of the average four years" is much more powerful than saying you have been promoted "quickly." You should quantify your achievements whenever possible.

This section is your chance to grab the reader's attention. If there's nothing impressive in it, they will stop reading and just scan the paragraphs. So don't miss your opportunity!

3. Why consulting?

Example - Why consulting?

There are several reasons why I want to pursue a consulting career. To start with, I know I will enjoy being a strategy consultant because I have already worked in a strategy team in the past. This was in summer 2019 when I was a Strategy Intern at Big Grocery Retailer in London. In addition, I think consulting is a unique opportunity to comprehensively learn about business management by working on a variety of company situations. Over the past two years, I have started building my business skills while advising clients on financial matters at Big Finance. I now look forward to learning more about companies’ management at McKinsey. Finally, I want to work in consulting because I truly enjoy interacting with clients. Throughout my work experiences I have built a successful track record of developing and maintaining relationships with clients including, for instance, the senior strategy team at Big Grocery Retailer.

Once you have convinced your reviewer that you have impressive achievements under your belt they'll be thinking: "Ok, this person is impressive. But do they REALLY want to be a consultant? Or are they just applying because they're not sure what to do with their career."

The third section of your letter should therefore answer the  "Why consulting?" question . But here is the thing about this question: There are some reasons to go into consulting that you should tell your reviewer about. And some reasons that you should really keep to yourself.

For instance, one of the mistakes candidates commonly make in their cover letter is to write something along the lines of "I'd like to spend 2 or 3 years in consulting to learn more about business in general and then decide what I want to do." This is a HUGE mistake. 

Consulting firms want to hire FUTURE PARTNERS. Not employees who will stay for a couple of years. You can watch the video below for more details about this.

The best approach for your "Why consulting?" section is to write about past experiences that really show you know what you are getting into. The perfect situation is if you have done an internship in consulting or in corporate strategy and have enjoyed it. If that's the case, this is the perfect section to write about it.

But even if you haven't done related internships, there are plenty of angles you can use to connect your past experiences to what you will do as a consultant. For instance:

• You might have enjoyed working with clients when you were in M&A or in Sales
• You might have enjoyed structuring and solving tough problems as an engineer

You should use these experiences to say that "working with clients" or "solving tough problems" is something you KNOW you enjoy doing; and you look forward to spending more time doing this as a consultant.

When they read this section, your reviewer should think: "Ok, this person is impressive AND they know what they are getting into."

4. Why McKinsey / BCG / Bain / Other?

Example - Why McKinsey?

McKinsey appeals to me for three reasons. To start with, the different people from the company I have met and worked with all told me they had truly enjoyed their time there. For the past two years, I have worked for Michael Smith, a former Engagement Manager from the London office, who now works for Big Finance. Additionally, I regularly read McKinsey’s reports on financial services and think the insights delivered by Sarah James and others in the Finance practice are truly superior to that of other consultancies. By joining McKinsey, I therefore think I would have an opportunity to work with and learn from the best consultants in the industry. Finally, the fact that McKinsey was selected by Finance Supercorp to shape its digital strategy also played an important role in my decision to apply. This was a first-of-its-kind contract in finance and it shows that while at McKinsey I could get the opportunity to work on truly unique projects.

If you have managed to convince your reviewer that you have an impressive background and that you really want to be a consultant, you have a VERY HIGH chance of getting an interview. 

The only question that's left for you to answer is: " Why McKinsey  / Why BCG? / Why Bain? "

Top consulting firms  have a lot in common. In most regions, they cover the same industries and work for similar clients. They also pay similar salaries, and the career path is more or less the same from firm to firm. So what should you write about in this section?

In our experience, the most efficient way to set yourself apart in this section is to write about three specific elements:

When you write "I've met with Michael Smith," or "I've read report X," or "I've heard about project Y," you are making an argument that's SPECIFIC enough for your reviewer to think: "Ok they've done their homework."

If you stay too GENERIC, your argument will be much less credible. For instance, writing something like "While at McKinsey, I'll be exposed to a broad range of industries which I'm excited about" is a weak argument because you could swap McKinsey for BCG or Bain in that sentence.

In fact, this is the ultimate test. If you can swap McKinsey with another name in your "Why McKinsey?" section you are not being specific enough. You need to work on your paragraph again and mention SPECIFIC people, reports, or projects that you find interesting.

5. Conclusion

Example - Conclusion

For all these reasons, I am very enthusiastic about the chance to work at McKinsey. I am available for an interview at any time and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Mary Taylor

The last section of the cover letter is a formality again. It should include the following elements:

• A sentence or two saying that you are enthusiastic and available for interviews at any time
• Your final signature

So how do you make it easy for your reviewer to put your cover letter on the "Accept" pile? We have put together the 10 tips below to make sure you can achieve this and avoid common mistakes.

Tip #1 Don't use a template letter

Writing cover letters is painful. But trust us, reading hundreds of them can be at least as painful. That's why you should make every effort to make your letter interesting and genuine. 

It's ok to get inspiration from templates such as the one we provide in this guide. But every sentence in your letter should be written from scratch.

Tip #2 Keep it to one page

One of the unwritten rules of consulting cover letters is that they should not be longer than one page. The trick to achieve this is to only select the MOST RELEVANT experiences from your  resume  and to summarise them. 

The points you decide to highlight should clearly demonstrate that you would make a great consultant.

Tip #3 Standard format and font

It's tempting to use an eye-catching font and format. But that's actually a bad idea. You only risk your interviewer thinking: "I've never seen this font, it looks really weird. Who is this person?" Your cover letter should stand out because of its content, NOT because of its format.

