Cover letters for Australian jobs: what employers look for

A practical guide · Updated October 2026

A good cover letter is short, specific to one job and backed by evidence from your resume. Recruiters skim it to answer one question: why this person, for this role, at this organisation?

Keep it to one page

Three or four short paragraphs, roughly 250 to 350 words, is plenty. Longer letters are rarely read in full.

Paragraph 1: the role and your angle

Name the exact job title (and reference number if there is one) and say in one sentence what you bring that fits, for example "eight years delivering banking technology projects".

Paragraph 2 and 3: two or three strengths, with proof

Pick the two or three things the ad stresses most and show each with something you've done: a project, a number, a result. Use the ad's wording where it truthfully applies. Don't repeat your whole resume; point to the best evidence.

Last paragraph: a simple close

Thank them, say you'd welcome a conversation, and sign off with "Kind regards" and your name. Skip lines like "I am writing to express my interest"; the reader already knows.

Who to address it to

If the ad names a contact person, use their name ("Dear Priya Shah"). If not, "Dear Hiring Manager" is standard in Australia and perfectly acceptable.

Common mistakes that cost interviews

• The wrong company or job title left in from a previous application.
• Generic praise of the company with nothing about the role.
• Claims that aren't backed by the resume, or that aren't true.
• Salary, visa or availability details the ad didn't ask for.
• Ignoring an instruction, such as "address the selection criteria in a separate document".

Before you send

Add the date and the employer's details at the top if the application form doesn't already capture them, read it aloud once, and save it as Word or PDF with a clear file name, for example "Alex-Taylor-Cover-Letter-Harbourline-Bank.docx".