Adding a cover letter

A cover letter is a personalized document that accompanies your resume when applying for a job. It introduces you to the employer, highlights your relevant qualifications, and explains why you're a good fit for the position. Reactive Resume lets you create cover letters as custom sections, giving you full control over formatting and placement.

Why include a cover letter?

• Stand out: A well-written cover letter demonstrates genuine interest in the position
• Personalize your application: Tailor your message to each employer and role
• Explain gaps or transitions: Address career changes or gaps in your resume
• Show communication skills: Demonstrate your ability to write clearly and professionally

Creating a cover letter section

<Steps> <Step title="Open the resume builder"> Navigate to your resume and open it in the builder. </Step> <Step title="Scroll to Custom Sections"> In the left sidebar, scroll down to find the **Custom Sections** area at the bottom. </Step> <Step title="Add a new custom section"> Click <Badge>Add a new custom section</Badge> to open the section creation dialog. </Step> <Step title="Select 'Cover Letter' as the type"> In the dialog: - Enter a **Title** for your section (e.g., "Cover Letter" or "Cover Letter - [Company Name]") - Select **Cover Letter** from the **Type** dropdown - Click **Create** to add the section </Step> <Step title="Add a cover letter item"> In your new cover letter section, click <Badge>Add a new item</Badge> to create your cover letter. </Step> </Steps>

Formatting your cover letter

A cover letter has two main fields:

Recipient field

The Recipient field is where you enter the recipient's information. This typically includes:

• Date (optional)
• Hiring manager's name
• Their job title
• Company name
• Company address

<Tip> Use line breaks to format the address block. For example: </Tip>

Content field

The Content field is where you write the body of your cover letter. Include:

• Salutation: "Dear Ms. Smith," or "Dear Hiring Team,"
• Opening paragraph: State the position you're applying for and how you learned about it
• Body paragraphs: Highlight relevant experience, skills, and achievements
• Closing paragraph: Express enthusiasm and include a call to action
• Sign-off: "Sincerely," followed by your name

<Info> The recipient and content are both rendered directly on your resume without a section header, giving your cover letter a clean, professional appearance. </Info>

Using fullscreen mode for writing

For a distraction-free writing experience, use the fullscreen mode in the rich text editor:

<Steps> <Step title="Open the cover letter item"> Click on your cover letter item in the sidebar to open the edit dialog. </Step> <Step title="Expand the editor"> In either the Recipient or Content field, click the **expand icon** (arrows pointing outward) in the bottom-right corner of the editor. </Step> <Step title="Write in fullscreen"> The editor will expand to nearly fill your screen, giving you a focused writing environment with all formatting tools available. </Step> <Step title="Exit fullscreen"> Click the **collapse icon** or press **Escape** to return to the normal view. </Step> </Steps>

Formatting options

The rich text editor supports various formatting options for your cover letter:

• Text styling: Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, highlight
• Headings: H1 through H6 (though typically not needed in a cover letter)
• Alignment: Left, center, right, or justified text
• Lists: Bullet points and numbered lists
• Links: Add hyperlinks to your portfolio or LinkedIn

Moving your cover letter to a separate page

Cover letters are typically on their own page, separate from the resume content. To achieve this:

<Steps> <Step title="Create a second page"> In the right sidebar, go to the **Layout** section and add a new page to your resume. </Step> <Step title="Move the cover letter section"> Use the **Move to** feature to relocate your cover letter section to the second page. </Step> <Step title="Verify the layout"> Check the preview to ensure your cover letter appears on its own page with proper formatting. </Step> </Steps> <Warning> When exporting as PDF, pages are rendered in order. If you want the cover letter first, place it on page 1 and move your resume content to subsequent pages. </Warning>

Tips for effective cover letters

<Tip>Keep it concise: Aim for 250-400 words. Recruiters spend about one minute reading cover letters.</Tip>

<Tip> **Tailor each letter**: Customize your cover letter for each application. Reference specific job requirements and company values. </Tip> <Tip> **Use the same styling**: Your cover letter will inherit the fonts and colors from your resume template, ensuring a cohesive look. </Tip> <Tip> **Proofread carefully**: Spelling and grammar errors can disqualify your application. Review your letter before exporting. </Tip>

Managing multiple cover letters

Since cover letters are custom sections, you can:

• Create multiple cover letter sections for different job applications
• Name each section descriptively (e.g., "Cover Letter - Google", "Cover Letter - Meta")
• Show or hide sections as needed when exporting
• Duplicate sections to use as templates for new applications