Tip #4 Not the time to be shy

Your cover letter is not the time to be shy. If you went to Harvard and have three Olympic medals, now is the time to say it! Most of us don't, and that's fine. But the point is that you should really push yourself to bring your most impressive accomplishments forward.

Tip #5 Network, network, network

This might sound surprising, but a big part of the cover letter is  how much networking you have done . Having networked with people from the firm you are applying for pays dividends for multiple reasons. 

First, they might recommend you to the HR team. But most importantly, these people will give you insight into what makes their firm UNIQUE. Then you can quote what you've heard in your cover letter (and name drop the person you heard it from) to show that you really understand the firm you are applying for.

Tip #6 Read, read, read

Unfortunately, networking is not always easy or possible. In these cases, your second best option is to read as much as you can on the firms you are applying for. You should read about the firm's projects, reports, and partners and find pieces of information you are really interested in. 

For instance, if you did your master thesis on electric vehicles, try to find who works in this area at the firm and what they have to say about it. And then mention what you have found in your cover letter.

Tip #7 One letter per firm

One question we often get is: "Should I write one letter per firm?" The answer is YES. But it's not as hard as it might sound. 

Every cover letter needs to answer three questions: Why you? Why consulting? And why this firm? The only paragraph you will need to change in every letter is the one about "Why this firm?" For each firm, you will have to do the networking and reading mentioned above.

Tip #8 Start writing early

Writing an outstanding cover letter is VERY HARD. Most candidates underestimate how much time it takes and start this process too late. You'll need to take a step back and reflect on everything you have done to date to highlight your most relevant experiences. 

This takes multiple iterations. Start early.

Tip #9 Get feedback

In our experience, great candidates all look for feedback and iterate on their cover letter until it's truly as good as it can get. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it.

It’s best to get feedback from peers or consultants. These people will be able to point out which parts of your letter they don't get or don't find impactful enough. If you’d like to have an expert review your cover letter, check out our team of  ex-consultant coaches .

Tip #10 Proofread multiple times

Finally, you should check and double check your letter for typos and grammar mistakes - multiple times. A cover letter is (not so secretly) a writing test and you should really treat it like one.

What consulting firms look for

To get multiple interviews at  top consulting firms , it’s extremely important to understand what those firms are actually looking for. 

The good news is that most of the leading consultancies are looking for basically the same skills. 

To illustrate this point, here’s what  McKinsey  and  Bain  say that they’re looking for in candidates, along with our own translation of what they mean:

There are also a few unofficial items that consulting firms will look for on your resume, and you can read about those in our  consulting resume guide .

Next, let’s talk about the typical cover letter screening process.

Screening process

Now let's talk about HOW your cover letter will be handled once you send it. Here's how it works.

Your application will be sent to a JUNIOR CONSULTANT who recently graduated from your University. They will score your documents based on a grid provided by the HR team. 

Consultants usually have to score 200 to 400 applications in about 2 weeks. And this is sometimes on TOP of their normal project. It's not uncommon for them to leave the job to the last minute and to have to do it on a Friday night just before the deadline.

Why is this important? The point we are trying to make is your application is part of 100 other applications. And the person who will review it will be tired by the time they get to your cover letter. If they don't understand something, they won't Google it. It's your job to make their job easy.

Why consultancies ask for a cover letter

There are two main reasons why consulting firms ask for cover letters.

First, partners bill several thousand dollars per day to their clients. The opportunity cost of interviewing you is HUGE for the firm. Put yourself in the shoes of a consultancy for a second. What are the top 3 questions you want to answer before investing money in interviewing a candidate?

• Have they demonstrated the skills needed to be a consultant?
• Do they know what consulting is and what they are getting into?
• Are they genuinely interested in working for our firm?

If you don't answer these three questions in a structured and impactful way, your chances of getting past the screening process are very low. This is why every cover letter should be structured as follows:

• Why consulting?
• Why this firm?

The second reason consulting firms ask for a cover letter is to test your writing skills. Consultants write all the time: emails, PowerPoints, Word documents, etc. They spend about 50% of their day writing. And a lot of the time their job is to summarise very large quantities of information in a succinct way.

This is exactly what you have to do in your cover letter. You have to a) look back on all your past experiences, b) select the relevant experiences to convince the reviewer that you are the right person for the job and c) summarise all these experiences in a way that's easy to read and digest.

Cover letters are a disguised writing test. Candidates who end up getting invited for interviews recognise this early on. Making a good impression on paper is way harder than making a good impression in person.

Are many candidates ready to invest HOURS in writing the perfect cover letter? No. That's the whole point. That's how you can set yourself apart. If you spend enough time making sure that your letter is as impactful as it can be, you stand very high chances of getting invited for interviews.

Another reason that it can help to have a cover letter is to explain anything on your resume that may look unusual to a reviewer, such as a time gap or a non-traditional background for consulting. 

Whatever your unique situation is, if you’re not confident in how your cover letter looks today, then we can help you. 

Get an Ex-MBB consultant to review your cover letter

The guide above, in addition to our guide on  consulting resumes , should go a long way in helping you craft documents that will get you interviews. 

But if you still feel you need additional help, we have a team of ex-MBB recruiters and interviewers who would be happy to provide feedback on your cover letter.

You’ll get feedback on how to immediately improve your cover letter, including what experience to focus on, how to optimise your phrasing, formatting, etc.

Start by browsing profiles for available coaches.

Related articles:

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Best approach for a cover letter (bcg / mckinsey).

I am writing to ask for advice on how to write a cover letter in terms of content as well as structure. I have read different suggestions on different sites (e.g. one of them says it is good to have sub-headings of the values of the company and write a ‘story’ for each), so I am not really sure what is the best approach. I have written many cover letters in the past but I really want to nail it.

What is your advice? 

