Cover Letter Advice

Why Bother?

A cover letter is not just a formality. It is your chance to show the firm that you understand who they are and why you want to work with them. The best letters feel personal, well-researched, and precise. Generic applications are spotted instantly and almost always rejected.

Step 1: Do the Homework

Before you write a single line, build your knowledge of the firm. Think less about copying from their website and more about finding areas where your own values or interests overlap. Look into:

Core principles and values
Company culture and working style
Leadership figures and management direction
Financial results and long-term performance
ESG, sustainability, or philanthropic efforts
Major recent deals, transactions, or initiatives
Headlines or current developments

This is where you find the raw material that will make your letter authentic. Build a profile for each company you apply to that requires a cover letter with these details. This will help you write your cover letter, prepare you for interviews and help general commercial awareness.

Step 2: Build a Reusable Skeleton

Writing from scratch every time is painful. Instead, create a flexible template that you can re-shape for each application. The template should contain four simple beats:

Introduction – who you are, what you study, and the role you’re applying for.
Why this division – why you are drawn to that area of the firm’s work.
Why this firm – the most important section. Connect your skills, interests, and experiences with the firm’s identity and culture.
Closing – a neat summary of your fit and what sets you apart.

Never copy-paste across firms. Adapt every time.

Step 3: Avoid Rookie Errors

Even strong content is undermined by sloppy presentation. Keep yourself safe by:

Running the draft through Grammarly, ChatGPT (or similar) to check for grammar, punctuation mistakes
Asking a peer to proofread
Reading the letter aloud to check flow
Printing it once to see spacing and layout
Saving the file under a professional name e.g. Let_[Insert Company]_[Insert Date]_[Insert Initials].pdf
No longer than a page

Step 4: Structure

Think of the letter as mainly three short paragraphs, plus a final sign-off:

Your home address (RHS)

Date in full e.g.17th August 2025 (LHS)

Their company address (LHS)

Introduction – Introduce yourself, your year and degree, and specify what you are applying for.

Paragraph 1 – Why the firm
- Use your firm profiles to support your interest. They can sense waffle, so take a step back and genuinely say what interests you about their company.
- Usually "because of the people at the firm" is a solid response and connecting with analysts (as an example) e.g. on LinkedIn for a brief call to gain an insight into the firm is a good approach for this, but depends on time constraints.
- Go beyond website slogans: use webinars, LinkedIn chats, or society events you’ve attended as evidence. Two or three strong reasons are enough.

Paragraph 2 – Why the Division
- Make it clear you understand what the division does and why it interests you.
- What excites you about the nature of work in this division (e.g. strategic advice, fast-paced markets, deep analysis, client interaction)?
- Which skills you have that map directly onto the division’s requirements (e.g. analytical, communication, teamwork, problem-solving)?
- How your past experiences (societies, internships, leadership roles, projects) gave you insight or skills relevant to this division.
- Why this division is the best place for you to start your career compared to others.

Paragraph 3 – Why you
- Draw examples from societies or leadership roles. Being involved with these activities will give you a bank of stories not only for cover letters but interviews as well ("Tell me about a time..." questions).
- Do not just say “I am a team player”, prove it with a real example.
- Link your reasons back to why you would be an asset in their division/team.

Closing line - Re-state your motivation and leave a confident final impression.

Step 5: Play the Game Smartly

Cover letters get easier after the first few, because the “Why this division” and “Why me” sections can be adapted. But do not fall into the trap of over-polishing one application.

Recruiters often work on rolling deadlines. Submitting early makes a huge difference. It is better to send a well-researched, 90% polished cover letter coupled with the full application a couple days after an application opening rather than one that is a perfect 100% but three weeks later. A week, a day or an hour can make a difference in progressing to the next round.

Cover Letter Structure