When considering their cover letter lengrh people forget that most cover letters don’t get printed out. They are read on a computer screen and that is the key to cover letter length.
What Does Above the Fold Mean?
Your cover letter needs to be between three and five paragraphs long. This idea goes back to the world of newsprint and ‘above the fold’. If an editor wanted to sell more newspapers that put their top headlines on the top half of the first page. When the newspaper was lying down flat at the local store, that’s what people would see. When someone opens your email or cover letter on a computer screen, all they are going to see is three-five paragraphs on the screen.
Why Else is Your Cover Letter Length Important?
Your cover letter needs to be concise and to the point. The idea is to give your future employer just enough information to make them want to have a longer conversation with you. This is why you don’t want to regurgitate your C.V. and to focus on the key reasons why your skills and experience align with the job and what the employer needs.
Summary: The ideal Cover Letter Length?
Good things do come in small packages and the ideal cover letter length is three to five paragraphs. It gives just enough information to make the employer think that they have to find out more and bring you in for a job interview.