(I am currently writing one for BCG specifically, but it would also be great to know it for McKinsey)

Many thanks in advance!

Overview of answers

• Date ascending
• Date descending

You can structure a cover letter into 4 parts:

• Introduction , mentioning the position you are interested in and a specific element you find attractive for that company
• Why you are qualified for the job , where you can report 3 skills/stories from your CV for skills relevant to that firm (eg leadership, convincing stakeholders, drive in achieving results, teamwork)
• Why you are interested in that particular firm , with additional 1-2 specific reasons
• Final remarks , mentioning again your interest and contacts

In part 2 you can  write about experiences that show skills useful in consulting . Ideally you will craft this according to the values they are looking for in a particular company.

It is  important that in part 3 you make your cover letter specific to a particular firm  – the rule of thumb is, can you send the exact same cover to another consulting company if you change the name? If that’s the case, your cover letter is too generic.

Hope this helps,

Hi Francesco, Thanks a lot for your answer! One small additional question: would you recommend me to write my address / other info on the top left corner as many cover letter examples have, or is it unnecessary to have such details in the letter? Thanks in advance!

Hi there, yes, you can do it, nothing wrong with that. Best, Francesco

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, I think you are overthinking the contents and structure of your cover letter since there are several ways to approach it. As long as you maintain the primary purpose of the cover letter, you should be fine.
• Moreover, while you should certainly tailor the cover letter to the specific companies you are applying to, the overall structure and contents should remain consistent.
• For the structure of the cover letter, I would advise you to start with a brief introduction, if necessary, followed by why you are the ideal candidate for the position, then explain why the company is the right fit for your career goals, and end with final remarks, if necessary.
• Lastly, while the second and third parts of the cover letter should always be included and detailed, I would highly advise you to include an introduction or final remarks only if there is something specific you want to mention. For example, an introduction could reference a recruiting workshop you attended and the recruiter you met, and final remarks could indicate your availability for interviews within a specific time frame.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

There are going to be many approaches, so please remember that there are multiple right answers here.

Please don't get too caught up on that - just write well, demonstrate your experience/experience, and demonstrate that this cover letter is for that company.

Personally, I advocate the appoach of an intro paragraph summarizing your skills/match. Then 2-3 paragraphs defending your skills (and tieing it back to that specific company's traits/asks).

By the way, you do not need a Cover Letter for McKinsey!

Great responses so far and you'll see that there isn't a ‘right' way of doing things regarding structure/format.

What I would say, however, is that style matters. Many candidates chose a cautious way of narrating their story on paper (or during the interviews e.g. McKinsey's PEI). I always advise against that and instead  make it sound exciting to really hook the reader. There's various techniques for this and it's really quite effective.

Please let me know if this is something I can help with.

Best of luck! Moritz

Lots of great advice below. 

In general, you're looking at the following structure:

Paragraph 1: expressing your interest for a specific role and firm. Highlighting your 1-2 sentece value proposition

Paragraph 2-4: 2-3 bullet points which exemplify your value proposition (how you either developed those particular skills or how you exercised them in the past)

Paragraph 5: motivation as WHY that specific firm (be as specific as you can)

Paragraph 6: polite closing.

Best, Cristian

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Use these templates to write a standout cover letter that will get a recruiter's attention at top consulting firms like McKinsey and Bain

• A well-crafted cover letter can increase your chances of landing a job in management consulting. 

• Career coaches who've placed candidates at firms like McKinsey share ways to structure a cover letter.
• They also provided cover letter samples for undergraduate, MBA, and experienced candidates. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories .

The Great Resignation plunged millions of people into career transitions. Fifty-five percent of Americans who have resigned or indicated plans to leave their jobs say they would do so in search of better employment opportunities, according to recent job seeker survey from financial services firm Bankrate.

For those actively seeking new career paths, there's plenty of advice on how to conduct a job search . However, a contested aspect of the application remains whether or not cover letters are essential. Of course, many job seekers would rather forgo the task , but 26% of US recruiters still consider cover letters necessary .

Ultimately, your choice of career field is the most significant determinant of whether or not a cover letter is required. For instance, if you're applying for a management consulting job , a well-drafted cover letter might increase your chances of getting an offer. 

Top-notch consultancies are notoriously tough to break into, and they're some of the most selective employers worldwide. McKinsey & Company , for example, hires only 8,000 people out of 800,000 applications each year. An office at Bain & Co. might receive around 3,000 applications and recruiters only select 3% of the applicants that pool for an initial interview, according to Management Consulted.

Having a stand out cover letter is one way you can differentiate yourself from other applicants. It shouldn't replicate what you already mentioned in your résumé, but instead highlight the reasons you are the best person for the job and how you'd benefit the firm .

Insider spoke with Davis Nguyen , a former Bain consultant and founder of career resource company My Consulting Offer, Rebecca Smith-Allen, former McKinsey manager and career coach at My Consulting Offer, and Namaan Mian, director of strategy and operations at careers resource site Management Consulted, on how job candidates can improve their applications for a top firm. 

My Consulting Offer is a more than $10 million consulting recruitment company and works with over 600 job-seeking clients. Management Consulted works with more than 5,000 job seekers at over 75 universities each year.

These experts provided cover letter templates for undergraduates, business school students , and senior-level applicants who want to land consulting jobs at companies like McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) , and Accenture. 

Here's how to best structure your cover letters, and common mistakes to avoid. 

This article was originally published in January 2021.

Tailor your cover letter to align with the core values for the firm.

You should have a thorough understanding of the firm's values before applying. 

Nearly all consultancies look for candidates with impeccable problem-solving skills, good sportsmanship, and a strong acumen when building work relationships. But each firm has it's own set of core values, or employee qualities that recruiters look out for. 

