Australian Cover Letter Tips — Format, Tone and What Works

A well-written Australian cover letter can significantly improve your chances of getting an interview — and a poorly written one can eliminate you before a recruiter reads your resume. This guide covers what Australian employers expect from a cover letter in 2026.

Do you always need a cover letter in Australia?

Not always — but more often than many candidates assume. The majority of Australian job applications via SEEK, LinkedIn, and direct employer portals include a cover letter field. If the application provides a cover letter field, submit one. An application without a cover letter where one is expected signals either disinterest or unfamiliarity with professional norms.

Some roles — particularly high-volume casual or trade positions — do not require one. Read the job advertisement carefully. If it says "attach a cover letter" or "tell us why you are the right person for this role," a cover letter is required.

Australian cover letter format

• Length: One page maximum — 3 to 4 paragraphs, 250 to 400 words
• Format: A4, same font as your resume (Calibri or Arial, 11pt), PDF
• Opening: "Dear [Name]," if you know the hiring manager. "Dear Hiring Manager," if you do not. Never "To Whom It May Concern."
• Sign-off: "Kind regards," or "Yours sincerely," — both are appropriate in Australia
• Tone: Professional but direct. Australian workplace culture values authenticity and substance over formality.

Structure of an effective Australian cover letter

Opening paragraph

Name the specific role and where you saw it advertised. Express genuine interest in this company — name something specific about them. Do NOT use "I am writing to express my interest in the role of..." — this is the most overused opener in Australian applications and is immediately recognised as a generic template.

Strong opener: "SEEK's 2024 Employer of the Year recognition for candidate experience is exactly what drew me to the Senior UX Designer role. With seven years designing for financial services platforms and a particular focus on accessibility and mobile-first experiences, I believe I can contribute meaningfully to your product team from day one."

Middle paragraph(s)

Connect 2 to 3 of your strongest achievements directly to the role requirements. Quantify where possible. Reference the company by name. Show that you have read the job description and understand what they need.

Work rights

If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, include one sentence about your work authorisation: "I currently hold a Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa valid through March 2028 and am fully authorised to work in Australia." Do not omit this — recruiters check this early.

Closing paragraph

Express genuine interest in the opportunity. State availability for interview. Thank them briefly. Keep it to 2 to 3 sentences — confident, not desperate.

Australian Government (APS) cover letters

APS applications are structured differently from private sector cover letters. Most APS agencies now require either:

• A "pitch" document of 1 to 2 pages — explaining how your skills, abilities, and experience meet the job requirements
• Responses to specific selection criteria — each criterion addressed separately with a structured example

According to the Australian Public Service Commission's "Cracking the Code" guide, APS applications are assessed purely on merit. Your written application is scored against defined capabilities or selection criteria — a hiring manager's personal preference cannot override the scoring. This is governed by the Public Service Act 1999.

For APS roles, use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or STAR-L (adding Learning) for each criterion. Mirror the language of the agency's capability framework. Address the selection criteria in the correct Work Level Standard for the classification you are applying for (APS 3, 4, 5, 6, EL1, EL2).

Common Australian cover letter mistakes

• Opening with "I am writing to express my interest..." — generic and immediately flagged
• Exceeding one page — Australian recruiters read cover letters quickly; length is a negative signal
• Repeating your resume rather than adding context and value
• Using American English — "color," "organization," "favor" — spell checker must be set to Australian English
• Not naming the company — a letter that could apply to any employer shows no research
• Omitting work rights when relevant
• Attaching as Word when the application accepts PDF — PDF preserves formatting