Cover letter templates
Two fill-in letters for the Malaysian market. One page, three paragraphs, and one evidence paragraph that actually proves something. Copy as plain text, or print straight to PDF.
Who it's for: Little or no work history. Evidence comes from an internship, a final-year project or part-time work.
Length: One page, three paragraphs
[Full name]
[City, State] · [01X-XXX XXXX] · [name@email.com]
[1 January 2026]
[Name of the hiring manager, if you have it]
[Their job title]
[Company name]
[City, State]
Application: [Job title] ([advert reference, if any])
Dear [Name / Hiring Manager],
[One sentence: the role and where you saw it. Then one sentence: your qualification and when you can start. Example: “I am applying for the Administrative Assistant role advertised on [source] on [date]. I have just completed a Diploma in Business Administration at [institution] and can start from [month].”]
[The evidence paragraph — the one that matters. Take ONE requirement from the advert and show specific evidence from your internship, final-year project or part-time work. Use numbers. Example: “The advert asks for customer-record management. During my internship at [organisation] I maintained the [system] database for over 400 records a month and cut data-entry errors from [X] to [Y].” Do not restate the resume — pick one thing and prove it.]
[The closing paragraph — why THIS employer, not any employer. Name one specific thing about them: a service, a branch, a project, a stated value. Then close without apologising. Example: “I am drawn to [specific thing]. My resume is attached and I am available for an interview at any time.”]
Yours sincerely,
[Full name]
What is deliberately missing from these templates
- “I am a hardworking and dedicated individual” — every applicant writes it, so it separates no one.
- A full restatement of the resume in paragraph form — the employer already has your resume, attached.
- An apology for thin experience — state what you have, not what you lack.
- IC number, photo, race, religion, marital status — as with the resume, they do not belong.
How to use it
- Copy the plain text, paste it into Word or Google Docs, and replace every bracketed field.
- Find the name of the person handling the hire. If you cannot, “Dear Hiring Manager” is fine — “To Whom It May Concern” is not.
- One page. If it is longer than your resume, it is too long.
- Rewrite the evidence paragraph for EVERY application. One letter sent to ten employers reads like one letter sent to ten employers.
A cover letter only earns its place if it is not a second resume
Most cover letter examples online summarise the resume in paragraph form: education, experience, a list of skills. The employer already has your resume — it is attached to the same email. A letter that repeats it carries no new information, so it gets skimmed and set aside.
These templates are built to do the one job a resume cannot: take one requirement named in the advert and show specific evidence that you have done it. That is why the middle paragraph is the longest one, and why it has to be rewritten for every application.
When you do not need one at all
Federal civil-service applications do not use a cover letter — everything goes through a structured profile in the SPA9 system, and there is nowhere to attach one. See how to apply for government jobs. Some private job portals also accept a resume only; there, use the evidence paragraph as your introductory message instead.
After the letter
A cover letter pairs with a resume rather than replacing it — take the matching resume template. If you have to name a salary expectation, check the market range first with the salary percentile tool, and see how to phrase it in salary negotiation.
Get new salary guides by email
Our newsletter hasn't started yet. Leave your email and you'll be among the first to get it — sourced salary and career guides, free, and you can stop any time.