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Cover Letters in Singapore: When They Matter
Cover letters are optional for most Singapore commercial roles but expected in government, education and agency applications, and they help whenever you are switching industries.
A good cover letter answers one question: why this role, from you, now.
When to write one
- The application form has a required field
- Public sector, education or healthcare roles
- You are switching industry or function and need to explain the link
- You have a gap, a retrenchment or a short stint to frame
A four-paragraph structure
- 1One line on the role and where you saw it.
- 2Your single strongest piece of relevant, quantified evidence.
- 3Why this company specifically — something concrete about their work.
- 4A short close offering a conversation.
Keep it under 250 words
A cover letter is a bridge, not a second resume. Anything longer is skimmed.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I address it to a person?
- Yes when you can find the hiring manager. 'Dear Hiring Team' is fine otherwise. Avoid 'To Whom It May Concern'.
- Can I reuse one letter?
- Reuse the structure; rewrite the evidence paragraph and the company paragraph each time.
Fix the right thing first
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Last reviewed 2026-06-01 by the Thrivn team.