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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.

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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

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Creating a cover letter section

1

Open the resume builder

Navigate to your resume and open it in the builder.
2

Scroll to Custom Sections

In the left sidebar, scroll down to find the Custom Sections area at the bottom.
3

Add a new custom section

Click Add a new custom section to open the section creation dialog.
4

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
5

Add a cover letter item

In your new cover letter section, click Add a new item to create your cover letter.

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Formatting your cover letter

A cover letter has two main fields:

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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
Use line breaks to format the address block. For example:
January 31, 2026

Jane Smith
Senior Hiring Manager
Acme Corporation
123 Main Street, Suite 400
New York, NY 10001

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

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Using fullscreen mode for writing

For a distraction-free writing experience, use the fullscreen mode in the rich text editor:
1

Open the cover letter item

Click on your cover letter item in the sidebar to open the edit dialog.
2

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.
3

Write in fullscreen

The editor will expand to nearly fill your screen, giving you a focused writing environment with all formatting tools available.
4

Exit fullscreen

Click the collapse icon or press Escape to return to the normal view.

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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

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Moving your cover letter to a separate page

Cover letters are typically on their own page, separate from the resume content. To achieve this:
1

Create a second page

In the right sidebar, go to the Layout section and add a new page to your resume.
2

Move the cover letter section

Use the Move to feature to relocate your cover letter section to the second page.
See Moving items between sections for detailed instructions on how to move sections between pages.
3

Verify the layout

Check the preview to ensure your cover letter appears on its own page with proper formatting.
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.

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Tips for effective cover letters

Keep it concise: Aim for 250-400 words. Recruiters spend about one minute reading cover letters.
Tailor each letter: Customize your cover letter for each application. Reference specific job requirements and company values.
Use the same styling: Your cover letter will inherit the fonts and colors from your resume template, ensuring a cohesive look.
Proofread carefully: Spelling and grammar errors can disqualify your application. Review your letter before exporting.

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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