McKinsey, for example, shared that they look for people with entrepreneurial drive . BCG is known for its emphasis on social impact projects and EY encourages applicants to highlight their intercultural experiences. 

Insider previously spoke with Keith Bevans , global head of consultant recruitment at Bain & Co., who shared that one effective way to stand out during the application process is to have clarity on why you want to work at the firm. 

"For me, understanding the journey you're on for your career and how Bain fits into that journey is step one," he said . "Step two is understanding the value proposition of Bain and how it's different than other consulting options that you consider."

Smith-Allen, former McKinsey manager and a career coach at My Consulting Offer, recommended that you tailor the cover letter for each firm to the characteristics they list on their career page. Start with the characteristics that are valued most by the firm, and give examples of you align with them, she wrote.

Quantify your achievements and show, don't tell.

When you're talking about a specific strength or skill, explain exactly how it will benefit the firm. Provide data to quantify your skills whenever possible.

For example, you might want to show that you helped increase revenue by 3% during a short time span. You can also include anecdotes about how you developed a fixed or reduced costs for your employer in your cover letter, Smith-Allen added.

The cover letter gives you an opportunity to share your most impressive achievements and expand the bullet points on your résumé. The one-pager should be packed with 2-3 stories detailing how you are an impactful leader, problem-solver, and so forth, Mian wrote in a post on Management Consulted.

Nguyen, founder of My Consulting Offer and a former Bain consultant, advised that providing bulleted anecdotes in your cover letter can be an effective way to show recruiters why you'd be a good fit. 

While McKinsey is looking for candidate qualities like entrepreneurial drive, problem-solving, and collaboration abilities, candidates can dedicate each bullet to examples of those three core values.

A bulleted paragraph on entrepreneurship can focus on a time when you tested out a side hustle idea. On the other hand, a collaborative story should emphasize your ability to work well with others and how you've navigated through workplace politics in the past, Nguyen added.

Proofread your letter and avoid common mistakes.

Always customize your cover letter. 

Much like letters for other companies, experts advised that you proofread your application for grammatical and errors that might hurt your chances (such as listing the wrong firm or position that you applied for). 

Smith-Allen mentioned that some red flags that can negatively impact your application including a low GPA, a gap in your work history, and an unexplained office location choice. A cover letter is an opportunity for you to address these issues and explain why.

If you have a low GPA or a work gap due to a family or health-related problem, you should share that with the hiring manager in the letter, she wrote.

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How to write a killer cover letter

Anyone who's ever applied for a job knows how stressful it can be. And for some, the hardest part is the cover letter.

It should be professional, but make you stand out. It should be short, but not too short.

While a cover letter can seem like a formality, it's an important first step in the process.

"It's your personal sales brochure," said James Innes, chairman of the James Innes Group and author of several career books. No wonder it's so daunting.

Here are a few tips to help you pen the cover letter most likely to get you hired.

Read the job posting closely

"The things that come at the top of the job description are the most important," said Martin Yate, career coach and bestselling author of the Knock 'Em Dead series.

To make sure you highlight the traits your potential employer really cares about, refer to the skills listed in the job posting to inform how you talk about yourself in your letter.

Yate suggested going a step further by reviewing job listings at several companies, and seeing if any skills or traits are repeated across an industry. "I would recommend collecting half a dozen job postings," he said. "Look at what they have in common."

Quality over quantity

When you're first looking for jobs, it can be tempting to send out a generic cover letter to as many employers as possible. But that doesn't work, Innes said. Recruiters can tell, and they don't like it.

Keith Bevans, head of Bain & Company's global consultant recruiting, warned that a poor cover letter can hurt an applicant's chances of getting the job. "The cover letter becomes an important data point on how good they are at certain skills that might be relevant to the job they're applying for," he said.

Related: How to answer the salary question during a job interview

Make a good first impression by ditching "to whom it may concern." Instead, look for the name of a hiring manager and address it to them. You should also try to find out a little bit about them, and say something nice about their achievements. "If you can flatter someone in the opening line and create a connection, you've got their attention," said Yate.

Tell a good story

Once you've determined what matters to employers, figure out what type of story you want to tell about yourself -- and be succinct.

"The best cover letters tend to be short and to the point," Bevans said. You don't want to repeat what's in your résumé.

Rather than telling employers what you think you're capable of, tell them what you've already achieved. "People are hired on credentials, not potential," said Yate. "We want to leave out things like 'I think I could do a great job.'" Offer specific, relevant examples, Innes added.

Related: What top employers look for in new college grads

Bevans noted that if you're going to use buzzy terms to describe yourself, you should be able to back them up. "A lot of students write cover letters that are like treasure maps with no treasure," he said. "If you say you're a good team player" you should have a specific example to back that up, said Bevans.

Stick to clean templates

Yate recommended using one of two possible cover letter formats. The first is a simple letter, made up of a few paragraphs and lasting no longer than a single page. First get your reader's attention with a personal reference, then name the position you're applying for. In the following paragraphs, lay out your relevant skills and experiences. Conclude by outlining an actionable next step. Rather than telling the reader you look forward to hearing from them, say you'll reach out by a certain date to follow up.

The second format is called an executive briefing . You still write a paragraph at the top explaining what you're applying for, and one at the bottom with a plan of action. But instead of writing out some paragraphs in between, set up two columns: One with a list of requirements pulled form the job posting, and one with a list of your corresponding skills and achievements. This format lets recruiters see clearly why your experience makes you a good fit for the job.

Check your work

"Presentation is important," said Innes. That means not only that your cover letter should be cleanly laid out, but also that your spelling and grammar have to be perfect.

