A cover letter gets read before your CV, which means it either earns the next click or ends the application right there. Official careers advice from Australia and New Zealand agrees on the basics: keep it to one page, address it properly, and tailor it to the specific job rather than sending the same letter everywhere. Here is exactly what that looks like in practice.
Keep it to one page, and make it about this job
The Queensland Government's advice is direct: you only need a 1 page cover letter, addressed directly to the employer or contact person, and every cover letter should be tailored to that particular job. A longer letter does not show more effort; it usually shows a template that was not trimmed down.
Employers read it first, so do not just repeat your CV
New Zealand's Tahatū Career Navigator makes a point worth remembering: employers usually read the cover letter before the CV. That means its job is different from your CV's job. Tahatū says a cover letter should not repeat everything already in the CV, and should be addressed to the contact person named in the job ad, or to "Dear hiring manager" or "Kia ora" if no name can be found. Use the letter to connect your experience to this specific role, and let the CV carry the full detail.
If the job asks for selection criteria, answer them properly
Some jobs, especially government jobs, ask applicants to meet selection criteria, also known as core or key capabilities. The Queensland Government's advice is to respond with relevant examples that show you have the required experience, skills and abilities, not just a restatement of the criteria in your own words. A claim without an example is easy to skim past; a specific example is not.
This same habit improves a standard cover letter even when no formal selection criteria are listed. Instead of writing that you are a strong communicator or highly organised, describe one situation where that quality produced a result the employer can picture: a project you coordinated, a target you met, a problem you solved without being asked. The sentence takes no longer to write, but it gives an employer something concrete to remember you by once they have read a dozen other applications that only make claims.
Sending it the way employers expect
Tahatū's formatting advice is simple: send your cover letter and CV in PDF format unless the employer specifically asks for a Word version, and use your first and last name in the filename. A clearly named PDF looks organised before anyone has read a single word of it.
Thinking about using AI to draft it?
Tahatū is upfront about this: recruiters and employers can often spot an AI-generated CV or cover letter, and any AI-assisted draft must be checked for errors and exaggerated claims. If you use AI as a starting point, read every sentence afterwards and make sure it still sounds like you and still matches the job ad, not a generic template.
| What to check | Australia (Queensland Government) | New Zealand (Tahatū) |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 1 page | Not repeating the CV; kept tight |
| Who it is addressed to | The employer or contact person directly | The contact person, or "Dear hiring manager" / "Kia ora" if no name is given |
| File format | Tailored to the specific job | PDF, with your first and last name in the filename |
Writing one, step by step
- Find a contact name in the job ad if one is given; if not, use "Dear hiring manager" or a similarly direct greeting.
- Open by naming the role and, in one sentence, why you are a strong fit for it specifically, not jobs in general.
- Pick two or three points from your experience that map directly to what the ad asks for, and give a brief example for each.
- If the job lists selection criteria, answer each one with a specific example, not a general statement.
- Keep the whole letter to one page, then reread it and cut anything that only repeats your CV.
- Save it as a PDF with your first and last name in the filename, unless the employer has asked for a Word document.
Once your cover letter and CV for Australia and New Zealand are both ready, you can start applying directly to roles such as this Project Analyst position in Perth or others under Administration on the site, and our job interview tips guide covers what comes after your application gets a reply.
Common mistakes
The first mistake is sending the same cover letter to every employer. The Queensland Government's advice is explicit that every cover letter should be tailored to the particular job, and a generic letter is easy for an employer to spot.
The second is letting the cover letter become a second copy of the CV. Tahatū's advice is the opposite: the letter should not repeat everything already in the CV, since its job is to make the connection to this specific role.
The third is answering selection criteria with general statements instead of real examples, which gives an employer nothing concrete to assess your experience against.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a cover letter be?
The Queensland Government's advice is one page, addressed directly to the employer or contact person and tailored to that particular job.
Should my cover letter repeat what is in my CV?
No. New Zealand's Tahatū Career Navigator advises against repeating everything in the CV, since employers usually read the cover letter first and it has a different job to do.
Who do I address a cover letter to if there is no name in the job ad?
Tahatū suggests using "Dear hiring manager" or "Kia ora" if you cannot find a contact person's name in the ad.
What format should I send my cover letter in?
Tahatū recommends PDF format, unless the employer specifically asks for a Word version, with your first and last name in the filename.
How do I answer selection criteria in a cover letter or application?
The Queensland Government advises responding with relevant examples that show you actually have the required experience, skills and abilities, rather than simply restating the criteria.
Is it okay to use AI to write my cover letter?
You can use it as a starting point, but Tahatū warns that recruiters can often spot an AI-generated letter, so check every AI-assisted draft for errors and exaggerated claims before you send it.
Key takeaways
- Keep a cover letter to one page, addressed directly to the employer or contact person, and tailored to that specific job.
- Employers usually read the cover letter before the CV, so do not just repeat your CV's content in it.
- Answer any selection criteria with specific examples, not general statements.
- Send it as a PDF with your first and last name in the filename, unless a Word version is requested.
- If you use AI to help draft it, check the result carefully; an unedited AI draft is often easy for employers to spot.
If you want help pulling your experience into a clear, tailored document before you start writing, Build AI CV can give you a starting draft to tighten and personalise for each job.
