How to Write a Cover Letter That Passes ATS Screening

Yes — but not in the way most candidates think. Applicant tracking systems process cover letters differently depending on the platform:

How most ATS systems handle cover letters:
- Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby: Cover letters are stored as text attachments. Recruiter opens them manually if they choose to — ATS does not score or rank them.
- Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Taleo: Cover letters are often submitted in a text field rather than as a file attachment. These text fields are parsed by the ATS and can be keyword-searched.
- iCIMS: Cover letters uploaded as PDFs are parsed for text. Formatted PDFs with tables or graphics may be misread.

The practical implication: In text-field submissions, your cover letter IS parsed. Keywords you include there count toward your overall application profile. In file-upload systems, the cover letter matters primarily when a human opens it — which means it needs to be readable, not just keyword-rich.

The safest approach: write a cover letter that is both ATS-compatible AND compelling to a human reader.

Follow these formatting rules for any cover letter submitted to an ATS:

File format:
- Submit as PDF (preserves formatting) or DOCX (if PDF is not accepted)
- Do NOT submit as .pages, .odt, or image files — these often fail to parse

Layout:
- Use a single-column layout — no side bars, columns, or text boxes
- Use standard fonts: Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, or Helvetica
- Font size 10–12pt for body text
- Margins: 0.75–1 inch on all sides

What to avoid:
- Headers or footers with contact information — ATS parsers often skip these
- Tables to organise content — tables misparse in most ATS systems
- Text inside images or graphics
- Special characters, decorative bullets, or custom symbols
- Coloured text or backgrounds

Contact information placement:
- Put your name, email, phone, and LinkedIn URL at the top of the main document body — not in a header element

Keywords are the most important ATS-compatibility factor in a cover letter. Here is how to use them correctly:

Step 1: Extract keywords from the job description.
Copy the job description and paste it into the resume keywords checker to identify which skills, tools, and phrases appear most frequently. These are your target keywords.

Step 2: Use keywords naturally in your opening paragraph.
Do not stuff keywords randomly. Write the first paragraph of your cover letter around the 2–3 most important keywords from the description:
- "In my five years as a product manager leading cross-functional teams, I have consistently used data analysis and A/B testing to drive roadmap decisions..." (uses keywords naturally)

Step 3: Mirror job description language exactly.
If the job says "Python scripting" not "Python programming," use the exact phrase. ATS keyword matching is often literal — "data analysis" and "data analytics" may not be treated as equivalent.

Step 4: Include important acronyms and their full forms.
Write "Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)" rather than just one or the other — this captures both variations in the search.

Step 5: Do not keyword-stuff.
Repeating keywords unnaturally ("I have Python skills, Python experience, and Python knowledge") will fail a human smell test even if it passes ATS.

Opening paragraph (2–3 sentences):
State the role you are applying for and why you are a strong fit — using the most important keywords from the job description. Do not start with "I am writing to express my interest" — it is generic and wastes the first sentence.

Good: "As a software engineer with 6 years building distributed systems at scale, I was excited to see the Senior Backend Engineer role at [Company] — the emphasis on [specific technology/challenge] aligns directly with my experience at [previous company]."

Middle paragraph(s) — 1–2 paragraphs, max:
One specific achievement with quantified results that directly matches the job requirements. Do not summarise your resume — add context that makes one achievement compelling.

Format: "At [Company], I [specific action] which resulted in [specific measurable outcome]. I did this by [brief method]."

Closing paragraph:
Express genuine enthusiasm, reference the company specifically (one thing that makes this role interesting to you), and include a clear call to action. Keep it to 2–3 sentences.

Total length: 250–400 words. One page maximum. Shorter is better in most cases — recruiters spend 20–30 seconds on a cover letter if they open it at all.

Submitting a PDF with text in images. If your cover letter was designed in Canva or uses graphical elements, the text inside those elements will not be parsed by the ATS.

Writing a generic letter not tailored to the role. ATS systems in text-field formats can score relevance based on keyword density. A generic letter with no role-specific keywords scores lower than a tailored one.

Using "To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Hiring Manager." This signals you did not research the company. Look up the recruiter or hiring manager on LinkedIn and address them by name.

Repeating your resume word-for-word. The cover letter should add context, not duplicate content.

Making it longer than one page. No recruiter reads a two-page cover letter. Cut ruthlessly.

Missing your contact information. If the recruiter wants to reach you directly from the cover letter (skipping back to your application), they need your email and phone in the document.