Do you need a cover letter for an entry-level job?
Many people ask us this, and it is a good question to ask. The honest answer is: sometimes yes, and sometimes no. Let us walk through it together, so you know when a letter will help you and when you can save your energy.
A cover letter is a short letter you send together with your CV. It is not a second CV. Its job is to say the things your CV cannot say on its own — why you want this particular job, and why you would be good at it.
A lot of people think you must always send one. You do not — and that is good news, because it means you can put your energy where it counts.
A cover letter is not a rule you have to follow. It is a tool you pick up when it will help you.
When you should send a cover letter
- The job asks for one. If the advert or the form says "attach a covering letter" or "motivate your application," send one. Employers notice when you follow what was asked — it is an easy way to show you are careful.
- You are applying by email. Try not to send an email with just an attachment and no words. What you write in that email is your cover letter, even if it is only a few lines.
- You are applying online through a website. Many application websites have a space for a letter or a message. Use it.
- You have something to explain. This is where a letter really earns its place — see below.
The best reason of all: when there is something worth explaining
Your CV is a list of facts, and facts cannot explain themselves. A letter gives you a chance to add the part of your story that the CV leaves out. If any of these sound like you, a letter could make a real difference:
You are changing the type of work you do
Perhaps your CV shows cleaning work, but you are applying for a driver job. Without a word from you, a manager might not see the connection. A letter lets you say, "I have my Code 10 licence and I have been driving for three years — I am ready to move into driving full time." Suddenly it makes sense.
There is a gap in your work history
Life happens to all of us. A CV shows the gap but not the reason behind it, and that silence can be filled in wrongly. A letter lets you say simply that you were caring for a family member, studying, or raising your children. There is no shame in any of that — most employers understand completely once they know.
Most of your experience is informal
If you have washed cars, done hair, sold at the taxi rank or helped at a spaza shop, that is real work and you should be proud of it. Sometimes a manager needs a moment to see it that way. A letter gives you the chance to say, "I ran my own hairdressing business for three years and built up my own regular customers." That says something powerful about you that a list of jobs cannot. (We wrote a whole guide on how to put informal work on your CV.)
You do not tick every box, but you can do the job
If the advert asks for two years and you have one, do not count yourself out. Many people get hired with less than the advert asked for. A letter lets you make your case — that you learn quickly, you are reliable, and you are ready to work. Those are the things managers look for anyway.
You are applying from another area
If your CV shows you live far from the job, a manager might worry about how you will get there. You can put that worry to rest — say in your letter that you are moving to the area, or that you have reliable transport and are happy to travel.
Notice the pattern: a letter helps most when there is something about you that the CV alone would not show properly. It is your chance to answer the manager's question before they even ask it.
💡 How to do this on Send My CV: Once your CV is finished, type MENU and tap ✍️ Cover letter. We ask you a few short questions, and one of them is "Why do you want this job?" — that is your moment. Explain your situation in your own words, whether that is a gap, a change of work, or simply why this job matters to you. Whatever you tell us there, we work into your letter. So take a few extra seconds on that question.
Open WhatsApp →
When you probably do not need one
- You are handing your CV in by hand. Walking into a shop, a security company or a site office and giving your CV to a manager — they are not going to stand there and read a letter.
- The application is just a form. Many entry-level jobs use a simple form plus your CV. If there is no space for a letter, do not force one in.
- The advert says CV only. Follow what they asked for.
When you drop your CV off in person, the thing that matters is you — being polite, being neat, and asking for the right person by name. That does far more than a page they will not read.
One thing to watch out for
A letter only helps if it is about that job.
When you are applying for many jobs, it is tempting to send the same letter to all of them. It is completely understandable — job hunting is exhausting. But a letter with no job title, no company name and nothing specific in it does not tell the manager anything they cannot already see on your CV.
And please never list several companies in one letter. We sometimes see letters that say something like "I am applying to Shoprite, Pick n Pay and Boxer." We understand why — you are applying everywhere and you are trying to save time. But put yourself in the manager's shoes: they can see you are sending the same page to their competitors, and it tells them this job is not really the one you want.
"Dear Sir / Madam, I am applying for any available position at your company. I am hardworking and a fast learner. Please consider my application."
"Dear Hiring Manager, I am applying for the Cashier position at your Diepkloof store. I worked at a spaza shop for two years, where I handled cash every day and balanced the till at closing. I live 10 minutes away and can start immediately."
Same person, same experience. The second one just names the job, names the place, and gives the manager one real reason to call.
