Can My Cover Letter be 2 Pages?

Revision Resume commonly hears questions like this one. Job seekers often wonder if they can make their cover letter 2 pages, especially since it is currently acceptable to submit a 2-page resume. The quick answer is: no. Although resumes are no longer required to be condensed into only 1 page, the cover letter is still expected to be kept concise. Let's answer a few detailed questions relating to the length of the cover letter.

I have 30 years of work experience. Can't I have a 2-page cover letter as a result?

No, the length of your career does not have any bearing on the length of your cover letter. The 1-page rule is the same for both a recent college graduate and a job seeker at the end of their career. Remember, your cover letter is only intended to highlight why you are a good fit for the job opening. It is not meant to summarize your entire work history. So, focus on the aspects of your work experience and qualifications that align with this particular job opening and remove any content that is not directly related.

What is the negative of submitting a 2-page cover letter?

If your cover letter exceeds 1 page, it reduces the chances that it will be read by the hiring manager or recruiter. They may be put off by the length and decide not to invest their time reading it. Then, none of the information you provide in the cover letter will be seen or evaluated. That is a significant negative! Increase your chances of having your cover letter reviewed by condensing the content to 1 page.

How can I reduce my cover letter content to 1 page?

It can be challenging to remove content from your cover letter. Often, job seekers see everything they included as vital. However, there are a few approaches you can take to pare it down.

1. Review your resume. Are there areas in which the information is redundant? If so, take the redundancies out of the cover letter. The cover letter should provide different information than the resume.

2. Review the job posting. Have you included information within the cover letter that isn't really vital for this job opening? Maybe it was important in past roles you have held, but isn't as important for this future opportunity.

3. Find your focus. Closely read the entire cover letter. Highlight the aspects that are most important. Then look at the remaining, non-highlighted sections and consider if any of the information is not necessary for the cover letter. Would you be able to address it during an interview instead?

Final Thoughts

Although it may feel like a challenge to remove content from your cover letter, it is worth the effort. Submitting a 1-page cover letter shows you understand current hiring standards and are willing to follow directions. It also has the benefit of making it much more likely that your cover letter will be read by a hiring manager or recruiter.

If you are struggling with writing or editing your cover letter, don't hesitate to reach out to Revision Resume. We offer cover letter creation and cover letter critique services and would be happy to help you determine how to reduce the content in your cover letter to an acceptable length.

Related Reading:

Four Reasons to Submit a Cover Letter

Make Sure You Have What it Takes to Compete

Avoid These 8 Common Cover Letter Mistakes

Additional cover letter information can be found here.