"Recruiters sit and read through a lot of résumés," Innes said. "You become very good at spotting those errors." Chances are, he said, recruiters will just trash a cover letter with spelling or grammatical errors.

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How to write a cover letter — a guide to success.

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What is a cover letter?

Why is a cover letter important, how to write a cover letter., tips for creating a strong cover letter., proofread and edit your cover letter., cover letter checklist., example cover letters., frequently asked questions..

The job search process can be stressful, whether you’re entering the workforce for the first time, pivoting careers, or simply looking for a change. Hiring is competitive, and your application needs to clearly demonstrate why you’re an ideal candidate and distinguish you from other applicants.

To provide a holistic view of what you bring to the table and improve your chances of hearing back from a hiring manager, you should submit a cover letter. Read this guide to learn the best tips and tricks for creating an effective cover letter.

A cover letter is a writing sample that accompanies your application. It serves as an introduction, allowing you to explain why you’re a good fit for the position, demonstrate your knowledge and experience, and share more personal details outside of your resume.

Even if a cover letter is optional, you can significantly increase the probability of scoring an interview by providing one. According to a recent survey of 200 hiring decision-makers, 83% of respondents said that a well-written cover letter would persuade them to schedule an interview — even if the applicant didn’t have a strong resume.

How long should a cover letter be?

The average cover letter length is three to four paragraphs. In general, it should be no more than one page.

Your goal should be to create a concise letter that captures the most important details about your previous experience and skills, your interest in the job, and how you can contribute to the company or organization.

Since a cover letter is a quick read, you’ll need to make each sentence count. Be creative about demonstrating your unique personality and qualifications by sharing short stories and relevant details about your work experience and approach.

First impressions are foundational to influencing your prospective employer’s expectations and perceptions of you. A cover letter is your chance to shape their idea of you and show off your accomplishments and distinct voice.

Your cover letter can add a personal touch to your application, giving the reader a better sense of who you are and why you would be successful in the position. It also demonstrates your interest in the job, your writing abilities, and your willingness to go beyond what’s required — especially if a cover letter isn’t specifically requested.

Job application forms often involve pre-assigned questions and information, with limited character counts or space to fill out your answers. A cover letter allows you to share additional details that don’t fit on your application, like personal connections to the company, previous internships or roles with the organization, and special circumstances that explain gaps in your resume.

What is the format of a cover letter?

Sharing your letter in a compact, secure format — like a PDF — will help create a professional look and feel, ensuring your document functions and appears the same across devices. While you can be creative about the content of your cover letter, you should follow a standard structure of one page with three to four paragraphs.

Since hiring managers skim many applications and are often short on time, this framework is the most effective way to quickly summarize your relevant experience, express your enthusiasm, and persuade the reader to consider you for the position.

You should include specific contact information for yourself and the company and clearly express a few main ideas in each paragraph.

Let’s get a closer look at the individual building blocks of an effective cover letter.

Before you begin writing the actual letter, choose a compelling design that matches your personality and the tone you’d like to set. Many free templates are available online, so get creative about which cover letter approach will let your individual experience and character shine.

Now that you’ve chosen your canvas, you’re ready to start crafting a standout letter. Ahead of delving into the actual body copy, you’ll need to research the company and gather relevant contact information for the header. Depending on the template you select, your header can include the following:

• Your full name
• Your contact information (optional if included in other areas of your application)
• Name of the hiring manager or contact
• Title of the hiring manager or contact
• Name of the company or organization
• Full address of the company or organization (optional if space is limited)

After creating the header, write a salutation addressing the letter recipient. Be as specific as possible, greeting the person reviewing your application by name if you can. This information is not always readily available in a job posting, so you may need to peruse the company’s website or explore social media pages and profiles.

If you can’t determine who will read your letter, you can reference the company or department name or simply use “Hiring Manager.” You might also include honorific titles, like Dr. or Prof., before someone’s name if relevant.

Here are a few greeting ideas to get you started:

• Dear [Full Name],
• Dear [Department] Team,
• Dear [Dr., Prof., Mr., Ms., or Mrs. Full Name],
• Dear Hiring Manager,

Including a specific name or more personalized greeting will show that you took the time to learn more about the company, naturally helping the reader feel more inclined to review your letter. Avoid using a general greeting such as “To whom it may concern.”

Opening paragraph.

In the opening paragraph, you should introduce yourself, express your interest in the position, and hook the hiring manager’s interest. These first few sentences set the stage for their impression of you and influence their decision to continue reading.

To create a strong opening, stay away from generic statements and prioritize highlighting concrete details and relevant experience. Remember to name the specific position for which you’re applying and outline how you will provide value to the company.

First body paragraph.

The next paragraph should describe your previous experience, accomplishments, and skills. This is your chance to fill in details that didn’t fit on your resume or application and spell out how your career history or goals connect to the position. Be sure to add numbers or measurable impact to strengthen your case.

Steer clear of simply recapping your resume. Your cover letter should supplement your resume, encouraging the hiring manager to refer to it for more information.

Now is not the time to be shy — but don’t go over the top, either. Focus on using a confident tone and displaying your competence without exaggerating or using overly bold claims.

Second body paragraph.

The following section of your cover letter should tie your career history and specialties to the company’s needs and position. A good practice is to include keywords from the job description. You can also study the organization’s website and posts to get a sense of their culture and writing style in order to match their tone.

Like a sales pitch, you want to show how you can solve the company’s “pain points” or contribute to their goals through your strengths and previous job experience. Even if you’re new to the workforce or pivoting careers, companies value candidates who demonstrate other traits that aren’t necessarily taught — like passion, reliability, and initiative.

Closing paragraph.

In your conclusion paragraph , you should reiterate why the hiring manager should consider you for the position and how you would bring value to their organization if chosen. Assert why you’re an ideal candidate and leave them with a positive impression.

