You spent an hour writing a thoughtful cover letter. It never got read. An automated system filtered it out before any human saw it.

This is the reality for millions of job seekers. Over 90% of Fortune 500 companies — and a growing number of smaller employers — use Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software to screen applications. If your cover letter doesn't pass the ATS filter, your application is invisible.

Here's exactly how to write a cover letter that passes ATS screening and reaches a real hiring manager.

What is an ATS and how does it work?

An Applicant Tracking System is software that automatically scans, filters, and ranks job applications based on how well they match the job description. It looks for specific keywords, phrases, job titles, and qualifications — and scores your application accordingly.

If your score falls below a certain threshold, your application is automatically rejected or deprioritized — often before any human reviews it. Studies suggest that up to 75% of resumes and cover letters are filtered out by ATS before a recruiter sees them.

7 rules for an ATS-friendly cover letter

1. Use keywords from the job description verbatim

This is the single most important rule. ATS systems match your text against the job description — they're looking for exact or near-exact matches. If the job description says "project management," don't write "project coordination" or "program oversight." Use their exact phrase.

How to do it: Read the job description carefully and identify the 5–8 most important requirements. Make sure each of those exact phrases appears somewhere in your cover letter, used naturally in context.

2. Include the exact job title

State the role name you're applying for explicitly, ideally in your opening paragraph. "I'm applying for the Senior Software Engineer position" helps ATS systems confirm you're targeting the right role.

3. Use plain text formatting

ATS systems often struggle to parse complex formatting. Avoid tables, columns, text boxes, headers/footers, and graphics. Use plain paragraphs. If you're submitting a .docx or PDF, choose the format specified in the posting — and when in doubt, .docx parses more reliably than PDF.

4. Spell out abbreviations

Write "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" rather than just "SEO" — the system may be looking for the full phrase. Then you can use the abbreviation afterwards.

5. Don't stuff keywords unnaturally

Keyword stuffing — repeating terms excessively — can actually trigger spam filters in modern ATS systems, and will definitely read badly to the human who reviews it after. Aim for each key term to appear once or twice, used naturally.

6. Match your experience to their requirements

Modern ATS systems don't just look for keywords — they look for evidence that you've used those skills. "I have 5 years of experience in data analysis using Python and SQL" is stronger than just mentioning the tools.

7. Use a standard file name

Name your file clearly: FirstName-LastName-CoverLetter-CompanyName.pdf. This helps both the ATS and the recruiter find your file easily.

✓ Do

  • Mirror exact phrases from the job description
  • State the job title explicitly
  • Use plain paragraph formatting
  • Spell out acronyms on first use
  • Quantify your experience where possible

✗ Don't

  • Use synonyms instead of their exact terms
  • Rely on tables, columns, or graphics
  • Stuff keywords unnaturally
  • Submit a scanned image PDF
  • Use creative fonts or text boxes

How to find the right keywords to include

The job description is your keyword source. Here's a quick process:

  1. Paste the job description into a document
  2. Highlight every technical skill, tool, qualification, and responsibility mentioned
  3. Identify which of those you actually have experience with
  4. Make sure each of those appears in your cover letter, in your own words with context

Shortcut: LetterCraft AI does this automatically. Paste the job description and your experience, and the AI extracts the most important keywords and weaves them into a natural, compelling letter — optimized for ATS from the start.

Does ATS read cover letters or just resumes?

Both — though the emphasis varies by company. Some ATS systems score cover letters equally with resumes; others primarily filter on resume content. Since you can't know which system a company uses, it's safest to optimize both. A strong, ATS-friendly cover letter also helps immensely once a recruiter does read it.

ATS-friendly cover letter template

Here's a simple structure that works well for ATS:

  1. Opening: State the exact job title and lead with your strongest relevant qualification or achievement
  2. Body paragraph 1: 2–3 specific experiences that match the job's core requirements, using their exact language
  3. Body paragraph 2: Why this company specifically — shows genuine interest
  4. Close: Clear, confident call to action

Generate an ATS-optimized cover letter in 30 seconds

Paste the job description and your experience. Our AI handles the keyword optimization automatically.

✦ Try LetterCraft AI Free

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