Rather make a new letter for each company. It only takes a minute, and it means every manager who reads your letter feels like you chose them. It is the same idea as changing your CV for every job — small changes, big difference.
💡 Send My CV helps here: Our letter writer asks you what job you are applying for, which company, and why you want it — then writes a proper letter using the details already on your CV. So your letter is always about that job, never a copy-paste. Type MENU and tap ✍️ Cover letter.
Open WhatsApp →What about learnerships? That is different
If you are applying for a learnership or a training programme, you usually need a motivation letter, and it is often part of the official application. Many SETA and government learnership forms list it alongside your certified ID, your matric certificate and your CV.
A motivation letter is not the same as a cover letter:
"Here is why I can already do this work." It points at what you have done before.
"Here is why I want this chance and why I will make the most of it." It is about your drive and your potential.
That difference is exactly why a motivation letter suits people who have not worked before. You are not being asked to prove years of experience — you are being asked to show that you are serious, and that you will finish what you start.
💡 Good news: Send My CV writes both. When you start, we simply ask whether you are applying for a job or a learnership, and we write the right kind of letter for you. You can also choose from 3 designs so your letter matches your CV.
Make my letter →How long should a cover letter be?
Short. One page at the very most, and honestly half a page is usually plenty. Three or four short paragraphs is all you need:
- Which job you are applying for, and where you saw it.
- Why you would be good at it, using real examples from your experience.
- Why you want this job in particular.
- A polite thank you, and that you look forward to hearing from them.
Nobody has ever been hired because their cover letter was long.
And if you are sending everything over WhatsApp rather than email, the same thinking applies to your message — we cover exactly what to write when sending your CV on WhatsApp.
What else Send My CV can do for you
A letter is only one part of applying. Everything below is free, and all of it happens right here on WhatsApp — just type MENU and choose what you need.
- ✏️ Edit my CV — change any part of your CV as many times as you like, then get a fresh PDF straight away. You can edit right here on WhatsApp, or open your CV on a web page where you can see and change everything on one screen.
- 📝 Improve my CV — we read your CV and tell you exactly what is missing and what would make it stronger.
- ✍️ Cover letter — a cover letter for a job, or a motivation letter for a learnership. Answer a few questions and we write it for you.
- 💡 Interview advice — get advice for your interview, or do a practice interview where you answer real questions by voice note and get feedback.
- 🤝 Add a reference — add someone who can speak for you, so employers can see you are trusted.
- 🎨 Change CV style — try a different look for your CV.
- 💼 Find a job — see jobs that match what is on your CV.
Use a letter when you have something worth saying, and let your CV do the work the rest of the time. 🧡
Need a letter? We will write it with you
Send My CV writes cover letters and motivation letters using the details already on your CV — free, on WhatsApp, in a few minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Do you always need a cover letter for an entry-level job?
No. A cover letter is a tool, not a rule. Send one when the advert asks for it, when you are applying by email or through a website, or when there is something about you that your CV alone would not explain properly. If you are handing your CV in by hand at a shop or a site office, you can usually skip it.
What is the difference between a cover letter and a motivation letter?
A cover letter says "here is why I can already do this work" — it points at your experience. A motivation letter says "here is why I want this chance and why I will make the most of it" — it is about your drive and your potential. Motivation letters are usually asked for with learnerships and training programmes, which is why they suit people who have not worked before.
How long should a cover letter be?
Short. One page at the very most, and half a page is usually plenty — three or four short paragraphs. Say which job you are applying for, why you would be good at it, why you want that job in particular, and thank them. Nobody has ever been hired because their cover letter was long.
Can I send the same cover letter to every company?
It is better not to. A letter with no job title and no company name tells the manager nothing they cannot already see on your CV. Never list several companies in one letter either — if a manager sees you are sending the same page to their competitors, it tells them this job is not really the one you want. Name the one job, name the one company, and say one true thing about why you want it.
Do I need a cover letter if I have no work experience?
A letter often helps most when you have little formal experience, because that is exactly when your CV leaves questions unanswered. Use it to explain informal work you have done, a gap in your history, or why you are ready to learn. It is your chance to answer the manager's question before they ask it.
Where do I put a cover letter when I apply by email or WhatsApp?
By email, what you write in the body of the email is your cover letter — try not to send a blank email with only an attachment. On WhatsApp, a short polite message with your CV does the same job. If the employer asked for a letter as a document, attach it as a separate PDF along with your CV.
Say the right thing, to the right job. Make your free cover letter on WhatsApp →