It’s also a good idea to thank the hiring manager for their time. Inform them of the best way to reach you and indicate that you look forward to discussing your application and learning more about the opportunity.

Finally, select a professional closing to wrap up your cover letter. These are a few tried and tested options:

• Best regards,
• All the best,

Write your full name after the closing, including a signature below if desired.

• Do your research. Your letter should reveal your knowledge of the company and relate directly to the job position.
• Mention referrals or connections you have to the company. These references help establish trust and set you apart from other qualified candidates.
• Use clear, succinct language. Fit in specific examples of how you’ve brought value to other companies, proving your points with numbers or anecdotes about how you addressed challenges in previous roles.
• Save your cover letter in a format that will preserve the design on any device. We recommend converting your cover letter to a PDF — a versatile format that is sleek and easy to save and share, no matter the operating system. Adobe offers free online services to meet all your cover letter needs, like updating a Microsoft Word document to a PDF .

Tailor your cover letter to the job and company.

Many people send generic letters with different job applications, and the lack of specificity shows. Universal cover letters can undermine otherwise strong applications and reduce your chances of landing an interview.

Mirror the language of the job posting and the company’s website to capture the right tone and ensure your interest in the position is apparent.

If you’re applying for many positions and want to save time by repurposing your work, make sure to customize each cover letter by honing in on specific details that apply to individual positions.

To speed up the process, you can create a personalized cover letter template using a digital document tool like Adobe Acrobat . A template will allow you to update and customize sections of your letter while maintaining the structure and evergreen information.

For a polished final product, ask a mentor or trusted friend to read through your letter and provide feedback. It can be helpful to get a second opinion about whether your message is clear and anything that needs to be refined.

Using a collaborative digital document tool like Acrobat can make getting feedback a breeze, with editing tools like annotating, commenting, and drawing on a PDF.

Acrobat also has tools to spell-check your document — highlighting typos and grammar errors directly within the file and freeing your energy to focus on the content of your letter.

To help you develop an effective cover letter, we’ve created a checklist to help you remember what to include and put your best foot forward.

Check out these cover letter samples to spark your creativity. Note how each letter pulls keywords from the job descriptions and tailors the tone and content to the specific position.

Junior copywriter — job description

Memorable Marketing Agency is seeking a part-time junior copywriter to join our team. If you have a knack for creative writing and a way with words, we want to hear from you. You’ll work closely with our senior editor to craft copy across a variety of mediums, from social media platforms to websites. A successful applicant will have a sharp eye for detail, appreciation for clear messaging, and ability to adapt their writing to different voices and tones.

Responsibilities

• Interview subject matter experts and research a variety of topics to meet clients’ messaging requests.
• Collaborate with the senior editor to create and interpret content briefs.
• Write copy for social media posts, email marketing campaigns, search engine optimization (SEO) content, and design assets.
• Stay current on style guidelines and social media trends.
• Manage overlapping deadlines and projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in English, communications, marketing, or journalism
• Exceptional writing and interviewing skills
• One to two years of experience in copywriting
• Experience writing for social media (preferred)

Junior copywriter — example cover letter

Click to open

Senior staff accountant — job description

Big Dipper Bank is looking to add a full-time senior staff accountant to the team. This role will take the lead on preparing financial statements, completing in-depth research analysis, and completing annual audits. To be successful, you should use a detail-oriented approach, possess strong organizational skills, and have the ability to manage and train junior staff members.

Job summary

• Prepare and review tax return documents, balance sheet reconciliations, and general ledger analysis.
• Coordinate annual audit preparations.
• Mentor and guide junior staff accountants and interns.
• Ensure accurate financial statements and create monthly reports.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting
• CPA credential (preferred)
• Over five years of experience in finance or accounting
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Oracle NetSuite ERP
• Strong knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and tax laws

Here are some quick-hit answers to common questions about creating cover letters.

What do I write in a cover letter?

In your cover letter, you should discuss your skills and experience and share why the hiring manager should consider you for the position. This is your chance to distinguish yourself from other candidates and provide a more qualitative and holistic picture of who you are outside of your resume.

You should include details like connections to the company, why you’re interested in the role, how you would contribute, metrics and specific benchmarks of previous success, and keywords from the job description. Most templates include a header with the hiring manager’s name, title, and contact information, as well as space for your name, contact information, and signature.

What is a cover letter? What should an example look like?

A cover letter is a writing sample introducing yourself to the prospective employer. Even if it’s not required, you should submit a cover letter with your resume and job application to add a personal touch and persuade the hiring manager to schedule an interview.

If you’re struggling to envision what a cover letter should look like, there are many free cover letter templates available online that you can browse. You should include a header with the hiring manager’s contact information, a salutation, three to four paragraphs detailing your qualifications, a closing, and your name or signature.

It’s best practice to convert your document to a PDF to keep a professional appearance across devices and share it with ease.

What is a cover letter for a resume?

When submitting a resume, you should include a cover letter to supplement your application. Encourage the reader to refer to your resume or CV in the letter to learn more about your career history and skills.

What do employers look for in a cover letter?

Since hiring managers have to sift through lots of applications, a cover letter can help you get noticed and shape the employer’s perception of you as a candidate.

Strong cover letters should be specific, concise, professional, and enthusiastic. They should mirror the language and tone of the company’s website and job description and capture your unique personality and strengths.

What is a good cover letter format?

After spending time researching and creating your cover letter, don’t diminish your hard work with an unprofessional format or lopsided design. Ensure your cover letter functions and looks great on any screen by saving it as a PDF file.

Keep your document to one page and include three to four paragraphs spotlighting the most important information the prospective employer should know about you and your application.

