The short answer: half a page to one page, never more. In words, that's 250 to 400. If you're at 600, a recruiter has already decided not to read it. This article explains why that range exists and how to hit it without gutting your letter.
The number, and where it comes from
A cover letter should be three to four short paragraphs and fit on a single page with normal margins and an 11 or 12 point font. That works out to roughly 250–400 words. Anything under 150 looks like you didn't try. Anything over 450 looks like you can't prioritize.
This isn't an arbitrary rule. A recruiter screening 200 applications spends well under a minute on each cover letter on the first pass. A letter they can read in that minute gets read. One that requires scrolling gets skimmed at best.
Why shorter actually wins
A short letter forces you to pick your strongest point and make it well. A long letter lets you hide your best argument in paragraph four where nobody reaches it. The constraint is doing you a favor.
There's also a signaling effect. A tight, one-page letter says you can identify what matters and cut the rest. That's a skill the employer is hiring for, whatever the role. A rambling letter says the opposite before they've read a word of your actual argument.
The structure that fits the word count
- Opening (2–3 sentences): the role, and one specific reason you're a strong fit. Not "I am writing to apply for." Lead with the hook.
- Body (1–2 short paragraphs): one or two concrete proof points. A result, a relevant project, a measurable outcome. Pick your best material, not all of it.
- Close (2–3 sentences): what you want (a conversation), and a confident sign-off. No begging, no "thank you for considering" filler.
That's it. Three blocks. If a paragraph isn't doing one of those three jobs, it's why your letter is too long.
How to cut a letter that's too long
- Delete every sentence that restates your CV. The recruiter has your CV. The cover letter is for what the CV can't say.
- Cut all throat-clearing. "I am very excited to have the opportunity to apply for the position of" is eleven words that say nothing. "I'm applying for [role] because" is four.
- Keep one proof point, not three. Three half-explained results are weaker than one fully landed one.
- Remove adjectives that describe you. "Hardworking, dedicated, passionate" — show it with a result instead. Claimed traits don't persuade; demonstrated ones do.
- Read it out loud. Anything you stumble over or run out of breath on is too long. Cut there.
When a shorter letter is right
For a referral or a warm introduction, three or four sentences can be enough. The connection is doing the persuasion; the letter just needs to not get in the way. Forcing a full page here makes you look like you're padding.
When you can go to a full page
Senior or specialized roles where the fit isn't obvious from the CV. A career change where you need a few sentences to connect the dots. Even then: full page, not page and a half. The ceiling does not move.
The one rule that survives every exception
Never more than one page. Every recruiter, every industry, every seniority level agrees on this one. If you remember nothing else from this article, remember the ceiling. The floor is flexible; the ceiling is not.