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How to Write a Cover Letter That Will Get You a Job

I ’ve read thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of cover letters in my career. If you’re thinking that sounds like really boring reading, you’re right. What I can tell you from enduring that experience is that most cover letters are terrible — and not only that, but squandered opportunities. When a cover letter is done well, it can significantly increase your chances of getting an interview, but the vast majority fail that test.

So let’s talk about how to do cover letters right.

First, understand the point of a cover letter.

The whole idea of a cover letter is that it can help the employer see you as more than just your résumé. Managers generally aren’t hiring based solely on your work history; your experience is crucial, yes, but they’re also looking for someone who will be easy to work with, shows good judgment, communicates well, possesses strong critical thinking skills and a drive to get things done, complements their current team, and all the other things you yourself probably want from your co-workers. It’s tough to learn much about those things from job history alone, and that’s where your cover letter comes in.

Because of that …

Whatever you do, don’t just summarize your résumé.

The No. 1 mistake people make with cover letters is that they simply use them to summarize their résumé. This makes no sense — hiring managers don’t need a summary of your résumé! It’s on the very next page! They’re about to see it as soon as they scroll down. And if you think about it, your entire application is only a few pages (in most cases, a one- or two-page résumé and a one-page cover letter) — why would you squander one of those pages by repeating the content of the others? And yet, probably 95 percent of the cover letters I see don’t add anything new beyond the résumé itself (and that’s a conservative estimate).

Instead, your cover letter should go beyond your work history to talk about things that make you especially well-suited for the job. For example, if you’re applying for an assistant job that requires being highly organized and you neurotically track your household finances in a detailed, color-coded spreadsheet, most hiring managers would love to know that because it says something about the kind of attention to detail you’d bring to the job. That’s not something you could put on your résumé, but it can go in your cover letter.

Or maybe your last boss told you that you were the most accurate data processor she’d ever seen, or came to rely on you as her go-to person whenever a lightning-fast rewrite was needed. Maybe your co-workers called you “the client whisperer” because of your skill in calming upset clients. Maybe you’re regularly sought out by more senior staff to help problem-solve, or you find immense satisfaction in bringing order to chaos. Those sorts of details illustrate what you bring to the job in a different way than your résumé does, and they belong in your cover letter.

If you’re still stumped, pretend you’re writing an email to a friend about why you’d be great at the job. You probably wouldn’t do that by stiffly reciting your work history, right? You’d talk about what you’re good at and how you’d approach the work. That’s what you want here.

You don’t need a creative opening line.

If you think you need to open the letter with something creative or catchy, I am here to tell you that you don’t. Just be simple and straightforward:

• “I’m writing to apply for your X position.”

• “I’d love to be considered for your X position.”

• “I’m interested in your X position because …”

• “I’m excited to apply for your X position.”

That’s it! Straightforward is fine — better, even, if the alternative is sounding like an aggressive salesperson.

Show, don’t tell.

A lot of cover letters assert that the person who wrote it would excel at the job or announce that the applicant is a skillful engineer or a great communicator or all sorts of other subjective superlatives. That’s wasted space — the hiring manager has no reason to believe it, and so many candidates claim those things about themselves that most managers ignore that sort of self-assessment entirely. So instead of simply declaring that you’re great at X (whatever X is), your letter should demonstrate that. And the way you do that is by describing accomplishments and experiences that illustrate it.

Here’s a concrete example taken from one extraordinarily effective cover-letter makeover that I saw. The candidate had originally written, “I offer exceptional attention to detail, highly developed communication skills, and a talent for managing complex projects with a demonstrated ability to prioritize and multitask.” That’s pretty boring and not especially convincing, right? (This is also exactly how most people’s cover letters read.)

In her revised version, she wrote this instead:

“In addition to being flexible and responsive, I’m also a fanatic for details — particularly when it comes to presentation. One of my recent projects involved coordinating a 200-page grant proposal: I proofed and edited the narratives provided by the division head, formatted spreadsheets, and generally made sure that every line was letter-perfect and that the entire finished product conformed to the specific guidelines of the RFP. (The result? A five-year, $1.5 million grant award.) I believe in applying this same level of attention to detail to tasks as visible as prepping the materials for a top-level meeting and as mundane as making sure the copier never runs out of paper.”

That second version is so much more compelling and interesting — and makes me believe that she really is great with details.

If there’s anything unusual or confusing about your candidacy, address it in the letter.

Your cover letter is your chance to provide context for things that otherwise might seem confusing or less than ideal to a hiring manager. For example, if you’re overqualified for the position but are excited about it anyway, or if you’re a bit underqualified but have reason to think you could excel at the job, address that up front. Or if your background is in a different field but you’re actively working to move into this one, say so, talk about why, and explain how your experience will translate. Or if you’re applying for a job across the country from where you live because you’re hoping to relocate to be closer to your family, let them know that.

If you don’t provide that kind of context, it’s too easy for a hiring manager to decide you’re the wrong fit or applying to everything you see or don’t understand the job description and put you in the “no” pile. A cover letter gives you a chance to say, “No, wait — here’s why this could be a good match.”

Keep the tone warm and conversational.

While there are some industries that prize formal-sounding cover letters — like law — in most fields, yours will stand out if it’s warm and conversational. Aim for the tone you’d use if you were writing to a co-worker whom you liked a lot but didn’t know especially well. It’s okay to show some personality or even use humor; as long as you don’t go overboard, your letter will be stronger for it.

Don’t use a form letter.

You don’t need to write every cover letter completely from scratch, but if you’re not customizing it to each job, you’re doing it wrong. Form letters tend to read like form letters, and they waste the chance to speak to the specifics of what this employer is looking for and what it will take to thrive in this particular job.

If you’re applying for a lot of similar jobs, of course you’ll end up reusing language from one letter to the next. But you shouldn’t have a single cover letter that you wrote once and then use every time you apply; whatever you send should sound like you wrote it with the nuances of this one job in mind.

A good litmus test is this: Could you imagine other applicants for this job sending in the same letter? If so, that’s a sign that you haven’t made it individualized enough to you and are probably leaning too heavily on reciting your work history.

No, you don’t need to hunt down the hiring manager’s name.

If you read much job-search advice, at some point you’ll come across the idea that you need to do Woodward and Bernstein–level research to hunt down the hiring manager’s name in order to open your letter with “Dear Matilda Jones.” You don’t need to do this; no reasonable hiring manager will care. If the name is easily available, by all means, feel free to use it, but otherwise “Dear Hiring Manager” is absolutely fine. Take the hour you just freed up and do something more enjoyable with it.

Keep it under one page.

If your cover letters are longer than a page, you’re writing too much, and you risk annoying hiring managers who are likely sifting through hundreds of applications and don’t have time to read lengthy tomes. On the other hand, if you only write one paragraph, it’s unlikely that you’re making a compelling case for yourself as a candidate — not impossible, but unlikely. For most people, something close to a page is about right.

Don’t agonize over the small details.

What matters most about your cover letter is its content. You should of course ensure that it’s well-written and thoroughly proofread, but many job seekers agonize over elements of the letter that really don’t matter. I get tons of  questions from job seekers  about whether they should attach their cover letter or put it in the body of the email (answer: No one cares, but attaching it makes it easier to share and will preserve your formatting), or what to name the file (again, no one really cares as long as it’s reasonably professional, but when people are dealing with hundreds of files named “resume,” it’s courteous to name it with your full name).

Approaching your cover letter like this can make a huge difference in your job search. It can be the thing that moves your application from the “maybe” pile (or even the “no” pile) to the “yes” pile. Of course, writing cover letters like this will take more time than sending out the same templated letter summarizing your résumé — but 10 personalized, compelling cover letters are likely to get you more  interview invitations  than 50 generic ones will.

• ‘I Had a Great Job Interview — Why Haven’t I Heard Back?’
• How to Answer ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ in a Job Interview

Resumes and Cover Letters

Preparing a dynamic resume and cover letter can set you on the right track to getting your dream job. Learn how to craft documents that make you stand out to potential employers.

The goal of your resume is to effectively communicate your qualifications to prospective employers. In many cases your resume will determine whether or not you are granted an interview. The resume by itself, however, will not get you a job. If it gets you in the door, then it has served its purpose.

Review the Resume Guide & Samples for basic tips and information about what to include on your resume. (To view this document you must be logged into your NYU Home / Google account with your NYU Net ID and password.)

Cover Letters

The cover letter is your opportunity to shine by filling in the blanks from your resume. A well-written cover letter can pique the curiosity of the employer and motivate him/her to carefully read your resume. Be sure to include a cover letter every time you send a resume.

Review our Cover Letter Guide & Samples to learn how to write a winning cover letter. (To view this document you must be logged into your NYU Home / Google account with your NYU Net ID and password.)

Thank You Letters

Thank you letters should be brief and should be sent within 48 hours of an interview to reiterate your interest in the position and to show your appreciation for the interviewer's time. Emphasize the skills that you have and demonstrate how they relate to the position. Remember to state what you can do for the organization, as opposed to what the organization can do for you. 

Review our networking guide for a sample thank you letter to learn how to leave a positive impression on a potential employer.

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McKinsey, Bain, and BCG Application Deadlines for 2025 Summer and Full-Time Roles

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Application deadlines for McKinsey, Bain, and BCG begin as early as July 7. To stay updated on the application process, register for upcoming events, and apply, please visit the website of each respective firm.

Bain, BCG, and McKinsey application deadlines for 2025 internships and full-time roles:

*Bain will review applications after each deadline date.  You can apply to either deadline; be prepared to interview a few weeks later.

**BCG has designated the earlier date as the preferred application deadline.  Classes will fill as talent is identified. We recommend applying by the preferred deadline date if you will be prepared to interview a few weeks after this date.

For undergraduates (full-time):

• Bain Associate Consultant deadlines: July 7 *  or September 8
• BCG Associate deadline:   August 7
• McKinsey BA application deadline: August 8  

For undergraduates (internships):

• Bain Summer Associate deadlines: July 7 * or September 8
• BCG Summer Associate deadlines: July 17 ** or September 4
• McKinsey Summer BA application deadline: September 12

How can I learn more about consulting?

The Management Consulting and the Interview Process Guide includes an introduction to consulting, examples of cases, two common case interview methods, and tips for acing the case interview.

Forage  offers short, self-paced, virtual work experiences designed and delivered by leading companies, including consulting firms. Virtual work experiences let you take on the practical tasks of a consultant so that you can get a feel for what it’s like to work in consulting.

How can I prepare my application materials?

Visit the OCS website for resume resources and cover letter tips , which include Big Interview . With Big Interview, you can run your draft resume through an AI review and upload a specific job description to see how well your resume aligns with that role.

How can I prepare for case interviews?

OCS offers RocketBlocks , an interactive web application built by experts from McKinsey, BCG, and Bain.  RocketBlocks provides guidance on how to approach case problems, exercises to hone your case skills, and access to live partners to practice your skills.   Additional resources can be found here , including a case prep timeline.

How can I prepare for behavioral interviews?

Visit the OCS website for interviewing resources, including how to tell your interviewing story , and Big Interview, a platform enabling you to run interactive mock interviews and receive instant feedback.

Connect with the OCS for advice, review of your application materials, and encouragement. 

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